"The yeerk peace movement has allied itself with the something called the yeerk liberation force," Cassie said. "The YLF is headed by Iffat 454, also known as Visser twenty-three. He's a new arrival, but as the only Visser on world other than Esplin, he's already accumulated a number of devoted followers. And whereas the YPM is composed of yeerks who have been influenced significantly by their hosts, the YFL is more—traditional."

"Traditional meaning the megalomania and ruthless ambition we know and love?" Marco asked.

"Pretty much. And none more so than Iffat, according to Illim." Illim was Tidwell's yeerk and our primary contact to the YPM.

"I have to say," said Marco, "I'm not a fan of a acronyms. It reminds me too much of history class. The PCE and FIJI and FAL and BAM and FUJM. There's a serious risk I'll fall asleep."

-(Here or in history class?)- Tobias asked.

"What does the FUJM even stand for?" Rachel wondered.

"Nobody knows. Something in Spanish or Swedish or something. Also, I made it up."

-(At least these ones are in English,)- Tobias observed. –(What was it you told Cassie last time you tried speaking Galard?)-

"Hallaf gellafa cheh," Marco replied.

-(I believe you mean, 'hallaf gellafa chehen,)- Ax suggested, -(Unless you wish to invite Tobias to stick it up your ass.)-

-(No,)- said Tobias, -(That wasn't it. Didn't you complain about your semen allergy?)-

"Pollen. I'm allergic to pollen," Marco said through gritted teeth. "Galard is dumb. Fuck all of you guys."

"Yefell cheellak kim efello chemeh chehen," Rachel said brightly.

-(Rachel has theorized that an allergy to Marco's semen may be general, and suggests this would explain much,)- Ax translated unnecessarily.

"Ok, Rachel, you want to go?" Marco asked.

"Guys," said Jake. They quieted. "Thank you. Cassie?"

"As I said, the YPM is considering temporary collaboration with the YLF," Cassie said. "Their alliance is focused on one shared motivation: the execution and replacement of Visser Three."

Rachel whistled low in appreciation. "Balls."

"Tonight we meet with Essef and a representative of the YFL to discuss any role we might be willing to play in the assassination."

"Balls," Rachel repeated. "Working with the andalite bandits? Iffat has a mighty pair on him."

"Esplin is presumably to be replaced by Iffat himself?" Marco suggested.

-(Not necessarily,)- Tobias pointed out. –(The council will decide who will take over the invasion. They could fly someone in from off-world.)-

-(No Visser is likely to undertake any scheme requiring such exceptional personal risk without assurances of commensurate reward in the event of his success,)- Ax said in contempt. –(We may rely that Iffat possesses some variety of 'insider information')-.

"According to Illim, Iffat says he wants the Visser out in favor of any more reasonable leader who can competently delegate responsibilities and doesn't kill fellow yeerks on whims. Esplin is not a popular slug on earth, as we know. His council support stems from battlefield achievements in Sector Five, but anybody on planet can see that those skills don't translate to this operation. He's paranoid and inefficient. He keeps his advisors and subsidiaries on a constant rotation between favor and throwing them in cells and starving them of kandrona.

"Illim wants him gone for all those reasons and because Visser Three has made a special goal of capturing the YPM, which Iffat has promised to grant legal protections."

"Oh come on," Rachel said. "Did Illim believe that?"

"Doubt it," said Cassie, "He's kept the identities of everyone in the YPM a secret from the YLF. But Illim still believes that anyone's an improvement over Visser Three."

"All of these details are irrelevant," Marco pointed out. "Whether or not Iffat himself has the seat secured, how precisely he means to betray the YPM and us after Esplin's dead, none of this changes what we need to do."

There was a pause, and the Animorphs' eyes turned to Jake. "No," Jake said. "It doesn't."

"God, I hate this," Cassie muttered.

"So do I," said Rachel. "It's not fucking fair."

There was a moment of silence. -(Pardon me,)- said Ax, -(but I do not understand your reactions. Why do you seem distressed by an opportunity to kill Visser Three? Surely it is not that you are not too fearful?)-

There was an awkward silence.

-(Ax man,)- Tobias said gently. "We can't let them do it."

"Worse, we have to stop them in some way they won't know it was us interfering," Marco added, "Or else we lose our contacts in the YPM. Am I right, Cassie?"

"Probably," she admitted. "Ooh, I hate this so much."

-(I do not understand.)-

"Ax," Jake said. "Visser Three's leadership is the only reason earth hasn't fallen to the yeerks already."

"If Iffat gets in charge, productivity goes up on just about every level," Marco added. "Corruption goes down. Teams aren't hastily assembled from all the top scientists working on other products and given enormous budgets that will never be reviewed in order to construct some stupid 'anti-morphing ray' or 'willpower-destroying burgers,' which when the project fails results in summary execution of everyone involved in it."

"Visser Three has personally killed more yeerks in this invasion than all of us put together," Rachel added. "And a much greater percentage have been leaders and scientists. We mostly fight ground soldiers of no real importance."

-(Prince Jake,)- Ax said. He ignored the other Animorphs. –(He is an abomination. He has killed a number of my people beyond counting. He killed Elfangor.)- It was often difficult to tell Ax's emotions; his face gave less away than a human's. Fear. Fury. Pleading. Coldness. –(I cannot honorably participate in any mission whose goal is Estrin's preservation.)-

"Yeah, well," said Jake. "I guess you're going to have to get over that." The barn was very quiet.

-(Prince Jake, my honor is not something I can 'get over.' There are many instances in which it is not clear whether a course is honorable, or in which my judgment has evolved as I have spent time here. In this case there can be no question. I must desert my post and suffer my tail-blade to be shorn. Escafil privileges will be revoked me. I will live the remainder of my life in exile.)- Ax waited a moment as the group tried to process this information. –(That,)- he added, -(or end my own life rather than suffer such dishonor.)-

-(Ax man,)- Tobias said softly. –(You wouldn't really do that, would you?)-

-(I would.)- Ax said.

The group sat in silence. Jake and Cassie shared a long, impenetrable look.

"Ok," said Jake. "I understand and thank you for making your position clear to me. If no one has anything else they'd like to say, we'll meet Essa and the YLF tonight at the arranged location."

Stillness.

Tobias was the first to move. He flapped his wings and took off through the window. Rachel was second.

-(Prince Jake,)- said Ax, -(I do not understand. How do you intend to proceed as regards the abomination's execution?)-

"I haven't decided," Jake said calmly. "We'll see."

I own none of the rights to this material. This story is planned to be novella-length; I will release the other chapters only if people seem to like it.

Reviews are greatly appreciated, particularly if critical + constructive.