Estrid glared angrily. <I told you to come alone,> she said.
<And I told him not to,> Prince Jake said in thought-speak just as he completed his demorph.
<But he is human!> Estrid exclaimed. <And with the power to morph! How can this be? Wait, were those humans in the battle where we met? Morph-capable humans?>
“I’ll discuss that with your commander,” Jake said calmly.
<This human is Jake. He is my prince,> I explained.
Estrid looked as if she might laugh. To an Andalite the notion of an alien as a prince was humorous.
But she restrained herself.
<I am honored to meet you, Jake.>
“Likewise.”
Then Estrid put a hand on my arm and thought-spoke privately to me. My hearts fluttered at the touch.
<May I ask you a favor? My experimentation with human morph was unauthorized. Will you refrain from mentioning it to my commander?>
For a moment, I was too stunned to answer. Such a breach of discipline! Perhaps females were allowed more latitude and thus felt free to take more liberties.
I did not know. But I could see no harm in protecting her from what might be a harsh punishment.
<I will say nothing,> I promised.
We moved carefully through the dense trees until we reached the banks of the pond. Three Andalite warriors stood tense and watchful.
I said nothing. Arisths do not speak until spoken to.
Most arisths.
<This is Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill,> Estrid said. <These Andalite warriors are Commander Gonrod-Isfall-Sonilli, Intelligence Advisor Arbat-Elivat-Estoni, and Aloth-Attamil-Gahar.>
I saw Commander Gonrod’s face tense at her forwardness. But he did not reprimand her. Arbat’s eyes smiled slyly.
<And this alien?> Commander Gonrod demanded.
<This is Jake. My prince.>
Gonrod snorted. <Your prince? You insult the highest ranking Andalite within light-years by announcing your allegiance to a human child?>
Prince Jake did not react to the insult. But he did react to Gonrod’s careless words. “Your rank is commander and you’re the highest ranking Andalite commander within light-years?” He looked at me, questioning.
I was almost too disappointed to respond. I did not abandon hope. But my optimism was sharply reduced. I could only confirm what Prince Jake suspected. <Commander is a rank most often held by an Andalite in command of a single ship. A single small ship.>
“I see.”
<There goes our plan to bluff the enemy into thinking they are outnumbered.> Aloth let out a crack of laughter. Highly insubordinate.
<Silence!> Gonrod looked only at me. He refused to acknowledge Prince Jake. <Aristh Aximili, inform this human that we are not prepared to discuss strategic matters with him.>
<Commander Gonrod, Prince Jake is the leader of the human resistance on Earth.>
<Really? And how many warriors does he lead?> Commander Gonrod asked me.
“Not enough,” Prince Jake said bluntly.
<No. Not enough. But morph-capable. I was briefed before we began this mission.> Gonrod reluctantly addressed Prince Jake. <I know you were involved in the war on Leera. I also know that an entire ship full of Andalite warriors died and that you and your humans survived. Now, I asked, human, how many warriors do you command?>
<Those warriors on Leera died because of —> I began, but Prince Jake silenced me with a raised hand.
“We were on Leera. Let’s leave it at that. I don’t want to bring up anything embarrassing. No point. But you’ll understand if I say that I’m not prepared to discuss my forces with you. Not yet.”
<You, a human, do not trust an Andalite commander?!> Gonrod cried.
Aloth spoke. Mockingly. <Perhaps the human is not aware that Andalites are known throughout the galaxy for their integrity.>
<Silence!> Gonrod roared again.
<Perhaps we should proceed by outlining our common goals,> I suggested diplomatically.
“Perhaps we should begin by finding out exactly what we can count on in terms of Andalite support,” Jake countered, staring fixedly at Gonrod.
<Support?> Gonrod snorted again. <You consider us support? Are all humans as ignorant and arrogant as you, man-child?> Gonrod began to pace. <You are an untrained human child, playing at war. We are highly trained warriors. You and your band, whoever they may be, will cease to fight. That is an order.>
“I don’t take orders,” Prince Jake snapped. “I give them. And now, this meeting is over.” He turned and began to walk away.
<Aristh Aximili!> Gonrod shouted. <Stay where you are.>
<Commander Gonrod. I respectfully remind you that an Andalite’s allegiance is to his prince.>
I followed Prince Jake.
<Aloth! Arbat!> Gonrod shouted. <Shredders on lowest setting. Fire on Aristh Aximili.>
<Unfortunately, Commander Gonrod, I am being prevented from using my weapon,> Arbat answered. <I believe Aloth is similarly situated.>
Aloth had apparently not noticed. Now he looked down in horror. A pit viper wound itself around his right foreleg. Cassie, of course. And a cobra reared up just between Arbat’s legs. Marco.
Estrid took a step forward and reached for her own shredder.
Fwapp!
I brought my tail blade to a quivering halt millimeters from her throat. Her eyes blazed in anger.
“Andalites are very fast,” Prince Jake said. “Those snakes are faster. One move from your boys and they will die.”
Gonrod said nothing. He seemed at a loss. It was shocking to see in an Andalite commander.
But Arbat was so calm as to seem almost bored. <So, you’ve set a trap for us. Very clever. Now what?>
Prince Jake seemed uncertain whether to continue addressing Gonrod or Arbat. “Now we stop playing games. You’re not the Andalite fleet. And I’m not going to snap a salute and say ‘yes, sir!’ We deal as equals. Which, to be honest, is generous of us under the circumstances.”
Arbat half-closed his eyes in a smile. <What do you say, Commander Gonrod? As the Intelligence expert I’d have to say we’re not in a position to bargain.>
But Gonrod had recovered. <I command, here. Am I clear on that?>
“No, sir. This is Earth. This is a human planet. We are not the Hork-Bajir. We know how you ‘rescued them.’ As long as you’re on Earth, you’ll get along with us. Am I clear on that?”
Fool. An embarrassment. Gonrod was behaving very badly. What was the point in this? I looked at Estrid. She refused to acknowledge me. But I could see the evidence on her face that she, too, was humiliated by this ludicrous display.
For his part, Aloth was a seemingly straightforward warrior. He was awaiting orders, his expression professionally blank. Whatever he thought of his commander, he concealed it.
Arbat was a different matter. Arbat’s contempt for Gonrod was scarcely camouflaged.
“Now,” Prince Jake said, “who are you? Why are you here?”
Gonrod nodded to Arbat and Aloth. They dropped their weapons.
Cassie and Marco withdrew. Not far, but a little, at least. Of course I knew that Rachel and Tobias were still to be accounted for.
I lowered my tail blade and Estrid lowered her shredder.
Arbat stepped forward and spoke. He was an older Andalite. Much of his blue fur was tanned. <After the unexpected victory on Leera, major elements of the fleet were ordered to Earth. But it was diverted to the Rakkam Garoo conflict in the Nine-Sifter system.>
<What, are you people on call for every war in the galaxy?> Marco muttered.
“So Earth waits. Again,” Prince Jake said. “You’re not the fleet, so who are you?”
<Unit O. A sabotage and assassination team,> Arbat explained. <Commander Gonrod is one of the ablest pilots in the fleet. Aloth is a warrior.>
<An assassination team? Who is the assassin?>
<I am,> Aloth said.
I tried not
to stare at him. I had never met an assassin. I had not known any existed in the Andalite military. The notion of such a thing did not make me comfortable.
<And I am an Apex Level Intelligence Advisor. Veteran of over twenty conflicts,> Arbat finished. <Gonrod is in overall command of the mission. I will direct the specific actions of terminating the target.>
I automatically straightened my shoulders. Apex Level Intelligence is the highest level of advisory to the War Council. Not soldiers, precisely. They are military adjuncts. Strategists. They plotted. They planned.
And they knew everything.
Did Arbat know the truth about Elfangor? About me? Likely. Our eyes met, but I could read nothing in their ironic, self-possessed gaze.
Gonrod was a fool. Arbat was not.
“What about Estrid?” Prince Jake asked.
Gonrod looked slightly embarrassed. <Female arisths are a new addition to the military. She was assigned to this mission by accident.>
Estrid’s four eyes stared at blank space. Blinked rapidly. A sign of embarrassment. I felt sorry for her.
“In other words, she’s a rookie?” Jake said.
Estrid lifted her head. <I have trained hard,> she replied in a steely tone. <Make no mistake. I intend to carry my weight.>
Fwapp!
I reeled as the force of her small, female tail blade caught the side of my neck, knocking me off balance.
While I struggled to keep my footing, a second blow caught me behind the back legs, causing my knees to buckle. My rear end fell to the ground and pinned my tail beneath me.
Fwapp!
A third blow sent my front end sprawling. I tried to break my fall with my hands. But Andalite arms are not as strong as human arms. I fell, my chin scraping the grass.
Estrid placed her front left hoof on my throat. <Any questions?>
<Very impressive,> I conceded.
It was a classic and beautifully executed hald-wurra. Old Andalite for “victory in three swipes.”
She removed her hoof and reached down to assist me. I took her hand. Sprang to my feet. Pulled her arm behind her back and lifted my tail blade just in time to block her defensive swipe.
There was a loud clatter as our blades clashed. I released her arm and disengaged my tail. Sprang backward.
<I am betting on Aximili.> Aloth eagerly stepped forward to get a better view.
<You are a fool,> Arbat told him. <She will have him in two moves. But I accept the wager.>
WHOOSH!
I pulled my head back. Her tail blade, turned to present the dull edge, missed my throat by centimeters.
“Ax?” Prince Jake’s voice was full of genuine alarm.
<Please do not interfere,> I said abruptly. I swung my tail hard. Not as hard as I could.
She drew back her head, just as I expected, allowing my tail to double back with even more momentum and speed. As it neared her head, I turned it so that the flat side caught her.
The blow caught her off guard. She tumbled to the ground. Rolled and sprang up nimbly again.
She was not going to be easily defeated. <You have a good swing,> she said. <But mine is better.>
Fwapp! Fwapp!
She was right. I had never seen a tail move so fast. In the blink of an eye, she caught me with the exact same move. This time I fell and rolled. Sprang up. Not as nimbly.
<Ooh, that had to hurt,> Marco commented.
<You did that very gracefully,> Estrid observed.
I was glad my fatigue had not shown. <Thank you. You will not see me do it again.>
She laughed. <You hope.>
CLANG!
She blocked my tail blade with hers. The impact of the blades rang out through the trees.
I began to fear I might actually lose. It would be unbearably humiliating in front of Andalite officers.
<Go, Ax-man!> Tobias yelled from wherever he was hiding.
We sprang apart, both of us breathing hard. She lowered her head and raced straight at me. I leaped out of the way and she sideswiped me. I was knocked at an angle.
It took me a moment to recover. And to remember something I had been taught on the first day of my training.
Estrid bucked forward, preparing to pivot on her front legs and deliver another tail blow. I pivoted, too, turning out of the way.
She missed me. Overshot. The weight and momentum of her tail sent her tumbling forward. She rolled over her head and neck and landed on her back with a cry of pain.
Arbat ran forward. <Estrid!>
She lay still for a moment. Then she began to laugh. <You beat me with the simplest move in the lexicon.>
<Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective,> I replied.
If she had been a male, I would have begun to boast. But it seemed less than gracious to boast about beating a female. Even one who was very, very good.
Aloth chuckled happily. He had won his bet.
Prince Jake watched me with a frown. He shook his head slightly and rolled his eyes upward. It is a human expression with several interpretations. In this case I believe my prince thought I was behaving foolishly.
I would have helped Estrid, but Arbat was already pulling her to her feet.
<I apologize,> she said to him. <You have lost your bet.>
<You fought well,> he said proudly. He looked at me with new respect in his eyes. <But you fought better. You have not forgotten your academy training. And you show the sign of a great deal of experience.>
<There have been battles,> I said.
Arbat gave me a speculative look. <I believe we have common goals, Aximili. I believe you and I have much in common. Visser Three killed your brother. What Visser Three did to my brother was worse than death.>
“What did he do?” Prince Jake asked.
Arbat’s face betrayed no emotion. <My brother is Alloran. Host body to Visser Three.>
I was not equally controlled. I jerked involuntarily.
Prince Jake’s eye narrowed. “So you’re here to …”
<To assassinate him,> Arbat answered. <Yes. Our mission is to kill Visser Three.>
“Revenge is pointless and immoral,” Cassie insisted.
“Revenge is just another word for justice,” Rachel said, her face hardening.
“He’s talking about killing his own brother,” Cassie argued.
“He had a chance. Back at the newspaper,” Marco said.
“He wasn’t prepared,” Rachel argued.
“Visser Three doesn’t give a lot of second chances,” Marco said. “Maybe these guys are just blowing smoke. Maybe Arbat isn’t as bad as he thinks he is. Although Aloth looks like trouble.”
I watched a group of grackles pecking at some spilled seed. One appeared not to be hungry. Instead of strutting and circling, he stood to the side, staring about him with an unwinking eye.
<Does that grackle appear ill?> I asked Cassie.
Cassie looked at the bird and frowned. “I can’t tell.”
The bird flapped its wings and flew up into the rafters. Walked vigorously along the hayloft, pecking at stray straws.
“Looks healthy to me,” Rachel said.
“Forget the birds,” Marco snapped. “We have some stuff to deal with here.”
He was right, of course. At least about the importance of the issue. I hoped he was not right about Arbat.
Arbat had revealed that Visser Three occupied his brother’s body. I understood why Arbat had hesitated when he had the chance to kill the visser. I understood. I sympathized.
And yet, I worried.
Any Andalite — and many humans — would rather die than continue to serve as host. But to perform the killing or not is an agonizing decision. As it should and must be.
Marco’s mother is a Controller.
Prince Jake’s brother, Tom, is also a human-Controller.
I did not tell Arbat that I, too, had been unable to kill Alloran. Not even when the former war prince had begged me for death as the slug that was Visser Three temporar
ily abandoned Alloran’s poisoned body.
I could not. To my unending shame, I could not bring myself to kill him. And just as Alloran had feared, the Yeerks had revived him. Visser Three had reinfested him.
So we had listened as Arbat explained Unit O’s mission.
The War Council had ordered Visser Three killed. Visser Three was a continuing embarrassment to our people. We had allowed him to keep an Andalite host and had been unable to stop him.
Visser Three was an enemy. We were at war. It made sense.
But why had Arbat been chosen for the mission? Surely it must have occurred to someone that organizing and ordering the death of his brother was a particularly difficult thing for him to do.
“War is one thing,” Cassie said now. “Murder is another. What do we gain by helping Arbat and Aloth assassinate the visser?”
I spoke. <By Andalite custom, the murder of a family member must be avenged. Perhaps together, Arbat and Aloth and I can succeed where each of us alone has failed.>
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Rachel said.
“It’s a terrible plan. Don’t help him, Ax,” Cassie begged. “Alloran is still alive. Where there’s life there’s hope.”
“Great cliché,” Marco sneered.
<An Andalite warrior would rather die than serve as a Yeerk host,> I said.
<I guess it’s a live-free-or-die thing,> Tobias said quietly. He sat on a rail overhead.
“Well, it’s just cowardly,” Cassie insisted, putting her hands on her hips. “The easy way out. If you’re dead, you don’t have to fight for your freedom, do you?”
There was a long silence. No one said anything. I looked to Prince Jake, but he was sitting with his head in his hands.
“Jake?” Cassie said.
No answer.
Marco stood impatiently. “Are we all in denial or what? Why are we even arguing about this like it matters? I mean come on. We know what this is about. We’re sitting here fighting out the same disagreements, asking ourselves what we should do next. There is no next. It’s over. It’s so over, isn’t it? I mean, we fight because we think the Andalites are coming someday, someday. We’ve been carrying out a delaying action. Slowing the Yeerks down so it wouldn’t be too late by the time the big deal Andalites came along.”