AN: Warning! This chapter is going to be very similar to a few of the chapters in book 46: The Deception. Similar, but with quiet a few changes.

Chapter 3

Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill

People were dieing all around us. Soldier and pilots getting shot down from the Bug Fighter and Dracon beams. Gunfire echoing off, covering shouts and screams from the humans, and the gruff language of the Hork-Bajiir.

I knew what had to be done, and I knew Prince Jake did as well. While the others went to keep watch on the Admiral I took him aside to propose my plan.

((I have an idea.)) I said to him, ((It is a terrible thing I propose.))

He paused. ((Go on, Ax.))

((I do not believe Visser Two will be stopped by anything less than the threatened annihilation of his own people. In this situation, here on Earth, the target would be the Yeerk pool.))

I waited. And I felt shame warring with the desire-the need- to win against the Yeerks.

Finally Jake spoke.

((Ax- I just can't allow that. I can't give the order.))

((Billions of human lived versus ten or twenty thousand,)) I said. He had to see. Had to be made to see it was the only way. I continued, ((Many of whom are unwilling slaves. Many of whom would welcome death for the sake of freedom!))

He stared at me, and for a moment I felt I made a terrible mistake asking this of my Prince. Of my friend.

((You're right.)) Jake whispered, turning from me. ((I can't do it, Ax. I can't give that order.))

((I do not need an order.))I said softly. Finally he gave a single nod and I turned and ran. I scanned for the others, but Cassie, Rachel and Marco were on the other side of the ship from where I would need to go. I saw Visser Two a head, and a group of marines nearby, hiding behind crates, reloading their weapons.

((Soldiers! Listen to me please, I am the blue alien.)) The three of them turned towards me, ((I must commander a plane, I can put a stop to this, but I will need your help Warriors.))

The marines looked at each other before nodded, they slung their weapons over their backs, rushing towards me. They did not know the plane I wanted had been set up with a nuclear weapon, but I suppose it was better that way.

One grabbed two pressure suits, I morphed one of the human marines, and once I put it on, I grabbed one of the guns they held out to me.

"See that man, over there?" I asked pointing towards Visser Two. "He is in control of the alien force, we need to take him, get him on the plane with me."

The soldier's saluted me, "Lead on, Mr. Alien."

"My name is Aximili." I remarked, as we loaded our weapons heading across the hanger. It wasn't long before the Hork-Bajiir noticed us, but in a few short gun blasts, the Visser stood alone.

"Andalites!" he spat out.

"That would be me Visser." I snapped.

"Visser is it?" One of the soldiers spat out, "Well Visser you are coming with us." he raised his gun, the other two soldiers following.

"It doesn't matter what you do to me! I willingly sacrifice my life for the goal of Yeerk domination!"

"Is that what you are called? Yeerks?" the soldier said, coming around behind the Visser, pointing the gun into his back, "Well, Yeerk. Get moving!" He nudged him forwards.

"Put this on Yeerk." another one of the Marines said, holding out a pressure suit.

"I will not!"

"Oh, yes you will." the first one grunted, and the three of them forced the Visser into the suit and dragged him out to the plane. I climbed up onto it, helping them force the Visser into the seat. He struggled of course, but one of the Marines punched him hard, dazing him long enough for us to tie his hand and feet together, placing a helmet over his head and locking him into his seat before I climbed back into pilots seat.

I locked myself in as the Marines climbed back to the ground, all standing in a short salute towards me as. The plane was all set up to launch, and one of the Marines rushed to the launcher control room.

I powered up the craft giving the systems a quick check.

"Mr. Ali- Aximili. Ready to launch." Came the Marine's voice through the headset in my helmet.

((No Ax! Stop!)) Marco with Rachel,Cassie and Tobias (in a human morph I didn't recognize), running towards the jet. My eyes began to tear, but I blinked them away, forcing down the sob that threatened to come out.

"Ready to launch Warrior." I replied to the marine, selecting the engin setting: afterburner.

"Good luck." The marine said, and I hit the button The holdback snapped and the aircraft was thrown down the catapult track!

Unbelievable! We were hit with several times the force of gravity! I struggled to breath, I felt the very skin of my borrowed human face stretch toward the back of my head. I though I would die.

Or at the very least, be unable to take control of the plane.

Then the towbar popped out of the shuttle and the plane, having reached flying speed on its own.

I was on my own.

The others had left, none saying a word to me. Prince Jake was ashamed of himself for letting me do what I did, but the Visser had fallen for it, and the attack had been called off.

Now my friends- well, maybe they were not my friends anymore. Prince Jake whispered a sorry to me as he took off home. Rachel and Tobias took off together, and Cassie had sent me one sad look before leaving.

Marco had not come back with us from the aircraft carrier. Prince Jake had said he was alright, but the fact that he was not here was worrying to me.

I looked around the forest, silent now without the voices of my- of the Animorphs around me.

"Would you have done it Andalite?" The Visser had asked me. I had not answered, and I still do not think I could.

"Would you have done it?" A voice startled me, and I turned my head, seeing Marco standing off to the side, at the edge of the woods.

((Marco-))

He took a step forwards, his face set and arms crossed. Suddenly, I felt like I needed to be human and quickly morphed. He waited impatiently, and when he figured I was finished he asked- demanded once more, "Would you have done it?"

"I- I cannot answer that." I whispered, not able to lie to him.

He shook his head, suddenly looking very angry, "Not good enough Ax!" His stare bore into my soul, and my heart felt like someone was squeezing it, "You Andalites. You people have a tendency to destroy what you want to preserve."

"That is not true Marco! You know there was no other way! You have always acted for the good of the mission. Put all personal concerns aside in order to win! How is this any different?"

"Fuck!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air, as he began to pace back and forth. He started to shake his head.

"No. No Ax, I can't. Not this time. Maybe, maybe if we weren't together I could agree. But-"

It felt like a knife had been thrusted into my chest, "No- no Marco-" I whispered, taking a step towards him, but he took one away.

"No please Marco." I whispered, tears stinging my eyes, "Please you must understand-"

"Oh, I do Ax. I understand how ruthless and heartless you can actually be." he took another couple of steps away from me, giving me one last look, throwing me a hateful look before disappearing into the shadows. A moment later, a osprey flew up out of the trees and headed towards the Hork-Bajiir valley.

My knees shook under me, before I collapsed onto the ground. The pain I had been feeling since getting out of the jet, now adding Marco-

A sob bubbled up from my chest, and the tears fell from my eyes, the pain in my heart growing with each sob that racked my body.

"Marco please-"