Chapter 11

Despite the defeat that swallowed me, a faint ray of hope was starting to shine. It was weak, and it was distant, but it meant that I had something to aim for, and I certainly had the desire to try for it with every fiber of my being. What else was there to do but accept defeat and leave for a home with nothing left to give?

I saw it in the others, too. Behind the hidden sadness of realization, there grew a determination.

Maybe not… Maybe it was just a reflection of my own. That, though, was good enough.

Ax tried to learn all that he could from us. He perused the control panels of Groof's ship, prodded into each little corner for clues, and probed us with questions. We'd collectively seen through the façade and, where I could, I introduced extra titbits of inaccurate information, just believable enough to be correct but false enough to be useless. I knew deep down that he was doing precisely the same to us. Still, I had Marco note down everything he said. Every little nugget of info would be incredibly valuable.

I made my choice right then. No more waiting around.

In the meantime, we had to control the situation.Ihad to. We had the perfect opportunity to clear a path.

Marco, Santorelli, and Tobias were thoroughly on board with the plan. It was the other two that I might have had issues with, and so when I was assured that Ax was preoccupied, I snuck away into the deeper compartments at the rear of the vessel. It was cramped and noisy, like the innards of a submarine. There was a consistent low hum, and the air was thick and damp. I found Menderash and Groof together, trying to look busy and being only moderately successful.

((Ah, Jake!)) Groof chirped. ((I hope the reunion is going splendidly!))

I kept my voice low. "No reunion," I said plainly.

The horrid, aged face of his Andalite morph appeared sorrowful. ((Is it not him?))

Menderash had turned away from the communication device he'd been working on, alerted to the severity of the news I'd brought. ((What makes you think that?))

I took three steps back and ensured that the entrance to the compartment was sealed shut. "Keep it private," I told them. "He's still on the ship."

((Hmm... If you are so sure, you should probably keep him outside,)) Groof recommended.

"We can't have him know that we're onto him," I reasoned. "Marco and Sarge are trying to get more info from him right now."

Menderash sighed in exasperation. ((You still haven't said why you suspect him.))

"He gave the wrong coordinates for The One's main system headquarters," I said.

((How wrong?)) Menderash asked.

"Significantly wrong," I replied. "A few hundred miles wrong. He said that he took the coordinates as he left the base."

((There could be many explanations for that,)) Menderash said in Ax's defense. ((His ship may have had faults. After all, it would have been a ship in dock, perhaps going through repairs. Maybe his perception was confused after having just recently escaped The One.))

"He seemed pretty certain," I said. "Just like he was certain about the Kelbrid allies that were just as strong – if not stronger – than them. And one more thing…" I looked back at Groof. "How does The One transfer from ship to ship?"

((Electromagnetic wave pulses,)) he explained. ((At a frequency of fourteen-point-four megahertz.))

"Not six-point-two?" I asked.

((Six-point-two? No,)) Groof clarified.

"That's what Ax said. Apparently, it's the best way to nullify The One: shooting back waves at that frequency."

Groof hummed, ((From what I know, that would achieve nothing. If only it were that simple!))

Three untruths. Yet, Menderash still wasn't convinced. ((So he has inaccurate information. That's not enough to condemn him as some kind of… façade!))

"I know what this is," I started. "It's a trap for the Andalite military. The Kelbrids place an Ax clone on a deserted moon, hoping that he'd get picked up. It's a perfect way to spread misinformation while collecting secrets. That's why we're getting told about thesescary new races. It's a great way to convince the Andalites to hold back and wait. Honestly, though, I don't think they expected Humans to turn up. Ax was acting a little unsure at first, and he's desperate to get back to the Andalites."

((It sounds like a conspiracy theory,)) Menderash hissed. ((Madness! How much faith are you putting intoEnrichto reach this answer? How can we know that they haven't been lying to us this whole time?))

((Um…)) Groof uttered awkwardly. ((Do you two need some private time?))

"No. Stay here, Groof," I told him.

((I think you made a mistake,)) Menderash accused, bolting up from his previously slouched position. ((Think about it, Jake:Enrichhas its own goals, and they couldn't care less about our fates. Who's to say that they aren't manipulating us as part of somegrand scheme?))

"If you're convinced that they're lying to us, then how do you explain Ax?" I demanded. "If they're lying, and Ax is really here, then they've allowed us to find him, and we can head home tomorrow."

He allowed that to sink in, and perhaps he was arriving at some revelations. He solemnly backed down with barely an exhale of breath.

I was growing ever more aware of his lack of belief, and now a member ofEnrichwas there to witness it first-hand. Not that it mattered… Surote openly admitted that he'd noticed Menderash's private hostility. If I couldn't rein him in, then he would be in grave danger. In the end, that would only ever be my fault. Wouldn't it?

"Have you found anything in the communications system?" I asked, diverting away from the touchy matter.

((Three messages,)) he replied. ((All mayday signals, one of them being the one that we intercepted.))

"Is that all that's there?" I asked.

His fingers were fiddling their way back into the depths of the computer systems. ((There's a lot more of the system that I haven't explored.))

"Keep searching," I said. "We need all the evidence we can get. Groof?"

((Yes, Jake?)) Groof asked, stepping forward on morphed hooves.

"What are the chances of Surote allowing us to head toKyritlyp?"

((Hmm…)) he thought. ((That would be a perilous mission. Did you want to find the real Ax?))

"Can't think of any other reason to go there."

((I don't think he'd allow you to go. You Humans are so squishy and easily killed. That's why you must wear hardened vests and helmets!)) he laughed.

"Right…" I sighed. Yet another headache to overcome.

((Jake? Menderash?))

That was Ax's voice. He must have gotten itchy hooves in the bridge. I stepped back to the doorway and flicked the switch to open it, allowing his entry. He walked in, surveying us and the area diligently.

((I came to see how the repairs were going,)) he spoke casually, his inspections concentrated on the large machines that rumbled beside the port bulkhead.

((What would a soft daffer like you know about engines?)) Groof…Falralarsneered. I could only imagine whatsoft daffermeant.

Ax bought the insult as expected, jerking his head around accusingly to Falralar. ((I know a broken engine from a working one,)) he retorted.

((Okay, then. Stick your head inside and find out,)) Falralar grunted.

Ax quickly realized that this Falralar character was not worth arguing with, and with an exasperated sigh, turned his focus to Menderash. One stalk eye, however, remained fixed to the ragged old antagonist. ((Menderash, how is work coming along with the engines?))

Menderash dutifully stood up tall, coming away from the communications device. "My Prince, Falralar is mending the engine."

Ax was perplexed. ((I thought you would be helping. We need to get it fixed as soon as possible.))

I stepped in. "Falralar can fix the engine. I got Menderash to look at your communications device."

((Why?)) Ax asked.

I thought quickly, "We think that it's trackable. The Kelbrids could be homing in on its transmissions."

My excuse was seen with plenty of doubt, but at least it seemed like Ax bought it, even if he thought of my paranoia as naïve. ((It's not transmitting. The Kelbrids won't be following it. Jake, I suggest putting Menderash to work on the machinery. If we take too long, the Kelbrids may find us, and they won't need to follow radio transmissions to do so.))

Falralar gave his own brutish opinion. ((I don't need extra hands getting in the way. I can do it faster on my own. Besides, Menderash doesn't know this vessel. I do.))

((I don't understand why this must be an argument,)) Ax said. ((We have no further need for the communication device but adesperateneed for working engines. Jake, are you in command of this vessel?))

"Yes," I replied.

((I urge you to make the right decision. Delaying our movement will put us in danger.))

"Our radars haven't picked up any Kelbrids vessels in the area. There's no sign of any," I explained. "The best thing we can do is avoid our location becoming apparent."

I could see that he was growing frustrated. His reasoning was valid, of course, but I would not back down. I couldn't afford to.

Ax, though, was prepared to pull rank. ((First Officer Menderash. You should dispose of that unit and help to fix the portside engine.))

Suddenly, Menderash was the one being tested, and the stunned look on his face described just that. He looked from Ax to me and back to Ax again. Now he had two superiors giving contradictory orders. The question was… who would he follow? His old Prince, who he blamed himself for losing, or the Human he no longer allowed himself to call a Prince?

His head sank, and I could see his regret as he pushed ahead with the wrong decision. "He is my Prince, Jake. I have to obey his orders."

I let my stare dwell on him. "Okay."

Menderash lost eye contact with both of us as he shunted the communications device roughly to the back of the compartment, its guts spilling out onto the floor. He stepped over a series of pipes to join Falralar by the engine machinery.

((I'm sorry to have to contradict your wishes,)) Ax said privately to me. ((But this will be safer. We must return to Andalite Space.))

I guess I had to take matters into my own hands. Sooner rather than later.