Except for us and two of our friends who have disappeared."; I could see Galuit slump. He seemed suddenly older. More frail.
"Why us?" Marco asked. "Why do you need us to go in and arm this switch?"
We have few Andalites here on the planet now. And none who possess the wide array of morphs you have,"; Galuit explained. All Andalite warriors are morph-capable. But few acquire morphs or use them. That is mostly done by our people in intelligence. Spies. But you four may be able to penetrate the Yeerk forces."; Suddenly he looked confused. His eyes went left, then right. I was sure it was four. Where is the other human?"; A cold lance of fear struck my hearts.
Prince Jake was still there. Cassie, too. But Marco ...
"Marco!" Prince Jake cried.
"Marco! Marco!"
We are disappearing one by one!"; I said.
Galuit yelled a thought-speak summons that was heard clear through the submarine. Science officer, report to me, right now!"; "This is insane!" Cassie said, her eyes blazing. "What is happening? One by one we're disappearing."
Cold fear wormed through my insides. I felt sorry for Marco and the others. Very sorry.
But now I was more afraid than anything. It didn't take too much imagination to figure out that the rest of us would be disappearing eventually.
It's one thing to face an enemy. It's very different to wait, powerless, for some unseen force to simply ... delete you.
The sub raced on through the bright Leeran sea.
But there was no time to enjoy the view. Prince Jake, Cassie, and I were surrounded by Andalites. We were cross-examined by the sub's science officer. In between questions from him we were bombarded by questions from Galuit and a counterintelligence officer.
It was nerve-racking. But at least it kept my mind off the awful suspense of waiting ...
waiting ... waiting for another one of us to disappear.
How long were you in Zero-space?"; Are you sure Captain Samilin knew the ship was heading for Yeerk lines?"; What was the mass of the creature you morphed on Earth before being dragged into Zero-space?"; Did Captain Samilin seem embittered, stressed?"; At last, after an hour, Galuit put an end to it. Enough! Samilin was a traitor.
We have to accept that."; He turned to the science officer. And you've asked the same questions fifty times. Give me a hypothesis."; Sir, I don't have enough--"; the science officer started to say.
Just give me your best guess!"; Galuit demanded.
I ... I think these humans and this aristh are still caught in a residual flux field. It is pulling them back toward Zero-space. It may even be snapping them all the way back to Earth. But my best guess is that what's happening is a sort of elastic effect. They were stretched through Zero-space and back into normal space, but a small amount of their mass is still back on Earth. It may be acting like an anchor."; "We're on some big Zero-space rubber band?" Prince Jake asked. "It's been stretching all this time, and now it's starting to snap back?"
all yes,"; the science officer said, after I explained what a rubber band was.
"Maybe all the way back to Earth, in which case Rachel and Tobias and Marco are alive," Cassie said. "Or maybe just into Zero-space. In which case ..."
From the data you've given me, the effect appears to be accelerating,"; the science officer said. ally will go, one by one, faster and faster now.
Like your friends, you will each disappear."; Galuit said, Under these circumstances, I cannot ask you to carry out this mission."; Prince Jake shrugged. "Under these circumstances, it doesn't look like we have anything to lose."
We were briefed by one of Galuit's officers.
The central arming unit is well hidden.
It is in what the Leerans call a "bright hole." Here on Leera the volcanic past created a number of large, underground bubbles in the rock. Because the rock contains a great many phosphorescent minerals and bio-organisms, there is light in these holes, and thus, life."; "What kind of life?" Cassie asked.
Even now, she was interested in living things.
Plant only, aside from insects and microscopic animals. This particular "bright hole" can only be reached two ways: Either someone on the surface must tunnel down through several feet of rock. Or one must travel underwater, up a river, enter an underwater cave, pass through an absolutely lightless tunnel, and emerge at last in the "bright hole.""; Prince Jake took a deep breath.
Cassie took a deep breath. I took a deep breath. We each looked at each other.
Galuit said, That's not all. The river itself may be guarded by Leeran-Controllers. The lightless cave is inhabited by a species of snake that uses echolocation to strike at anything passing by. These snakes hang from the ceilings and walls. But once within the "bright hole" you are safe. Unless, of course, the Yeerks have already found it."; "Is it too late for us to change our minds?"
Prince Jake said.
Galuit looked alarmed.
It is humor,"; I said quickly.
Human humor often consists of pretending to wish something one does not really wish."; "What makes you so sure I don't mean it?" Prince Jake muttered.
More humor,"; I explained to Galuit.
The submarine took us to the mouth of the river. It was as close as it could take us without becoming far too visible for safety.
"I know the oceans are saltwater here, just like on Earth," Cassie said. "But how about the rivers?"
The rivers are lower saline,"; the briefing officer said.
Cassie shook her head. "Hammerheads are saltwater fish. I don't know how they'd deal with freshwater. I just don't know. But they're still probably the best morph for moving fast and winning fights."
Good luck,"; Galuit said. The freedom of this planet rests on your tails.
Or ... or whatever humans have that would be the equivalent of tails."; "Shoulders," Cassie said.
"As long as there's no pressure,"
Prince Jake said.
That would be human humor?"; Galuit asked.
"Plus a little human fear," Prince Jake said. But then he laughed.
Five minutes later, we were in the river, swimming against the current, our dorsal fins slicing upward into the air.
This should be interesting,"; Prince Jake said darkly.
I smell Leerans,"; I said. Up ahead. I recognize the smell from before."; allyep,"; Cassie agreed. Good Leerans or bad? That's the question."; We powered ahead. Through the slightly murky river water we saw them: two pebbly, yellow, tentacled amphibians.
Psychic amphibians.