As far as I am aware, it is impossible to use the standard thought speech symbols on here so for future reference, I will be replacing them with these --insert speech here.--
CHAPTER 4: A Cursed Gift
(MIKE'S POV)
"A flying saucer?" Marco said. He did laugh. That is, until he looked up.
I wasn't paying much attention to him though. I was so excited! I couldn't stop grinning! I was going to be an Animorph!
"It's coming this way," Rachel said, interrupting my thoughts.
"It's hard to be sure." Jake's voice was barley a whisper.
"No, it's coming this way," Rachel said. She seemed to have a very definite way of talking; as if she was sure of everything she said. But I didn't have to be told, I already knew.
As predicted, the ship was slowing down, like a plane arriving at an airport, about to land. We could now see the ship quite clearly.
"It's not exactly a flying saucer," Jake pointed out.
He was right of course; it looked just like it did on the cover of Andalite Chronicles.
It was about the size of a school bus, and the front end was like an oval shaped pod. Extending out of the back of the pod was a long narrow shaft. There were two crooked, stubby wing-like things, and on the end of each wing was a long tube that glowed bright blue on the back end.
The ship looked harmless, maybe even cute. Until you saw the tail. It was a mean looking tail that curved up and forward, ending in a needle-like point.
"That tail must be some kind of weapon," Jake said.
"Definitely," Marco agreed.
The ship was still losing speed, and still flying closer to us.
"It's stopping," Rachel said. Her voice was starting to sound a bit weird, like she couldn't believe it was real. I could hardly believe it myself.
"I think it sees us," Marco said. "Should we run? Maybe we should run home and get a camera. Do you know how much money we could get for a video of a real UFO?"
"If we run, they might… I don't know, zap us with Phasers on full power," Jake made a lame attempt at a joke.
"Phasers are only on Star Trek," Marco said, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah," I agreed. "But that tail isn't there for decoration."
The ship stopped and hovered almost directly over our heads, maybe thirty metres in the air. I glanced at the others and nearly laughed when I looked at Rachel. Her long blonde hair was sticking out in every direction. Only Cassie looked normal.
"What do you think it is?" Marco asked. His voice was shaking slightly. He didn't seem so cocky with an alien space craft over his head. I was getting a little nervous myself, but not scared. I was too excited to be scared.
"I think it's going to land," Tobias said. I looked at him and saw that I wasn't the only one smiling. His eyes were glowing with excitement.
As the ship came in for a landing between the piles of junk, I noticed the top of the pod section had been badly burnt; some of it had started to melt. The ship touched down and the blue lights instantly went out. Rachel's hair fell back down on to her neck.
"It isn't very big is it?" Rachel whispered.
"It's about… about three or four times the size of our minivan," Jake said.
"We should tell someone," Marco said. "I mean, this is kind of major, you know? Spaceships don't just land in the construction site every day. We should call the cops or the army or the president or something. We'd be totally famous. We'd get to be on TV for sure."
"Yeah, you're right" Jake agreed. "We should call someone." But I knew that none of them would leave. They weren't going to just walk away from a spaceship.
"I wonder if we should talk to it," Rachel suggested. She was standing there with her hands on her hips looking at the spaceship like it was a puzzle she had to figure out. "I mean, we should communicate. If that's even possible."
Tobias nodded, stepped forward, and held out his empty hands to show that he wasn't carrying a weapon. In a loud, clear voice, he said, "It's safe we won't hurt you."
"Do you think they speak English?" Jake wondered aloud.
"Well, everyone speaks English on Star Trek," Cassie said with a nervous laugh.
"Please come out," Tobias pleaded. "We won't hurt you."
--I know.--
It was strange hearing thought speak for the first time. I mean, I heard it alright; just not through my ears. I heard it inside my own head, almost as if they were my own thoughts, except that it wasn't me thinking them.
"Did you guys…?" Jake started.
"Yep," I replied.
"Can you come out?" Tobias asked in his loud talking-to-aliens-voice.
--Yes. Do not be frightened.--
"We won't be frightened," Tobias said.
"Speak for yourself," Jake muttered. Marco, Cassie, and Rachel giggled nervously.
A thin arc of light appeared, a doorway, opening slowly in the smooth side of the pod part of the ship. I stood there, gazing towards the ship, and grinning like an idiot. Waiting.
The opening grew, like a crescent moon at first, then a full, bright circle.
And then he appeared. For a moment he stood tall and proud, like the great warrior he was. He was just as I had imagined him.
My first glimpse reminded me of a Centaur from Greek Mythology. Half-human. Half-horse.
Actually that's not entirely accurate. The horse section seemed okay (except for the blue fur and all), but the more-or-less human part was slightly different. For one thing he didn't have a mouth. This is because Andalite's absorb nutrients from the grass as they run through it; and they communicate telepathically through thought speech. His nose seemed to have three vertical slits as nostrils (God knows why) and he also had a pair of stalk eyes on the top of his head, which he could turn 360 degrees so that he could see in every direction.
The eyes were slightly disturbing, but you could get used to them after awhile. The same thing cannot be guaranteed when you look at the tail. It was like a scorpion's tail, thick and powerful-looking. On the end was a wickedly curved, very sharp-looking horn or stinger. An Andalite tail blade. You could easily tell by looking that it could cause some serious damage.
"Hello," said Tobias. His voice was gentle, like he was talking to a baby. The more he grinned, the stranger he looked, but I couldn't blame him; I probably looked a lot weirder. All this tension and excitement was killing me.
Seeing Elfangor was a strange experience; a bit like déjà vu because I had pictured this scene in my head so many times. He felt like a forgotten friend that I hadn't seen since childhood.
--Hello,-- Elfangor greeted us kindly.
"Hi," we all said back.
Then, as predicted, he stumbled and fell to the ground, giving us a clear view of a large burn which ran down his right side.
"Look! He's hurt!" Cassie yelled. Pointing at his burn.
--Yes,-- he replied. --I am dying.--
"Can we help you? We can call an ambulance or something," Marco said.
"We can bandage that wound," Cassie said. "Jake, give me your shirt. We can tear it up and make bandages." Cassie helps her dad look after sick and injured animals, so it was only natural for her to want to help. But you know what the sad thing was? I knew there was nothing anyone could do.
I could still hear Elfangor's saddened thought speak "voice" as he started to explain to the others about the Yeerk threat, but I wasn't really listening. Could I actually allow this alien to die? Could I do anything to save him?
I decided that I had to at least try to do something to save him. After all, wasn't that the reason why I had been sent here in the first place? To save lives?
I was still trying to formulate a plan when I saw Yeerk ships in the distance and noticed that the others were staring at me, waiting to see if I thought we should accept the morphing power.
For the next three years these people were going to be my team mates, my only friends in a world of anger and hatred. I stared at each one of them, one by one. Jake, Cassie, Marco, Tobias, and finally Rachel. When my eyes reached Rachel I smiled.
"Let's do it!" I yelled enthusiastically.
Elfangor smiled at me with his eyes and told us to put a hand on the square. My hand touched Elfangor's and I smiled at him as a plan began to form in my head. I felt a tingling shock go up my hand, like a small electric shock except that it didn't hurt.
--Go now,-- Elfangor said. --Only remember this: never remain in animal form for more than two of your Earth hours. Never! That is the greatest danger of morphing! If you stay longer than two hours you will be trapped, unable to return to human form.--
"Two hours," I repeated. Looking at Tobias thoughtfully.
I waited until Tobias and the others had gone, and then knelt down next to Elfangor.
"We will avenge your honourable death my Andalite friend," I said. I placed my hand on his shoulder.
"Do I have permission to acquire your DNA pattern?" I asked.
He nodded.
--You seem very wise for such a young human.-- He said.
I smiled.
"Never judge a book by its cover Elfangor Sirinial Shamtul," I told him.
He started at me; puzzled. Then he smiled.
--Ellimist.-- He said. It wasn't a question.
"I was sent by the Ellimist, yes," I said.
--I knew there was something about you.-- Elfangor said.
"Prince Elfangor," I said. "I am familiar with the morphing technology. Can't you just morph to recover your injuries?"
--There is no time, and besides,-- he said. --My time has come.--
I nodded, knowing that I wouldn't be able to convince him in time. I started to leave, but he called me back.
--Wait!-- he yelled. --When the time is right; tell Tobias who his father is. And tell him I am sorry for not being there for him when he needed me.--
"I will guard your son, and your brother, with my life," I promised.
--Go quickly child!-- he yelled. --Visser Three is here!--
"Goodbye Prince Elfangor Sirinial Shamtul," I said.
I ran to join the others behind a crumbled wall. Then, I watched the horror unfold.
I watched as the Blade ship came in for a landing.
I watched as the bladed Hork-Bajir and the nightmarish Taxxon surrounded Elfangor.
I watched as Visser Three, the Abomination, the first and only ever Andalite-Controller, morphed into a huge, hideous beast, and devoured the defenceless Andalite. After that I decided that I couldn't take anymore.
I ran away. I could hear the others close behind me, but I didn't look back. I just carried on running until I reached my new home in the forest. I went inside. And I cried.