Animorphs 33 The Hunt (Tobias)

Author James the Lesser

I do not own the characters, Applegate and her many Ghost Writers do! But I do hope any who read this will enjoy, even if I change things up!

1

I was floating over my meadow. I saw movement. It moved again. A mouse.

I dove tucking my wings back getting as much speed as I could. The mouse moved again and I corrected my path.

At the last second I flare my wings and dig my talons in to the mouse using my speed to carry myself up to a near branch.

What was I doing? I was hunting, feeding, as a hawk. I may have once been a human named Tobias but now I was a hawk. I still went by the name Tobias but only when my friends were around. I fought a war when I wasn't worried about getting dinner. Which is one reason why I was a hawk.

I was still feeding when I heard a noise. It was from a large animal. I some times had deer come by but also wolves. I was a little low for comfort. (Tobias? Are you here?)

(Ax? What is it?)

(Prince Jake has called a meeting. Erik the Chee contacted him.)

(Trouble?)

(I don't know. I was sent to get you by Prince Jake.)

(Let's go.) I got a last bit of the mouse then dropped the rest on the ground before taking off.

We met at Cassie's barn. It was filled with injured animals again. The bird part of me was a little nervous but I could stay calm. (So what's going on?)

"Erik says he comes bearing good and bad news. Mostly bad."

"Bad is right." A stool turned in to Eric. Well, not really. Erik was a Chee, an ancient race of androids that were on Earth so long ago they helped build the pyramids. He and the others kept their cover by using holograms.

"So? What is it? Aren't the Yeerks fighting each other? Isn't that why we risked our butts on the Pool Ship? Well, some of us did." I saw Rachel glaring at Cassie.

(Rachel, her power went out. Unless you think she took out her own transformer.) She glared at me. I didn't like that. Rachel could get very mean when she thought she was right and you were wrong.

"As it was they are."

(Really? Where? Who?)

"No where near here Ax, sorry. Visser Seven and Twelve have rounded up several Sub Visser fleets with theirs. Small as they are alone together they have caused some trouble. Visser One of course is fighting for a seat on the Council as is Visser Two."

"Not Visser Three?"

"No Jake. He would be made Visser One if that happened. A Council Member has power even over a Visser, theoretically."

"But? I hear a but in there."

"But Visser Three, if made Visser One, I'm sure would use that increased power for grabbing more. He might see what the other Visser fleets are doing and decide he has enough here he can take more. Earth is the biggest target for the Yeerks so a lot of fleet is centered her. Not even mentioning the millions of human hosts they've taken."

"But my mom would never let that happen. She hates Visser Three."

"Why she has extra guards and is never in one place for long. Visser Three is suspect number one for hiring the strange alien that killed the members of the Council."

"Who saw me? I, I thought I killed every one."

"You didn't Jake, thankfully. And because of that suspicion is every where on who hired the alien. After Visser Three you have the two Visser's who have been rebelling."

"So that's the good news? What's the bad news?"

"Jake, the Yeerks had some thing we had no idea they were working on. With all the chaos it was let slipped that the Yeerks on an empty planet were building a sensor. One that would detect alien energy like that of a morphing cube."

"Oh, so... Cassie?"

"I have it hidden but if they have a sensor that can detect it I don't know what we can do with it. Uh Erik can you guys hide it?"

"We'll be the ones hiding. This thing can detect us. And our ship."

"Your ship? Yeah, where is it by the way?"

(I've wondered that as well. If it held all the Chee and remaining Pemalite race it must have been rather large.)

"It is Ax. And it is hidden where no human could find it. But a Yeerk might."

"Where?"

"Jake I would tell you but if any of you are taken by the Yeerks then they would know. Our ship has technology that puts any thing the Yeerks have to shame."

"So if they find it then we're all in trouble?"

"Yes. We may soon be leaving this planet."

(Oh, crap. So where is this sensor? If we could take it out then you could stay and we wouldn't need a new place for the cube.)

"That's why I came Tobias. If we could get you to the sensor and you destroyed it then we would be safe." I saw Rachel raise her hand.

"Why can't you guys do it? It isn't living so you could just smash it."

"It is guarded. We would be at risk of harming living beings."

"So what? Is it on Earth?"

"We think it is being transported here now. Visser Three wants it so he can find the morphing cube. He will find a lot more if he gets it here and operational."

"So you'll get us to the Pool Ship and then we destroy it?"

"He's taking it on to his Blade Ship. And from there we believe he is setting it up on Earth."

(Why Earth? It would be safer on his ship.)

"Because from what we understand it must require more power then his ship can give and it must be absolutely still when it is turned on. It calibrates with the planets magnetic force field and then detects unnatural energy. Power plants will show up but the Yeerks know of all power plants so any other energy will not be normal."

"So you find it for us and we take it out. Simple enough once you ignore the dracon beams, Hork Bajir warriors, and Visser Three morphing some monster and ripping us apart like he tends to do. Any thing more dangerous?"

"Marco this is serious!"

"We know Erik. He just does that because he thinks he is funny. I'm up for it. Let us know where it is so we can do the dirty work."

"Rachel, I'm sorry if it sounds like that."

"Because it is that. You guys could have rewritten your code and won this war in a few days. Instead you risk our lives to do the stuff you decided wasn't important enough for you to do."

"I killed Rachel. It is a horrible thing one should never do."

"But you'll have us do it for you."

"Rachel you know our history. Killing was every thing our friends who made us loathed. You may find it enjoyable but I do not."

"I never said I enjoyed it but I do what I need too do so my family remains safe. You will let the Yeerks kill my family or worse just so your precious sensibilities aren't hurt."

"Rachel stop it! Erik needs our help because he will not defile the memories of those who made him. And even if he decided he would change we don't have the Pemalite crystal."

(Jake is right.) I focused on Rachel so only she could hear me. (You said you felt horrified by what you did, what happened, including the Chee. Now you want them killing in this world?)

"I'm just pissed."

"What was that Rachel?"

"Shut up Marco."

(Rachel I'm only talking with you. And I get it I'm annoyed about being their lap dogs and stuff. But aren't we also the Ellimist's pets? He uses us as well and when we do well he gives us a treat. And if not him or the Chee then the Andalite's. Elfangor gave us the powers so we could fight the Yeerks. So we could save a planet he loved.)

"Look um, I'll let you know when it arrives. Sorry for any trouble my people have caused." I watched Erik leave before turning back to Rachel.

(We should fly.)

"I'm out of here." I flew after her and waited for her to morph.

2

We used thermals and got as much height as possible. (Rachel are you ok? Is Crayak still bothering you?)

(Yes. Every night he watches me. Taunting me.)

(That is no reason you should take it out on the Chee. They are what they are and can only do what they are programmed. Even if we had the Pemalite Crystal we couldn't force them.)

(But the war would be over.)

(And Crayak would have a victory against the Ellimist. I owe a lot to him. I can't let him down like that.)

(Then maybe only some of them. Some want more action and do more against the Yeerks. We could get them to end the war.)

(We could do a lot of things. But we don't have the Pemalite Crystal and no chance of finding it.)

(Yes we do! They have a machine just for finding stuff like that. We find it and give the Chee a choice. Erik had us get rid of it with out giving the others a choice.)

(So we risk the Yeerks finding the Chee and Morphing Cube so you can find the Pemalite Crystal? I'm sorry Rachel but we shouldn't risk it.)

(You have no family you can lose. I have my mom and sisters and my father. In that world my mother was taken. I don't know what happened with my father. I can't let this happen here.)

(For all you know she is a Controller right now.) I should have kept that last line to myself.

(No!) She turned towards me.

(Rachel calm down!) I spread my wings and slowed down and Rachel struck in front of me. (Rachel! Gain control! Your emotions are having you lose control of your morph!) She dove away from me. (Rachel!)

(Go to Hell! My mother is not a Controller!) Maybe I should go after her. But she was bigger, stronger, and as mad as she was she might have the edge.

2

I had nothing better to do after breakfast so I flew out to the school. Rachel was in gym class. Volleyball. I hated volleyball. I saw one on the other team had a good shot at a spike. (Boo!) She flinched and the ball fell at her feet.

"Did any one else hear that? Some one just shouted boo at me."

"Right like you need an excuse for losing to me." I saw Rachel look up.

(Your welcome on the assist.) I landed on top of the school and watched the rest of the volleyball game.

I followed her home and waited outside her window. She saw me and closed the blinds. (Rachel?)

"I'm not talking with you."

(Rachel I'm sorry I said your mom might be one of them. But you must admit it could be possible. Any one could be. Tom was.)

"Tom said he never saw her!"

(Yes but he isn't a Controller still. She could have been made one. We don't know but we can find out.)

"How?"

(I follow her. I follow her for three days and see if she ever goes to the Yeerk Pool. If she doesn't then we'll know. Ok?)

"I guess." She opened the blinds. "I shouldn't have yelled at you." She opened the window for me.

(I shouldn't have said what I did. My parent's are dead so I can't really understand what it must be like worrying about that.)

"And I was annoyed dealing with the Chee on top of it. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Forgiven?"

(Of course.)

With that settled we went flying again. (So yeah, thanks for the help. We would have lost if they got that point.)

(No problem. I hated gym.) She laughed until we saw a Golden Eagle.

(No, it isn't him. David's dead.) The Golden Eagle dove and I saw his target, a rabbit.

(And he's eating rabbit. David would break in and steal what he wanted.) We kept flying until her time limit neared.)

When we landed she demorphed and went in to a McD's. I demorphed and waited. "Here got it with no pickles just the way you like it."

"Thanks." Two normal teens having a normal dinner. Two normal teens about to have a normal dinner interrupted.

"I thought I saw you!" We turned and saw another Rachel. "Except this looks weird." They changed in to a red headed version of Rachel with a bit longer hair and green eyes. "What do you think?"

"Why are you here?"

"Please Rachel don't be so hostile. Erik told us about your little flipout."

"Well I have a reason."

"Yes you do. And I and others agree. Not every one but some of us."

"So? You don't have the Pemalie Crystal. And we don't know where it is."

"But Jake does doesn't he? Erik said he gave Jake the crystal so he could hide it. So if we found out where he hid it then we can find it."

"I was thinking of using the energy scanner thing the Yeerk's made. It would find every thing right? So why not just use it? Kill the Yeerks and use it ourselves."

"Except none of you humans could probably use it. The Andalite might but even then he would have to be on board."

"What if you came with us? Hidden with a hologram."

"Whoa Rachel we can't make plans behind Jake's back."

"Why not? Tobias if we find that crystal we end the war! Isn't that what you want? Or do you plan on being a hawk for the rest of your life?"

"No but still. The Ellimist wouldn't want the Chee being violent."

"Not all of us would be. And I think with the crystal we could wipe our memories if we needed it. Erik didn't try it because he didn't want the memory of what he did gone or else he might try it again."

"So we just find out where Jake hid it."

"Except he won't tell you Rachel." Rachel and the Chee looked at me. "I won't ask him. I want no part of this."

"Fine. Go find my mom."

"Rachel,"

"You said you would prove she wasn't a Controller. So go do it." I finished the rest of my burger and left.

Her mom was at the office doing what ever it is lawyers do. It was boring but I did say I would do it. I'd rather be keeping an eye on Rachel. Ever since Crayak started messing with her she'd been losing it. Her temper got shorter and shorter. How would she react during a mission? Would she really try using the machine the Yeerk's made for finding the Pemalite Crystal?

It was getting dark and Rachel's mother was finally leaving. Her car was faster then me but with my eyes I could follow her easily.

They had dinner separately. Rachel ate in her room. (Rachel, it is late, I'm going back to my meadow. I'll watch her first thing after I eat in the morning.) I saw her nod and I took off.

In my meadow I couldn't help but feel I was being watched. But there was nothing I could see. I may not have the best night vision but I should see what ever it was watching me. Except for maybe a Chee. (I know you're there.) No response. (Just letting you know.) I went to sleep soon after.

3

I followed Rachel's mother as soon as I could. She went to the office and worked. And worked. (Wow she does a lot of paperwork.) I always thought lawyers did stuff in court but I guess before going to court they do this. Phone call, phone call, paperwork, and phone call.

Lunch gave me a break as she went to a local deli and got two sandwiches. I saw her take a piece of bread off and throw it for some pigeons. Dirty rats with wings. I could probably pick one off just so I had some entertainment.

But then I saw trouble. A known Controller was sitting next to Rachel's mom. Was this proof she was a Controller? Wait, it was another lawyer. I flew closer so I could hear what they talked about. "So reconsider my offer?"

"What offer? Your client has no case." I saw the Controller put a hand on her.

"I really think you should reconsider. BPAX will get the land."

"No, they won't. And if you don't remove your hand from my arm I will remove it from your arm." He quickly pulled it away.

"Fine, I see how it is. But realize you will lose and make your firm look bad."

"BPAX can't take the land it is under government protection."

"There are ways around that." He got up and left.

BPAX? Who was that? And what land were they taking? And if a Controller was the lawyer what were the chances the company was owned by another Yeerk? And ways around it? Yeah, taking who ever decides the case and making them a Yeerk. I should tell the others. They're at school so I can tell them all at once.

I saw Rachel sitting in math class. (Rachel, your mom isn't a Controller. But another lawyer is. And the company he is working for is wanting some government land. BPAX it was called. I don't know why but I'm sure that they'll take the judge deciding the case.)

I saw her write on her paper. "I'll ask Cassie. Government lands sounds like protected lands. The forest might be the target."

(Where Ax and I live. Great. I'll meet every one at the barn.)

I saw them walking up to the barn. I already had Ax waiting out back in case Cassie's father showed up first. (Ax, they're here.)

When every one was in the barn Marco spoke up. "I used the library computer and looked up BPAX and found out they're a company that was recently bought by an anonymous buyer. They're a technology company and it turns out they want some mountain land so they can build a new observatory or some thing."

"Sounds like they want a high point for putting the scanner. And you said Rachel's mom is the lawyer protecting the lands?"

(Yes. I saw her out for lunch and followed her. I saw the other lawyer and recognized him as a Controller. He was not happy with her and threatened her that he would win the case.)

"How? Unless they took the judge and made him..." Jake got the idea. "So what judge is on the case?"

"I'll ask my mom when I get home. If she's home. She's been putting in a lot of hours. I guess this is the case."

"Do that. Uh Ax you can could you hack the company and find any thing that might be useful?" Andalite's don't show a lot of emotion in their faces but with all the time I spent I knew he was amused.

(Prince Jake even with the primitive human computers I could hack any system the Yeerk's used.) That's the Andalite arrogance coming through. But with Ax it was probably true.

"Tomorrow is Saturday. Meet here at noon. I don't know yet if we should stop them."

(What? Jake what do you mean?)

"If we know where they're placing it then it makes it easier for us. And out of the city up in the mountains means we'd be far away from every thing. We could go all out in the attack."

"I like that idea."

"So we let the Yeerks take the judge? I can't allow that. We know a target we can save them! I won't let that happen."

"No Cassie. I, we hate taking the DNA of humans but we can just knock him out and morph him."

(Do any of us know enough law to pass ourselves off as a judge? And two hour limit.)

"Except for you Tobias."

(Oh, right. So uh, should I start reading up on law or just watch some Law and Order?)

"Start reading up. I wonder how long they've been planning this. I'll fly out to the Hork Bajir colony and talk with Tom. I think we should try and take the judge's place and give the BPAX company permission for building."

(Ax do you think you could get some information from online?)

(Any thing that is online I can find.) Ax was amazing. He got satellite television and some how managed to build a computer and hook it up to the internet through the same satellite. It was easily ten times faster then Marco's dial up. Could you imagine the money we could make with that? Maybe after the war...

4

It had been four days and my brain was burnt out. (This is why it takes years to become a lawyer. I'll never remember all of this stuff.)

(It seems very complicated. I don't know how your species has been able to solve any thing.) Ax had been reading with me and even he was confused.

(But I must learn as much as possible. Rachel says the hearing is in nine days. The Yeerks will try and take him before then.)

(And Prince Jake is still working on a way of making him sleep while you sit on the throne.)

(Bench, they call it a bench. Why I'm not sure I haven't found that yet.)

Five more days and we were at the judge's house. The Chee warned us today was when he would be taken. (I see the car coming. Get ready Jake.) I was the eye in the sky for him and the others.

He was in the Howler morph. The others were nearby in wolf morph in case Jake lost it. We weren't sure what else to do. The hearing was just a few days away and if they got the judge our plan would be in trouble.

The car was only a mile away. Thankfully the judge had a nice house out in the woods away from the hustle and bustle of the city. (Almost there Jake.)

(Are we sure they will hear the howl?)

(I doubt they listen to music. Just stay back every one I'll howl once and then attack.) I hoped as high up as I was I'd be unaffected.

The car went around the turn and Jake stepped out. I could barely hear the howl and even at such a low volume it hurt a little. But the driver clearly heard it and wrecked the car. (I hope they were wearing seatbelts.)

(Hold back every one.) Jake walked towards the car. (They're breathing, I can hear it. But they're out. I think we did it, this time. The Chee said they would inform us of any more tries.)

(Well that was easy. I'm going back I have more reading to do.)

(Good luck.) I flew back to Ax's Scoop.

Two days before the hearing and I wanted to give up. A hawk it turns out can get a headache if stuck reading a screen for hours on end. (Any thing that will break this up.) I should have staid quiet.

(Some one is coming.) I quickly took off in the air and looked for the person.

(I don't see them.)

(Must be a Chee.)

"It is." I saw a bush move and then turn in to a Chee I didn't recognize.

(Who are you?)

"Call me Jim. I'm here because three Chee went missing. One of them was the one we let you use as Rachel."

(And? Can't you contact them through some Chee connection?)

"They cut it. These three are more, active, or wish to be in the war."

(They're looking for the Pemalite Crystal.) What was Rachel up to? Did she find out where Jake hid it? (We gotta go find Jake.)

(We believe he is with Cassie. They are not at the barn but we see footprints that turn from human to wolf. We can move fast but we can not see from above. I was sent to find you.)

(Yeah, I can probably find them. Ax can help as well. Don't ask Rachel she might be a part of this.)

"We understood that already. We paired her off with her Chee because we thought they were most alike. Unfortunately they were too much alike. Her Pemalite was one of the few who thought we should fight back."

(What? I thought they were all peaceful.)

"Are all humans peaceful? Of course not. When the Howler's first showed up less than one percent voted for turning the Chee on the Howler's. They were, not shamed, just made the others disappointed. You may think all Pemalite as peaceful but that is just a simplistic view. Just like you view all Yeerk forces as violent parasites."

(Because they are.)

"No Ax, they aren't. Some actually refuse to take hosts unless they volunteer and even then they try and let the host have some control. We even have Yeerks who simply sit in the host and just enjoy sight and sound. Unfortunately they are few and far between."

(So I'm off. As soon as Ax morphs he can help.) I took off and wondered just what Rachel had done. She must be behind it.

I saw two wolves near a stream. (Jake? Cassie?) Both looked up.

(Uh, what is it? Is it important?)

(Yes. Three Chee have gone missing. One of them was the one that covered for Rachel.)

(Any idea what happened?)

(Yes.) I told Jake about what Rachel had discussed earlier. (Did you tell her?)

(No. The only people who have any idea are Marco, Cassie, and myself.)

(Me? I don't know where it is.)

(I just told you a couple days ago.) Oh crap.

(No, you didn't. Either it was Rachel in a Cassie morph or a Chee using a Cassie hologram. Where did you hide it? Rachel and the three Chee are probably looking for it right now.)

(I didn't really hide it. We went to the beach with Homer and played fetch with it for a bit until Homer lost it in the ocean. I didn't want to know where it was just in case, you know, I was taken.)

(Not a bad plan except I'm guessing we can find three Chee and one dolphin on the beach where you were.) I saw both start demorphing.

I found a Chee and told them what was going on. (Jake will lead us to the part of the beach where it happened. Can you guys see Chee even when they're using a hologram to hide themselves?)

"Yes. Thank you for helping us once again." I saw the Peregrine Falcon that was Jake and followed it.

The beach looked empty. And a Red Tail Hawk was not meant for looking through the water. Thankfully Cassie was an Osprey and they could do that. (I see a dolphin. It is alone and they usually travel in pods.)

(It must be Rachel.) I flew lower. (Rachel!)

(She flinched.) Maybe being trapped as an Osprey would have been better. Except I always hated seafood and that was their main diet.

Jake flew past me. (Rachel we know it is you. Come out of the ocean now!)

(Go away Jake!)

(Don't make me send Cassie in. She can go Humpback and kick your butt out of the water.)

(Leave us alone! We'll end this war with out your help.) I saw what would seem like a ripple against nothing but I knew it was a Chee hiding itself.

(Rachel this isn't the way. You told me what happened in that other world terrified you. You killed Jake just so you could fix it. Will you kill Jake again?)

(I wasn't thinking right in that other world. When I saw my mom had been taken I lost it.)

(And what makes you think you aren't losing it now?)

(I don't know. I'm sick of this. We sit around and then the Chee come and give us orders. If they could do the dirty work themselves they could end this! It wouldn't even take all of them just a few.)

(Rachel I want this over as much as any one else but we can't corrupt ourselves. I read a story about how an army could win the war if they sold their souls. Most were on board but one stood up and said Whatisthepointofwinningthewarifwhatwedomakesuscorrupt?Iwouldratherdieamanthenliveasademon.)

(And? Did they lose?)

(Destroyed. But they lost knowing they hadn't lost themselves.)

(I'd rather live corrupted then lose every one I love because I didn't do every thing I could to stop the Yeerks. If you had any family you might understand.)

(Low blow Rachel, low blow.) She never responded.

I staid up high and watched as several Chee appeared. Suddenly the Chee that had been helping Rachel were visible. There were three and they were surrounded by a dozen other Chee.

5

We met at the barn the next day. Rachel looked up at me but I didn't look back. "Rachel what were you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we can win this war with the Pemalite Crystal. Even if only twenty Chee change their programming it would be enough. They could hack the Pool Ship, empty the Yeerk Pool on it, and use the weapons to destroy any Yeerk ships around it. And if you're not on board with that then I don't care. I'll do it alone."

"No Rachel. We have a big mission coming up. Tomorrow is the hearing and we must make sure Tobias can pass himself off as a judge."

(And find a way to keep the real one from showing up.)

"Yes and we have an answer. A Chee works as a nurse at a hospital. They got us some pretty strong sleep medicine. We just sneak in and slip it in his drink."

"And how do we do that?"

"Simple Marco. I morph a Spider Monkey and sneak in and through it in his orange juice. I already acquired it so we just wait until tomorrow."

"Will you get up in time or will your power go out again?" Every one glared at Rachel, even Ax which seems a strange thing since he used all four eyes.

"Unless you think she morphed a squirrel, crawled in to the transformer, and electrocuted herself she wasn't responsible for that. And in the end it was a good idea leaving some of us behind. We didn't know how well it would go."

"What ever. Be mad at me all you want I don't care. I know a way of winning this war and I will win it."

"How do you know? Sorry Xena but the Chee are cool and all but even if they rewire themselves the Yeerk's still have numbers and weapons."

"I know. Jake and Tobias know how I know."

"What? That doesn't make any sense."

"Marco let it go. We don't have time for this Rachel. Tom said that this Scanner must have been top secret because he didn't even know about it. But if they get it here and get it running they'll find the Chee and the morphing cube."

"Why not just take it apart? Would that work Ax?"

(Even if it is disassembled this Scanner may find it Marco. Unless you hid it at a power plant or other source of strong energy the Yeerks will find it.)

"And then the Chee and their ship would still be found. Where ever it is I'm sure the Yeerks could find it. We must get it here then destroy it."

(And that means I must become Your Honor tomorrow. I've been reading a lot of stuff but we have no idea what they might bring up. Standards, codes, precedence.)

"We have a couple ideas. Ax can use a computer in another room and use it to search stuff. Since you will be in a morph you can thoughtspeak. If they mention some thing you don't know tell Ax and he'll look it up."

(Ok so we just wait for tomorrow? I should go hunt late instead of searching for breakfast.)

"Meet at the judge's place. The Chee said the Yeerks might try taking him on his morning drive to work. But if you fly they can't grab you."

"What about clothes? He can't show up in boxers and a muscle shirt."

"Got it covered Rachel. I'll be at the house so I can just go in and find the clothes then put them in a bag and run as a wolf before pasing them off to Jake who will take them in to the city." Cassie turns her back on Rachel. "We were planning while you went off looking for the Pemalite Crystal." I heard Rachel mumble some thing nasty. With my enhanced hearing I picked it up while the others didn't.

(She's right Rachel.)

"Shut up Tobias."

"Rachel if you can't keep yourself together maybe you should go home."

"Maybe I will." Rachel turned and left.

"Tobias, Cassie, please stay. The rest of you go."

(Yes Prince Jake.)

"Yes Prince Jake."

"Marco, don't call me prince."

"Yes Prince Jake." Marco and Ax left the barn going separate directions.

(So why are we staying behind? Rachel?)

"Yes, unfortunately. I told Cassie about what Rachel went through."

"And now she's looking back on it and thinking it was better. Even with the losses having the war over was all she can see now."

(Huh?)

"Uh, well, if it was Marco imagine he had a game he played all the time. Then he got bored and stopped playing it. Then uh, his system broke and now he can't play with it. Now all he can think about is playing that game. He doesn't remember that he was bored with it he just thinks about playing it."

(She doesn't think about Marco or I being dead she just thinks about how the war was over because now she has us both alive in this world, got it.)

"She could be dangerous if she can't focus. Tobias is there any thing you can do? Say?"

(Yesterday she made a mention of me having no family. I didn't take it very well.) But if we lost Rachel we could be in trouble. She was braver and stronger then any of us. (But I can forgive her and try and work things out with her.)

"It is more then that. We have an important mission coming up. Not just the judge but then destroying the scanner. Ax says if they have any of the information on how it was made with it he can hack and destroy it. Which gave me an idea."

(An idea involving what?)

"Two attacks but so it only looks like one attack."

(Splitting our forces? Jake that's a bad idea.)

"It won't happen if we can't get Rachel on track. What I want is two attacks but in a way that the Yeerks don't know we attacked the scanner device. Ax has already agreed you can absorb his DNA. You and the others will attack some where, any where, while Ax and I sneak in and destroy the scanner in a way that makes it look like an accident."

(And I'll be Ax because they know what he looks like. Nice plan.)

"A nice plan if we can get every one on it. Which right now might be hard if Rachel goes off on her own."

(I'll talk to her tonight. After I hunt.)

"Thank you Tobias."

(No problem Prince Jake.)

"Don't call me prince! Pretty soon every one else will and that's just weird."

(Yes Prince Jake.) I took off.

After hunting I flew to Rachel's house but she wasn't there. (She has to be here.)

I flew around and looked in through every window. Her sisters were already in bed and her mom was up working on her papers. I could see some court decision. I hadn't read up on any of them. Maybe I should stop at Ax's and read as much as I could.

I waited about twenty more minutes but Rachel wasn't there and hadn't come home. Jake? No, Cassie. She could morph an Osprey and see through the water. Unless they were smarter this time and used holograms to cover her. I needed the Chee. They would know if any other Chee were out looking for the Pemalite Crystal. Erik's house wasn't that far as the bird flew.

(Erik! Mr. King! Any one! Any Chee please tell me some one is there!) I saw two Chee come out.

"Animorph, Red Tail Hawk, you must be Tobias."

(Yes, I am. And I'm looking for another, Rachel, who has,)

"Who has been looking for the crystal. She has led several of us astray."

(It sounded more like she found some who already wanted too they just didn't know where the crystal was.)

"And now they have an idea. All are accounted for. So she is not with any of our kind."

(I'll see if I can't find her myself. Thank you. I guess I didn't really wake any one up.)

"No you didn't."

I flew out to the beach and tried contacting Rachel. Either she wasn't going to respond or she wasn't here. Only one way I could find out.

I hovered then started morphing. A hawk isn't made for swimming. Another way an Osprey was a little better situated for this area.

When I was too heavy I fell in to the water but I was already enough dolphin that the cold water didn't bother me.

Soon I was a dolphin and used my echolocation. No other dolphin. Rachel wasn't here. Was she farther out?

I swam for hours looking for her. When I finally swam up and beached myself on shore so I could demorph I saw the son was coming up. I had been out all night! Not good, not good. I needed to get going.

6

I made it to his house as the others were making it there. Cassie was already a monkey and Marco was keeping an eye out as an Osprey. (I'm here. Any one see or hear from Rachel?)

(No, was she upset after last night?)

(I don't know I never found her Cassie.)

(Never found her? Tobias she wasn't home?)

(Or at the beach or with any Chee. Cassie any idea where she might be?)

(No. We, we don't need her for this. I'll drug the judge and you acquire his DNA. I think he's already up.) I saw her sneak in through a window.

I landed outside and waited. It was maybe twenty minutes before Cassie came out. (He's sleeping at the kitchen table. Marco go in and find his clothes. I need to demorph then morph wolf.) I flew through the open door and found the judge.

Now I just had to fly downtown, morph in to the judge and hope I could pass myself off as him. Great. And try not to worry about Rachel being missing.

I made it with plenty of time. Jake was waiting for me. (So far so good except Rachel is missing.)

"Cassie told me. But this is the important thing right now we can look for her after."

(If I make it through this. Has a judge ever been arrested for being incompetent?)

"Doubt it." I morphed in to the judge.

It felt weird being some one like a judge. I was an important person. I decided the fates of people. I would set up the Yeerks for a trap. If I could pull this off.

I had watched shows where the judge waited for the bailiff to call for every one to rise. I hoped reality mirrored fiction.

I walked in and sat down. I saw Rachel's mother. Even with out my hawk vision I could see the rings under her eyes. She had been up late but she must have gotten some sleep. I however had not. With out a two hour time limit I hadn't thought of keeping track of the time.

I sat there and almost fell asleep. I didn't understand half the stuff they were saying and the other half that I did wasn't very exciting.

We broke for lunch. I again almost fell asleep. "Your Honor," Some one handed me a drink. I took a sip and realized it was coffee. I couldn't stand coffee but I needed the caffeine.

When we restarted I was feeling the buzz. My eyes were vibrating between the caffeine and lack of sleep. I wasn't paying attention. (Tobias, are you there?)

(What? Uh, yes.) I snapped back awake.

(What's going on? Is it almost over? Marco says the judge is still sleeping but we don't know how much longer he will stay out.)

(Uh, they're doing closing stuff, I think. Jake I'll let you know.) I tried paying attention.

So far so good. Was only asked twice for objections the whole day and I overturned both. Not sure if I should have but I did. But soon I would make a choice. I already had it made so that was easy. "Look it is late maybe we should continue this tomorrow."

"What?" That caught me off guard.

"We can continue tomorrow."

"No, we're here, let us finish." Oh please tell me that is some thing a judge could do.

"Well, I guess, your Honor." Wow got lucky there.

It was another hour and a half before both sides finished. Now it was on me. I think. I sat there for a few minutes before Rachel's mom finally spoke up. "Your Honor? Are we breaking for the day?"

"No, I'm deciding. You both provided valid arguments." Now how would a judge word it? (Jake I need to make a decision in favor of the Yeerks. How do I do that?)

(Ax has the computer up with the past rulings. Try saying...) He read off a bunch of stuff that sounded complicated and lawyerish. Hopefully it would work.

"Thank you your Honor." I wanted to knock that smirk off of the lawyer's face. Maybe I would soon. He drove a nice car. I could mess it up.

"Your Honor how can you rule in their favor? This is protected lands!"

"I've made my decision." Now I had to leave like a judge would and get out of here.

7

Rachel was still missing. I don't think her mother had noticed with her big case but now that it was over she was calling around. Cassie had told her she hadn't seen her, which was true. "What do we do? She just took off? She's planning some thing big."

"Like what? Short of stealing a space shuttle and crashing it into..." Marco stopped. "That's not a bad idea."

(Yes it is. And the space shuttle? She couldn't pilot it.)

"Or a plane. What if she tries like making a bomb and blowing up the Yeerk Pool? That I could see her doing. Jake we're in trouble if she goes off like this. She could be captured."

"Or she could succeed. The Yeerk Pool is under the city. If she detonates a bomb and it causes the whole thing to collapse we could see tens of thousands dead."

"So we stop her. If we can find her. What if she tries like hijacking an airplane and crashing it? I doubt it takes much to crash one. Jake buddy your cousin is going off the deep end if she tries any of this."

(Why we must find her. I'll head out now and look.) I took off. I was tired but we must find Rachel.

I had to sleep. I knew the others were looking for her. I flew to my meadow and slept.

When I woke up it was dark. My eyes were still better then a humans at night but not as good as they were during the day. Maybe I should get an owl morph. I know where an owl staid but the night was his. I wouldn't dare try attacking him at night.

But I saw movement. It was an owl coming right at me! I flared my wings and started to let out the loudest screech I could when the owl landed a few branches away. (Tobias it's me!)

(Rachel? What are you doing? Where were you?)

(I was following a Yeerk after he came to my house. He was spying on us!)

(And? Why didn't you come to us?)

(I was busy following him. They were planning on making my mom a Controller so she would tank the case. I went full out as a Hork Bajir and attacked. I said some thing about free Hork Bajir as best as one could. But more came and they had guns and I ran. I had time to hide and demorph but they were looking for me.)

(And that took all this time?)

(Well, I followed them again to another house.)

(And you attacked them again?)

(Yes.)

(And you didn't learn from the last time? Rachel what were you thinking?)

(I wasn't! I was pissed and worried for my mom and sisters. I attacked and I killed them!) She spread her wings and took off.

(Rachel!) I took off after her.

(No! I killed them. It was so easy that second time. They thought I had fled and that they were in a safe place. They let their guard down.)

(Rachel I don't blame you! I don't have any family left except for Ax and he doesn't need protecting. Please stop flying a hawk is not meant for flying at night.) She finally landed. (Rachel, what happened? Every thing, tell me.)

(I killed them and more came. They recognized the claw marks as Hork Bajir. They suspected the free Hork Bajir. They sent troops in to the sewers thinking that was how they got in. I followed them down and picked them off one by one.)

(Humans?)

(All of them. I, I murdered them. One by one I cut them, stabbed them, crushed them.)

(But you were gone a long time.)

(I ran after that. I couldn't face the others. I don't know if I can. Cassie will never speak to me again. We might have killed a human here or there by accident and stuff but we've never done it like this.)

(Jake killed humans.)

(He lost control of a morph. I was cold, calculated.)

(You were protecting your family. And may have saved the mission.)

(How did it go? How did you do?)

(We did it. Yeerks will be building the place and when it is finished we'll attack. But we need you Rachel.)

(I know, I'm sorry. I lost my mind. When I saw that Yeerk at my house I almost killed him right there. But I knew I should follow him and kill the rest. But after I realized what I had done I panicked.)

(I don't care what you did I'm just happy you're safe.) I landed on the ground and started morphing my human self.

Before I had finished she had landed and started demorphing. "Thank you Tobias."

"It's ok Rachel." I hugged her and let her cry.

A/N Well, read, review, like or dislike, tell me. I want this series to be as good as it can be. As for the trial and stuff, I really didn't know how to play it out so kept it simple. Focused on Tobias's thoughts instead of what was actually going on since I sure don't know any legalese. And I tried explaining Rachel's sudden decision to find the Pemalite Crystal. In the old world she was freaked out by what happened and killed Jake to change it. But now that Tobias, and Marco, was alive and all the terrible things that happened she forgets about it and just focuses on the fact that the war was over.