but the place was a mess: The breeze blew trash I nodded. "Yes, it would. But is this . . ." I around the usually pristine sidewalks; the whole jerked my head toward the snake. "Is this the morph that would appeal to a Taxxon?" place reeked of uncleaned cages and habitats; Cassie shrugged. "I guess I don't figure Taxxons water pressure had been cut off so the picturesque are big on imagination. I think they'd want somemoats and ponds were scummed over. thing fairly close, as you said, to what they are The snake house looked about like it always now. But not some helpless worm or bug: They're did, though some of the display areas were dark. I used to a certain relative size."

  guess snakes are low maintenance.

  "Uh-huh. You sure that snake isn't dead? I The snake I was staring at looked about afoot haven't seen it move yet."

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  "Well, you see what I mean: It would be difknow the galaxy is full of life, full of intelligent ferent from the relentless demands of life for a species. We'll have this huge rush of technologiTaxxon. There's a lot of sitting in the sun incal change. There'll be nothing to stop us from volved."

  being a space-traveling species. Humans on the

  "Florida retirement for Taxxons." moon, on Mars, maybe colonizing planets all

  "Yeah."

  around the galaxy. And there's the morphing

  "Well, let's get this over with," I said reluctechnology. Can you imagine what that's going to tantly.

  mean?"

  "It's perfectly safe," Cassie said condescendCassie nodded. "I guess I don't think about ingly.

  that stuff so much. I guess I think more about us.

  "It's a snake. It's a snake the size of palm You and me. And all of us."

  tree."

  I took her in my arms. The anaconda's habitat

  "Come on." She put her arm through mine was probably not the most romantic place on and drew me away toward the access corridor beEarth, but it felt safe. "You know I love you." hind the cages.

  "I love you, too, Jake," she said, and put her We both went in and I knelt and touched the head on my shoulder.

  dry scales. Not slimy at all, but still creepy. I ac"I guess if we win, if we survive, maybe we quired the snake. Its DNA joined the DNA of how should, you know, get married and all. I mean, many species floating around in my blood? I eventually. I know we're young, but man, we've couldn't even remember them all.

  been through enough that it should count for a

  "When you do this morph your biggest probfew extra years, shouldn't it?" lem will be staying awake," Cassie said. I don't know what I expected her answer to I stood up, and for a moment tried to figure be, but I didn't expect her to start crying. And out how to say what I wanted to say.

  not tears of joy, either.

  "Cassie, you ever wonder what happens if we

  "I would like that ... eventually," she said. " win? You ever think about that?"

  But. But what?"

  "All the time."

  She sighed. "But, Jake, what are you going to

  "Nothing will ever be the same. People will be? What are you going to do?"

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  "Guess I thought I'd go to college," I said. bility of actual victory, despite the probable

  "And study what, Jake? Me, I'll go to college, Andalite betrayal. The Taxxons might be joining I'll become a doctor. never forget what's us! For so long I'd fought with no hope at all. happened, I'll never even try, but I'll be able I should be excited.

  to slip back into a normal life. But you, Jake?" I should be happy.

  I shrugged and released her and stood away a bit. "I'm not Rachel, you know. I didn't fall in love with the fight. I don't need it like she does. I do it, I try and do it well, but it's just a job, a duty." I tried to make a joke of it. "I mean, what do you think? The Pentagon is going to call me up and make me Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? I'm not even old enough to enlist as a private." She didn't laugh. She just looked at me.

  "Look, Cassie, when this is over I'll be done with it forever. I'll go back to school, get an education, go to basketball games, get a driver's license, go to college, figure out what it is I really want to do. And be with you. You and me." She forced a smile. "A year after it ends, if it ends, if we win, a year afterward if you want to be with me, we'll talk about that again, okay?"

  "I have to wait a year? Kind of harsh, isn't it?"

  "Hey, if we get married, Marco isn't going to live with us, is he?" Cassie said, trying her best to jolly us both out of our dark moods.

  It didn't work.

  For the first time I could taste the faint possi77

  76

  I landed and demorphed. It was a chilly night, especially for someone in nothing but morphing clothes. I was glad to climb into the VW. I sat behind the steering wheel and looked around, not knowing what to expect. The little bud vase was empty.

  Marco asked from his location somewhere on my body.

  "We're sitting here looking like a suspicious car thief," I answered. "Where are you guys, anyway? Where on my body did you end up after I demorphed?"

  Rachel answered,
  don't know where we are exactly, and I don't rbron had given me the place: a spot more really want to know.>

  than a mile away from the site of the new Yeerk

  "Mmmm. Good point."

  pool. He had not told me positively, absolutely, to

  Ax reported.
  you will experience an itching sensation later, I flew with fleas nestled deep in my feathers. and then will know precisely where we were.> Only Tobias remained in his true form, flying "

  "There's a pleasant thought," I said. cover."

  .

  Marco suggested.

  just outside the blast area. It was abandoned, of I punched the power switch. It was set to a course. About half the cars had been stolen by news channel. The announcer sounded tired. " looters, and of those that remained maybe a third

  . . . are saying at this hour that the looting has were damaged in some way. But there, just as Ardiminished in intensity. Numerous fires are still bron had told me, waited a yellow VW Beetle. burning, but fire departments from as far as a 78

  79

  hundred miles away are sending trucks and I closed my eyes and opened them once more and crews to —" I pushed preset buttons and tried this time I saw the Taxxons, everywhere, all for some music.

  around the car, pressing close, red jelly eyes stari There was a rumbling. I turned off the radio. " ng.

  Urn . . . you guys feel that?"

  "We're here," I muttered.

  Cassie said.

  Marco said.

  Tobias called down from high above.
  "I'm going to get out," I whispered. you guys know the ground is opening up, right?> I opened the door slowly. I stood up.

  "Buckle your seat belts."

  They were everywhere, a wall of Taxxons.

  The ground vibrated beneath the car and I folMore Taxxons than I could have imagined in my lowed my own advice, drew the shoulder belt worst nightmare. Not dozens, hundreds.

  across, and clipped it just as the ground opened Arbron — at least I hoped it was him —

  up and the car began to roll forward, down a danced forward on his needle legs. He raised his sloping tunnel into the ground.

  upper third and loomed high above me.

  It was elegantly done: The tunnel had an alI knew, or at least hoped, it was a friendly most flat floor, the walls close enough to make gathering. But these were Taxxons, after all. steering unnecessary. The car rolled free, scuffTaxxons, not even Taxxon-Controllers. In their ing the dirt walls from time to time. How far natural state they were insane with hunger, and I down, I couldn't be sure. Then I glanced in the was food.

  rearview mirror: The tunnel was being collapsed

  Arbron invited behind me.

  me and I noticed for the first time a sort of rockIf it was a trap after all, it was a very good and-dirt mound maybe ten feet high. I scrambled trap.

  up, trying not to look scared, and moving very, All at once 1 emerged into a huge open space. very carefully so as not to scrape a knee or cut a A cavern, tall and arched, and lit by dim artificial finger.

  lights high overhead.

  Arbron rose part of the way behind me. Then The car rolled to a halt. I closed my eyes to he spread his upper rows of Taxxon arms wide adjust to the gloom. I opened them again and and began addressing the crowd in the Taxxon had an impression of restless movement all around. speech.

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  I didn't understand a word of it, but the Now the crowd grew quieter, more attentive, Taxxon multitude did. They hissed and slithered less excited, but very, very focused.

  and made a trilling sound that could either be

 
  you, my people.>

  From atop the mound, and with my eyes adI recognized my cue. I was about to start justed to the near-darkness, I could see them all. speaking, but it occurred to me that a visual aid A sea of Taxxons. A huge underground cavern would be helpful. So I spread my arms wide and reeking of ammonia and seething with oversized, reached deep inside myself for the DNA that murderous centipedes.

  would form the tiger.

  Then Arbron began to speak to them in I morphed slowly, slowly so they could all see. thought-speak, presumably for my benefit. They watched the claws grow from my fingers,

 

  fours.

  I must have gone several shades more pale at

  Rachel comthat. It seemed a strange way to introduce me. plained.

 

  like a man diving off a skyscraper. The dirt and The crowd liked that. They murmured in true rock rose to me, gravel becoming boulders. GosTaxxon form, hissing and spitting and writhing. samer wings sprouted from my back. Articulated Impossible not to feel that I was sitting on some insect legs erupted from my chest. Massive eyes gigantic piece of rotting meat surrounded by swelled like balloons, popping out of my eye huge maggots. Impossible to shake that image. sockets, overwhelming my face. I could actually

 
  I human> — he pointed at me with three of his notified my friendly fleas.

  arms —

  I fired my wings and zoomed just over the 82

  83

  heads of the Taxxons. Then back, to land atop my I let the Taxxons take a good, long look. podium. I demorphed. And now, if Cassie was

  I said. right, the piece de resistance.

 
  when provoked. But as I feel its mind within my mind. The changes began. I saw my skin harden, own, I know that it is calm, at peace, restful. It is dry out, crack into thousands of interlocked unafraid. It longs for food, but it can resist, can scales.

  control its hunger.>

  My eyes moved around my head but remained The chamber was silent. The Taxxons stared, forward-focused. My face bulged out, stretched, stared holes in me with their red jelly

  out and out. My arms were shriveling at a eyes. Arbron said privately to shocking pace. I was a weird creature, half me.

  snake, half human, standing erect but armless. Then my legs went weak and I dropped flat on my belly before I could fall. My legs melted into the tail that was stretching out and out and out from my elongating spine. I was ten feet long and still growing. Longer and longer, and without thinking I shortened the muscles on one side of my body and brought my length up to form a loose coil.

  The anaconda's senses replaced my own. Vision faded, color dimmed, but awareness of motion intensified. It was like when you set your computer cursor to show trails: everything, anything that moved was infinitely more interesting than color or shape.

  My tongue tasted the air and I received a download of data — temperature, humidity, the scent of Taxxon exhalations.

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  given the choice — to remain as you are, or to change, to find a new form, and live in peace and contentment here, in a special place. A homeland for the Taxxons . . . for Taxxons who are no longer haunted by the desperate hunger, no longer prey to the Yeerks."

  I was lying. At least in part. Arbron was an Andalite, or had been: He had to know that the Andalites would resist ever turning the morphing power over to the hated Taxxons.

  I cringed a little as I spoke, waiting for him to interrupt, to call me a liar. But he let me go on. And I painted the picture for the Taxxons: life H

  without hunger, a life of safety and security, uman once more, I addressed the Taxxon

  where they would live in peace among themmultitude. selves, no more cannibalism.

  "My name is Jake. I am the leader of the AniAnd Arbron let me go on speaking. morphs. As Arbron told you, we have killed many

  "The question is: Can we and our Andalite Taxxons using the morphing power. But we are friends defeat the Yeerks and bring on this new not the enemies of the Taxxons. We are the eneday?" mies of the Yeerks. And we have killed many They waited for the answer. I gave it to them, Yeerks."

  feeling weirdly like a presidential candidate deThey liked that okay. livering a stump speech.

  "The Andalites are our friends."

  "We can defeat the Yeerks . . . if you join us.

  Rachel said in private thoughtAnimorph, Andalite, and Taxxon together, we can speak.

  win."

  "The Andalites are coming, and there may be The Taxxons didn't cheer, exactly, but they a great battle. The Andalites may win. The Yeerks did send up a creepy whistling sound that revermay win. If we and the Andalites win, you will be berated around the chamber.

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  My brother, the human-Controller, head of Arbron slithered up beside me and, to my surprise, dismissed them, told them all to get back Yeerk security.

  to their work. Hundreds of Taxxons obediently

  "Oh, calm down, Rachel," Tom said genially, turned away and began filing out of side tunnels giving her a "chill-out" wave. She had begun to like a football stadium crowd after the game. morph to grizzly. "No need to go all hostile." I probably looked puzzled as I turned to Ar"Keep morphing, Rachel," I told her. "Ax?" bron. "Well?"

  Ax moved quickly to Tom's side. His tail blade

 

  made a mocking face, exaggerated fear.

  "Okay, then I guess we should get down to

  "I'm alone, unarmed," Tom said, holding his specifics," I said. "You know the Pool ship is arms up in surrender. "Hey, I'm morph-capable here on Earth, on the surface. It's there to feed now, you know. If I wanted trouble I'd use this the Yeerks until they can finish —"

  really cool jaguar morph I have."

 
  "Let him go, Ax," I said.

  m sure they would be more comfortable.> Ax removed his tail but stayed within striking That stopped me. But there was no point in distance. A word from me and Tom's head would trying to lie. "Yeah, I guess they would." be rolling across the cave floor like a bowling Fleas leaped away from me, unseen by either ball.

  of us, and moments later my friends began to ap"So, this is the whole team, huh?" Tom nodpear, growing out of swollen, vile, armor-plated ded. He shook his head ruefully. "Crazy cousin flea bodies.

  Rachel. I always knew you were too much for

  Arbron said.

  your own good."

  I heard footsteps and peered into the dark she said.
  cousin. You're a snail living inside my cousin's

  "Well, good evening, everyone. It's an awfully head.>

  pretty night to spend it all in a filthy Taxxon tun"Snail? Oh, I'm wounded," the Yeerk inside nel."

  Tom answered. "And there's Cassie. Marco. Your I knew the voice. I'd heard it every day of my pet Andalite, of course. Hey, where's the bird?" life. My brother. Tom.

  "How about we cut the crap?" I said. 88

  89

  "Absolutely, Killer." His eyes were cold, hosMarco snorted derisively. "Free? You don't tile. He was making no effort to pretend to actuwant to be free." ally be Tom. He knew that I knew what he was. Tom laughed. "Marco must be the one doing

  Arbron said.

  that smart. You're right, Marco, I want something

  "Some?"

  else. I want Visser One dead. I want the Council

  "Yeah, some," Tom agreed. "Sorry, but we're of Thirteen off my back. I want to lose the whole not interested in hiding out in some out-of-theEmpire. They're prisoners of their own tired old way forest, some game preserve. That may be fine thinking. They can't see the future. We're a parafor the Taxxons. Me, I want something a little betsitic species, they can't see past that. We have ter than that. But then, I have even more to offer the huge vulnerability of reliance on Kandrona than Brother Arbron, here. You want the Pool rays. But morphed, permanently morphed, we ship? You want your mommy and daddy back, Big won't need Kandrona rays, and we won't be paraJake the Yeerk Killer? You want this creature sites anymore. We can achieve a greater destiny." back?" He indicated his own body. "You want He moved closer now. His fists were clenched poor Tommy back? I can make all that happen." at his side, his jaw, seemed to tighten so that the I had to rein in a powerful desire to go after words could barely force their way past bared him. It's hard to conceive of the impotent rage teeth. I'd seen Tom this way once, just once, you feel watching someone you love be reduced when he'd been wrongly accused of cheating on to a mindless puppet. "In exchange for what?" a test. It was as angry as Tom got, short of punch"My people want it, too: the morphing power." ing someone.