May 12, 2000 7:14 PM
My sixteeth birthday passed without incident. I was able to spend the day with Tobias and Aximili. We flew to the Gardens and got in on the two-wing discount. We rode Roller Coasters. We *gasp* had fun. The Gardens premiered a new ride where the Roller Coaster tunnels through a dark cave. Even Tobias found that one thrilling.
"Can't see. Narrow passage ways. That's one way to scare a hawk."
That night, I went on a date with Melissa. I was in Terry Stevens morph. Melissa has finally got used to the fact that we are the same person. Me being the insanely jealous type, won't let her kiss me as Terry.
I know; I'm stupid.
Ayla even got in the spirit of my birthday and found me a comprehensive "Piloting Spacecraft for Dummies" how-to manual from a Skrit Na database. Since 16 is driving age, I should know how to drive all kinds of ships, according to Ayla. Silly girl.
Then we had the fiasco involving a human controller who was a self-help guru. At the same time Marco was having a breakdown because his not-so-widowed father was remarrying his math teacher.
And if I got the grades Marco got in math, I'd be in trouble too.
But both were solved, and now we're all invited to the wedding.
I would not be bringing Melissa. Nevermind that the other Animorphs would be there, you just don't bring your girlfriend to a wedding.
Tobias had his sixteenth birthday too. Aximili, Rachel, and I found the perfect gift for him.
"Guys, bad enough I'm in human morph, but now with my eyes closed, I'm really getting nervous. I don't like losing my sight."
"Just hold your horses." Rachel said.
"This creature is quite fiesty. Fiiiiiiieeeesteeee."
"Shhhh, be quiet." I said.
"Ok. Open your eyes." Rachel said as Tobias stared disbelieving at the creature Aximili was attempting to hold.
I wanted to get him a gift for his birthday. Kind of a thank you for dragging me to the Gardens. Rachel and Aximili went with me. When we stopped at the Animal shelter, it was Rachel who recognized him.
"Dude?" Tobias said incredulous. "Oh my God! Where did you find him?"
"At a shelter. You're uncle must have put him there after you disappeared."
"I can't keep him in my meadow. He'll run away from me. Predators might eat him."
"I'm afraid our scoop will be out. Megadeth might attack him." Aximili said.
"Is it my fault he's territorial?" I said.
"I don't think I'd wake up one morning to find Dude scratching my hooves. Hooooovvvvzzzzzz."
"We can take him to the Valley. The Hamees will take care of him."
"Yeah. That'll be good." Tobias said. "Thanks guys."
It was a little thing, I guess. Rachel and I felt proud of it. I guess I thought for awhile we were friends now. I guessed wrong. This afternoon she and her stupid cousin pulled this shit on me.
"David can we talk to you?" Jake said. He, Rachel, and Marco came to the Scoop. Aximili had just returned from grazing.
"What about?" I asked.
"Your nightly phone calls."
Uh-oh. I had been using Ayla to communicate with the Hork-Bajir planet . Asking Quafijinivion how our project was coming along. I asked Ayla to shield the transmission. She says she couldn't because her current "shell" (by which she means my computer) restricts her power. She's been bugging me for weeks to steal at the very least a Yeerk computer so she could have "room to stretch". So the best she could do was shield Quafinivion's receiving end so the Yeerks over there would be clueless and to distort the origin of the signal here on Terra Firma. So I have Ayla distort it to some random coordinates in the Jersey area. And the Yeerks have never caught on.
But the Animorphs have it seems.
"Erek says that every now and then, Bug Fighters are dispatched to chase some 'phantom z-space transmission' The Yeerks can't trace it and neither can the Chee. Which leads me to believe Dayang Encryption is involved. And the only one of us who has ever met a Dayang is you."
"Toby says you talked a lot with Quafijinivon while we were on the Hork-Bajir Home World. You were alone with him in his lab for three hours, David." Marco said. "And now someone is making Z-space transmissions and bouncing the signal around at random to confuse Yeerks."
"So what if I am? Who is it hurting? I waste the Yeerks' time and resources. So what if you don't know everything about it, Mighty Jake?"
"'Who is it hurting?' Your random relays led a Bug Fighter right to one of Toby's raid Parties. They were attempting to raid a Yeerk Base in Pennsylvania, and YOU tipped them off."
Oh shit. "Did she lose anyone?"
"No. Out of chance." Rachel added.
"Look, it was an accident. Bad luck."
"My point is, David, that Toby is going to try again tonight to raid that facility and they will be walking into a trap. Toby knows this but both she and her father are stubborn as hell. She won't tell us where the raid is because she thinks we'll try to stop her."
"Why is this raid so important?"
"That's not the point, David!" Marco yelled. "You got them into that mess. You figure out how to get them out of it!"
"Or else what?" I said defensively. "You know what? It doesn't matter. I don't want Hork-Bajir colony to suffer any more than you do. I'll figure something out."
I noticed a Hawk landing on a tree above me and an osprey landing near Jake and demorphing. Tobias and Cassie.
I could find where Toby is probably holding her raid, but I don't want Jake to find out how. I morphed to Dayang and went to my computer. Ayla, Thought-speech mode. Dayang secret mode.
We haven't tested it yet. Ayla said. You're going to blow out my circuits.
I will not blow out your circuits. I insisted.
Maybe if I were in a Yeerk computer.
I sighed.
"What the hell is that?" Marco said in regards to my morph.
"What's going on?" Cassie asked in regards to Jake, Rachel, and Marco crowding me.
"David has some fixing to do." Jake said, answering Cassie's question. "Ax, do you know what David is right now?"
He is a Dayang.
"Why can't I read the screen?" Rachel asked.
Dayangs have three eyes. Two simple. One compound. The Compound is unique in that is can see at a specific light frequency that is invisible to us. All Dayang computers operate under this principle. It would make them the perfect spies, but they prefer to be merchants. Aximili explained.
"So David is hiding something from us." Jake concluded.
I have traced where I bounced the signal last night, David Ayla said.
Any Yeerk outposts in the area? I asked.
Here. Ayla said. Marking a position on the map on the screen that only I can see.
Specifications.
"David, are you listening?" Jake said, annoyed.
No. I quickly answered and went back to work.
"You know, you are fast becoming a real nuisance to us. You do things on your own. You do crazy things. You whine and bitch constantly. You are becoming a danger to our cause, David."
"And you're carrying on with Melissa Chapman." Rachel flatly accused.
Oh, great. "Is this true, David? Are you in some kind of relationship with Melissa?" Cassie asked.
"Are you fraternizing with the daughter of the host of a high-ranking controller?" Jake rephrased.
Oh, fuck you! 'Fraternizing'? Damn soldier wanna-be! I commented.
"Look, David. This is how it is. If you go around following your own agenda of questionable motives, then we can't have you around. You're just a danger to us. And you're against what we stand for!"
No, Prince Jake! I do not agree! Aximili said. David's methods may be questionable, but his motives are not. Aximili never questions Jake.
"He's not a danger to us. Only to himself." Cassie said.
What the hell do you mean . . . . I started.
Focus, David! Ayla reminded me privately.
"He may have told Melissa everything. If Chapman finally does have her infested, we'll be screwed." Rachel said.
"And to top it off, he's FUCKING NUTS!" Marco said.
No, Marco. No, Prince Jake. David is not a threat to us. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't threaten him. Aximili said.
"Excuse me?" Jake said, bewildered.
Please, do not threaten David. Aximili said. My Prince.
"Cassie?" Jake pleaded. Cassie stood her ground with Aximili.
No noticed that Tobias was morphing to human till Jake turned to him. "Tobias?"
"David has his faults. He's a bit contradictory. He's a bit . . . off. But I have faith. He may break our rules. He may do things his own way. He may be a loner. But he's not a threat to us. David believes in our cause, and most of all he believes in you, Jake. David would never do anything to purposefully hurt us."
"What if I don't agree, Tobias? What if I decide that David is a problem?" Jake asked.
Tobias drew in a breath. "Then . . . We'll have a problem."
I had split the Animorphs into factions. The Pro- and Anti-David groups.
Jake and Tobias stared each other down for a while. Rachel felt betrayed. Jake felt betrayed. Cassie, Tobias, and Aximili are probably worried on how standing up for me will affect their standing with Rachel and Jake.
I printed out cooridinates and demorphed.
"The base Toby is raiding is here. It's a science lab. A lot of Human-controllers. But also a small army of Hork-Bajir. Sub-Visser Forty-nine is there. A Hork-Bajir-controller. He runs the joint is known for being particularly smart and brutal."
Jake took the coordinates from my hand and looked at me.
"How can you possible know all that?" He asked me.
I ignored him. "Shall we go?" I asked.
We flew in awkward silence.
Normally flying several hundred yards apart is annoying, but this night, it was comforting. The sun was setting as we found Toby and Jara and a gaggle of Hork-Bajir. We stopped them and Jake told them a plan he had come up with.
Maybe they didn't fly in silence.
"If you feel you can avoid whatever trap they have in store, then please, help us."
"Ok. Cassie will morph Jara." Jake began. "Marco and I will morph our hork-bajir morphs and the three of us will sneak into the base just as you would. Rachel, Ax, David, and Tobias will morph bugs onto us. That way if anything goes wrong they'll back us up."
"We'll alert you of any danger to your people, Toby." Tobias said.
"Wait for us to give you the word before you storm in, ok?" Jake said.
"Ok. This raid not like other raids. This raid is important! Important to Jara!" Jara said.
"We know, Jara. We'll do what we can, but you and Toby are more important. The Mind and Heart of the Free Colony." I said.
"Free or Dead!" Jara exclaimed.
"My thoughts exactly."
I did as Jake said. I morphed a scorpion and hopped a ride on Cassie's back. I figured only she would trust me. Rachel and Tobias went fly. Ax went Spider. Cassie, Jake, Marco snuck into the base. For some reason, Toby wanted us to go straight to Sub-visser Forty-nine. It wasn't long before the three of them fell into a trap.
"Ah. Jara Hamee. And only two rebels? You underestimate us, Jara. Especially since we were expecting you! It will be pleasure doing away with you."
Alright guys, now! Jake commanded.
Tobias, Rachel, and Aximili crawled or flew off. I stayed on. As several Hork-Bajir controllers held Dracon Beams ready, seven Human-controllers stepped forward to shackle the Jake and the others. One grabbed for Cassie. I made my move.
"Ah!" Something stung me!" said the Human-controller. "Uuuuuh! It hurts!"
"Look! On the ground!"
"A scorpion?"
"Andalites!"
The Human-Controllers tried to find me, but I found a dark place and re-morphed. As Ursa Wulvef, I emerged from I think was a bathroom. I fell in with some Hork-Bajir soldiers and made my way to the room where Jake, Cassie, and Marco were captured. They were shackled and accompanied by an Andalite, a hawk, and a grizzly. The others were captured too.
"Good, the Andalite bandits will be excellent test subjects for our latest creation." Sub-visser Forty-nine said.
There is only six! said a familiar, heart-stopping thought-speech voice. Visser Three. Where is the seventh? Are you sure these three Hork-Bajir are the bandits?
"This one is." Sub-Visser Forty-nine said, pointing to Jake in morph. "Jara looks to him. Whether he be the real Jara or an andalite in morph, he'd only look to another Hork-Bajir if he were an Andalite in morph. Perhaps even the leader."
"You're one smart cookie." I whispered.
"And you're not!" A voice said. I turned around and saw a human controller with a dracon beam. I think I saw him fire.
I woke up in a silver ball. Metal that vibrated. Where am I? I shouted.
You're in Sub-Visser Forty Nine's latest invention. The Ramonite Compacter. This ball will squeeze you until you're a hyperdense ball of matter, then translate you into Z-space to let you drift among the free-floating protons, neutrons, and electrons.
I felt the ball closing in around me. Where are the Andalites? I shouted
Once this proves successful on you, we'll threaten your comrades with it. I will squeeze them until they agree to become controllers. If they refuse, well, no more bandits!
"And don't even think about morphing!" I heard the Sub-visser say in a muffled voice. "Even if you morph a flea, the Ramonite Compacter will destroy you . Your exoskeleton will collapse and you'll impale yourself on your own body parts!"
I had already demorphed and began morphing flea. Already it was getting tight. I reversed the morph and almost killed myself. Flea is my smallest morph. I don't have anything smaller!! Well, maybe AS small.
I began morphing the smallest creature without an exoskeleton I have. Helmacron.
I instantly had much more room. Soon the Ramonite Compacter which would have had David the human in a fetal position by now was now a super large room. I grew two extra legs where my genitalia should be. My hands each grew one finger. The silver skin-tight uniform of the helmacron soldier replaced my green and black morphing suit. My head flatened and my eyes moved up to the top. My skin turned purple.
During all of this, my spherical prison was rapidly shrinking around me. I had fully morphed the Helmacron and the Ramonite Compacter was still closing in. I could no longer stand so I sat down. I hugged my legs as hard as I could. The corners of my pyramid shaped head were getting squished. My whole body was getting squished. And I was a Helmacron! My four knees were getting pushed into my chest.
"neeep." I cried weakly. I felt my arms break. My shoulders sprain. Three of legs dislocated.
And then, all at once. The compactor stopped. I guess it had limits. I survived. And I was feeling really claustrophobic. I kicked the wall with my one good leg. My leg went into the Ramonite like it was liquid metal. Maybe I could get out this way. I tried to move my arms and got hit with a sudden jolt of pain. Oh yeah, they're broken. However, I then started to feel them healing. I wasn't sure if the Helmacrons had a healing ability or if it was my morphing powers acting up again. Neither would have surprised me, but my arms were soon good as new. I pushed myself through the Ramonite which was more like metal Swiss Cheese. I was out of there! I was free. My legs were still dislocated, but I all I have to do now is demorph, rescue the Animorphs, grab the Sub-visser and some other Hork-Bajir, and everything will be just . . . .
POP!
I heard a distinct popping sound, and suddenly I was in blank whiteness. Unmorphed. Totally David. No air to shout. I could see my insides. N-dimensional space. I saw a weird-looking space craft . . . . . .
I woke up in a strange ship. Silver walls with reddish tints. I next saw a particularly unpretty face.
"Ahh!" I said. "What the hell is that?"
"Skririk! Ishcallik'da acraka makaf!" said the weird creature.
"Griek Kentandros. Griwabadorlas!" said another weird creature.
I was only a few seconds later did I realize that I understood these two creatures.
"Look! It has awaked!" the first creature had said.
"Get Kentandros. As soon as possible!" the second creature had said.
Whatever these creatures were, they were known to the Dayangs. Their language was in my database.
They were insectlike. They stood on four legs that circled a thorax-like appendage. They had a torso with two arms that ended in cumbersome claws. I wondered how they could have built this ship with claws like that. They had an insectlike head with two compound eyes and insect mouthparts. Two antennae whipped around from the top of their heads. Vestigial gossamer wings fluttered from their backs. They varied in color from Green, Red, and Blue.
The second creature, who was blue and a third creature, who was green, came into the room and grabbed me. They brought me to another red creature who wore a red armband.
"*Who and what are you? And why were you flailing about in Zero-space?*"
Zero-space? Of course. "I am David Hunting. A Homo Sapien from Terra Firma. I do not know how I came about into Z-space. Who and what are you?"
The lead creature looked at his compatriots. He then looked to a large blue thing that seemed to be piloting the ship.
"*I am Kentandros, Mak'ra-dich of Mak'ra Mega. I am a Korla from Makkorla. These are my Mak'gers."
"Sarlocbord." said the green Korla who carried me.
"Tedg'valtine" said the blue Korla who carried me.
"Shalcam." said a red Korla I didn't recognized.
"Mikoja." said the red Korla whose face I had first seen.
"Argenzane." said a voice from which I did not see. I turned my head toward a Korla who could only be referred to as albino. He also had large gossamer wings that were not vestigial.
"*Argenzane is a Trantate. A mutant. More and more trantates being born.*" Kentandros explained.
"*Out of necessity. The Yeerks have taken our Mak. We must trantanize or perish.*" Sarlocbord commented.
"*We are slowly damming the avalanche!*" Kentandros said. "*We are getting our Mak back!*"
Was it the Ellimist that brought me here? Not hardly. I have a feeling I somehow ended up here of my own fault. Either way, I found myself trapped in the middle of something I didn't understand.
"*Homo Sapien! Are you friend to the Mak and Korla, or foe?*" Kentandros asked bluntly.
"My name is David. Are you friend or foe to the Yeerk Empire?" I countered.
Kentandros sneered. With insect-like mouthparts, that wasn't pretty. "*All Korla are foe to Yeerks.*"
"Then I am friend to Mak and Korla."
Kentandros smiled, which again wasn't pretty. "*Then come, Homo Sapien. Join our cause. We will take back our Mak.*"
"*Kentandros! It's Pyrin. He wants us to come back to base.*" said Shalcam.
"Who's Pyrin?" I asked.
"*The Mak'ra-dich for Mak'ra Ginga. He's important, but annoying. MEGA! Let's get this crate home.*"
It was then I got a good look at the pilot. It was big and blue. Leathery skin. Some fur along the back. It was kind of shaped like a duck. Two large legs. A butt and tail that made it waddle. However instead of a duck neck, there was a big reptilian head. No neck so to speak. It had a throat pouch like a frog that seemed to be attached all the way to the abdomen. It had a big crocodile-like toothy smile and jaw. Green eyes with light blue irises. The creature had two pairs of arms. One large, long, and strong pair that reached the ground like a gorilla's. And one long, slender, weaker pair that seemed to always be held up or touching something.
"What's that?"
"*That's Mega! Our Mak.*" Kentandros said as if I were a great fool. "*She's a very important Mak. A Mak Rey.*"
"*She's a girl, Kentandros!*" said Mikoja as if Kentandros were an even greater fool. "*That would make her a Mak Regine!*"
According to my translator, Kentandros shot Mikoja a look of annoyance and began speaking to me. "*That reminds me, do not assume gender of any Korla. Mikoja and Shalcam are females and the rest of us are males. Do not get it wrong or we'll be greatly offended. We don't want a repeat of what happened when Ninnpu and Ricmajin joined us.*"
"Who?" I asked, suddenly very comfortable asking all kinds of questions of this alien life-form.
"*Two aliens who travel with us. They're back at base. Ninnpu is an Ongachic warrior who also fancies himself a musician. He has a pet bird named Ceadul and the two of them help Mak'ra Kaku. Ricmajin is a Gervasid adolescent who thinks he's a warrior. His fighting style is effective although ludicrous. He works with Mak'ra Oh. After a while Mega will decide with which Mak'ra you'll serve. I should warn you. You'll probably get stuck with Mak'ra Zyu. The Mak'ra-dich just lost a Mak'ger who happened to be his Nest-brother.*"
I didn't understand half of what he said. However I did get the impression that he expected me to stay.
"Um, listen. I don't how long I can . . . . . ."
Kentandros! Bug Fighters! said a voice (I think Tedg'valtine) over the Intercom.
"Thought-speech?" I asked.
"*Andalite Technology. Antiques by their standards, but useful for us.*"Kentandros said as he rushed over to an intercom. All Mak'gers report to fighters. "*You too, David.*"
Uh-oh.
Mikoja led me to a small ship that I recognized as an Andalite Fighter. A very older model Andalite Fighter. The kind that the Skrit Na manuals describe as 'vintage'.
"So let me get this straight." I started. "These fighters and this cruiser we're in were used by the Andalites twenty years ago?"
"*Yes. And then they were given to us.*" Mikoja said brightly. "*Except for Mega's Wing, this is all Andalite Technology.*"
"Mega's Wing?" I repeated. Wing meant the same thing in the Korla-Mak language as it did in English. What are the odds?
"A ship Argenzane made." Mikoja explained. "Well, Mega made obviously, but Argenzane designed it."
Of course. Their Korla claws cannot do strenuous activity like building and manufacturing. I wondered if they could even prepare food for themselves.
Then I realized. They couldn't. That's why Korla need Mak. But do Mak really need Korla?
Kentandros treated Mega like a slave, however the Korla-Mak culture seemed very Mak-centered. I didn't understand it.
But that was really the least of my concerns at that moment.
I stared at the console in front of me. An Andalite Fighter. I have never actually flown one of these things. I've practiced on simulations created by Ayla, but never for real. This isn't like when Marco tries to drive; if I fuck up, I die.
"Ok nothing to it. This is an older model so I can fire and fly at the same time. Like that makes it better?? No, no negative thinking. Ayla says that hurts my self-esteem. And the fact that I just started a sentence with 'Ayla says' shows how crazy I REALLY AM!"
Prepare for Launch. said Kentandros.
"Ok, I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. No, I can't. I'm gonna die."
Mak'ra Mega! Mobilize! commanded Kentandros.
Mak'ra Mega! shouted the other Mak'gers as they launched.
"Here goes nothing." I said as I pressed what I thought was the launch button. I was right, and I blasted ahead.
Holy shit. I was actually flying a fucking space ship.
"Holy shit, I'm flying in space. Holy shit, I'm flying in space. Holy shit, I'm flying in space. Holy shit, I'm flying in space. Holy shit, I'm flying in space."
I don't even have my driver's license yet.
I saw a bug fighter in my view space. I activated the weapons targeting and I fired. The Bug Fighter exploded. I destroyed a Bug Fighter.
"Holy shit!"
How are you doing, Alien? Sarlocbord asked over the Fighter's thought-speech radio.
Now I know how Luke Skywalker felt!
Who? asked Shalcam
Nevermind.
Mak'gers, Blade Ship! warned Kentandros.
"Oh, please God, no!" I whimpered.
Who is it? Tedg'valtine asked.
The new Visser Ninety-eight. A Homo-Sapien-controller, this time. Kentandros explained.
Like David? Mikoja asked.
Not quite. This Homo Sapien is not on our side.
Well, obviously!
Argenzane! Get in Mega's Wing, now!
Twelve flutters ahead of you, Mak'ra-dich!
A silver ship sailed above us and headed toward the Blade Ship. Mega's Wing looked like a dragonfly. It had three Shredder cannons. One flung above like an Andalite Fighter and one under each wing like a Bug Fighter.
The Blade Ship flew in confidently, ready to confront Mega's Wing.
Foolish Noobie! Silver Triple! Argenzane shouted.
"Grrraaaaaaaaaaaaaarl!" Mega roared in support.
Mega's Wing fired off all three Shredders. The Blast hit the Blade Ship hard, but it far from crippled the mighty craft.
Argenzane can't defeat a Blade Ship alone. Shalcam said.
You're right, Shalcam. Mak'ra United! Kentandros commanded.
Mak'ra Mega Victory Formation! Mega responed. I got the distinct feeling they've done this before.
With this prompt, Mega's Wing and five Andalite Fighters flew in alongside the main carrier ship that was piloted by Mega.
You too, David. Kentandros commanded.
You're insane. This is suicide!
One Power of Many. Many Powers of One. Join the Victory Formation, NOW!
I flew in underneath where there was still room.
David's here. Prompt us, Mega! Kentandros commanded.
One is Many.
All is One! Kentandros and the other Mak'gers said in unison. Mak'ra Mega!
Mak'ra Mega! I said, compelled to join in.
Grrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaarl! Mega roared again.
Signaled by Mega's roar, Mega and the Mak'gers fired their weapons. For some reason, so did I.
The united blast hit the Blade Ship full force. The Blade Ship blew apart in a fantastic show of light and shrapnel. It wasn't an explosion per se. There was no fire. (Of course, no air, no fire) But there was a blast of blinding light. And when the light extinguished all that was left were a few pieces of charred metal.
That . . . was . . . . impossible. I said, bewildered. The Blade Ship outclassed all of our ships. There was no way that obsolete Andalite Technology should have been able to take down that Blade Ship. But I saw it with my own two eyes.
Nothing is impossible to a Mak and his . . . her Mak'ra! Kentandros said. Mak'ra Mega!
Mak'ra Mega Forever! said the other Mak'gers in unison.
They were like Power Rangers.
But it's hard to argue with the results.
We docked with the Carrier and soon we approached "Base".
"*It was once the Andalite Dome Ship Adventure Dale, but now it is Nala Makkorla.*"
Nala meant hope in the Korla-Mak language. Hope of Makkorla.
I saw many Mak surrounded by groups of Korla. Other Mak'ras I figured out. Some frolicked and played. Many others were training. Training for what? War, of course.
"This is going to be one of those days." I said.