(Story resumed from my POV. I hope Liz writes another chapter though!)

Chronicles of Terrus Chapter 10: Outside the box Location: The mists

The arrogant darkap. Not as arrogant now. Nervous. Fearful. As if it isn't bad enough I'm shaken up! A shaken up Serri wasn't helping my mood. I wanted some Arn creation to kill. I wanted to jump on its huge ugly face and gouge out the eyes and slice until I reached the brain and take dracon beams to it.

Unfortunately, that was the LAST thing the others wanted, and they kept telling me so as we made our way through the aptly named mists.

Heyo glared from beside me and said angrily "Terrus, the only thing I'm saying is you can't be off fighting things. This is YOUR little mission remember?" I grinned triumphantly back. "Yes! Exactly, It's MY mission! I can decide to go off and kill things if I want to. And since this is MY mission that makes ME the leader. And the leader should be told where crash sites are BEFORE they get there! I still don't know why we set down on the outskirts of the mists instead of landing right next to where Desha's ship crashed."

Serri looked back over his shoulder from ahead and began to explain "It's really simple miss. If we had landed next to them they could have ambushed us in our own ship, killed us as we left it, caught is in a crossfire from behind some of the larger boulders, or they could have even-" "Save that kind of talk for later when it's going to be more appropriately received." I interrupted.

Serri looked puzzled and asked "What better time would there be to receive that kind of information than being in the middle of a dense fog and approaching a crashed hostile ship?" I grinned and answered "How about when we're sent out off the planet? To the Xandar invasion, for example. Or the Taxxon homeworld, I heard they're rebelling again. When we get to Desha's vessel I think we should-" Heyo pushed me and chided me angrily "You don't know if it's Desha!"

I pushed him back and said excitedly "But I do know! It all fits together! The exactly FOUR of everything missing mere minutes after I'd interrogated the Visser about Andalites. The bug fighter, the modified bug fighter, attacking us when we're on our way to the crash sites of Andalite vessels. They were the ONLY ONES who would know about this. The ONLY ONES who could be tasked secretly by the Visser to get to the crash sites BEFORE US. They are the ONLY ONES who even have a chance of stopping this team, now where's one of those darkap Arn creatures I want to kill something!"

Serri sped up his pace and went further ahead until he was just a shape against the mists, while Heyo stayed back with me. "Terrus. Fine. You can kill whatever Arn creature we run into or whatever one finds us. But you won't go off LOOKING for them. There's not many of them left anyway. And on the subject of Desha..okay. It looks like her team. This seems like her. I give you that." He thinks he can tell me what to do? Darkap.

I grinned and told him gleefully "Okay darkap. I won't go looking for them. Don't worry." I spotted a decent sized boulder on my left and went over to it and sat down. He stared, completely baffled, and said "Don't tell me your tired." I grinned as he came over and sat next to me. "I'm not tired. I'm just...Oh I don't know. I just have this feeling, this strange urge to point my dracon beams up at the sky and fire them a few times."

Realization dawned on him and he glared "Don't even think about it." I half raised my arms and replied "Why not?" I raised them higher and he leaned over to pull them down. "WHY NOT? Because I don't want to die." I looked over to where Serri had gone and saw nothing but mists. I submitted to having my arms dragged down and sighed at him. "Serri's gone. Eliza is still back at the ship. I'm not entirely comfortable with the fact that he gave her the how to be a bug fighter pilot in twenty seconds course.. I'm sure she can save us but I'm also sure it won't be a very good rescue."

He wasn't fooled by my subject change and still held onto my arms. "I mean it Terrus. I don't want to die. I forgive you for trying to kill me on the ship. I'm sorry for calling you traitor to the Empire." He's getting smarter already! Maybe there is hope for him. Maybe..I COULD learn to like him. I was surprised to find that I wasn't at all bothered that he was still gripping my arms. I smiled. "Fine."

He let go and pulled his holocomp off his utility belt and started messing with a map of our location. I turned away, still smiling. On the other hand..Maybe there isn't any hope for him. I threw my arms up and fired six times before he hissed and put his blade to my neck from behind. "I told you I don't want to die Terrus!" I lowered my arms slowly and set the dracon beams on the boulder. "Never take a blade to me or you'll end up dead faster than you could ever hope." I said amusedly. I felt the blade move away from my spine. I turned to face him and he inched away from me. I just smiled and said "No Arn creature." I snatched up my dracon beams and walked in the direction Serri had gone, not even bothering to look back at Heyo. I smiled to myself. He'll follow me.

I looked back and saw he was indeed following, then I put my dracon beams into the holstors, detached and activated my holocomp, brought up the team list, and tapped Serri's name. "Serri, stop moving and let Heyo and I catch up. I can't even see you." I sent the recorded audio message and kept going. Heyo tried to engage me in conversation but I cut him off every time. After about 20 minutes of travel I checked for a message from Serri. The darkap should have responded by now! Up ahead, I saw the flash of dracon fire and I heard the sweet sounds they were making. The sounds of combat! Serri and an Arn creation? Serri and Desha's team? Either way.."Come on Heyo" I said without looking back.

I ran as fast as I could towards the battle. The dracon flashes were becoming more random, from the left, from the right, some going past me even! It has to be Desha's team with Serri. I looked over my shoulder and..NO HEYO! DARKAP! FINE. It isn't like I need him or anything!

I got closer and closer until I could see the perfectly clear figures of five Hork Bajir dodging all around a creature I'd never seen in person before, but that I'd heard of. A creature I knew since the beginning. Every Yeerk knew of them and hated them. The arrogant lords of the universe! "ANDALITE!" I yelled as I charged the thing, firing as I went. A stalk eye turned to look at me and the Andalite leaped so gracefully out of the way, so perfectly..My dracon fire flew past it and hit Kamia right as the enemy flicked it's tail forward and cut off his head. NO! Pathetic Yeerks! The Andalite said in my mind.

I hissed and skidded to a stop just as it swung the tail backward, making a deep gash in my shoulder instead of cutting off MY head! Desha and Serri acted in the same moment, Serri on my left fired his dracon beam at the enemies stalk eyes, nearly burning them off, while Desha dove beneath it from the right, slashed at it's two front legs, and came up on Serri's side with no arm! I didn't even see the tail move that time!

I hung back and saw the Zani twins to the right, backed up against a boulder and trying to fire at the Andalite without hitting Desha or Serri, which, as a result, was causing them to miss every single time! The Andalite turned and ran towards them and they stood there like darkap until finally firing again, which didn't do any good because it dashed left and right and swung it's deadly tail, catching them both across the torso as they moved back. Desha and Serri fired at it and it twisted around, cutting off a Zani head as it went. In one fluid motion I saw it stab it's tail blade right through the other Zani's chest, lift him up, bring the body around to the front and charge towards Desha and Serri.

It's using Zani as a living shield! I stared in complete awe, complete fear, complete anger. Several thoughts flashed through my head at once. I can't fight this! It's slaughtering us! How could I ever have thought I could win against Andalites? That ANY of us can? I'm going to KILL THIS THING! I threw my dracon beams aside and held up a claw to Serri and Desha. Don't fire. Serri dropped his weapon and grabbed Desha. The Andalite was still going towards them!

"ANDALITE! If you have any HONOR at all you won't kill them now!" It stopped in mid gallop, tossed Zani aside and lowered it's now free tail the tiniest fraction. Desha was struggling to get away from Serri. It turned it's full body towards me but kept the stalk eyes on them.

Is this a challenge Yeerk? Was there some tiny hint of..amusement? Was it PLAYING with us? I took a few cautious steps toward the thing until I was just within it's striking distance and lowered my head. "Yes. This is a challenge. You and I." Now that I was able to TRULY look at it in detail I could see it was..young? Or just small? Andalite against Yeerk is no challenge. Okay, it DEFINITELY was amused.

"Then you won't fight me? Darkap." I laughed and it tensed at the sound.

Foolish Yeerk. To fight you, for you to be a CHALLENGE, I must be something LESSER than myself. Desha threw Serri off and ran at the Andalite, who just watched her calmly. Serri raised his dracon beam and hit her square in the back and she fell to the ground. "Stunned," Serri said "I would like for you to explain how you will become something..LESS than yourself you piece of filth." I will not explain to a disgusting Yeerk the secrets of the Andalites. It is, however, quite simple. I will morph

This one can MORPH? "Can you become Hork-Bajir?" I asked, staring at first the main eyes, and then the stalks. It did something weird with it's eyes and told me Yes. You are...different..than how my Prince told me..You closely resemble the image of Yeerks that my Shorm often entertained. It kicked the ground with it's front hoof and I said with a grin "Change to Hork-Bajir now then, Andalite. I can kill you and go back to my Visser to get promoted."

It did the eye movement again and told me as it began to change You will most likely win. I have not been Hork-Bajir nearly as long as you have. I looked at Serri and said firmly "Stay out of this." He sat on the ground and muttered "Yes miss.." I saw on the edge of my field of vision the Andalite morphing and I looked at it full on. "Where are the other Andalites? Did any others survive?" I asked casually. I do not know. If I did, I would not tell you, Yeerk. "Terrus." Yeerk scum. I laughed again and said "My name is Terrus. Do you want to say it with me? Tair. Us. Terrus."

It was silent as it continued to change and melt, features replacing others, things moving and receeding..It was beautiful. Terrus It said grudgingly. I will take pleasure in fighting you. "But not in killing me?" I asked with a grin. No. There is no pleasure to be had in killing. Not even of Yeerk scum...Terrus. I watched it until the transformation was complete, and I grinned. "The tail isn't quite the same." No. It is not. It agreed. I glanced at Serri and said "Take Desha back to the ship. Find Heyo too. All of you get back to base. Go right to the Visser and tell him you've killed an Andalite."

Serri glared at the Andalite turned Hork-Bajir and asked slowly "Will we have killed an Andalite?"

"Maybe, maybe not." I replied coldy "Either way I'm saving my team. Now get going." He went over and picked up Desha, then disappeared into the mists in the direction of the ship. Interesting. You truly do resemble the fantasy Yeerks my shorm often described. "If I kill you will I still be different?" Yes It once again made the weird eye movement at me, but with the hork bajir eyes. What is it with this thing? "You're different than.. other Andalites..I've heard of." I said grudgingly. How so? I grinned at it "If you weren't different than them you would have ignored my challenge, yelled pathetic slug and just ran down my fellow Yeerks and killed me. We wouldn't even be having this discussion if you were like the other Andalites I've always heard about."

True..Terrus. Were you like any other Yeerks I've heard of and fought, we would not be discussing this. Shall we fight now? "Yes. We shall, Andalite." I heard the familiar hatred in my voice as I'd said that. I realized..I don't want to hate him. I raised my bladed arms up to- Elfangor. I was confused. "What? What does that mean Andalite?" Elfangor Sirinial Shamtul. My name is Elfangor Sirinial Shamtul. Proud Andalite Aristh. Do you want to say it with me? it said, mocking me playfully. "Elfangor. Proud Andalite Aristh." I said quietly. "I like the name." Thank you, Terrus. I believe you were about to slice me in two? More of that amusement...I don't want to kill this thing...Yet.

I leaped forward, swinging an arm blade for his neck, and the other for his waist. He ducked clumsily under my neck slice and blocked my other slash, barely. I shoved him back with a hand to the chest and closed in quickly again. He raised his arm blades and stared at me, waiting to see what I'd do.

I closed the five step gap between us and went to ram my right elbow blade into his chest, but he turned his arm sideways, catching the blade inbetween his arm ones. The Andalite..Elfangor, brought his other arm around, I raised my own to parry, and he rotated his arm mid swing and caught me on the exact same deep shoulder wound he'd given me moments ago as an Andalite! I felt it going through me like slicing air, it's going to hit my spine! I twisted my whole body sideways towards the moving blade, causing it to go completely through my chest, right below my neck, instead of through my spine.

He jerked his other arm to the side, breaking off my elbow blade and adding more pain to my body. Then he pushed me backward with both hands and stepped back a couple steps himself. That was brilliant thinking. Although I imagine it is very painful, even for your Yeerk mind "It..definitely..hurts. Elfangor.." I said between growls and hisses. I held my gash together tightly, trying to get it to heal. I will allow you some time to recover. The Hork-Bajir regenerative ability is amazing.

I grinned at him and agreed "As long as you don't attack me again and I stay still, it should heal up in no time. Why do you still think at me? Why not speak in Galard?" I have not..used Galard in some time...since my shorm and I were on a series of strange missions to..Xandar. I believe Xandar will be taken completely by the Yeerk Empire in a matter of months.

I stared in surprise. This Andalite had been there? I was instantly curious again. "Is that why the Andalite vessels were coming to this planet? Did you flee from Xandar four months ago?" The Andalites tail twitched and he said sharply I did not flee! Nor did my shorm or our Prince! We were ORDERED to leave the planet and we obeyed those orders. Something I do not think YEERKS are familiar with. I DID see your ship being chased by the smaller one. What was the ones name? "Desha." Yes...Why did it attempt to destroy you?

I laughed again and checked my wound. Almost sealed. "It's a long story Andalite. I discovered your existence on this planet by my host. He told me four months ago, when you fle- were ORDERED to leave the Xandar conflict, that he met several or one Andalite from the crashed ships you had coming onto the planet, and that he was told that the Andalites would destroy our Pool ships when they arrived. What have you been doing for the last four months?" You expect me to tell you? You are the enemy. No matter how curious we are of each other. No matter how different we are from our own species. "I'll keep that in mind." I said, not able to keep the tiniest touch of disappointment from my voice.

He stared at me, looking me over. First my blades, then my face, and then at my wound. I looked at the ground. When I looked up seconds later he was still staring at me. I apologize. This morphs instincts...Your host body is female... Embarrassed! An Andalite! I glared at him as best I could and stated with false malice "Your Andalite body is nothing special to look at." Yet you are in awe of it. He said, catching me completely off guard. How does he know..? Am I really that obvious? So what if I admire his SHAPE anyway!

"I admire the shapes of Andalites. The grace, the eyes, the tail, the..I've always wanted to be one." I admitted. TO STEAL ONE! He shouted in sudden anger. "Yes. Like what the Yeerk Empire does is any worse then teaching another species of the universe and technology and helping them for YEARS and then trying to kill all of them because they got beyond your control! OR WHAT ABOUT YOUR ALLORAN WHO SLAUGHTERED THE HORK BAJIR? GENOCIDAL ANDALITES!" I yelled back at the thing.

You care NOTHING for the Hork-Bajir! Andalite hypocrisy! "Neither do you! Something we have in common." Is your wound healed now YEERK? It asked, shooting images of violence into my mind. "YES!" I barked out as I threw myself at the hated thing again.

I went to decapitate the thing, jumped back to avoid a knee blade to the gut, and slashed down, cutting off the leg. He balanced on one leg for three seconds, using his tail as support, and swung wildly at me with both arms. "Pathetic! You call yourself a true warrior! You can't even adapt to different bodies!" I jeered at the thing before throwing a claw forward and knocking it over. It stared up at me from the ground and asked Are the insults truly neccesary? "Yes. It motivates. It pushes you. If used rightly. Do your Andalite instructors not know this?"

It was silent for a long while before it actually LAUGHED in my mind and said with amusement Yes. They definitely know. Should you not kill me now, Terrus? You seem to be playing with me. I grinned down at him and replied happily "You're right. I'm playing with you. And I would have thought you'd not be in any rush to die." Andalite warriors do not wish this..it is..humiliating. I need to die quickly. I don't want to kill you... This thing...can lead me to other Andalites! I'm satisfying both sides of myself. My personal self, and the self that serves the Empire. Perfect.

I glared down at it, HIM, Elfangor, and stated calmly. "Demorph. That is the term you Andalites use, is it not?" It sounded very confused and replied Yes..As you wish. I turned my back to it and took my holocomp out of the sheath and tapped on Eliza's name, and began recording, not caring that the Andalite could hear me. "Eliza, I've killed the Andalite. Activating my transmitter now. If you're all back at the base now, which you should be, then find yourself a ship and get over here. If not then just get over here right now." I sent the message and holstored the holocomp, then located and retrieved my dracon beams from the ground.

I turned back around to the Andalite, now TRULY Andalite, and got in it's face. "Congratulations. You're dead now." I said with a grin. He did the strange eye thing again, with the main eyes, and stepped back. Thank you. That is a great relief. I wonder...why do you not kill me truly? Why do you not infest me? "Are you complaining?" I asked in total surprise. No. I am merely wondering. You truly are..different. He said as he kicked the ground with a hoof again.

You have no idea, Andalite. I heard in the distance the familiar sound of a very fast moving bug fighter, noting that the Andalites tail twitched. I leaped back outside his tail range and pointed my dracon beams at his chest, and stood completely still. "Get out of here now, Andalite." I told him in as harsh a tone as I could manage. He stared and lowered the tail completely. You are letting me go. It wasn't a question, but I answered anyway. "Yes." I said as the bug fighters sound changed from in and outs to a drone. It's out of the trees now. Why? I glared at him and pulled the dracon beams triggers, aiming near the Andalites two front hooves. It moved back quickly from the scorched and bubbling holes in the ground, but still refused to leave. Why?

"This is a completely Yeerk controlled planet. There's either just you or about a dozen others of your kind here in hiding.. Where would you go?" I gave him a grin and added. "I think I can give you a few days head start." I lowered my dracon beams and it took a couple more steps back. The bug fighter sounded... Elfangor raised the stalk eyes to stare up and past me. I turned too and saw the bug fighter, a small distorted dot in the distance, approaching very very quickly. I spun back around and yelled angrily "WOULD YOU JUST GET-" He wasn't there. "Good luck." I said softly to the empty space he'd occupied.

I glanced over my shoulder at the bug fighter, which had slowed down now that it was getting so close to the mists. I could make out the basic shape now. It would land in a minute or two, given that it had reduced it's speed. In the relative silence I heard hissing and sputtering noises from behind a boulder to my right, and went to investigate it.

The Zani twin who'd been impaled.

I crouched down infront of him and just stared. He glared at me and shouted angrily "You TRAITOR. You DARKAP! You let that BEAST get away! You talked to it like one of our own! You made a deal with the thing! I'LL KILL YOU! No, I'll make sure you get put through Kandrona starvation a hundred times over! NO! A THOUSAND TIMES..!" I let him rant and casually I set my dracon beams settings to nine. "I saved my team the only way I could. That Andalite will lead me to the others." I told him coldly.

He glared and said in a disgusted voice. "Right. Terrus 5633 of the Yeerk Empire. Terrus 5633, the Andalite saver. Terrus 5633 the traitor-" I fired at his chest and face once, then over and over again all over his body for a full five seconds. When I was done, he was nothing but a melted liquid mass, splattered onto the boulder he'd been propped up against. I wasn't surprised to realize I felt nothing. "You served the Empire well...darkap."

I stood straight and looked around for the decapitated Kamia. Spotting him in no time I went over and sat next to his corpse. "You were okay..." I don't get why I'm talking to a dead person! Am I crazy? No..I'm not. Not when I'm the one who killed him. "This was..the only kill..the first kill I never intended to make. You weren't an enemy..you were a good fighter. You really were. To have been on Deshas team...to have fought me and WON. You were..okay for a brutish darkap. We could have been friends." The fog scattered everywhere and the bug fighters thrusters were louder than ever as I heard it set down behind me. I ignored it when I heard the cargo door open and just stared at Kamia. I ignored it even seconds later when I heard movement behind me.

"Kamia..you were a true Yeerk. A true soldier of the Empire. You had skill, you had the right host, maybe you even had ambition. I'm sure you did..we all do." I felt a hand on my back and I ignored it and continued to speak to Kamia. "Because of what I did, everything that was you..is gone. Kamia..I'm sorry." I pushed the hand off my shoulder and stood, turning around and coming face to face with Eliza. She looked about to say something but I pushed past her and walked toward the bug fighter, passing Serri and Heyo on the way.

There's nothing they can say. I almost ran up the ramp into the back of the ship. I occupied myself with moving equipment around in a corner, then sat down, hiding myself behind the weapons and ammo. I clutched my dracon beams tightly, resisting the urge to put them to setting ten and destroy the ship from the inside. That wouldn't solve anything. "What won't?" A soft voice asked.

I looked up and found myself at eye level with Desha. I hadn't realized I'd spoken that last part aloud.. I put on a false grin and said with more cheerfulness than I felt, "Destroying the ship from the inside with my dracon beams." Her eyes glinted and she whispered so quietly I had to lean in to hear "I..I saw you..speaking to Kamia..from here. I heard." I glared at her and shouted suddenly "IF YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME THAT'S WEAKNESS THEN I MIGHT JUST MELT YOUR FACE OFF!" She flinched and whispered sadly "It's not weakness...that was...honorable. Thank you. I would never have done that. You're different."

I slashed her leg and pushed her away from me in an eyeblink. "I KEEP HEARING THAT! AND I AM SICK OF IT! LEAVE ME ALONE." I raised my dracon beams and aimed at her face. She stared and then glanced over where I couldn't see past the crates. A second later Eliza, Serri, and Heyo came into view. I let my weapons slip from my claws to clatter onto the deck, and I again felt..What do I do? This..This GUILT. This SADNESS. This RAGE. I don't know what to do with it all... "It's too much.." I whispered as Eliza sat down infront of me.

She glanced over her shoulder and shooed Desha and Heyo away and told Serri "Take us home." To which he replied with a gaze that lingered on me for a few seconds "Right away." He turned and went to the front of the ship and sat in the pilots chair, and three seconds later was joined by Desha and Heyo. Eliza put her hand on my arm and began "It wasn't your fault-" I felt the anger rise up and I yelled "NO! It WAS MY FAULT! I. KILLED. HIM!"

She switched tactics and said calmly "Kamia would have wanted to see you succeed. He'd be happy, overjoyed, to know you accomplished your personal mission." But I didn't... "That's right. He'd be happy I killed the Andalite." I whispered, terribly ashamed of myself. I didn't kill it..I let it live. I'll find it again..I'll remove the tail blade and I'll torture the thing and kill it. Then I'll..I'll hunt all the other Andalites on this planet too. "Sabotage. The Andalites can morph. The ones here can morph." I stated with no emotion at all. Eliza stared in surprise and asked "Are you sure?" I fiddled with a dracon beam and didn't look up. "The one I fou- The one I killed could..did..Chances are the others can too. It was Hork-Bajir.."

Eliza pulled the dracon beam out of my hand slowly and gently, as if she thought I might attack or shoot her. "You killed it. That's all that matters. And we can find the others Terrus. We will find them. Don't worry."

I raised my head at that. "Yes." I said with sudden cheer. "We will find them and kill them all." She smiled and Serri yelled from the front, "The darkap ship isn't STARTING! Just a public announcement in case you're wondering why we're not off the ground by now." Eliza grinned at me and asked "Should we go see what the problem is or do you want to stay back here all alone?" I held my remaining weapon to my chest and said shortly "You go. I'll just be..here." She got up and left me. Not even a word, a parting wisdom, a helpful or witty comment. Why? Because I don't need any of that now.

I kept switching the dracon beams settings from one to ten and back, loading and reloading pointlessly, partially squeezing the trigger and letting off again. The simple act of checking my weapon occupied my time for the next few minutes. I tuned out their chatter from the front, waiting to hear the thrusters start up so I could escape from this place. At the end of today all of us will be transferred off the training base finally. We'll do REAL work. REAL missions. Do things of REAL IMPORTANCE on this planet. I don't know what, but we've always been told we'll do incredible things here, when everyone else is transferred off planet, and then the next thousand batches of grubs show up.

Maybe after the work here is done..we can all get a transfer. Though we'll probably all be inserted into the universal 'hot spots' anyway and not just a single planet. Unless it's needed. Yes that's it. A new start. A new day, a new mission. A new planet. Anything but these mists, anything not boring or terrible like right now- a massive flesh on metal hit resounded throughout the ship, accompanied by sizzling. I was instantly alert. Everyone was quiet as two seconds later the same thing happened. I located the source as from the left side of the ship and I jumped to my feet, knocking the crates over.

Eliza, Serri, Heyo, and Desha were all motionless at the front of the ship and I heard Desha whisper "Serri 481, I think you should get us out of these mists..." He responded with a growl of frustration and replied "I'm trying. This isn't as easy as it looks!" Darkap. This time three seperate hits smashed into the ship, rocking it. Heyo shouted back to me, "Here's your Arn monster, Terrus. Go kill it." Nobody tried to stop me. I didn't bother with a smart response. Not even a grin. I turned and descended the ramp out of the ship with only one thought going through my head, over and over, as I gripped my weapon and dragged my right arm and wrist blades across the ships wall.

This Arn monster chose the WRONG time to pick a fight.