I know I said I would update sooner, but school didn't give me enough time. I'm really really sorry.

I hope you enjoy the chapter anyway.

This chapter is dedicated to my brother Luis, as a birthday present.

Reasons for kindness

Right after Arbron had hurried away to his debriefing, Elfangor led Chapman and me back into the ship and to a small room.

At first I thought of the room as totally boring – it was made completely of steel and, of course, there wasn't any furniture in it.

But then I noticed Elfangor's smile. He seemed to concentrate for a moment and suddenly one of the wall became clear. Through this new "window" I was able to see space again.

Of course the amazing view couldn't make up for the lack of furniture or match the beauty of the dome, but it was a huge improvement compared to what the room had looked like before.

I walked into the room and Chapman followed. When I looked back, I realized that Elfangor was still standing by the door.

(Um … do you mind staying on your own for a while? I need to go back to the dome to eat.)

Before I had the time to open my mouth, Chapman spoke up.

"Of course we don't mind staying on our own." His voice was full of sarcasm. "Why don't you just lock the door behind you, so that we don't escape?"

"Oh, just shut up" I told him before I turned to Elfangor. "It's alright. I can't expect you to stop eating just because the two of us showed up. And don't worry about Chapman. I think I can handle him."

Elfangor smiled at me. (OK, I'll be back as soon as possible.) Then he added for Chapman, (And I won't lock the door. Still I wouldn't advice you to leave the room, otherwise you'd probably get lost.)

With this he left the room and the door closed behind him. Right next to the place where the opening had been, a small square shone in a gentle white light. Probably the door would open again if one of us touched it.

I turned away from the former door and looked out of the window, determined to just forget that Chapman was in the same room. I just wanted to enjoy this trip in space and not waste my time arguing with an annoying, stupid, rude -

Stop! Don't even think about him. Just look out of the window and enjoy the view.

Unfortunately Chapman was determined as well – determined to talk to me.

"... Honestly, I can't see why you're so overly friendly to these Andalites all the time. Theses guys are aliens! They don't even care about us, except for the fact that we're their prisoners. They don't consider us as equals! So why do you act like the 'nice girl'? You should really show some pride and not just accept being pushed around and locked in!"

"You want to know, why I'm friendly?", I yelled back. I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Well, first of all – they are friendly to us as well. I tend to be nice to people who are nice to me, no matter what they look like.

Secondly, we're the first humans these guys have ever met. Can't you see that they are simply curious? They just want to learn something about humanity and you make us look like total idiots.

And lastly – even if you don't want to accept this – We do need help, or are you telling me that you are able to build your own space ship and fly us back to earth?

Oh, and by the way – Elfangor didn't lock the door, he simply closed it."

For a moment Chapman didn't do anything. He only stared at me. He had probably thought I didn't have any reasons for my behavior. Or maybe the concept of being a nice person had never crossed his mind before. Or he hadn't expected that I'd actually speak up and "show some pride".

"You really think he didn't lock the door? You're such a fool"

And obviously Chapman wasn't able to trust anyone. He was really getting on my nerves with his constant insults and mistrust and rudeness.

Instead of answering I just walked toward the panel on the wall. But even while I was walking I started to worry. What if Chapman was right? What if the door was really locked?

No, I told myself. Elfangor is a honest person. He wouldn't lie.

I touched the panel and the door opened instantly. I couldn't help but smile tauntingly as I turned around to face the surprised boy behind me.

"So the door is locked? I'm an idiot because I believe it isn't? Well, I might be wrong, but it looks pretty open to me, don't you agree? Maybe you are the fool after all."

He was about to answer when we both heard an Andalite walking along the hallway.

I hoped that it would be Elfangor – I'd finally be able to have a decent conversation again – but when I looked outside it turned out to be an Andalite who I didn't recognize.

I was surprised that I was already able to tell the different Andalites apart. This one looked older than Elfangor and his fur was a darker shade of blue. On his right arm he had an old scar, he had probably been injured in battle.

The Andalite walked right up to our room, and told us – not even bothering to enter – that we were to follow him to the ship that would return us to earth.

"Uhm … alright, but Elfangor wanted to come back here soon and I don't want him to worry", I answered.

This wasn't the only reason why I would have liked to stay here a little longer. I really didn't want to be rude, but I also didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to Elfangor. Even through I'd only known him for such a short time, I already saw him as a friend.

The older Andalite just looked at me. (Arith Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul will join you at Docking Bay seven. Now, follow me please.)

He turned around and Chapman and I stayed close behind him as he led the way through the huge ship.

We walked in silence and I realized that Elfangor had been right: If one of us had tried to walk around here alone, he would have been lost.

Finally we stepped through yet another door and arrived at Docking Bay seven.

I noticed two things right away.

Firstly: The whole Docking Bay was only meant for one ship. It there, hovering over the ground and taking most of the space. It was similar to a fighter, but about three times bigger.

Secondly: An older Andalite was already waiting for us. He looked almost as if he was thinking about something else and his fur had a metallic color.

The Andalite who had shown us the way addressed him: (War-prince Alloran, these are the aliens you need to return to their home planet.)

It was kind of strange: According to Elfangor "war-prince" was a high rank. Yet the other Andalite almost sneered when he talked to him.

Alloran turned to look at us, when we were alone. The moment I looked into his eyes I realized that I had seen this look before. When my father returned from war, he had the exact same look in his eyes. I knew instantly that Alloran had had a traumatic experience.

(So, as you probably already know, I'll bring you back to your planet with the help of the two Ariths, who you've already met.), Alloran told us, before he turned his eyes to the second door to this room.

In this exact moment the door opened and Elfangor and Arbron entered the room.

It seemed like I hadn't been right about the ship in this Docking Bay: It wasn't a normal ship, as I had assumed. Elfangor stared at it like it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.

Alloran noticed this look as well. (I see you like my little toy, arith), he said with a smile in his eyes.

Elfangor didn't hesitate to answer. (It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Like … like a work of art.) His voice was full of admiration.

Well, I have really missed something, I told myself. To me, it just looks like a space ship, and since we're already on one, that's nothing special.

Alloran, however, was really proud of the ship. (I designed her myself. I call her the Jahar. It's my wife's name.)

Alright, that was nice. A ship with the name of his wife. Alloran must really love her, and probably he missed her a lot.

Arbron on the other hand was more concentrated on the task at hand: (Prince Alloran, what is our mission?)

It really seemed like Alloran didn't like this mission at all, he sighed but spoke up in a firm voice. (We are to take these two aliens back to their planet, erase their recent memories, and rejoin the StarSword whenever we can.)

(Transport work.) Elfangor summed the whole mission up.

However there was one thing that bothered me a lot. "Excuse me? Erase my memory? No one is erasing my memory."

I couldn't believe it. This would just give Chapman all the more reason to be rude, I really hoped I'd never meet him again on earth . He would tease me with this forever. Wait – he wouldn't remember, so …

Elfangor tried to be friendly. It was probably not even his decision.

(It's necessary. Your civilization is not ready for what you've encountered. If you go back to your Earth, you'll have to have all memory of this erased.)

I looked at Chapman. At least I wouldn't have to remember him, but everything else ... I had seen so amazing things, I didn't want to forget them. Even through I wouldn't even miss the memories …

Alloran then took over. (Let's move, ariths. Load the aliens The captain wants to go to Z-space five minutes from now, and by then we have to be well clear of the Dome ship. Your personal belongings have already been brought from your quarters.)

Together we entered the Jahar.

I was still angry. Erase my memories. This was so stupid. It wasn't like I could tell anyone about it, they'd just think I was crazy. Maybe I could explain this to Elfangor.

But I had to admit that the ship was beautiful inside. The whole floor was covered in grass and in one corner a little waterfall purled. It was almost like a garden in a ship.

Alloran went to the controls and the rest of us just watched him and the space in front of the ship. After we left the Docking Bay, I could see the Dome ship as a silhouette against a very familiar planet.

"Oh my god. That's Saturn!" I gasped without thinking.

Then the engines on the big ship started glowing blue and it began to move faster and faster until it suddenly disappeared in a flash.

Chapman was taken by surprise. "Faster-that-light travel? But it's physically impossible!"

Usually I'm not to much into science, but even I had heard about this, so I didn't say anything.

Arbron, however, explained it right away. (True. But Z-space travel doesn't involve going fast. It involves tunneling through anti-space, what we call Zero-space, and then back into the normal universe a another point.)

To Chapman this explanation wasn't enough. "But I suppose you Andalites keep the secret to yourselves, eh?" He was probably still thinking about the "erasing memories" thing. As was I, to be honest.

Alloran's voice was dark, when he answered. I could tell that this was one of the reasons why he had the eyes of someone who had gone through a trauma.

(Not always. Once we shared it. The result was the Yeerk Empire that threatens all decent species. Be glad you are safe on your simple planet. The galaxy is not a happy place to be anymore.)

For a moment there was only silence. The Yeerk Empire. No one had mentioned it before, but I was sure it was important. And the way Alloran had said the word ... whoever these Yeerks were, he hated them more than anything else.

He turned away from the controls to face us. (Make the aliens comfortable, ariths), he ordered.

(Prince, afterwards may I use your ship's computers? I have a copy of the Skrit Na download and I thought I spotted something strange.) asked Arbron.

For some reason Alloran didn't quite like the idea of the Arith working with a computer.

(An exo-datalogist, eh? The new ideal: warrior, scientist, artist. It's not enough to be a fighter any more, eh? They want a gentler, more balanced, more intellectual sort of warrior nowadays.)

Elfangor and Arbron were a little helpless at this statement. Of course, they had probably been taught this new ideal all the time, and now they had to deal with Alloran who didn't seem to accept it.

(I suppose, so War-prince Alloran,) Arbron answered. (I mean that's what they teach us, anyway.)

Alloran didn't answer at first. He just stared straight ahead, lost in thought. Then he spoke up again.

(The Electorate wants war without slaughter. They want a clean, neat, honourable war. Fools.)

The silence that followed the statement was one of the uneasy kind. Electorate? Fools? That was probably something you shouldn't say.

Arbron was the one to break the silence. Carefully he asked: (Sir ... the computer …?)

Alloran needed a moment to come back to reality.

(What? Oh, yes. The computer. Why not? Use it all you like. We're in for a long, boring ride.)

So, what do you think? Was the chapter good? Or bad? Please review!