This is part 1 of a trilogy I'm writing. I would be more expository, but all the other relevant information should be covered in the story itself.AFTERMORPHS 1 - THE ONE
CHAPTER 1
Sabaton-Toriat-Selede was intoxicated. This was common. The end of the Yeerk war had been great for most of the galaxy. It had been a disaster for Warrior Sabaton. No sooner had he been made a full Warrior, no sooner had he been assigned to a Dome ship and given his orders to go out and fight the Yeerks, no sooner had he set hoof on the path to being a true hero, than the dream had been torn from him. He never even had the chance to go forth and earn glory for his herd. His dreams were all as dead as the Yeerk Empire. He had been lucky enough to be one of the ones to keep his position in the military, but there was little satisfaction in that.
And so Sabaton drank.
And when he drank, he often found himself doing very strange things. Tonight, he found himself outside of the Scoop of none other than Alloran-Semitur-Corass, formerly known as the Abomination. But Alloran was completely irrelevant to why Sabaton was there. His thoughts ware about Alloran’s daughter, Alludra-Lasius-Kemia.
Alludra had a bit of a…reputation. Without her father around to keep her in line, she grew to be pretty wild. Her scoop was a common stop for young Andalites at the Academy, and she was usually a willing host. Her mother had many other concerns and never did anything about her daughter’s behavior.
That all changed when Alloran returned, of course. After he nearly decapitated a foolish
aristh who apparently hadn’t gotten the message, males stopped coming uninvited. Except for Sabaton. The first time he arrived, he had nearly lost his tailblade to Alloran. But after that, the old War-Prince seemed to decide he was harmless. Now, he just politely sent Sabaton on his way. Although for Alloran, ‘polite’ consisted of only minor wounds.
<ALLUDRA!> Sabaton shouted. <
ALLUDRA!>
As always, it was Alloran who appeared. Even inebriated as he was, Sabaton was afraid of Alloran. He was a large Andalte, though not as large as most of the Andalites Sabaton had grown up with. Sabaton himself was larger than Alloran. Like most Andalites from the southern half of the world, he had strong arms, more like those of a human than the weak arms typically associated with his species.
But Alloran had a presence. There was some sort of aura around him that made him seem larger than he really was. His willpower was like a physical force that allowed Alloran to tower over Andalites who were larger than he was. And of course, there was the fact that Alloran could, at will, become one of any number of deadly creatures that Esplin 9466 had acquired into his body.
Of course, with his years of experience and training, he did not need any of that to send a drunken Sabaton to the ground. A flick of his tail was usually enough. Sometimes, his voice was all it took. <Warrior Sabaton. I wonder how one so incapable of learning managed to graduate from the Academy.>
<I’m very good with my tail,> Sabaton answered.
<Not from what I’ve seen.> The two of them gazed at each other for several moments. Alloran glared. Sabaton just sort of gazed drunkenly. Finally, Alloran looked away and sighed. <Must we go through this every week, Sabaton?>
<It hasn’t been a week.>
<You are correct. It has been five days. Your visits are getting more and more frequent. I think I am going to have to do something to permanently deter you.>
<Maybe if you’d let me->
<No.>
<But->
<No.>
<I only want->
<No.>
<I swear I->
<NO!>
<If you’d just->
<
NO!>
<Really, you’ll see-> Sabaton cut off when he felt Alloran’s tailblade across his face. He had the blade turned sideways so it didn’t cut him, but the force of the blow sent Sabaton stumbling. Faster than Sabaton realized was possible form one of his age, Alloran followed up by smashing one of Sabaton’s knees, then another. A forth smack in the upper torso sent the Warrior the ground.
Alloran stood over him, glaring down. <Again, I ask how you graduated.>
<My tail fighting scores->
Alloran ground a hoof into Sabaton’s side. <Go home, Warrior. There is nothing for you here.>
<Alloran?> a female voice called. Not Alludra. Sabaton would have recognized her voice. This must have been her mother, Jahar. <Alloran, Jaham has called. He wishes to speak with you.>
Jaham? Sabaton wondered. He could only think of one Jaham: Jaham-Estalan-Forlan, head of the Andalite military. But it couldn’t be him. What could he possibly want at this hour? Nevertheless, Alloran turned and entered the scoop again. Sabaton tried to stumble to his hooves and failed. Resignedly, he morphed to Kafit and flew back to his own scoop. All things considered, the night hadn’t been so bad.
Alloran usually hurt him much, much worse.
+=+=+=+=+
Sabaton woke up the next morning to the shrieking of his holocom. <Crangar,> Sabaton cursed, getting up. He had been sleeping on his side. <I must have been really hammered last night,> he muttered to himself, stumbling over to where his holocom sat. He had a splitting headache and every sound seemed to be designed as a weapon. Light itself seemed weaponized. <Too much oeda juice. Never again.> He paused and thought about that. <At least, not today….>
There wasn’t much in his scoop, though that was to be expected. A table at one end held some of his possessions, most notably his holocom and his Shredder. There was also a hologram of him with the rest of the driftball team, next to which was his most prized possession: a hologram of Baradon-Nurmeon-Palloros, Sabaton’s favorite driftball player and almost universally recognized as the best player the game had ever seen. It was signed by Baradon himself.
On a bench next to the table were the trophies he had earned in the Academy. Most of them were for driftball, though there were also a few for tail fighting. Under the bench sat his driftball equipment, neatly stored away in a trunk.
Sabaton slammed his hand down on the pad to answer the holocom. He was about to demand to who the hell was calling and why they would wake him up at the crack of noon, but he stopped when he saw the face of his caller. It was a face burned into his mind very, very clearly. It was the face of Jaham-Estalan-Forlan.
Sabaton bowed his upper torso respectfully and gracefully. His tailblade fell to the ground with much less grace. He was shocked. <Great Leader Jaham, I->
<This is the third time I have called you, Warrior.>
One of Sabaton’s heats stopped beating. <I am sorry I->
<If you think your status as the captain of your former Academy’s driftball team earns you any leniency whatsoever, Warrior, you could not be more mistaken.>
<Of course not, Great Leader! I would never->
<You talk entirely too much when you should be listening. Or have you deluded yourself into thinking I have called you for a pleasant chat?>
<Of course not, Great Leader. I am sorry->
<You are still talking.> If Sabaton had a jaw, he would have snapped it shut. Instead, he just lowered his stalk eyes.
<Better,> Jaham continued. <Had you been capable of answering your holocom, you would know that you were supposed to be at the scoop of War-Prince Alloran-Semitur-Corass one hour and thirty seven minutes ago.>
Alloran’s scoop? Oh Crangar… <May I ask why, Great Leader?>
<No. Go there. Now.> Jaham cut the connection. Sabaton sighed and shambled into the sunlight. It was like someone shot a Dracon beam directly into his eyes. All four of them. The call of the Kafit bird might as well have been the screech of a Taxxon.
<If Alloran wants to kill me, this walk will probably do it.>
+=+=+=+=+
Alloran’s scoop was a lot more crowded than Sabaton expected it to be. Jahar was waiting outside. She looked upset about something. Alludra was nowhere in sight, nor was Alloran. There were three Andalites in the scoop, none of whom were in any way affiliated with the scoop’s usual inhabitants as far as Sabaton knew.
Calnen-Ceranur-Corran was the one Sabaton recognized at first glance. They had gone to the same academy. Calnen had been almost as well liked as Sabaton had, though for different reasons. Calnen was a strange Andalite, constantly making jokes. Most of the Academy’s instructors and students were just puzzled by this, but some of them found it amusing. CCC had been a popular Andalite, and intelligent, too. He had gone into the intelligence service, if Sabaton remembered correctly.
Calnen had the typical Eastern build. Easterners were thin and the smallest of the Andalites. His fur was a lighter, with only traces of the tan fur common to the other races of Andalite.
The other male took him a moment to recognize. Acario something or other. He never graduated from the Academy. He was one of those Western Andalites, and though Sabaton considered himself open minded, Acario fit the stereotype perfectly. He was always inhaling, drinking, or crushing something. He rarely attended classes, didn’t show up for exams, and was just generally a nuisance for everyone. When he had finally been thrown out of the Academy, Sabaton had made no secret of his joy.
Acario was built like every Westerner Sabaton had ever seen. He wasn’t much thicker than Calnen, but he was taller. As tall as Sabaton himself, in fact. His fur had more grey than tan in it, and the blue parts were darker, too, giving him a dusky appearance.
There was a female there, though Sabaton didn’t recognize her. She looked extremely nervous. Judging by her size, she was a Northern Andalite, like Alloran or Alludra. Northern was a bit of a misnomer, though. Back in ancient times, when the four Andalite races were at war, the Northerns had conquered the central plains and the two races grew together pretty quickly. By the time the war was over, Northern and Central Andalites were one and the same.
Sabaton decided to ignore her. Instead, he addressed Calnen. <Why are we here?>
<Because you slept in,> Cedar answered. <Otherwise, I’m sure we’d be somewhere else by now.>
It was most likely true, so Sabaton moved on to his next question. <Where is Alludra? And Alloran?>
Calnen shrugged with his eyes, as western Andalites tended to do. Clearly, he did not know.
<Old Killer’s probably having a talk with his little girl about being good while daddy’s away,> Acario answered.
Sabaton ignored him. <When do you think he’ll be back, Calnen?>
<No idea.>
<Ah, I see you haven’t changed one bit, Sabby. Still ignoring me for all you’re worth, eh?> Acario added. He turned to the female. <Told you, Estrid: most of us men aren’t like sweet old Aximili.>
<What are you talking about?> Sabaton grumbled.
<Ah, now you realize I’m here?> Acario asked. <Well, maybe I want to play your game, Sabby.>
<Don’t call me that.>
<Or what, you’ll thrash me around with that log you call a tail? I can’t feel a thing right now anyway, so have your fun. Prungar extract is a great thing. Probably the only worthwhile thing on the whole Taxxon world.>
The female shot him a look with all four eyes. Estrid… The name was unfamiliar to Sabaton. <Do you ever stop talking?>
<Not sure. Probably when I black out, though Grach says I like to talk in my sleep.>
<Grach? What kind of name is that?> Calnen asked.
<Skrit Na. I thought you were supposed to be smart, Calnen.>
<Acario-Merron-Oeda,> Came Alloran’s voice. The grizzled old War-Prince entered his scoop, shooting a cold glance at Sabaton with three eyes. Alloran’s tailblade rocketed over his head. For a moment, Sabaton thought he was going to cut Acario in half. But then Alloran’s tail stopped, halfway between the two of them. Acario slapped his own tailblade against Alloran’s. The Andalite version of a bearhug.
If that wasn’t shocking for Sabaton, what Acario said next would have been. <Heya, Uncle Ally. Fancy meeting you here.> Acario’s stalk eyes darted over Alloran’s shoulder. <Alludra. You got hotter.>
<And you haven’t changed a bit, Acario,> Alludra answered.
<Lucky you.>
Something about that angered Sabaton. Acario was a loser, a drug addict, a dropout. So why was he being treated as an old friend and Sabaton, captain of the driftball team, the most well-liked Andalite in his Academy, being treated like an outsider or a piece of furniture? <Why are we here?> Sabaton burst out.
Alloran turned all four eyes on Sabaton, and the Warrior backed up a bit. <We are here,> Alloran answered, <to discuss our mission.>
<Mission?> Calnen asked. <Mission to where?>
This time, Alloran turned all of his eye son him. <Kelbrid Space.>
Post Merged: March 11, 2010, 08:28:39 AM
Sorry for the DP, but I figured I might as well post my next chapter.
+=+=+=+=+
CHAPTER 2
<Kelbrid Space?> Sabaton echoed. He had heard before that Alloran had gone mad, but hadn’t quite believed it. Temperamental, yes, and violent, but not delusional. Yet here he was claiming that they were to be sent to the one place that no Andalite dared go.
<Raise you eyes, Warrior. You look ridiculous.>
<I think he looks quite appropriate,> Calnen answered. That was not surprising, considering he had the same ocular expression as Sabaton.
Acario had one eye raised in a lopsided grin. <What, you didn’t know? Guess the class genius and Captain Perfect didn’t get the memo.>
Alloran ignored him and continued. <We have been given this mission by the highest authority because it is of the utmost importance. And it must, at all costs, remain absolutely secret. Any incursion by Andalites into Kelbrid Space will spark a war for which we are not prepared. For this reason, the Electorate and the Counsel have disavowed any knowledge of this mission. They have even had it erased from their minds. We are the only ones who know.>
<What are going to be dong there?> Calnen asked. He was recovering from his shock a lot more quickly than Sabaton was.
Alloran set a small holovisor on the table. An image of a dome ship appeared. And, next to it, was an image of perhaps the most famous Andalite alive. Prince Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. <Prince Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill has, since the end of the Yeerk War, been hunting the Blade ship, which contains the final remnants of the Yeerk forces.>
<Why waste-> Sabaton began.
<And an Escafil Device,> Alloran interrupted. That silenced Sabaton. <About one month ago, we stopped receiving communications from him.>
<Do you think-> Calnen started.
<That is not the end of it,> Alloran continued, rolling over Calnen’s speculation. <Three days ago, some humans went missing.>
That seemed irrelevant to Sabaton. <Why would we care->
<Two of these humans were named Jake Berenson and Marco Conway,> Alloran responded. That stopped any objections Sabaton might have had. Those were two of the Animorphs. The two most famous, for that matter. <At the same time, an experimental Yeerk ship also went missing.>
Calnan twitched a stalk eye. <You think they->
<Of course they did,> Alludra interrupted. <You’re supposed to be the smart one? It’s obvious what happened. Prince Aximili disappeared. His friends stole a Yeerk ship and went looking for him.>
Alloran shot his daughter a three-eyed glare. The forth eye was still scanning the area due to the force of unbreakable habit. <That is what the Electorate has surmised. According to what data we could gather, Prince Aximili was at the edges of Kelbrid Space when he disappeared. We believe the Kelbrid have captured him.>
<Why do you think it was the Kelbrid?> Sabaton asked. <It could have been the Yeerks. The Blade ship.>
Alloran snorted. <I know that Blade ship far better than anyone in the galaxy. And there is little chance that it would have succeeded in battle against Prince Aximili’s Dome ship. That was an advanced model, one that was designed to stand up to a pair of Yeerk Pool ships. It was designed to go anywhere in the galaxy and withstand anything in the search for the final Yeerk remnants. The Blade ship, by comparison, is an out-of-date pile of junk held together by the efforts of fools and pure evil. The Yeerks could not have done it.>
Calnen started talking again. <But by kidnapping him, the Kelbrid->
<Would start a war with us, yes, we know,> Alloran interrupted yet again. <And if they were ever going to do so, now would be the time. We are very weak from the Yeerk War. Our allies, what few we have, are decimated or unable to be of any real use. The Kelbrid have always been a warlike people. If they were ever going to act on their urge, now would be the perfect time to do so. And if they could eliminate our national hero before they even had to do battle with him, so much the better.>
<So we’re going to go after him,> Acario butted in.
Alloran only glared at him with one eye. <Acario is correct. Before they wiped their minds clean, the Counsel prepared a new ship for us, as well as some other bits of technology. The ship cannot be traced to the Andalite people. It is not a type ever seen before. Only this one was ever produced, the plans were destroyed, and the scientists who created it underwent a very thorough memory wipe with one exception.> He gestured to the female, Estrid, with his tail.
<Estrid-Corill-Darrath, the only scientist who still remembers that the ship even exists, will be coming with us. You are to direct all technological inquiries to her. When we go to the ship, she will brief you on the various items the Counsel has provided for us.>
<Why us?> Sabaton asked. For once, Alloran didn’t interrupt him, so he continued. <If this is such an important and secret mission, why not send the best the Andalite people have to offer? Calnen and I graduated from the academy three years ago, but we’re far from experienced. And…> he gestured towards Acario. <He never even came close to graduating. Why us?>
<I got no idea why you’re invited,> Acario answered. <But for my part…everyone who’s been to Kelbrid Space, raise your tail.> Acario did so. Everyone else, of course, did not.
<You lie,> Sabaton accused. <No Andalites has ever ventured into Kelbrid Space.>
<You still got that habit of believing everything they teach you in school, I see,> Acario said dismissively. <I
have been to Kelbrid Space. I spent three years there after a mishap with some Rakam-Garoo left stranded in their sector. Nice place, if you don’t mind hiding all the time. ‘Course they wouldn’t know an Andalite if one slapped ‘em in the face, thank Toomin.>
<What Acario means to say,> Alloran added, <is that he is the only individual in this entire sector of the galaxy who is familiar with Kelbrid Space. His expertise there are unmatched by anyone else in our race.>
<Okay, so you have your guide. Why the rest of us?> Calnen asked.
Alloran turned his main eyes on Calnan and one stalk eye on Sabaton. <The two of you are in a unique position.>
<Not very unique if we’re both in it,> Calnan pointed out.
<You are expendable.>
<Is that a threat?> Sabaton demanded.
<It’s a fact, you Gedd,> Alludra answered before her father could.
Alloran took over from there. <You, Calnan, had the highest exam scores that we have seen in the last five years. Yet, because of the sudden lack of need for strategic military skill, you have found a low post in the intelligence bureau. You are very useful, but if you should suddenly disappear, very few would miss you.
<And you, Sabaton, as much as it disgusts me to say this, had the highest tail-fighting scores since Estrid’s brother. Again, you are potentially useful, but if no one ever sees you again, very few ill blink an eye.>
<I am not->
<Yes, Warrior, you are. The only reason you retained your post in the military was because according to your exams, you were not fit for any other line of work except for perhaps that of a driftball player. It was decided that you would be more useful as a potential meat shield.>
<What about her?> Calnan asked, indicating Estrid. <If she’s such a great scientist->
<She’s dead,> Acario interrupted.
Sabaton just started at him. <I am one hundred percent certain that she is alive.>
<Not according to the government,> Acario answered smugly.
Alloran sighed. <Several years ago, Estrid was part of a team sent to Earth under a rogue Intelligence agent named Arbat. Arbat’s goal was to release a biological weapon that would kill the Yeerks. It had the potential side effect of also killing their hosts. Before going on his mission, Arbat altered the records to state that all those who went with him on this mission were deceased in an accident. Although not precisely a secret, the fact that Estrid is alive has been kept quiet.>
<And you are going to be the one leading this mission?> Calnan asked of Alloran.
<Yes. I am just as expendable as the rest of you. A skilled leader willing to fight against ridiculous odds and do unconscionable things who can easily be cast aside without a second thought. I am the ideal commander for such a mission.>
<So it’s going to be the five of us?> Sabaton asked.
<Six,> Alludra answered. <I am coming, too.>
<Why you?> Calnan asked. <Are you secretly an assassin or something?>
<She is coming,> Alloran answered, <because I know very well what happened the last time I left her unsupervised.>
New chapter
Since my last post got merged with this one, I guess I'll just add this on instead of posting it as new... -shrug-+=+=+=+=+
CHAPTER 3
They flew to the launch site in Kafit morph. Due to the secretive and illegal nature of their mission, none of them had been permitted to return to their homes to gather anything. Sabaton was greatly distressed by this fact. He could not imagine going anywhere without his hologram of Baradon-Nurmeon-Palloros or his own driftball equipment. But there was no chance to pop off and gather what he wanted. There was nothing to do but follow Alloran to the launch site.
The ship looked something like what two Dome ships might have if they had collided. At first glance, it was just a large bubble about twenty yards across. Through the transparent outer layer, Sabaton could see an almost perfect replica of the homeworld’s landscape. And, as he looked closer, he saw that it was divided into four quadrants, each one resembling a particular quadrant of the homeworld. Perhaps it had been designed to make a diverse group of Andalites feel at home. Or perhaps it had just been n artistic touch by the designers.
A large, rectangular shaft extended from the top and bottom of the bubble, and from the left and right. Mounted on the end of each shaft was a duel Shredder battery. Along the length of the shafts were engine nacelles. The design confused Sabaton. Estrid, though, did him the courtesy of explaining before he could ask.
<Each of these shafts is divided into two levels,> she began. <Crew quarters, command deck, medical bay, and such are all in the shafts. The bubble serves as a feeding ground and observation deck and is also designed to ward off the effects of homesickness.>
Alloran snorted at that, giving a clear indication of what he felt about warriors with homesickness.
<Weapons,> Estrid continued, <are at the end of each shaft. They are designed with a full range of motion, so the ship should be able to defend itself from attack from any angle. Engines are on the sides of the shafts, which allow the ship to move in any direction at all. Sideways, up and down, even backwards, though none of those terms apply to this ship. Every direction is forwards.>
<Very sensibly designed,> Calnan noted.
<It’s a giant bubble> Acario muttered. <Practical or not, it’s not going to get the alien girls running to meet us.>
<What use does an Andalite have for alien females?> Sabaton demanded haughtily.
<Alien males, if that’s more your thing,> Acario responded. <And believe me, you’d be surprised what you’d do, stranded alone on some random world with only aliens for company. And hey, it’s not like anyone would have to find out…>
Alludra shook her head. <Aliens, Acario? Are you really that desperate?>
<Without your emptiness, Alludra, I have to fill my own.>
That sent a slight tremor of shock through Sabaton. Acario had called Alloran ‘uncle’. That would mean that Alludra was his cousin, but Andalites did not mate with relations that close. Perhaps Alloran and Acario were not related after all. But then why…? Sabaton snorted in annoyance. This sort of thing had never been his strong suit.
<The ship is entirely self sufficient,> Estrid continued. <It creates its own oxygen, recycles all water used on it, and utilizes the waste treatment system to fertilize the grass in the sphere.>
<That isn’t something I wanted to think about,> Acario muttered.
Calnan flared his ears. <One who would mate with alien females is disgusted by simple agriculture?>
<Hey, if you like the idea of running through your own waste, that’s your fetish. But me, I don’t like the idea that I’m eating my own defecation. Or worse, Alloran’s.>
<That is quite enough of that,> Alloran said. <Fighters, Estrid?>
<Only one, War-Prince, stored in the Southern shaft,> Estrid responded. <If you would follow me inside, I will show you what the Counsel has issued us for this mission and show you all around the ship.>
A doorway opened in the shaft in front of them. As they walked inside, gravity shifted so that what had once been the wall of the shaft was now the floor. It was disorienting at first, but they all got the hang of it quickly. They followed Estrid to the command deck. There were a few objects on a table. Some of them Sabaton recognized from his Academy days, but others were foreign to him.
One of these foreign objects appeared to be six leather loops, each with a small, rectangular sapphire on one side. Estrid nodded to it. <That is called a Cestus. I am not sure why->
<Cestus was an ancient human weapon,> Acario butted in. <It was like a glove you used to punch with. Not useful for Andalites. I got no idea where a scientist would get the name.>
<How do you know what a cestus is?> Alludra asked.
<I’ve been on Earth since the war ended. Easy place to turn a profit. We might not use money here on the Homeworld, but other races like to have something to trade.>
<I hope,> Calnan sniffed, <that you didn’t engage in anything illegal with the humans. If you broke the law of Seerow’s Kindness->
<I sold them six Escafil devices, a crate of Shredders, two fighters, and a Dome ship,>Acario interrupted.
Sabaton stared at him withal four eyes. <How did you get your hands on->
<He didn’t really,> Alludra cut in. Sabaton fell silent after that. Instead, working off of Acarios definition of the cestus, he pulled his fingers through the rings.
He took a few test swings with it. The sapphires would probably hurt if they connected with a target. But Sabaton was a Southern Andalite, and they, unlike the rest of their cousins, had strong arms. The weapon would be useless to the others. <Seems like a rather ineffectual weapon.>
<That is because it isn’t a weapon,> Estrid answered. <Line up two of the crystals.> Sabaton did so. They turned a paler blue in color and Sabaton noticed the air shimmering a bit in a circular area in front of his fist. He lined up more of the crystals and the disk of shimmering air got larger until, when he lined up all six, it was as tall as he was.
Alloran moved suddenly. With is tail, he flipped a Shredder off of the table and into his hand. Then he fired at Sabaton. The Warrior only had time to turn and bring his fist in front of him before the beam reached him. It struck the disk of shimmering air and the disk flared blue. Lines of electricity crackled across it. Then it disappeared again in the blink of an eye.
Alloran set the Shredder back on the table. <Force-shield. Clever, Estrid.>
<One of the wonderful things about the cestus is that matter can go through but energy cannot,> Estrid explained.
<What’s so wonderful about that?> Sabaton demanded. <A Hork-bajir could still stick a blade in me.>
Calnan understood immediately. <You can stand behind your shield put the nose of your Shredder through, and shoot at your enemies wile they are not able to shoot back. A great advantage.> He turned to Alloran. <And what if it hadn’t been a shield?>
<Then Warrior Sabaton would be taking a short rest,> Alloran answered. <What else do you have for us, Estrid?>
<Estrid,> Sabaton began, <my hand feel as bit numb. Is that normal?>
Estrid bobbed her tail. <Most of the ordinance we’ve designed for this mission utilize body heat. Using any of them extensively will cause numbness in certain areas. This next weapon is the same way.> She took what appeared to be a small, steel bracelet from the table. <Your tail, Warrior Sabaton.>
Sabaton lowered his tail. She snapped the bracelet around it. <It is thought activated,> she explained. <When activated, it will sheathe your tailblade in a deadly energy field. It would be like having a beam from a Shredder instead of a blade. Very useful for cutting through things, and an excellent advantage in a melee fight. Like the cestus, if utilizes body heat, so using it too extensively will cause your tail to go numb. You should be sure not to overuse any of these weapons, as doing so will result in you drawing too much body heat and eventually freezing internally.>
She picked something else up from the table. It appeared to be a green crystal about half the size of an Andalite palm. It was set in a thin steel hoop, around which was the same leather-like material of which the cestus rings were made. <Your arm, Warrior.>
Sabaton held out his arm and Estrid connected him to the weapon. It looped behind his elbow, with the crystal in his palm. It was a complex glove-like apparatus, the purpose of which eluded Sabaton. <A Shredder,> Estrid explained once he was hooked up.
<Why is this so elaborate?> Sabaton demanded.
<All of these weapons are designed to morph with you,> Estrid told him. <We learned that one is able to morph things that are form-fitting and, with some practice, some materials that are a bit looser. With some practice, you will be able to keep all of these weapons whenever you morph. So, if you must, for example, morph to Kafit bird to escape a situation, you will not have to abandon your arsenal to do so.>
<That would have saved me a bundle,> Acario muttered.
<Why body heat?> Aludra asked.
<It is the only power source we could be absolutely certain was obtainable in Kelbrid Space,> Estrid explained. <It is constantly accessible and quickly replenished. And safe.>
<If you ignore the possibility of killing yourself by overusing your weapons,> Calnan muttered. <Still,> he continued, pulling one of the Shredders onto his arm, <I suppose this is far better than the previous alternatives.>
Alloran began putting his equipment on, as did Alludra ,Estrid, and Acario. <Everything looks good in a laboratory,> Alloran commented, activating the tail bracelet. A sheath of green energy, faintly transparent and crisscrossed with lines like lightning, enveloped his tailblade. <But how well does it hold up in combat?>
Estrid turned to Sabaton. <Let us see. Care for some sparing, Warrior?>
Sabaton looked around the room. They would not have him fight one of the females, of course. Calnan would not be a challenge. Alloran….Sabaton knew that, sober, he could take the old War-Prince. The only unknown was Acario, the one who would most likely be chosen to fight him. Sabaton smiled.
<Of course, Estrid. Who will I be fighting?> he turned all four eyes on Acario.
It was all Acario could do not to laugh when Estrid answered, <Me, of course.>
New chapter
CHAPTER 4
Sabaton tried to take Estrid seriously. He tried very, very hard not to underestimate his opponent. He constantly reminded himself that she designed these weapons. She had had a lot of practice with them while he had just gotten them. He reminded himself that he had not been in an actual fight or sparring match since his final tail-fighting exam in the Academy.
No matter how hard he tried, though, he could not seem to overcome the fact that standing before him was a female a little over two-thirds his size.
<I will try not to hurt you,> he told her. They were in the sphere, in the quadrant designed to mimic the western landscape. This mimicry and division had a very practical purpose. Because of the ship’s design, terms like up, down, left, right, upper, lower, etc. were no longer applicable Instead, they referred to everything in terms of north, south, east, and west. The division of the landscape helped to remind them which quadrant corresponded to what part of the ship.
<That will not be much of an issue,> Estrid replied offhandedly. She and Sabaton stood, facing each other. Acario, Alloran, Alludra, and Calnen stood a slight distance away from them.
Sabaton flicked his tail and sent the signal to the bracelet, sheathing his tailblade in energy. It was set to stun, which would help to prevent him from harming her. Estrid flicked her tail, igniting her blade as well. Alloran looked from one to the other, making sure each looked ready. Then, he nodded. <Begin!>
Estrid did not strike any faster than Sabaton had expected. He assumed she would be fast, females usually were. What he didn’t expect was threw precisely aligned blow she threw at his lower heart. He danced to the side but she changed the direction of her swing at the last moment, sweeping upwards instead of driving sideways. The energy sheath on her tail, set to stun, felt like ice sweeping across his shoulder.
<Twenty one
djaliksh on the girl,> Acario said quickly to Alloran. Alloran did not respond. Alludra looked away.
Calnen shrugged with his eyes. <The
djaliksh is the standard monetary unit of the Rakam-Garoo, correct?>
<Just the Rakam, actually. The Garoo moved on to
sinjh crystals last rotation.>
<What good would
djaliksh do me, then?>
<You can always trade them to an Anati collector for some
olami.>
Sabaton was forced on the defensive, a position he did not like. Estrid was very fast. Sabaton was just barely fast enough to avoid being stunned into submission by her whip of a tail. His movements consisted mostly of sidesteps and parries with his own tailblade.
<I thought they were supposed to be testing the weapons,> Alludra remarked to her father. <Why doesn’t Sabaton use his shield?>
<He always was a slow learner,> Alloran remarked. Then, to Sabaton, he added, <Use the cestus, Warrior.>
<It wouldn’t work,> Sabaton responded. <She’s using her tailblade. The cestus allows matter through. It only stops energy.>
Alloran sighed. <What’s
around her tailblade?>
Sabaton paused for a moment, embarrassed. That was long enough for Estrid to slap him across the upper torso with a stunning blow. Sabaton stumbled back. Estrid struck again but this time Sabaton raised his cestus, two of his fingers aligned. Her energy-sheathed tailblade stopped when it connected with the energy field. Sabaton felt a slight jolt in his arm but it was nothing too terrible.
He pushed back hard, throwing her tailblade away. It would not have been possible for anyone but a southern Andalite. He countered with his own tailblade. Suddenly, the tables were turned; or, at least, evened out. Both were making full use of their shields now, deflecting blows as often as they dodged or parried them. Sabaton gave Estrid’s shield a vicious pounding, but the cestus held up against everything the Warrior could bring to bear against it. Estrid would give out before the shield did.
Sabaton forced her back across the landscape. Her am was almost fully drained of power and now she had little choice left but to retreat. If she had just lowered her tailblade, he could have stopped. But until she signaled defeat, he really didn’t have a choice but to keep going. <You’re relying too much on that shield,> Alloran called to her.
<Who’s side are you on?> Alludra asked him.
<I’m on
my side. The better all of you fight, the more likely it is that I don’t have to burn your corpses.>
Estrid dispensed with her shield, making full use of her tail. She was attacking with a fury now but she still couldn’t get past Sabaton’s guard. The shield provided a definite advantage. Estrid was very good, nearly as good as he was. But with the added defense, Sabaton would be victorious. Of course, her tail was not Estrid’s only weapon.
She raised her arm, palm out. A green beam of light lanced towards Sabaton. He aligned all of his fingers, shielding himself form the Shredder beam. It was absorbed harmlessly by the shield, though Sabaton felt his arm go slightly numb at that. Estrid was pushing him back now, alternating between Shredder blasts and swipes of her tail.
Sabaton returned fire. Estrid absorbed two beams before her she could no longer use her shield. Instead of submitting, though, she fired back even more, keeping Sabaton pinned down beneath a barrage of Shredder fire. She advanced as she fired, forcing him to backpedal. His shield would not last him much longer. Already, he had lost all feeling in that entire arm. The numbness was creeping into his shoulder and chest, which was a serious problem. It was possible for that to stop one of his hearts.
At last, Sabaton did something he did not often see the need to do: he thought of a plan. He decreased the number of finger she aligned, from six to five to for to three to two until at last, he did not hold his shield anymore. Estrid was very close now. Close enough that the flashback from the Shredder on her palm would stun them both. She struck with her tail.
Sabaton raided his shield one last time. She was close enough now that he could strike. It would be all the opening he needed. One good blow to the chest would end this. He smiled as her energy-sheathed tailblade met his shield. She smiled as, with a thought, she turned off the energy sheath. Her tailblade, now simple matter, went through the shield like it was air, cutting deep into his arm. Had the appendage not been so numb, Sabaton would have screamed.
His tailblade smashed her in the chest. The numbness from the blow, combined with her exhaustion from the fight, was enough to knock her to her knees. Sabaton rose and tapped his tailblade against the side of he head, symbolizing his victory.
<Twenty one
djaliksh,> Calnen said to Acario.
Acario shrugged with his shoulders. <Sure, but you should know they went out of currency with the Rakam about the same time as they did with the Garoo.>
Estrid began to morph to Kafit bird. Sabaton, to heal his wounds, did the same. Alloran nodded. <The weapons are effective, Estrid. We will all have to familiarize ourselves with them.>
<Where did you learn to fight?> Sabaton asked Estrid as he demorphed. Alloran, Alludra, and Acario turned and entered the shaft, to go survey other parts of the ship. Calnen remained behind.
<My brother,> Estrid explained. <And I got a few quick lessons on Earth. One learns fast among Animorphs.>
<Were they really as good as everyone says?> Calnen asked. <I mean, was it simple luck that they defeated the Yeerks?>
<They are far more intelligent than they appeared at first,> Estrid answered. <They succeeded in fooling us effortlessly. The Andalite who was in charge, Arbat, was one of the highest Intelligence officers in the government. He was one of the most intelligent our race has. They fooled him without stopping to think twice about it. Yes, Calnen, they are as good as you have heard. Perhaps better. I am not even certain our mission is necessary. If they have gone to rescue Prince Aximili from whatever fate has befallen him, they will not likely need our help. And if they have come across something that has defeated even them, we will not have much chance against it.>
<Were they great warriors?> Sabaton asked.
<The best I have ever seen,> she admitted, seeming almost embarrassed. <Unorthodox and erratic at times, but they were incredible. Brave, ferocious, and intelligent. And it seemed that nothing was too insane for them to try, or too difficult for them to do.>
<Why don’t you tell us everything you know about them?> Calnen suggested. <It might prove useful.>
So Estrid did.
+=+=+=+=+
Acario, Alloran, and Alludra were surveying the crew quarters. Alloran’s were, of course the largest. As for the rest of them….if Acario hadn’t gotten over his racial claustrophobia years ago, he would have been forced to do so now. <Cozy in here,> he remarked to Alludra as the two of them stood in the room that would be hers. <I thin I rather like it.>
Alloran shook his head. <A word, Acario?>
Acario left Alludra in her quarters, the door closing shut behind him like a section of the wall scabbing over. <Yeah, uncle?>
<There is something I want you to do for me.>
<I’m flattered, but->
<Not now, Acario.>
Acario shrugged. <Alright, what is it?>
Alloran did not see anyone coming but kept his thought speech private just in case. <You are Alludra’s only friend.>
<I wouldn’t say->
<You wouldn’t, but you are. The other females despise her for her past actions. And the males…I am sure I do not have to tell you about the males.> Alloran shook his head. <You were the only true friend she had while I was….gone. You were a terrible influence, yes, and you led her down some paths that I should cut hour throat for. But you kept an eye on her until you…left.>
<I prefer the term fled.>
<We will go with left. Jahar told me you were like a nephew to her, the one male who could be trusted in our Scoop. That’s why I ask this of you.>
<You want me to kill Sabby?>
<Not kill him. Just…watch him. I am not sure if Alludra has any intentions towards him or not, but I know very well what he has in mind. I was willing to more or less ignore him on the homeworld. He was harmless there. But here, with few other options, Alludra might change her opinion of him.>
<Maybe it’s just a father thing, but I think you’re getting too worked up over this, Uncle. So what if they do the dance of eight legs? Alludra knows how to avoid making you a grandfather.>
<I don’t want her falling back into her old ways, Acario. But I cannot watch her all the time. Promise me you will help me.>
<Yeah, yeah, sure. Not like I’ve got anything better to do than foal-sit Cousin Ally anyway. Although I should probably keep an eye on that Calnen character, too. Never hurts, you know?>
Alloran nodded. <Of course. And one more thing.>
<Yeah?>
<I know what you talked Estrid into hiding on this ship for you. And I noticed that tree in the sphere. If you don’t think I recognize a
illsipar tree when I see one, you have severely underestimated me. I know that trying to make you stop would be pointless. It might even do more harm than good. You aren’t very useful if withdraw incapacitates you. Just keep it to yourself. I don’t want you corrupting my warriors.>
Acario’s eyes drooped. <Not even a little bit?>
<No.>
<What about Estrid? She’s kind of cute, don’t you think?>
Alloran paused. <A little. Just…don’t drug her.>
<You take all the fun out of life, you know that?>
