Chapter 17

Brou'gn took immediate charge from elsewhere in the station. ((Engineers, let's hurry this up! Don't worry, Animorphs; we'll get you out!))

No matter his words, we would be tricky to convince. We stared in awe at the pair of bodies that lay before us that seconds ago were our best hope of escape. Arkv and Fruyt were dead, unwilling to give themselves over to the Kelbrids.

((I say we morph,)) Santorelli said fiercely to Jake. ((These Kelbrids need a good ass-kickin'.))

((I'm not sure that's the best idea. They'll blast us, for sure,)) Marco replied. ((Captain K there doesn't look like the patient kind of guy, and morphing big might upset him.))

Jake said, ((One thing's for sure: We aren't taking the easy way out.))

((They will likely take us prisoner. They will want to know who we work for,)) Menderash suggested.

We backed away as several Kelbrid soldiers dragged the two dead bodies away. The officer was barking his orders. "I want them identified as soon as possible! We'll find out who's behind this madness."

"Sir," one of his subordinates spoke. "Is there a possibility that these are Andalites in morph? Their weaponry is not of our own."

He took a moment to consider, looking us up and down. "Perhaps. If so, we shall find out very soon. Their technology is limited."

((Please don't say they're going to imprison us,)) Marco groaned. ((Haven't we had enough of that lately?))

"Imprison them," the officer ordered.

((Great…))

We braced and clustered closer together as the remaining soldiers edged forward. Their weapons were ready and far more dangerous than our own.

((I say we give them what we got.)) Santorelli growled, so eager for a scrap.

Jake, meanwhile, was more tentative. ((The Engineers will crash the systems soon. We have the other Parties surrounding the hangar. They'll be here.))

((You can't be serious!)) Menderash gasped. ((They were not prepared for this eventuality! We have no guarantee of rescue. You put too much faith into this cult.))

((Now is not the time, Mendy!)) Jake blasted.

"Who do you work for?!" the Kelbrid officer demanded as his soldiers approached. "Are you working for the Andalites?!"

((Don't answer him,)) Jake instructed.

I felt my tail brush up against somebody else. Another step back, and I could move no further. They had us entirely blocked in, and now the soldiers that had dragged the bodies away were returning. There were only two options left on the table.

The officer bore his sharp teeth in a snarl. "Do I have to beat an answer out of you?! Tell me now!"

Of course, Santorelli had to answer. "Screw you, asshole!"

"So be it…" the officer spoke coldly.

One of his soldiers lurched forward. With a quick, sturdy jerk of his right arm, he cracked the butt of his golden weapon into Menderash's snout. His knock forced us to separate but kept him on his feet. He groaned and clutched at his face, but that only left his stomach open to a second jab, which the soldier duly delivered. A sharp exhale was followed by a wheeze, and now Menderash clutched at his stomach, displaying his bloodied nose.

"You fucker!" Santorelli shouted. He spun past the injured Menderash and shunted a sucker punch into the offended Kelbrid's jaw. Nothing was stopping him. He laid another hit, and another, before a second soldier interfered, kicking at his hips and sending him sideways.

It had started. Backing down was no longer an option. With that hit to Santorelli, the rest of us began. I swung my gun upwards and stepped into open space. I fired at the nearest Kelbrid, but the dart bounced harmlessly from his rifle! He bounded as my weapon reloaded and forced his gun sideways under my chin. He pushed me back, choking me as he did. My back hit the wall of the stairwell, and the pressure on my neck became unbearable. I scrambled, kicking my clawed legs, but he forced his body close enough to mine that I couldn't get a good hit in. Behind him, I could only see chaos. A small riot of wrestling Kelbrids became a blur. I saw one motionless on the floor, but I couldn't tell which side he was on.

I could hear the thought-speak cries of my friends.

((Now, now! Hit him now!))

((I can't get a-OW! Little…!))

((Got him! Marco, behind!))

I cried out, ((Somebody help! Choking!))

((Hold still!))

I did. I stopped my kicking, stopped any force. I looked the Kelbrid in the eye as he gritted his teeth, applying the pressure to my neck. Suddenly, a whizzing sound shot across. A small dart dug sideways through the Kelbrid's right eye, piercing through the iris. His expression turned to shock, but he went limp as the chemicals flooded his system, and he fell away. I choked and gasped for air, stumbling over his fallen body. But only a moment passed before another was on me. I dodged, weaved around who I thought to be Jake, and tried to take aim.

There was a flash, and something shot just by me. I pulled the trigger when I saw my target… Nothing happened!

I looked to where my hand and gun used to be. A stump. That's when the stinging hit. I yelped and clutched at it, simultaneously ducking away from a follow-up shot.

((Mendy's down! Mendy's down!)) Santorelli called. ((Out of the fight.))

((I've lost a hand. Lost my gun,)) I added much more calmly than I felt.

We were losing. Outnumbered and cornered from the start, it was wishful thinking to hope for victory. From a glance, I saw the Kelbrid officer, arms folded, standing off to the side. He was far more interested than he was concerned. He knew it would end soon.

He didn't count on the power being cut.

((Into the system!)) announced one of the engineers from the other end of the small station. ((Opening hangar doors. Corrupting systems. Cutting all non-essential power!))

And just like that, everything went dark. The light humming that filled the hangar dropped away. There came multiple awful crashes as the flying turrets dropped around us. The sounds of fighting slowed to almost nothing. Nobody could see, not even the strong Kelbrid eyes.

((We're coming, Animorphs. Hold tight.))

((Move, move!)) Jake cried, sensing the opportunity. ((Don't let them grab you!))

"What is happening?!" the officer bellowed from the total darkness

"Power cut, sir!"

"Find them! Don't let them get away!"

I slunk away, keeping my noise to a minimum, just as I knew the others were doing. In moments, Brou'gn and the others would arrive. More than enough.

"Can't see, sir!"

A blast was fired! I turned just in time to see the red shot hit the high ceiling, and for a moment, it illuminated the room in a dangerous, shadowed red. Just a couple of seconds, but it was enough for one of them to lock onto me. As soon as the darkness returned, I sharply changed direction. I tried to feel out a large surface - something to hide behind.

FWOOSH! Another red glow lit us up. I used it to look for something, and I saw a small transporter just a few meters away. I ducked for it, hoping that nobody had seen me. I clutched to its surface, but purely from interest, I peeked past the craft.

I heard something moving nearby - something keeping deadly quiet.

((We're here.))

Another blast was fired, shooting up to the ceiling. As the red dispersed the shadows, a circle of new, haunting Kelbrid bodies watched over the soldiers like demonic statues. The last of the red glow showed the stunned faces of the officer and his soldiers. And once the light had gone, the sound of many darts firing called to an end the fight. Bodies dropped.

A white glow lit up Brou'gn's Kelbrid face from across the room. "Retrieve the fallen and head back to the transporter. Our work here is done."