Chapter Six
The beaten father left a pregnant pause in his wake, and Yarlin and I stared at one another for a long moment. I thought about asking him to send me home, to end this nightmare, but he was so clearly convinced of my insanity that I did not bother.
<I have a War-Prince who has already requested your services,> Yarlin finally said in a clipped tone, as though he were speaking to something diseased. <You are fortunate that War-Prince Sofor is so generous as to take on a vecol such as yourself. Unless you are prepared to abandon this madness and admit who you really are?>
<I’m Teresa,> I said dully. Yarlin’s stalk eyes bobbed in confirmation, expecting as much.
<War-Prince Sofor will be along to claim you shortly.> Yarlin turned, moving towards the door. <Until then, you will remain here.> A moment later he was gone, leaving me once again alone on an alien world. This time, though, I did not descend into an angry rage. Instead, my thoughts drifted to what was going to happen next.
<I have a War-Prince who has already requested your services,< Yarlin’s words rang in my head, and I wondered at their meaning.
Does he need someone to do his chores or something? Is that what crazy people do on this planet? Housework? I wasn’t particularly eager to find out about these ‘services’, but the changing of hands to this Sofor character did offer some advantage. Primarily, someone new to attempt to convince of my sanity. Perhaps Sofor was more level-headed? Perhaps he would believe me and order for my return to Earth at once? I certainly did not have anything to lose at this point.
Long minutes passed before Yarlin returned, a second Andalite in tow. I felt my hopes plummet as I got my first good look at the one who was likely Sofor. This Andalite was much larger than Yarin, with thickly muscled limbs that were marked generously with the signs of battles past. One scar in particular stood out among the rest: a hideous, blue gash that etched its way across his left eye. I tried to tear my gaze from this monster Andalite, but found myself drawn to his deformed face.
<Is this the
vecol?> Sofor asked, stepping forward. Even his voice was powerful, and I found myself shrinking backwards.
<Yes,> Yarlin said. <She has been kept in confinement for her own safety.>
<Safety?> Sofor’s stalk eyes tracked around the room while his main eyes seemed to bore a hole right through me. <She does not look very dangerous.>
<No, War-Prince, sir,> Yarlin replied. <She is physically well. It was her ludicrous claims that were troubling, and we thought it better to sedate her than allow her to gallop throughout the halls, shouting insanities.>
<Is that the way of all medics?> Sofor asked with clear contempt. <Render the quandary unconscious and pretend it does not exist?> Yarin seemed to have no response to this, and, after a few stuttering attempts, he merely lowered his tail and looked embarrassed. Sofor seemed unaware of Yarlin’s submission, or at least uncaring. His attention was still locked on me as I tried – and failed - to look away. I was beginning to sense a drawback to having four eyes.
<Sireah,> Sofor said, glancing at a screen next to my cell. <Yarin has informed me that you are under the impression that you are not yourself.>
<I’m not, sir, I-> I jumped at the opportunity to tell my story to someone new, someone who might believe me, but I was cut off. Sofor raised his hand and I fell silent immediately.
<I do not care who it is you pretend to be, or think you may be,> Sofor continued. <If I am being frank with you, child, I would scarcely care if you were an over-fed Taxxon. The fact of the matter is-> Sofor hesitated, his left stalk eye hovering on Yarin. <Medical Assistant Yarin, if you could please give me a moment alone with the patient?>
<Sir, with all due respect, we really aren’t supposed to->
<As much as it may have appeared to be so, that was not a request,
Medic.>
<Yes sir!> Yarin disappeared from the room so quickly it would have been comical, if it had not meant I was left alone with Sofor and no one to distract him.
<As I was saying,> Sofor turned his attention back to me. To my surprise his expression held some degree of sadness to it – at least, I think it was sadness. I still was not entirely sure what ‘sadness’ looked like on a creature with no mouth and four eyes, but he certainly did not look happy as he continued on.
<A short time ago I lost someone very dear to me. My life partner, my wife, died prematurely of…well, that is not important. What
is important is that I need your help.>
<My help?> I managed to squeak out in confusion. This alien’s wife dying was certainly tragic, but I could not see how I could help him.
<I have a daughter,> Sofor continued. <Younger than you, but not by much. She will begin her Academy training soon. I am often away; it is the nature of my job. I need someone to care for her, someone who can at least assist her with the basics of training.>
<You want me to babysit?> I blurted.
<Baby…sit?> Sofor seemed confused by this.
<You want me to watch your kid,> I rephrased. I had learned over the past few days that rephrasing was essential to survival amongst Andalites. <I’m only ten! I can’t babysit!>
<Ten?> Sofor, again, looked utterly baffled. <Child, you are scarcely two. And I am aware of your youthfulness and your supposed
vecol status. I have reviewed your records, Sireah, and I do not think that you are quite as impaired as the medics make you out to be. I have seen it before – a young
aristh heads out and, torn from their home and plunged in the middle of a war, they want to leave. Unfortunately, the only way one can leave the military is due to
vecol status, whether physical or mental.>
I stared at the grizzled Andalite for a long moment, slowly processing his words and arranging them in a way that made sense to my ten year old mind.
He thinks I’m lying, I realized. He thinks I’m a coward and that I lied to get out of the military. The thought of being labeled a liar and a coward was even worse than being insane.
<That’s not true,> I said coldly, glaring at Sofor with my main eyes. <And I’m not going to help you.>
<You’ll help me, child,> Sofor said dismissively. <I have no doubt of that. Unless you would prefer to spend the remainder of your days in isolation.>
Isolation? My stalk eyes examined the four walls that had become my cage. My stomach shifted uneasily at the thought of being stuck, alone, indefinitely. For some reason my mind reached back and found the memory of my sister, sitting on her bed crying as I packed my things to leave.
<I just want to go home,> I said, feeling my resolve weaken.
I promised her.<You cannot return home,> Sofor said. <The medic informed me that you have already spoken with your father. He has released you and ->
<No,> I interrupted. <I want to go to my real home. I want to go back to Earth.>
<Earth?>
<Yes. Earth. My home.> I did not like the way that Sofor was looking at me, with his good eye narrowed into an angry slit. The mention of Earth had made Sofor’s appearance of complete control falter. His muscles were tense, his gaze equally so. I squirmed within it, wondering what I had said wrong.
<
Aristh Sireah,> Sofor said at last. <You have been dismissed from the military, and while it is common knowledge that Earth is under a Yeerk siege it is considered improper to speak of such delicacies amongst civilians. You are now a civilian. You will speak of Earth no more.>
Taken aback by the intensity of Sofor’s words I nodded, but my mind was spinning with questions.
A Yeerk siege? What does that mean? I knew that the Yeerks were the creatures that had kidnapped me, and that they were the bad guys. Sireah had explained to me that the Yeerks were body snatchers – they infested people and could pretend to be them. Slowly I worked through the information.
<Are you trying to tell me that the Yeerks are attacking Earth?> I blurted, unable to keep my silence as I pieced the information together. In hindsight it seemed obvious. I had been kidnapped by Yeerks, on Earth. The ship that they took me to had humans in cages, guarded by aliens. Somehow, though, the connection had never been made. Now that it had finally formed I felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice over my head.
Tamora. Danny! They’re in trouble!<I have to go home,> I insisted, a bubble of fear rising within me.
<Do not be foolish, child,> Sofor said coldly. <No one goes to Earth, unless it is on official business for military purposes. And you are no longer a part of the military.>
<Then I want back in the military!> I cried. In my mind I was watching Tamora and Danny, being dragged against their will into a cage where goulish aliens taunted them. I had to save them!
<Very well,> Sofor said, his tone returning to one of calm authority.
<What, really?> I blinked in surprise. It was that easy?
<If you wish to return to the military, you of course have that option.> Sofor continued. <However, given your
vecol status you will be required to re-enter the Academy once you are declared mentally and physically fit. You will need to begin your aristh training anew.>
<But I need to go home now!>
<You cannot,> Sofor half turned away, and I knew that the issue was closed for discussion. I would have to do it his way or not at all, and hope against hopes that my sister and brother were okay when I was finally able to return.
<Fine,> I relented. <I’ll go with you on one condition. You help me rejoin the military.>
<Oh? An ex-
aristh is making requests of me?> Sofor sounded amused.
<Very well, child, I accept your offer. You will return to my scoop and meet my daughter, with whom you will train alongside. I will remove your
vecol status so long as you are a proper companion for my daughter.>
<Okay,> I said. I couldn’t help but feel as though I had been slighted. I had to babysit and go to Academy? That sounded like school! I didn’t have time for that, not when my planet was being invaded. But Sofor had left me no choice; the only way home was through him.
<Come along, Sireah.> Sofor said, pressing a panel near my room. There was a slight whirring noise, but otherwise nothing appeared to change. Sofor turned and walked towards the door, his stalk eyes watching me.
<Teresa,> I corrected, stepping through the wall and following my new master.
