Revisited

Chapter 1

Tobias walked calmly to the edge of the pier, avoiding any eye contact with his Hork-Bajir captors who dragged him roughly along by his arms that were bound behind his back. He looked down into the murky swamp like pool, barely making out the individual slugs that basked in it. He looked back up at the large Kandrona on the building overhead. The now alien sun beat down on him, as he was held at the edge of the Yeerk pool.

"NOOOOO!" Rachel sprung up screaming, her eyes darted around her surroundings.

She was in the hidden clearing about a days walk from the Hork-Bajir's valley. The others lie sleeping around her. She leaned back against a log and closed her eyes. The nightmare had returned to her again, just as it had been for the the last three weeks. Maybe they meant something? Maybe Tobias was in danger? Maybe-

She was pulled from her thought by the touch of two tiny hands on her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly, and say the concerned face of a toddler.

"Aunt Ray-el otay?"

Rachel smiled despite herself. "Yes, Hope. I'm fine."

Hope seemed content with that answer and smiled the toothy grin of a child. "Good. I stay with you?"

Rachel raised an eyebrow and looked over at Cassie. "Don't you want to stay with your mother?"

She shook her head, her stubby black hair reflected the moonlight. "No, mommy's sad."

"Why is she sad, Hope? Can you tell me?"

Hope looked away from her aunt and focused on a rock at her feet. "Daddy."

Rachel sighed and motioned for her niece to her. Hope crawled into her lap and huddled against her to get out of the chill night brought. Rachel looked down and saw tears glisten against the child's cheeks.

She hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry, Hope. I'm so sorry."

After her birth, the Animorphs-even Ax- all had vowed to protect Hope from the pain and fear they had grown up with. After Jake disappeared and was feared dead, or worse, a Controller, the promise shattered like glass.

Rachel shivered as a cool breeze blew a brown leaf across her foot. Fall. That meant winter was on the way, and if they had no shelter or food....

Rachel shoved the thought from her mind. No need to fear the future when your life is already full of it, she thought with a light-hearted chuckle. She looked up at Tobias resting in the tree above her. "I won't let them take you from me." She then looked down at the sleeping little girl in her arms, "or you." she promised and drifted off away from reality.

Chapter 2

Rachel awoke the next morning and looked up at the dull gray sky-Instead, she was greeted by Marco's grinning face.

"'Morning sunshine!"

Rachel laughed and punched his shoulder playfully, "Oh, shut up."

Marco smiled, then jerked with surprise as a wad of wet leaves hit him in the back of the head. Hope held up one finger and scolded him. "Not nice to tease."

"Oh is it?" Marco challenged as he leaned over, and before she could react, released the most vicious attack of all-tickling.

Rachel smiled and shook her head, "Marco, Marco, Marco. When will you ever grow up?"

Marco stopped, releasing the squirming, giggling Hope. "Me? Not grown up? I can be if you want." He said batting his eyes dramatically.

Rachel laughed and shoved him out of her way. "Whatever."

Rachel took her seat next to Cassie on the moist ground. Hope sat in her mother's lap, for the moment occupied with a dew tipped leaf. "Good morning." Rachel exclaimed as cheerfully as she could after seeing her friend's face.

"Good morning." Cassie replied, her voice just above being emotionless.

Rachel bit her lip, "Look, Cassie, I'm really sorry about-"

" Don't be." Cassie cut her off trying to avoid the subject.

Rachel looked at the ground. Why was her life like this? Why couldn't it be like a normal adult's? Why couldn't her childhood be safe and simple like most? Why? Rachel shook her head. There were so many questions, none could be answered. And yet she still wondered-

<Greetings> Ax entered the clearing shortly after grazing.

"Hi Ax-mili!" Hope exclaimed gleefully.

Cassie gave a small half smile before standing, "Is Tobias back from scouting for breakfast?"

<Yup,> came another thought-speech voice. A hawk landed on the branch above Rachel's head. He quickly morphed human and tossed everyone a small package of rations. "Sorry if it tastes bad. It's the shit they give the hosts, it was all I could find."

Marco shrugged and took a bite from his rations bar. "I don't think we have a choice at this point."

Hope ran over to Cassie, extending her arms high above her head.

Ax nodded, observing the motion. <Ah, I believe that is known among children as the universal sign to be lifted.>

At that point the chewing stopped. Marco starred at him, eyes wide, before running up to shake one of his weak hands. "Congrats Ax-man! You made a joke!"

Ax just looked confused. < I do not understand. Was that intended to be funny?>

That got a laugh out of everyone. Cassie picked up her daughter and looked toward the sky, just in time to see the a flash of light travel across the hazy atmosphere. "What the-"

All eyes directed toward the sky, a hail of lights flew by. "ships?" Rachel mused.

Tobias nodded. "Yeerk, the markings are distinct. There most likely searching for something-for us. I can't be sure, human eyes are just so weak...."

Cassie pulled Hope closer fearfully, "How did they know to come here?" Her brown eyes locked on Rachel's, "You don't think they infested.." She stopped, unwilling to believe it. "But he wouldn't give up that easily. Not Jake."

Marco shook his head, "He'd force his freedom," then added under his breath, "Or death."

The small girl perked up "Daddy coming?"

Rachel turned once more to the now frightening sky, Tobias squeezed her hand.

"Maybe, Hope. Maybe."

Chapter 3

Rachel awoke the following night, unable to stand the pounding rain. She shivered, pulling her knees into her chest, as far away from the soaked leaves as she could get. She rested her chin on her knees, hunching her shoulders in the process. She rocked herself for awhile, before standing to stretch.

She heard the soft ruffle of feathers, followed by two arms slip around her waist

"Couldn't sleep?" Tobias asked from his position behind her.

"No, who can?" She said simply, leaning her head against his.

"Yea, I don't know how they do it." He said a small laugh gazing toward the others.

Rachel gave a soft laugh as well, and fell silent. Tobias eyes drifted to her face. Her blond hair, now grown long, was hastily tied in a double bun, leaving a few golden strands to caress her face. He smiled slightly and tilted his head so he could whisper into her ear.

"Rachel?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"I love you."

She looked into his eyes. The impulse hit at the same time, they leaned forward, only inches apart-

SNAP

Their heads snapped up as a twig snapped in the brush behind them, followed by a load thump of a body. Rachel pushed aside a dead branch, eyes laying upon a dark figure, blood stricken, laying on the ground.

"Oh, my.." Cassie gasped, now fully awake. She made her way, picking across the dead branches, toward the figure. She carefully knelt down to check for a pulse, when his eyes flew open.

"Cassie?"

"Jake?"

Chapter 4

Rachel watched, obviously concerned, as Cassie tended to Jake's wounds. He looked asleep, yet Rachel still couldn't find the courage to look at his face, fore a long sith shaped scare ran down his left eye, turning it completely white.

"Is he alright?" She whispered to her friend, careful not to wake her sleeping cousin.

Cassie shook her head, "I truly don't know, he's in pretty bad shape." She turned to look at her friend's eyes, making sure she would get a truthful answer. "What do you think, Rachel?"

Rachel hesitated, Should she tell what she really thought? Or what Cassie wanted to hear? "Well, I-"

She was cut off by Hope's loud appearance,"Daddy!"

She was followed by a gasping Marco. Rachel hit him on the back of the head. "You were supposed to watch her!"

"Yea, and I did." Marco wheezed, "I watched her run."

Rachel sighed and bent down so she was eye to eye with the little girl, "Your dad's not able to see you right now-"

"Let her," Jake mumbled, "Come here, Fresit" He said, using the Galard nickname Toby had given her.

She happily bounded over and wrapped her small arms around his neck. He hugged her back gingerly, and whispered something to her. Hope giggled at hugged him tighter, whispering her incomplete sentences back.

Cassie smiled, happy to see her family back together again, and lifted Hope into her arms. "I think we should go, your father needs his rest, and you need to get back to bed."

Hope nodded, "'Night daddy! Love you!"

"'Love you too, Hope."

Jake watched the others turn to leave, "Cassie, may I talk to you for a moment?"

She laid Hope down next to Rachel and sat next to him, "What is it?"

"I need to ask you," he paused, "do you remember where the blue box is hidden?"

"Yes, it's-"

"Good," He cut her off quickly, not sure how she'd react, "We're going to have to give Hope the power."

Chapter 5

"What?!" Cassie screeched.

Jake put his hand against her mouth to silence her, "They know where we are, it's the only way to get her out alive."

"Jake, she's four-"

"Her age won't matter if she's dead." He snapped.

They fell silent. Both feeling sick and helpless.

"It's too dangerous, what if the animal brain gains control? She doesn't have enough strength to control it and figure out how to fly in bird morph."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I'll go with her on foot." Cassie concluded quietly.

Jake looked at her, his single eye shining with shock, fear, and concern. "No, please don't." He pleaded lifting her chin, "You and Hope...You're all I have left, and I love you both more than anything. I couldn't live if I lost you." He slumped a little, breathing hard. He had used most of his strength on the argument.

Cassie held her head in her hands, not sure what to say. "I never, not even in my wildest dreams, though I'd have to make this kind of decision if I became a mother."

"Really," Jake replied dryly, "It happens all the time."

Cassie gave a half smile, "Maybe we should discuss this with the others in the morning."

He frowned, but after a few minutes shrugged. "Alright, we'll discuss this later."

And with that, he closed his eyes and drifted.

Chapter 6

He closed his eyes and...

<Taxxons!> Everyone jolted awake upon hearing Tobias' thought speech warning. <They're about a mile away, but moving fast!>

"Damn." Jake mumbled, "Everyone, morph bird! NOW!" Cassie gave him a questioning glance as she tried to comfort Hope. He grabbed her arm and began to run, "We'll go on foot."

<Prince Jake, I->

"Just shut up and fly!" He snapped. Ax shot a worried glance at the others and took off.

Cassie followed behind Jake, one hand in his, the other arm wrapped securely around Hope. "Jake! Morph bird! You don't have the strength yet to-"

"I'm not leaving you! Stop talking, I don't know how good their hearing is."

"Like that maters? They already know our scent-"

"I know!"

Cassie decided to end it there. Jake was tense, they all were. It was still dark, she couldn't see a foot in front of her face, and she could hear-and smell-the Taxxons tracking them like dogs.

"Mommy? I can't see." Hope interrupted her thoughts.

"I know. I know, just hold on. We'll get out of this, I promise." She said looking anxiously up at the sky.

Rachel watched them weave through the forest with her owl eyes. <Damn, this does not look good.>

<You think?>Marco added sarcastically, <I can't see a thing.>

<That's funny, I can see perfectly.>

<That's 'cause your in freaking owl morph!>

<Well you two shut up?!> Tobias snapped. <Rachel, do you see anyway out of this?>

Rachel scanned the forest below. <No, nothing.>

<Wait!> Ax shouted in his Rentrel morph, a night bird from the Andalite homeworld. <There! Prince Jake!>

Chapter 7

Jake limped/ran through the trees, dragging Cassie behind him. She had been right, he was too weak to continue. The scabs that had grown to cover his cuts were torn open and bleeding, and his head was spinning from a horrible combination of the pain and lack of sleep.

Cassie seemed to notice the slight stagger that haunted his steps. "I can get Hope out, you should morph bird and-"

"No." He protested stubbornly. "I'm not about to let you-"

He jerked back suddenly as Cassie yanked his arm to a halt. "And I'm not about to let you DIE!"

Jake looked back into the fading darkness behind them, then at Cassie. "At the time being, I'm not the person we should be worried about. Look, I'll distract them. Maybe I can lead them away, or..." He trailed off, already sure Cassie knew what he meant.

She shook her head. "Jake, please just get out of here."

Jake looked at her, eyes pleading. The Taxxons were getting closer, he could almost smell the hunger that seemed to thrive off the creatures. "We need to decide-"

<Prince Jake! A river! It is aproximently 20 of your yards away from your current position.>

"A river? Why-"

"We have to lose our sent!" Cassie exclaimed, bolting into a run. She grabbed Jake's arm, just as the first Taxxons crawled into view.

Chapter 8

She wadded into the icy water, it was well above her waist, but Cassie didn't care. She just wanted to get deeper. "Hold your breath." She whispered, gently covering Hope's face, she then ducked under the water until she felt her lungs would burst.

Jake waved away various fish and insects that had been attracted to the dry blood that had caked on his skin. He surfaced, soaked, and scanned the shore.

Nothing.

He strained his ears.

Nothing.

Not even Cassie and Hope.

How had they gotten separated? He thought, looking toward the sky for the others.

In the middle of the madness, day still managed to break, silhouetting four birds.

<They're on the other side of that log, about ten feet.> Tobias answered helpfully.Afraid to attract attention, Jake didn't reply verbally, he simply nodded his head, knowing how good hawk eyes were.

He ducked under the rotting log, fully submerged, then broke the surface behind her. Cassie jumped upon hearing the the sudden splash. She turned quickly, coming face to face with Jake.

"Oh, thank God." She whispered, putting her free arm around him. He hugged her back as Hope huddled against him.

Back in the sky, Tobias turned his fierce hawk gaze to the others. <You should demorph.>

<I agree. We have ten earth minutes left in morph.> Ax agreed.

<I would have stayed,>Rachel spoke to Tobias in private though-speech. <If I was in hawk morph.> Marco was about to supply his agreement, when he noticed a group of trees moved from the movement of a large animal. <Um guys?> He yelled down to the others. <I hate to interrupt this Kodak moment, but we've got company.>

As if on cue a deep rumbling roar sounded from the water's edge, vibrating the very earth itself.

Chapter 9

Cassie froze eyes fixed on the giant Htoojet that stood on the shore only a few yards away.

The Htoojet, was a large creature from the planet Htref that resembled the tyranosuaruas rex, only much larger. They were thought to be extinct for millions of years, until one family was spotted wondering the vast savannahs-and the only way the yeerks could express themselves was to infest it.

"Don't make any sudden movements." She whispered.

Not moving his arm from her waist, Jake slowly began to move backwords toward the log. He kept his eye on the creature, but keeping Hope in the corner of his vision. Even with her chattering blue mouth, the small girl was amazingly calm. Survival was an intenct to her, she knew when to cry, and when not to.

This was one of those situations when crying would not be a good thing.

He crept ever so slowly until his body was pressed agianst the rotting old log trapped in the middle of the rushing water. For what seemed to span hours, no one moved. Not Jake, Cassie nor Hope. Not the Htoojet, not even the birds above. Not a soul with common sence moved.

The monsterous creature tilted its feathered head to smell the air. It lefted it's snout to its extent and paused, oboring the scent of its surroundings, before releasing deep, short, barks.

Rachel flew to a sterdy branch hidden in leaves to demorph. "What's it doing?" She asked, mostly to herself, as she gianed her human voice.

Marco looked on through his melding eyes, "Dunno, but it sure can't strick a note."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "You can be such an idiot."

"Thank you, Rachel. Not many people reconize my talent."

<I do not believe this is a topic to be discussed at the current situation.> Ax cut in from his hidden overhang as he demorphed. < But, as you humans prefere to put it, 'I have a plan'>

Three more Htoojets emerged from the forest to surround the river bank.

"You know Ax-man? I'm beginning to think this would be a very good time to share that plan of yours."

Unfourtunitly, Marco had to wait a while longer, fore Ax had already put his plan into action.

Chapter 10

Ax ran through the forest, When he had caught the "t-rex" by surprise, he had killed it easily, maybe these creatures weren't any different. He looked cautiously from side to side; the taxxons had retreated.

Most likely to dine on some other creature. He thought grimly, as he postitioned his tail ready to strike, not at all expecting what happened.

"He ran off." Marco explained to Rachel, "Don't ask me why, I wish I knew, but he just ran off."

Rachel frowned, "Well, we can't just sit here-"

"And whats wrong with that?"

"-Let's morph birds. Again."

Marco sighed as he watched her features melt into feathers. "I just wish you can be more original-"

<Where the hell is Ax?> Tobias interupted.

<You just noticed?> Marco more or less snorted.

<He was behind that Hjoot. Now he's gone!>

<There's always something.> Rachel mumbled.

<Don't look now, but here come a whole bunch of somethings.>

Jake swore under his breath as the hork-bajir charged from the woods behind them. One grabbed Cassie firmly, jerked her backwards, then forced her beneath the surface.

Jake ran towards it in fury, "Leave them alone you Son of a-ARGH!" He screamed in pain as one of the Hjoot bit down on his leg, crashing it with his powerful jaws, then with an efortless flick of the head, threw him into a nearby tree.

He hit head first.

Cassie suddenly felt her body jerked down into the icy water. Hork-bajir claws dug a shallow gash into the center of her forehead as it held her under the surface of the river. It was trying to drown her- and Hope along with her.

TSWEEER

Tobias dove, striking the Hork-bajir's weak eyes. It dropped Cassie, swinging its hands widly at the hawk.

<Yeehaa! Here comes the calvery!> Marco crowed, now in full gorilla morph. He picked up the nearest creature and threw it toward a group of five large Hork-bajir, all witch fell on impact. <You know, I think I just invented a new olympic sport: Yeerk Bowling.>

Cassie smiled grimly as she ran through the shallow water toward a hollowed, rotting log she had seen earlier along the river. She set Hope down and intructed for her to crawl inside. "Wait here." She began to morph wolf.

"Mommy?"

"Not a word. I'll come get you when it's safe."

The little girl nodded, afraid to speak by her mother's harsh tone.

Cassie gave her a "Everythings going to be fine." look before comleteing the morph and rushing to battle.

Chapter 11

<About time you showed up.> Rachel grunted as she tossed a hork-bajir off her now bleeding back.

<I have certain responsibilities,> She snapped, <Where is everyone?>

<Well, Marco's over there bowling, Tobias is in the sky somewhere, Ax is missing, and Jake is-was-laying over there.> She threw a smaller hork-bajir with the turn of her head to the direction she had been refering to.

<Where is he now?>

< I don't-Look out!> Cassie jerked her head up, clamping her jaws around the arm of a hor-bajir. She jerked just hard enough to detach the arm.

<ouch.> Rachel winced thoughtfully.

<Yea, ouch.> Marco winced himself, eyes fixed on the knife-like object sticking out of his stomache, the handel firmly stuck in the center of his back.

<Marco! Demorph!>

He looked at Cassie as if she were mad, <Yea, sure. and then I'd be impaled as a human. I'd rather be stabbed as a monkey.>

Cassie hesitated, Hope was in danger, Jake and Ax were missing, possibly dead, and Marco was slowly bleeding to death. <Let's back off.> She finally decided, voice as low as she could manage.

<What?! But-> Rachel startred, no willing to give the enemy the plessure of vicotory.

<We'll acomplish nothing in this fight. Back off.>

Rachel stopped. She trusted her friend's judgement. She trusted her enough, to turn away as the yeerks cried cheers of victory

Chapter 12

Cassie quickly demorphed, as did Rachel. Tobias stayed alone, perched on a nearby branch, mumbeling about their defeat.

Cassie walked into position behind Marco and gathered the handel of the knife (so to speak) in her hand. "This is going to hurt." She warned tightening her grip.

<Yea? Well it can't possibly more than->

Cassie yanked the object out.

<DAMN IT!> He demorphed, sluring his curses as his mouth formed. "Um, ow. Remind me to always take you seriously." He winced, rubbing his stomach.

<I would suggest you do, Marco.> Ax siad as he guided Hope to the others.

<Ax-Man! Where were you?> Tobias asked.

<It is rather embarressing to admitt, but I was as you prefere to put it "knocked out" When the Hootjet decided to turn abruptly, its tail cuaght me on the side of the head.> He admitted with a small smile, but it soon faded when the subject was changed. < I recovered, and saw Prince Jake advance west. I was unable to call to him at the time, though.>

"West?" Marco asked, "But isn't the that the direction of-"

"The local yeerkpool." Rachel finished, with the nodd of the head. "He's a controller."

Cassie starred in disbelief. "How could he? When?"

"He was missing for awhile." Marco agreed grimly.

Cassie shook her head, This was not happening to her, it was impossible.....Wasn't it? "But why? Why would he try to save Hope and me if he was a yeerk?"

<An act, perhaps?> Tobias mused, <A way for the yerrks to get inside us?>

A ship flew over head, roaring dangeriously close to the tree line.

"What's that one?" Rachel asked, "I haven't seen one of those before."

Marco shrugged, "As long as it's not yeerk I don't care," He then smiled to himself, "Whoever's flying it, tough, needs some help. No one with a brain would fly that close."

Rachel frowned, speaking in a mocking tone to herself. "Oh, but that's impossible. Marco's right here. he can't be flying it then."

There was a large crash in the distance.

"So I guess it was the ship itself." Cassie said, as Hope sleepily yawned in her arms.

<Let's check it out. We may be able to help whoever was on board, and take the ship to get help.> Tobias took to the air.

Ax agreed with the others, but silently added to himself, <This is not a good idea. You can never trust a bounty hunter.>

Chapter 13

Rachel over a fallen tree, to where the ship had creashed. It didn't apear damanged. But then agian, the ship itsel looked like many peices glues together. It was small and compact, perfect for getting in and out of tight places. On the haul. a symble stook out distenctly.

"What kind of peice of -"

She was stopped by the nose of an alien gun shoved into her face. "Touch her, I'll blow your head from your shoulders." A scaley humanoid stated harshly. "Now place your hands on your head, and tell those friends of yours to do the same."

Rachel swallowed, and followed his orders. "What friends?" She lied.

"Don't play stupid with me human. The Hunter has a raidar system. There are three more humans, an andalite, and an unidentified flying creature with you. Now ask your companions to join us before I have to." He ordered, moving the gun to aim at a random place in the woods, that coincedental or not, Rachel wasn't sure, was the postition of Ax.

"All right. All right. Geez, we already heard you!" Marco whined as he entered the clearing, resting his hands on his head himself. Ax pressed his tail into the ground, while Tobias morphed to human.

"Now," The bounty hunter finally rasped, lowering the gun. "Who are you?"

"I think your the one who should be answering-" Tobias started.

The creature tapped a single claw against Tobias' throught. "I'll be the one asking the questions." He calmly moved the muzzel of the gun from each to the Animorphs to the other. "Any more questions?"

Marco stepped in front of the others. "Hi, my name is Marco, this is Cassie, Hope, Rachel, Tobias, and Aximilli, or as we call him Ax. Now could you explain why your here and why you have us in a hold up here?" He then turned to the others. "Geez, I feel like I'm in one of those old western movies."

He frowned, not at all impressed. "I am Grashik. I was short on fuel and decided to take a jump out of Z-Space. But that wasted the rest of my fuel, and burned the core." He pointed at a charred peice of metal.

"What is that...thing?" Rachel asked, pointing at the sympol she had noted earlier.

Grashik glarred at her. "I will answer no more questions. You will not speek of me, or I will be forced to silence you personaliy." He said turning back to the Hunter

Too afriad to lose this oppertunity for a ship, Tobias cried after him. "You wouldn't do that, we're shapeshifters. We'd be powerful allies."

He stopped and turned to face them all. "You wan't to work in the bounty trade with me?"

Bounty trade? Rachel thought in shock. God, Tobias, what are you dragging us into?

"Do you know what happened to that partner?" Grashik continued, leaning in close to Hope, his nose inches from hers. "Do you know what happened?"

Cassie tried to pull back, but he grabbed her shoulders leaning closer still.

"I ate him.

Chapter 14

"Bounty hunter! It just had to be a bounty hunter!" Rachel mumbled. "If it wasn't enough we're the most wanted people in the yeerk empire. We just had to run across a bounty hunter! Whatever happened to normal Saturdays at the mall?"

"I'll tell you what happened." Marco spat sarcasticly. "The yeerks came and blew it up. That's what happened."

<Marco, I really don't think this is the time...> Tobias began.

"What do you mean 'not the time'? It's never the time! There is no time anymore! The human race is out of time! There is nothing left! Our families are dead, our friends are dead! What's left of the world our slaves in their own bodies! We've been on the run for fourteen years, there are aliens everywhere, Jake's been captured, there's a food shortage, and there's no future for Hope-"

Cassie, who had been sitting silently, couldn't take it anymore. "STOP IT! Don't you think I know that? Don't you know that everyone here relizes this?! This isn't some video game. We're all dieing. Not that's it's obvious now, but we are. The memories, no supplies... It's killing us!" She looked at the others, seeming exashted from her outburst, her own eyes tearing up. "Life will never be the same, Marco. I suggest you deal with it."

"That was a very moving speech woman."

They whipped around in surprise. Grashik stood with a gun pointed directly at the sorry group of Animorphs. "Now, I have a bargin to set with you."

<A bargin?> Ax mused, <What kind of bargin.>

Grashik loward his weapon and sat on a nearby boulder. "I couldn't help but to over hear you ranting." He smiled, almoust amuzed. "I've heard of you-and your situation. From the stories that travel the trade routes, I gather you need a ride to the Andalite homeworld.

"That would be us." Marco agreed.

"I will give you that ride if you repair my ship. You andalites have a talent with machinery. You help me, I'll help you."

Rachel thought a moment then nodded. "Sounds fair enough."

"Deal?" He rasped, extending one scaley hand.

"Deal." Rachel confirmed, taking his hand.

Chapter 15

"So your saying this peice goes here?" Marco asked poking his head into the box of circuits.

< Yes, this technology is rather primative, yet that is the basic structure for many peoples' ships.> Ax assured him.

"Okay, so your saying if I touch this wire, I won't get fried or anything?"

<In a matter of speaking:yes.>

"Oh, darn. Ax, you shouldn't have told him!" Rachel grinned down at them.

Marco shook his head, in result hitting his head on a sheet of metal hanging over his head. "Ow!" He said rubbing his head, and checking for the slightest trace of blood.

Rachel laughed then quickly stopped, "Did you hear that?"

Marco strained his ears. "Hear what?"

"The hollow sound of your head!" She laughed and walked off to discuss something or another with Tobias.

Cassie just rolled her eyes, "You two will never grow up."

Marco's face dropped its laughing mask, leaving a ghost of a smile. "Yea, well that's one thing that wil never change."

"Hello." Hope siad cheerfully.

"Uh-huh." Grashik acknoledged, only slightly aware she was there.

"What's your name?" After waiting for a reply, she continued. "My name's Hope."

"Uh-huh."

"What's ya doing?"

"I'm trying to fix this."

Hope nodded, not fully sure what "this" was. "Oh. Can it fly?"

"This peice itself can't."

"I see." She said, mimicking what she had heard Aximilli say several times before. "Will the ship fly?"

"If you let me to work it will."

Hope smiled, not at all taking the hint. "I hope so. Mommy says if we can leave, we can go to Ax'mili's house. And then we could get Daddy back too."

Hope rattled on for hours, explaining this and that, what happened to who, who died over the course of twenty days, what she had done yesterday, and strangely, how much she wanted to try chocolate.

"Ax'milli used to tell me 'bout it. He said it was really good. Maybe daddy will let me have some when we get to the other planet?"

Grashik turned to look at her. "Why don't you run off? Okay? Just leave."

"But I like watching you work."

"Then shut up." Grashik growled impatiently.

Hope shrugged. "'Kay." With that she ploped down and held conversation with a kind of wrench or another, much like any other girl would play with a doll.

Grashik sighed and turned back to work.

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