We headed back towards the compound, our easy hit and run mission had just been audibled into an infiltration and don't die mission. The only upside to this mission is we didn't need to worry about being recognized or seen as out of place, pretty much everyone here was a Hork-Bajir. Sure they had a couple Taxxons running around and even a few humans and other assortment of aliens, but it was mostly Hork-Bajir. The only down side would be if Ax got separated from the group, see he was the only one who spoke Galard, and we were constantly being ordered around.

Luckily the orders weren't anything too big, and all the orders were confined to a compound outside a large Yeerk pool. It seems that the Visser was landing soon, and the Hork-Bajir wanted the Yeerk Pool looking nice. That and there was some podium being set up, I guess he was going to address the soldiers or give us some sort of briefing, I didn't know. All I knew was that if we stuck close together towards the back of the compound and pretended like we were busy setting equipment people left us alone.

((We have approximately 33% of our time left in this morph,)) Ax informed us.

((You know it would be a lot easier if you just gave it to us in minutes,)) I began. ((All you need to say is … what is it … 40 minutes and then we are trapped as overgrown salad-shooters.))

Ax ignored my statement, or at least he didn't respond to it, nobody did. They were all worried; we were trapped in this large area surrounded by an uncountable amount of controllers, with absolutely no way out.

((Ax,)) Rachel began. ((What are those Hork-Bajir unloading from that space craft?))

((I believe they are cuboid storage containers,)) He answered.

((No shit, what are inside those boxes?))

((Ah, I agree with your astute observation Rachel. It is unlikely they are transporting fecal waste in those boxes, as they are bringing them into the Yeerk Pool, not out of it.))

I shook my head, I couldn't tell if he was attempting a joke or not.

((It looks like they are unloading weapons.)) Ax finished.

I could already see what Rachel was thinking. She thought if we could get a hold of one of those crates, or what was inside them; we might be able to escape. Or at least improve our chances of doing so. Jake also seemed to deduce her reasoning behind this.

((Six Dracon beams against a whole army? Rachel as soon as we start acting suspiciously people are going to start noticing. I don't think they are going to take any chances especially with a Visser coming down.))

I snapped my fingers, of course, the Visser. I guess I might have sold her a little bit short. But before I could start in with my plan Jake beat me to the punch line.

((Ax, how do you say 'We're here to help unload the weapons' in Galard?))

As we headed over to the drop ship, which looked sort of like a giant wingless Dragonfly who was missing his tail, Jake filled us in on 'his' great plan. Since there was a Visser landing in the area, and no one would dare question a Visser's orders, we would be granted some freedom if we claimed all of our orders came from the Visser. And with any luck, nobody should be paying attention to any lowly grunt stuck with moving duty.

"Hanna gorban chu chuno greevs," Ax stated indicating the rest of us.

The Hork-Bajir seemed to give us that 'it's about time' look. Tossing each of us a crate, we started to head towards the munitions shed. Once inside the shed Ax began rifling through the boxes. He was looking for explosives. The plan was to wait until the Visser arrived, and detonate a couple of explosives and hopefully in the ensuing chaos we could make our discreet exit.

((What a waste of good weapons,)) sighed Rachel. ((If we could get just a crate or two, just think of what the 'rogue' Hork-Bajir could do.))

((You know we would take some weapons if we could Rachel, but there is just no way to get them out of here unnoticed,)) Jake explained.

Ax found some palm sized explosives; activating one he placed it back into the crate he removed it from.

((It would be best if we placed a few explosives around the compound, to create a larger distraction, which would lead their attention farther away from us.))

We agreed, but it wasn't going to be easy, you could just go sticking explosives to sides of buildings or people with out them noticing what you were doing. Ax's plan was sound though, if were to create the illusion that a rogue group of Hork-Bajir was attacking the compound we would need to have more than one explosion.

((We need to wait until the Visser has landed,)) I said. ((That way when the explosions go off, people will be too distracted trying to protect the Visser, and figuring out where the attack is coming from. We'll rush out into the forest chasing down the attackers and no one will think otherwise.))

We finished planting the bombs, and continued to unpack more weapons crates, and from the tension you could tell that the Visser would be arriving soon. A lone Bug Fighter descended down towards the clearing made towards the center of the compound. It was the area we weren't able to get anywhere near, or if we had we would have been under sever scrutiny, no one was allowed in the clearing. That is how we could tell it was the location of the Visser's touch down point.

A door way appeared at the side of the Bug Fighter. An incision appeared at the side of the Fighter, growing wider and taller the metal appeared to be a liquid, much like the T-1000 of Terminator 2, as it slid away from the incision that first appeared. It reminded me of water going over an oiled surface. Through the newly formed doorway stepped out an enormous Hork-Bajir female, as here forehead blades indicated who was easily eight feet tall. If you counted her forehead blades she was in the eight and a half to nine foot range. This had to be Visser Five, I was curious to see what type of controller Visser Five would employ; it wasn't at all surprising that Visser Five chose this host. The host's body was physically intimidating, an aspect all Visser's I had met preferred. Save for the vile Yeerk who enslaves my mother.

Two smaller, yet equally intimidating Hork-Bajir flanked the Visser as she exited the Bug Fighter, their black arm bands indicating that they were part of her private guard. She began addressing the gathered Yeerk populace, her voice booming, barking out orders in Galard. We slowly started to move through the crowd; we decided that it would be best if we split up into two groups of three, to limit drawing any attention to ourselves. Rachel, Jake and Cassie were in one group, while I lead Ax and Tobias. We were waiting for Jakes signal to blow the explosives when Ax spoke up.

((I believe that Tobias was correct with his earlier statement.))

((Yeah, I'm also always impressed when Tobias is correct,)) I stated in a confused manner. Tobias shot me a glare with a furrowed look upon his goblin-like Hork-Bajir face.

((What are you talking about Ax-man?)) Tobias asked. But before Ax could respond, the open area where the Bug Fighter landed began to shimmer. A jet black Blade Ship materialized out of the air. A door began to stretch open from a minute fissure on the Blade Ships hull. The air became chill, everyone in attendance shuddered, a powerful and yet graceful Andalite, but not an Andalite; an Andalite-Controller descended down the ramp. Visser Three was here.

((You got to hand it to the guy; he has balls, one-upping another Visser at her party. That guy knows how to make an entrance.))

((Yes, I do believe he has 'balls' he is male after all.)) I rolled my eyes at what I perceived as Ax's attempt at another lame joke.

The crowd was mesmerized by his appearance, he had just outdone Visser Five at her own game, even his ride was cooler, and the only thing missing was dry ice smoke pouring out of the Blade Ships entry way as he stepped out onto the Hork-Bajir planet. Ax had explained it to me once, the way Visser Three could make a whole room chilled. Because of their pseudo-psychic thought-speak nature, how everyone is able to understand what an Andalite is saying, Andalites can 'broadcast' strong emotions. It is a more primitive function of their telepathic abilities, and I had only ever felt it around two Andalites: Elfangor, whose presence was that of peace and security, and that of Visser Three, whose malice and hatred plumed out of his mind, like the rot of decaying road kill on a hot day.

((Fellow Yeerks and Visser Five it is a pleasure to be welcomed to this planet once again.)) His voice boomed in thought-speak, so Ax no longer need to translate for us.

((After hearing how I dealt with the Earth colony of escaped Hork-Bajir the Council of Thirteen has sent me here to aid Visser Five in his effort to destroy this pocket rebellion of Rogue Hork-Bajir. We shall crush these children of the Arn. With Visser Five leading the ground troops and me coordinating the operation we shall remind all Hork-Bajir that there is no hope here, only infestation!))

I thought back to when we tricked Visser One and Three into thinking that they had found and eradicated the Free Colony of Hork-Bajir on Earth, with the help of Erek King. I almost laughed out loud at the thought; the Council of Thirteen had just put a Visser in charge of an operation that he couldn't even complete with his own men.

((Uh, guys, don't you think we should have detonated the bombs, I think we just missed out perfect opportunity?)) Tobias pointed out.

((Shit, they caught us with our pants down,)) Rachel, of course.

((Something is not right,)) Cassie began. ((I don't think Visser Three wants to be here.))

((Well duh, he could be kicking back on Earth, but now he is running clean up, like he is some sort of 'space janitor' or something.))

((Space Janitor?))

((Yeah, you know cleaning up other people's messes, but In Space!))

((Would you two can it,)) Jake interrupted. ((What do you mean Cassie, do you think he is being tested, to prove he can hack it, like that ordeal Visser One just went through?))

((No, that isn't what I meant, but that could be the case. Didn't you guys hear it in his 'voice' when he said he was happy to be back and leading this group, coordinating with Visser Five?))

((Yeah, he's a prick, no surprise there,)) Tobias said.

((It isn't just that,)) Cassie explained. ((There is more to it, like he wants to be here, yet he doesn't. I don't know if it is Visser Five or what.))

((Don't any Vissers get along?))

((A Visser's power is in a constant state of flux,)) Ax began. ((Any deed accomplished by a Visser has immediate repercussions, be it good or ill. Both Vissers understand that this assignment may affect resources allocated to either Visser by the Council or even their ranks themselves depending on how this exercise is concluded.))

((So you're saying, it's not just about getting the job done, it is about being better than the other guy?))

((Not being better,)) I clarified. ((It's about looking better.))

((Or making them look worse,)) Jake said finishing my thought. ((We need to get moving, we've wasted too much time already. But Cassie is right this needs to be checked out. As if having one Visser isn't bad enough and now they have 2. Maybe we can turn this in our favor; you know the whole 2 heads not really being better than one thing.))

Jake sighed. ((Marco, I want your team to get into the Visser Three's quarters, and spy out what is happening, meet us back at the Jalux transport after dark.))

((What no straws?))

((Ax has a natural sense of direction, he can find the way back to the ship in the dark if need be, I was never a good boy scout, but I can find it if we have light. Alright, blow the charges.))

((About time! Let's do it.))

Before the detonator was pressed, I could see Jake's team start to make for their exit. I was able to see Jake give me a wink followed by his best Picard impersonation.

((Number One, you have the bridge.))

And then Ax pressed the button, and all chaos broke loose.