Animorphs #55: The Prologue

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The ship finally reached our sector of the galaxy a few days later. It took another couple of weeks to reach the Yeerk homeworld. As we neared the planet, the commander of the Andalite blockade contacted our ship.

((This is Captain Tralik-Drashneth-Finarith of the Andalite fleet. Identify yourself or you will be destroyed.))

"They don't beat around the bush, do they?" Marco laughed. "These guys haven't changed a bit."

Jake smiled too. Then he responded. "This is Jake." he gave his last name. "We have important information regarding Prince Aximili-Esgarrouth-Ishthil."

((Jake as in Jake the Animorph?)) came the stunned reply. You would have thought Jake was the Ellimist for the way this guy's voice sounded.

"Yeah, that Jake."

((You are flying a Yeerk ship that was reported stolen many Earth months ago,)) Tralik pointed out.

"They're everyone's months," Marco muttered. "Jake, tell him they're everyone's months."

"Yeah, we know the ship's stolen," Jake told him. "We borrowed it. Now let us dock. You and I need to have a talk."

((Of course, sir. Whatever you say. You are cleared for docking. Please proceed.)) He sounded really excited. Then again, meeting the leader of the Animorphs was probably the biggest moment of his life.

Jake turned to me. "When we get there, we'll arrange transportation to Earth. Remember: find Cassie, then look for evidence of an invasion."

"Yeah, I'll do that," I said. "Good luck with the Andalites. I almost forgot how...prickly they could be."

"Prickly?" Marco asked. "That's probably the stick rammed up their species' collective "

"Docking now," Menderash interrupted.

On the Andalite Dome ship, we were greeted as heroes. There had been all sorts of rumors about the disappearance of Jake and Marco. Everything from alien abduction to kidnapping, to another war was said to have happened. To find the galaxy's favorite celebrities safe and sound was more than they could have hoped for.

While Jake, Marco, and Menderash briefed Tralik, Jeanne, Santorelli, and I toured the ship. It didn't take long for me to get out of the hallways of the command structure and out into the dome itself.

Dome ships are the pride of the Andalite fleet. They're really just a giant circular dome on top of a long stick. The stick was the command bridge with weapons, engines, and stuff like that. The dome was the impressive part.

The floor of the dome was covered in different types of grass from the Andalites' home world. There were trees, bushes, and even streams. Andalites were grazers who fed by absorbing nutrients through their hooves. The dome allowed them to feed.

I saw a pair of young Andalites practicing their tail-fighting. Andalites are strange by human standards. Their lower body is like a deer's. They have a humanoid torso with arms and a head where you'd expect them to be. They have two eyes where humans have them, plus two more on stalks on top of their heads. They have no mouths. Their whole bodies are covered in blue-green fur. And at then end of their lower body, they have a tail.

The tail is an amazing thing. An Andalite's tail is faster than the human eye can see. And strong, too. An Andalite could cut off your head and send it rolling on the ground before you had time to wonder where your head went.

It was odd to see young Andalites here. This was no rookie mission. If anything was going to happen here, it was serious business. No place for arisths, warriors in training.

Then again, Ax had been an aristh when he came to earth. He had been allowed to come along because his brother, Elfangor, was a great hero. These Andalites must have been the same way.

"Hey," I called.

The two Andalites broke off and bowed to me. ((Can we help you, human?)) one asked.

I recognized him. His name was Elfangor-Semitur-Trilum. Alloran-Semitur-Corrass was his grandfather. Alloran was the only Andalite ever captured by a Yeerk. That Yeerk happened to be Visser Three, our greatest enemy. It was Visser Three who killed Elfangor and nearly killed the rest of us as well. His son named his own child named after Elfangor, the only Andalite with the courage to try to free his father.

I didn't recognize the other Andalite. And of course, Elfangor didn't recognize me. He had never seen me in my human morph. My human body. "You don't recognize me," I told Elfangor.

((Should I?)) he asked.

"It's fine. I had a lot more feathers last time we met," I smiled.

((Tobias?)) he asked after a pause.

"Yeah. I've had a little work done," I told him. "How's Loren?" Loren was my mother.

((She is well. She enjoys our homeworld very much. She is well liked and we enjoy her as well. We have even permitted her to acquire an Andalite morph.))

"That's good," I said. "Who's your friend?"

((Alloran-Sirinial-Fangor,)) Elfangor answered. ((Your brother.))

"Brother? I don't have a brother."

It was Alloran who answered me. ((I was put into hiding lest the Yeerks find me. No one but my father knew where I was. With the destruction of the Yeerks, I have been put back into Andalite society.))

"Why didn't someone tell me?" I demanded.

((It was at my mother's request. She...she was not a supporter of Andalite-human relations. She did not want me to meet my half-brother.))

"Who is your mother? Anyone I've heard of?"

((She was a scientist at the Academy named Enril-Natarran-Ithnils. I doubt you have heard of her.))

I hadn't. At least I knew who these two were related to that they were allowed to be this close to the Yeerk homeworld.

"So, you're my brother?" I said. "Then we have some catching up to do. Did you ever see Elfangor?"

((He used to visit me when he could. It was always dangerous because of the secrecy, but it was worth it. He used to talk to me about the world. About the war. He taught me about honor and duty. Loyalty and sacrifice. Like the sacrifice he made for me.))

"For both of us. I only saw him once," I said. "It was just before he died. I didn't know who he was then. I don't know if he knew who I was either. He probably suspected, though."

((Would you like to hear some of the stories he told me?)) Alloran asked. I had some time to kill. Yes, yes I would.