(Here's chapter two, aka the really-really-long-chapter-that-really-should-be-about-three-separate-chapters. Enjoy!)
Chapter Two
<Let me see if I have this correct. You snuck onto a Bug Fighter, were taken to the Blade Ship of Visser Three to be infested, escaped and conveniently managed to find an Andalite to take you to safety. All without being caught, or even shot at, and without knowing whom or what you were looking for. Is that accurate?> The alien that spoke in my mind was looking at me with an expression that I could only read as bewilderment, which led me to believe that my situation was a rare one.
After a brief temper tantrum revolving around my discovery that I was in outer space Garet had flown me over to another UFO. This one was huge, but I was not given the opportunity to sight see. As soon as Garet had parked his ship I was taken to a small, empty room. Like Garet’s smaller UFO, there was nothing much of interest in the room, except for a floor full of grass. I was left there alone, with the promise that someone would fetch me later.
As I waited, I began to feel my fear fade into anger. How dare these strange creatures…these aliens take me away from my home? How dare they lock me up in this tiny room? All of my questions thus far had been met with blank stares or contemptuous sneers. Even Chris, the only nice person I had met, had overlooked most of my questions in favor of escape. I shivered now, wondering what had happened to my caged friend.
Wrapping my arms around myself tighter, I remembered the blue box that had been zipped into my shirt. It was small enough that it didn’t make my windbreaker bulge too oddly. Then again, even if it did I doubted the aliens would notice. I hugged the box close, making sure that the elastic on the bottom of my jacket was secure enough to keep the object from falling out.
Initially, after Garet had been relatively kind to me, I had considered showing him the strange alien device. But as the minutes ticked by into hours and my anger grew I decided that the box would remain my secret. If I ever got out of this little adventure alive, I would have an alien prize to show Tammy.
Finally, the aliens came for me. I was taken by two of these aliens, who by now I had figured out were the ones Chris had called Andalites, into a new room. This room was slightly larger, with something resembling a hospital bed that I was able to sit on. It was in this room where I was bombarded with questions, faced with terms that I couldn’t begin to imagine the meaning to, and been forced to go through the last day over and over again. And still I had no answers for myself.
“Uh . . yeah . . pretty much.” I responded to the bewildered Andalite, who had introduced himself as Inadraf.
<While much of this…situation…seems rather improbable, I suppose we have little choice but to believe you,> Inadraf was saying, shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of it all, <it is, however, unfortunate that you carry with you no useful information. Andrin, load her onto a transport. You can take the aristh girl with you back to Earth.>
<Yes, sir,> The Andalite beside Inadraf said formally. He turned and walked away, obviously expecting me to follow. Inadraf also turned, signaling the end of the conversation.
I stayed right where I was, arms folded across my chest as I waited for Andrin to realize that I was not behind him. The entire situation was infuriating, and I was fuming. It had been over a day, and I was exhausted, bruised and all I wanted to do was get answers, but instead I was being treated as if I were as unimportant as…well, as a child. It simply was not fair. I stuck out my lower lip at Inadraf. I wanted answers, and I wanted them now.
“I’m not going,” I said, my voice edging on yet another full-on temper tantrum. The mouthless Andalite seemed unfazed by my voice inflection.
<Go, human. Go back to your family on Earth,> Inadraf replied impatiently.
“I said no!” I slid off of the ledge I was sitting on and stood firm, “you guys bring me here, ask me a whole bunch of dumb questions and don’t even tell me what it is that is going on, where I am, or anything else. You need to give me some answers!” My eyes began to well up with furious tears. I was off on a tirade now, and no one could stop me, “besides that, no one even asked me if I wanted to go home! I ran away for a reason, you stupid aliens, and I don’t want to go back!”
I came to a halt, gasping for breath as I recollected myself. For a long moment silence permeated the room, then Inadraf spoke coldly.
<Andrin, kindly dispose of the child. I have no further use of her, and she is giving me a headache,> at Inadraf’s words Andrin walked over to me and tried to urge me along, but I pulled away with ease.
<Child, please come with me. I will take you home to your mother and father,> Andrin said, speaking in the same slow voice that Garet had, as though I were an infant.
“I don’t want to go home,” I cried. Why couldn’t they see that? “If I go home, my dad will hurt me! He’ll never believe that I w-was abducted by aliens and he’ll-” I stopped talking abruptly as I was overwhelmed with tears. I was about to dissolve entirely into sobs when I felt something cold against my temple.
<I really would rather not threaten someone as young as you, but you won’t remember it anyways. Now please follow me, or I will knock you unconscious,> my eyes widened in startled fear as I realized that Andrin’s tail, which just a moment ago had been at least four feet away from me, was now pressed firmly against my neck. I stood as still as I possibly could, choking back my sobs.
<Now, will you come with me?> Andrin asked again. I squeaked in submission, not wanting to nod for fear it would send my head rolling. Andrin removed his tail blade and ushered me forward.
Andrin pushed me along, not taking care to be gentle about it. I went, sullenly looking at the floor. I was led to the docking bay, the same place Garet had parked the ship I had arrived in. This time I was led to the other end of the room, to a slightly larger ship.
At the entrance to the ship there was another Andalite. This one was smaller, younger. I assumed that she was the “aristh girl” that Inadraf had spoken of, whatever an aristh was.
<Aristh Sireah-Yvirnial-Apaltian.> Andrin greeted the youth curtly.
<Yes, Prince Andrin-Daroen-Kagebr, how can I assist you?> The answer was practiced, precise. She seemed nervous, or excited. It was hard to tell which.
<Keep the child amused, Aristh Sireah. It is a two day trip back to Earth, at least,> Andrin replied, leading me onto the ship, where he finally stopped holding me at gunpoint. Sireah followed Andrin and myself aboard, and showed me where I would be sleeping. The ship was large enough for four rather cramped quarters, a main room where the computers and controls were, and a separate room that had a few items stored in it and little else. Andrin went straight to the controls, and told Sireah to keep me out of his fur, a comment that I resented horribly. Sireah seemed unruffled by the older Andalite’s rudeness, though, and led me into the extra room.
<What is your name?> Sireah asked me after I had taken a seat. I looked up from my spot on the floor in surprise. I had been interrogated to death for hours, and yet no one had asked me any personal information like my name. It seemed like an unnaturally humane question to ask, especially after I had given up all hope of befriending these Andalites.
“Teresa...” I replied hesitantly. It was still hard to get used to the fact that I was talking to something that very well could have come from one of my worst nightmares. It was insane, and yet, for some reason, I wasn’t afraid of this Andalite. She didn’t seem interested in scaring me half to death, or bombarding me with terms I didn’t know. The other Andalites had terrified me, and that was nothing compared to what Inadraf had called Yeerks, my original captors.
<Teresa. It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry about Andrin, he’s an old stiff,> Sireah said, smiling pleasantly with her eyes.
“Yeah...he is kind of…mean.” I said lamely. We lapsed into silence briefly. I felt that Sireah wanted to ask more of me, but didn’t know how to go abour it. Contenting myself with picking the grass that covered the floor, I waited.
<What is it like?> Sireah finally asked, breaking the silence uneasily, as if her question was absurd and unheard of.
“What is what like?” I asked, turning my attention back on her brilliant green eyes.
<Earth. What’s Earth like?> Sireah clarified.
“Oh…uh…well…” I stuttered, unsure of how to answer exactly. “It’s nice, I guess. I mean, sometimes it’s nice. I don’t like it very much, though.”
<Why not?> Sireah’s obvious interest was unnerving after the cold dispassion of the other Andalites I had met.
“Because of my dad,” I said slowly, “he drinks a lot, and he yells at me and my sisters and brother and mom…he thinks that I -” my voice caught in my throat, and I cleared it before continuing. “-that I’ll never be worth anything.”
<He does not sound like a very nice person. Are all human fathers like this?> Sireah asked, clearly intrigued. As I began to tell my story, Sireah kept interrupting with more questions. She was clearly interested in humans, and so I launched into an explanation of human culture and the little that I knew of government. My fifth grade class had recently finished a unit on ancient Egypt, and I spent a lot of time talking about the hieroglyphics and Egyption deities. The more I said, the more intently Sireah seemed to listen. By the time I had finished, I was winded, throat dry from talking. Sireah, on the other hand, seemed nowhere near satisfied.
<Your race is fascinating. Oh what I would give to study it properly! The technology is so primitive, so backwards, but the potential is amazing!> Sireah went on in this fashion for awhile, allowing me to catch my breath.
“I’m glad someone likes Earth.” I finally said when I had recovered. “it’s too bad you can’t go in my place.”
<Yes, too bad indeed. It is also too bad that Andrin will have to erase your memory. A pity, really. You’re smart for a human your age, and I ->
“What?” I cut off Sireah, shocked, “Erase my memory? Why?”
<It is routine. We cannot have you telling other humans that you have seen us.>
“But I won’t tell!” I cried, a wave of terror rolling through me. Erase my memory!?
<I wish we could take your word from it, but it is policy,> Sireah said sadly. I was shell-shocked at this news. I didn’t want my memory taken from me. I had seen and survived horrible things, but that didn’t mean I wanted them not to have happened. I sighed and shifted, feeling the slight bulge under my jacket poke me in the ribs. If I wasn’t going to even remember anything there was no use for me to keep the blue box with me. What use would it be to keep something from someone when their very existence would be erased from my mind? Besides, if anyone deserved the souvenir it was Sireah. Since beginning this adventure she and Chris were the only two I had met who cared about me at all. Slowly, I drew it out of my jacket.
“Here…Sireah. I found this on the Yeerk ship. I won’t be needing it…I don’t even know what it’s for,” I said, handing her the box. She took it, staring at it with a look of shock.
<Teresa…do you know what this is?> Sireah asked, after a long pause.
“I just said that I didn’t.”
<Well, it’s called an Escafil Device. It gives you the power to take the DNA from any organic creature you touch. Essentially, you can become any living organism,> Sireah spoke slowly, as if contemplating an idea in her head, <where did you get this?>
“On the Yeerk ship,” I said, wondering why she kept asking me to repeat myself, “wait, it turns you into living things? Like animals? How does it work?”
Sireah did not answer immediately. Instead, she fixed me with a gaze so intense that I felt a shiver run through me.
<Teresa, you said that you do not wish to return home, correct?> Sireah asked.
“Yes…” I said, wondering what that had to do with anything.
<What if…what if I could make it so that you will not have to return home? So that your memory is not erased? Would you like that?>
“Yes,” I said eagerly, “please.”
<Okay, then you need to do exactly as I tell you. Put your hand on the side of the box,> Sireah instructed, a small, distant smile on her mouthless face. Cautiously, I obeyed. A moment later I felt a tingle run up and down my spine, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. An involuntary giggle escaped my lips.
“It tickles,” I said softly, looking up at the alien girl, “what did you do?”
<I gave you the power to morph. Now I need you to hold my hand,> Sireah offered her free hand, which I took obediently.
<Concentrate on what I look like. Form the picture in your head. There you go…good…good job…> her voice trailed off, as though she had suddenly become very sleepy. Perplexed at this new game, I removed my hand and watched her until she snapped out of her reverie.
“Are you okay?” I asked in concern.
<Yes, of course. That usually happens when you acquire something.>
“When you what?”
<Acquire something. Take its DNA. Here, I’ll show you,> Sireah reached out and grabbed my shoulder gently. For a moment nothing happened, but then I felt my eyelids grow heavy. A relaxing sensation trickled through my body and I suddenly desperately wanted to curl up and sleep.
<There,> Sireah said, removing her hand and snapping me out of it, <I have acquired you. See, now I can become you, which is what I am going to do. And you are going to become me.>
“Why?” I asked, still terribly confused. What did any of this have to do with my memory?
<I have no desire to fight in this war, Teresa,> Sireah said sullenly, <I have learned that I will be of no practical use as a warrior, and so I will instead follow my passion. I have always been fascinated by alien life, and there has been virtually no research on humanity. I will integrate myself in human life and learn about them.>
“But…I don’t want to be in a war,” I said timidly. I had no idea what war Sireah and the Andalites were involved in, but it had come up repeatedly during my interrogation and nothing about it sounded particularly fun.
<Don’t worry about it,> Sireah said, <you will be fine. Now do as I say and concentrate on me. On what I look like, down to the last detail. Then, picture yourself becoming me. Don’t be afraid.>
“I’m not afraid,” I lied. Now that I was faced with the opportunity to stay here and leave Earth I was uncertain. Still, Sireah had promised that it would be alright, and the thought of my fathers face when I returned home was more than enough to persuade me. I closed my eyes and concentrate on Sireah’s body.
I opened my eyes a few seconds later to tell Sireah how silly this game of pretend was. When I tried to talk, however, nothing happened. I tried again, but it was as though my lips had been paralyzed. I reached my hands up to my face and immediately fought back a wave of revulsion. My mouth had disappeared from my face! This was ultimately a good thing, because as soon as I realized I could not talk I tried to scream. When that did not work I stopped the morph. Ahh! Human! Human! I thought, in a panic.
(No! Teresa, concentrate. Don’t scream. It’s okay. Just concentrate on me.) Sireah’s voice cut through the panic in my head, and I tried to calm myself down. I opened my eyes and looked down at myself. My skin had begun to sprout purpley-blue fur, and I was still minus a mouth, but other than that, I was still me. Squeezing my eyes shut again and breathing deeply through my nose to calm myself down, I continued to morph.
The fur continued to grow. My torso narrowed and my shoulder blades growing more angular. I almost lost it again when extra pair of legs exploded from my stomach. Simply exploded! Only sheer willpower kept me moving forward, as I did everything in my power to keep the fear from taking me over.
About halfway through the morph I realized that the shorts I was wearing might not make it through the whole morph, and shed them and my t-shirt and jacket before continuing. I felt two protrusions grow from my head, which became eyes, heard the sickening crack of my bones readjusting. I was scared, but I couldn’t show Sireah that. The final change was the tail, which schlooped from my spine and formed a small, but fierce, tail blade at the end of it. With a final grinding everything stopped. I opened my eyes.
I was looking at myself. A ten-year-old girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, short for her age, with a smattering of freckles across her nose. I was shocked for a moment, but more because of the fact that the ‘me’ Sireah had become was stark naked than for any other reason. After all, I saw an identical version of myself every day, through Tammy.
<Um…Sireah? Can you hear me?> I thought at her cautiously.
“Yes, I can,” Sireah replied. I saw her brows draw together in surprise, “can. Cay-un.”
<Right…well, put some clothes on, Sireah. I tossed them in the corner,> I said. Sireah went over to where I had shed my clothes. From there on it was an interesting show as Sireah tried to figure out what went where. It took awhile, but eventually everything was in place and the morphing cube was hidden once more.
<Wait a second,> I said, shifting awkwardly on my four hooves, <if you’re going to pretend to be me, he’s going to erase your memory.>
“No he won’t. I can replace…ree-playce…the dosage with liquid grass. It’s the same color. The memory modifier is given as something to drink, or as an injection. It will be easy enough to switch them, and Andrin is too preoccupied to notice.”
<So…we’re really doing this?>
“Yes,” Sireah said happily.
<Sireah,> I asked slowly, <I will be able to change back, right? When I'm through exploring and want to go home. I'll be able to be myself again, right? I'll be able to go home and be with my sister and brother again and tell them about all the adventures I have, right?>
The Andalite named Sireah remained silent for a long moment before fixing me with a smile.
"Of course you will, Teresa. Of course you will."
Even after all I had been through, I never even suspected that she might lie. We set to work learning how to operate in our new bodies, and as the internal clock I had inherited clicked past the first two hours I thought nothing of it.
