Chapter Six

Toby was my new best friend.

Or my new worst enemy- I wasn't sure which.

She and the Hork-Bajir got me a ship, all right. The thing was magnificent, deadly, indescribable. I've never been one for technology, but seriously, it was beautiful.

I turned to Toby with an idiotic grin on my face. "I love it!" I exclaimed.

She smiled knowingly. "I thought you might."

I ran around it, admiring her from all angles. She was a small ship, almost the size of a Yeerk Bug fighter. She shined a brilliant purple, my favourite colour. It took me a moment to remember that purple was also a common favourite on the Andalite homeworld, too.

I ran my fingers across her smooth hull. "She needs a name," I said absently.

Toby nodded. "I wasn't sure what you would like."

I grinned at the Hork-Bajir seer. She made it sound like she had just gone to the mall to pick out some clothes for me, a thing Rachel had regularly indulged herself in.

"Was it really that easy?" I asked.

She shook her large bladed head. "Not really. But there are few Andalite warriors who can stand a dozen Hork-Bajir when their Dracon beams are inoperable."

"Wow," I replied, looking back to the small deadly fighter.

"So what will you name her?" Toby asked.

I frowned, trying to picture my friends standing around a similar ship, trying to answer the same question. What had they named theirs?

That was easy. Tobias had been there, and I remembered the dangerous grin on Jake's face before he left. Let's do it…

Rachel. It had to be.

So what could I name my humble little tigress?

Countless names ran through my mind, but none seemed to fit. Finally, I turned to Toby in desperation. "What do you think?"

Toby licked her rough lips. "Aldrea…?" she ventured at last.

I smiled, looking at the tough little ship. "Perfect," I whispered to myself. Aldrea, the Andalite. Fierce, strong, capable. So much like Ax…

I forced my mind to more important matters. "Do you think I really need weapons?" I asked disapprovingly.

Toby nodded fiercely. "Definitely," she replied. "Whatever managed to capture Jake and the others could easily take you if you're not careful." She looked at me hard. "Be careful," she repeated, stressing the concept.

I inclined my head, unable to speak with such obvious concern for my welfare directed at me. What did my friends see in me that made them care so?

"I'll try, Toby, but no promises," I managed. "Please… don't be hurt."

She looked into my eyes, her black alien irises meeting my own brown. "No promises," she repeated slowly, her own silent vow.

I swallowed. "Can you… can you tell my parents?" I requested softly. "I-I never told them."

"I'll tell them. And we'll all be here when you come back," Toby said gently, her large bladed hand reaching out to take mine.

In the years since Rachel's death, I had come to view the young Hork-Bajir as my closest friend, almost the sister I never had. She understood me, had even trusted me enough to tell me Tobias's whereabouts when I had become concerned about my friend. I had lived with the Hork-Bajir for a long time, working with her on a daily basis due to my line of work. I cared about Toby.

"I'll miss you," I said now, unsure of what else I could say in this situation. How do you say good-bye to you best friend, knowing you may never see them again?

She pulled me close in a crushing hug, almost knocking the breath from me. Such a human gesture from someone so obviously alien proved her sisterly love for me. Somehow, I found myself struggling to wrap my arms around her large body, despite my lack of air.

If you had told me seven years ago that telling a walking jackknife goodbye would cause me so much pain, I would have… well, I would have assumed you had some deep problem to come up with such a lame joke. Yet here I was, tears streaming freely down my cheeks like a little girl who had lost the only security she had ever known.

"I'll miss you, too, Cassie-kash," whispered Toby, adding the Hork-Bajir term of endearment to the end of my name.

My only response was to hold her tighter.

Is this normal? Ax asks me.

I smile, trying to be reassuring. You miss them, I say. That's perfectly normal.

His sarcastic reply startles me. I know so little about him; how am I supposed to comfort this alien?

But he's not alien now… he's human… and he's close to tears, almost.

What do I do?

If he were human, I'd put my arms around him. I wouldn't hesitate to do so with Jake or Tobias. Marco… maybe not. But… he's an alien. What does he expect of me?

Part of me is utterly aching to hold him close, to tell him it's all right to cry. But he has no idea what's wrong with him. He probably thinks he's sick or something. So instead, I offer to let him stay for dinner.

He seems surprised. It takes me a moment to realize that if he were in his normal alien form, I would have absolutely no idea what he was feeling. He always seems so adult as an Andalite… But when he morphs human, it always shocks me. He's really just a kid.

He's really not so different.

I pulled back from Toby, startled at the flash of memory. What caused it?

"Cassie?" Toby asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," I mumbled, dizzy. Ax…

"Perhaps you shouldn't go," she began.

"No! I'm going, I'm fine. I just…"

Toby frowned slightly. "Just what, Cassie?"

My confused expression mirrored hers. "I... I don't know! I remembered something, and I think it was important, but it's gone now."

Toby put a clawed hand on my shoulder. "Cassie…"

"I'm FINE!" I exploded violently.

Toby recoiled in shock. "Cassie!"

"Stop acting so concerned! I can take care of myself! Let me go, leave me alone… Ronnie!"

Strong arms caught me as I collapsed, unconscious.

o0o0o0o

"Cassie! Cassie, wake up!"

Stinging eyes opened slightly at the gruff, worried voice. "Toby…? What the-?"

"I'm here, it's okay, sshhhhh…" Toby said, helping me up slowly.

I shook my head, trying to clear my jumble thoughts. "What happened?"

Her black eyes darkened. "You just… collapsed. I don't know why."

"Ax…" I murmured, confused.

"Yes, you said something about him as you fell. 'Ax, no! Help me. I can't choose; it hurts too much. Ax!' Or something like that."

I rubbed my head. "This has happened before. With the Ellimist. I just fainted, that's all. Too much emotion, I guess.

Her face clouded with concern. "Do you think you're sick?"

I shook my head in negation. "No, I'll be fine." I looked around. "Where's the ship?"

Toby lifted me to my feet. "You're looking in the wrong direction, Cassie. It's right there," she told me, pointing.

I looked. Somehow, my precious little fighter seemed to have lost some of her shine while I was away in Dream Land.

I swallowed. Was this really such a good idea?

"Do what you have to do, Cassie," Toby said, reading my mind.

I nodded. "Okay, then. Okay. I'm doing this. I am," I stated firmly.

She smiled. "That's my Aldrea."

I cocked my head at the Aldrea. "Show me how to work it?" I asked, trying to make up for something I wasn't sure I did.

"Of course." The frightening Hork-Bajir smile remained in place.

Perfect.

My perfect family.

o0o0o0o

She is getting closer. I can feel it.

o0o0o0o

Several months later

I sighed.

Space, the final frontier…

Whiteness. How exciting.

Six months in a beautiful ship I couldn't even see. If I wasn't careful, I was going to go crazy with cabin fever! Oh, sure, I could make it look like I was in normal space, look out the window and see real stars. But seriously, you seen one sun go nova, you've seen them all.

I turned to my bed, then turned away. Constant sleep is a sign of cabin fever. I had to be careful.

Ax. Focus on Ax.

Elfangor placed his trust in you. I am trying to understand why you would betray him in return. Why you would betray me.

Ax's strangely green eyes flash with anger. He's right, I realize. I did betray him.

Oh, Ax, I'm sorry, I want to say. I didn't mean to hurt you, no, never hurt you…

You're right, I say, putting my hands over my face. I want to cry. I've never hurt like this before. Why is he doing this to me?

Because I betrayed him. Because I deserve it.

He hates me.

I did betray you. I never thought…

I am unable to finish.

No, he agrees. Where is the kind, slightly ditzy, human kid I know in this cold Andalite warrior? Where did my friend go?

Did I do this to him?

His voice is like ice. I am still trying to understand what it was you did think.

I rub at my temples, trying to find words. I didn't want to hurt you…

I can't find an answer.

He nods. That is what I thought, he says, and then he turns and walks away without looking back.

I fall to the ground, tears rolling my cheeks. What have I done? I ask myself. What have I done?

How could I have fallen in love with him?

I opened my eyes. "No, it didn't happen like that," I muttered.

(RED ALERT! RED ALERT! ENEMY SHIP WITHIN FIRING RANGE!)

I jumped to my feet, heart thundering. "WHAT?!!??"

(AUTOMATIC DESCENT FROM ZERO-SPACE! ALL HANDS, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!)

"Shut up!" I screamed, uselessly banging my hands against the console. "This can't be happening!"

What do I do? What do I do??!!??

Dracon beams. No, Shredders. That's what the Andalites use. I needed to use the Shredder beams!

Tssssssseeeeewwww!!!

TSSSSSSEEEEEWWWW!!!

"Uh oh," I whispered.

A Yeerk ship had decloaked. And instantly, I could tell that this battle, I would lose.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Suspense! Okay, yeah, that chapter was a little jumpy, I admit. But guess what! Next chapter, Cassie and Ax may meet...

Just a little teaser...