Aerionna
I was still attempting to access the main systems of the computer. But I was edgy, and focused slightly more on the door behind me than on what I was doing.
The others had left, since I had both detected more animal life forms entering through the hatch, as well as the two loud noises that reverberated throughout the entire ship. One was near the back, and one was close to our location. I had not heard from any of them since.
'Access denied' it read in large red letters in front of me. By this time I was prepared to whip my tail forward and destroy the ship the messy way. But I resisted, and placed my hands gingerly on the touchpad, taking a deep breath. When I was ready to try again, I began to move my fingers slowly at first, then faster. It was a trick my mother had taught me when I had gotten frustrated with my scientific equations at school. I could take a deep breath, or several, and wait until I was calm. Then, I could try again.
Sadly, in this situation, there was no 'calm'.
(Sean! Megan! Anybody!) Toni's voice made me jump, and I lost all concentration on my task.
(Toni? Are you all right?)
(Aerionna? No, I'm not. I can't find anyone! My dad and I have been looking for like… forever! Where are you?)
(In the main computer room. I am attempting to…)
(Well that tells us a lot!) she snapped, cutting me off.
(Ignore Toni. Can you tell us the direction it is from the main hatch? Maybe we can make our way to you if you knew) her fathers voice sounded calmer, if only sightly, and I practiced taking deep breaths again, before I told them the way. I had memorised it, because Alex had secretly asked me to. He was afraid we would need a 'quick exit' if we got into trouble. Not ten minutes later a Cape Buffalo and a black panther were beside me, both looking tense.
(Where are the others?) Toni asked as she swung her head left and right, becoming restless.
(I do not know)
(So you lost them!)
(No. We separated so we could successfully complete our mission) I said softly, trying again to access their higher systems. It did not seem to be working very well.
(Wise choice. Well, as they say, the more the merrier) Robert muttered, pacing like any other cat would. Seconds later there was a thud against the door, and in an instant all our focus was on that.
(Alex? Nicole?) Toni called cautiously. No answer. Instead the door seemed to start glowing.
(Take cover!) Robert screamed, and as I skittered behind a large boxlike structure, the door exploded inward. I used my left eyestalk to peak out, nearly getting it burnt off by a blue beam.
"Hold it! Guys? Are you… Aerionna?"
(Yes?) I replied cautiously.
"Okay, guns down! They're not the enemy!"
"But sir, they could be…"
"They're not. My sister would rather die… Aera, it's ok! You can come out now!"
I peeked out again, seeing Elfangor standing with a human Cody and his father, Tobias. And as I walked out I realised Tobias was carrying someone. Someone with blond hair.
(Is that…) Toni had stepped out, and was now standing beside me.
"Yeah. It's my mom" Cody said, sighing a little. I watched as Toni shifted back, then ran over and threw her arms around Cody and hugged him. He seemed to accept this form of 'comfort' putting his arms around her and burying his face into her hair. I looked away as Robert came out, shifting back as well.
"So, we have Ax back, and Rachel will be as good as new in three days… have you heard from Jade or the others?" He said casually as he joined the group. But my heart leapt at hearing my fathers name, and I looked frantically through the small crowd of Andalites and Chanaibens I saw. It was only when he stepped out of the crowd and came towards me that I saw him.
(Father!) I cried, running to him and throwing my arms around him, nearly knocking him over. He seemed a little surprised, but hugged me back.
(Aerionna. I am glad you are well)
(Oh father! Where you…)
(I was a controller. But your brother and Cody freed me) he said as we let go and backed up. I looked at Elfangor who was smiling at me.
(Little brother. You have done what I asked of you. I could not ask for more) I spread my arms wide, and he came and hugged me.
"I'd never let you down sis. You know that" he said as he hugged me. Seconds later our father's arms were around both of us.
(I am proud of you, my children. But there are still more dangers to face. I fear this will not be over for at least a small amount longer) he said, then let us go. I swung one stalk eye around and saw Cody and Toni were still hugging each other tightly, and that Cody was now crying a little.
(You are correct father. We must do what we came here to do. I must disable the ship…)
"Whoa! Wow, wait a minute there" Robert came to stop me.
"Aerionna, all we wanted to do here was to take over the ship, not destroy it" Tobias added, putting his cargo on the ground for a moment. He jerked his head, and all of a sudden three of the warriors behind him had their guns levelled on the unconscious woman.
"Okay, explain" I saw Toni had detached herself from Cody, who now had a hand over his face, sniffling. Toni folded her arms over her chest, her face looking flushed.
"We don't plan to destroy the ship, we plan to use it against the Yeerks. It could be the very thing that wins the war for us" Robert said excitedly, his eyes glowing. He seemed oblivious to what Toni had just done. Or did, and was choosing to ignore it.
Suddenly I heard a crackling sound.
"Guys? Do you hear me ok?" It was the voice of the woman called Jade.
"Loud and clear. What's up?" Tobias asked, holding his ear. It was only then that I realised he had what looked like a hearing device attached to his ear.
"I think… I think we got them all. We have the ship guys!"
There were cheers and happy noises made by the crowd of Chanaibens and Andalites, as well as my father and his friends.
"Uh, guys? Robert?"
"Yeah" I realised Robert had a hearing, or listening, device in his ear as well.
"Sean and Seth just dragged an unconscious Amanda through the doors. We got one more back"
"That's great news" Robert sighed, looking relieved.
We all began to head to the bridge, with none of us asking about the rest of our parents.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
I watched as the human named Marco screamed, pulling against his chains. He was frustrated. He was desperate. Or, at least the slug who named himself Visser Five was.
We were in the prison cell on the Blade ship. Watching as the three Yeerks who had inhabited our parents bodies starve and, eventually, die. In only a few more hours the three humans would return to themselves, and our allies would increase.
Again, I wondered about my mother. Was she still alive? Had they killed her when her Yeerk let Ithiell and Jade escape the last time? Or was she still alive somewhere?
As I watched these three fight, the need to know about her got stronger with each passing second. My father, who was beside me, put a hand on my shoulder.
(We will get her back my daughter. Do not doubt that)
(I do not. And I never will father) I looked up at him. He looked down at me and smiled.
(You truly are a treasure to behold)
(Thankyou father)
The door to the room slid open, and Jade and Tobias came striding in, shortly followed by Ithiell and the others. Nicole looked distant. I could not blame her. Both her parents were still out there, Yeerked, and she did not know if either of them were still alive or not.
"How are they doing?" Jade asked as she came around to stand beside us, folding her arms across her chest. Megan stood beside her, hugging her from the side. Alex and Michelle looked distant, and Seth and Sean seemed to be holding in barely contained anger. For whom I did not know. Toni was holding Cody's hand in a supporting gesture. He seemed calmer than the other day.
(Take a look for yourself) My father nodded towards Amanda's holding cell, where she had become a small rodent and was attempting to escape. But there were strong force fields in place, and she could not find even a crack, no matter what size she could become. I doubted the Yeerk inside her head could stand much more pressure than the size of the small rodent.
"Oh Amanda" Ithiell sighed, kneeling beside the force field as she scurried around desperately "Don't worry dear one, it won't be much longer now"
"WHRRRRROOOOOOAAAARRRRR!" The sudden bear roar made me almost weak at the knees, and I turned to see Rachel had become a grizzly bear, and was attempting to break the force field by brute strength. The force field wavered slightly as she gave it pounding after pounding, but did not bend or break.
"Desperate little buggers, aren't they?" Robert said with a smirk.
"Yes. Mustn't be long now" Jade said, going to the force field that separated herself from her husband. He was now a gorilla, and trying the same manoeuvre as Rachel was. He had shrunk enough to loosen the chains, like the others, and was now pounding on the field with his own strength. Jade hardly moved. Instead, she placed a hand on the force field, smiling wryly. When he smashed into it with all his force, she didn't even jump, or seem worried that she could be hurt by him.
"Ahhh! Get out you vile little… ahhh!" Amanda's sudden screaming made me swivel my stalk eyes towards her. She was cowered in a corner, grabbing her right ear. And, as I watched in horror, I saw her pulling something grey out of her ear with all her strength. It was only then I realised what it was.
"Die! Die!" She screamed in terror and anger, throwing the Yeerk to the ground, then jumping up and stomping it with her foot, over and over again until it was no more than a mere smudge on the ground below her.
"Drop this force field!" Ithiell snapped, and when the guard did he ran over to her and as he grabbed her wrists, she fell to the ground curling up in a little ball and shaking uncontrollably. Ithiell was saying something to her, but I couldn't hear it, and seconds later Sean and Seth were on the ground beside them, calling gently to their mother over and over again. For now, they seemed whole.
(You won't get me. Arrrrrgghhh!) Rachel's scream ripped through us all as she continued to pound the field. Then, she demorphed and started to remorph.
"Can the force fields take it?" Tobias asked the officer controlling the force fields.
(Yes. It is strong enough to withhold an elephant morph sir) she said, her fingers working furiously.
In half an hour, Rachel had pulled her own Yeerk out of her head, and was 'stomping' around the place, furious. She was angry and sickened, I saw that much. Tobias went to her, and she fell into her arms. Cody was soon there too, and they pulled him into a hug as well.
Finally, it was just Marco left to recover. We left and I returned with my father, Tobias and Rachel, as well as Jade and my three worried friends.
His fists were becoming bloody from the brute force he was putting into hitting the field. But now, he was doing it as a human.
"You meddlesome little…. aarrrgh! Get out, get…you'll pay! The higher Vissers will make you… get out of my head! It's my body!… kill every one of you! Just wait, I'll…" he suddenly collapsed to his knees, scratching at his head and screaming in such an indescribable manner it was horrifying to watch.
Seconds later something dropped out of his ear, falling to the ground with a sickening plop. He scrambled up, pressing himself against the side of the field, then dove forward and slammed a fist down on it. He kept beating the Yeerk until his fists were raw and bloody.
"Drop it!" Jade cried, and when that was done she dove forward, grabbing his arm and stopping him from hurting himself anymore. He looked up at her like he hadn't seen her in ten years.
"Oh god… Jade. He almost… and I couldn't stop him…" His voice broke, and Michelle was beside him as well. Alex walked over, looking down at him. He had hardly spoken since we had joined them on the bridge with our three prisoners.
"Daddy, you did. You fought him hard. I saw you. Don't worry, we're okay now" Megan said softly, kneeling down in front of him and throwing her arms around him. He jerked back for an instant, then seemed to accept this form of comfort. Jade and Michelle were soon hugging him as well.
"But I couldn't stop him. If you hadn't decided to… when the kids… she'd be… I'd have…"
"Dad" Alex said calmly, bending down to look straight at him.
"The Yeerks stole your body. It wasn't your fault. You had no control, and hey, even the great War-Prince here didn't fare so well against them. You are not to blame, and never will be. Do you understand that, dad?"
Marco fell silent, looking carefully at his son. Then, he managed a weak smile.
"Well, looks like you've grown up since I left. Smart boy"
"I'm only as good as my parents raised me" Alex said, smiling back.
"Well, guess I didn't do too badly then"
"No, you didn't. Thanks dad"
Rachel clearing her throat made us all turn to look at her. There was a hint of a mocking smile.
"Not to interrupt the whole family love thing, but can we get back to business? We're still fighting a war here"
(Rachel is correct, we must…)
(Father, these three must have time to rest. I know Ithiell and the others will agree with me. We need time to… recharge… as Michelle says)
My father looked down at me curiously. Then, he nodded.
(You are more your mother than you think you are. But you are correct. We need time to recover from this massive change. Small, though, for if we wait for too long we will not be able to use this ship to our advantage)
"You're right. Two hours should do. Then, we get back to business" Marco said. He was standing up, his arms securely around Michelle and Megan. Alex was holding tight to his mother, who seemed near-tears.
But it would be all right for now. The scales were beginning to tip in our favour, and I was confident we would find the rest of our parents and win this war, for better or worse.