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takenaliveI knew that the young, powerfully built Andalite warrior who had burst in upon the prince was angry. More than angry. Furious. His name was Alloran-Semitur-Corrass. He would play a role in my life and the life of the galaxy. But back then, all I knew was that he was enraged.
<Yes, it's confirmed. Yes, Prince Seerow, it has happened. As I warned you it would.>
The Andalite warrior was pacing back and forth, whipping his tail impatiently. He was angry. He was bitter.
<l have visual logs,> Alloran snapped. He opened his hand and revealed a small cylinder. A holographic recorder. He gave the instruction. <Play.>
<They gave you their word?!> Alloran practically shrieked. <Their word? They're parasites. The Yeerks steal the bodies of other species. What did you expect of them?>
Alloran stepped closer to my father. <Listen to me, my prince.> The word "prince" was said with a sneer. Approximately four hundred Gedds attacked our ground base last night. They overwhelmed the two dozen Andalite warriors on duty there. The two dozen Andalite warriors who had been specifically ordered not to fire on Gedds.>
<These four hundred harmless Gedds - these Yeerks, I should say, because they were all certainly Yeerk-controlled - butchered my warriors,> Alloran said. <Butchered, Prince Seerow. Shall I show you the holos of the aftermath? These were the gentlest pictures. I have others. Would you like to see what they did to the
bodies of my warriors?>
Now it was something other than anger in Alloran's tone. I could feel the pain in his hearts. And the guilt. The guilt of having survived, while his friends died.
<These four hundred Gedds overwhelmed my warriors,> Alloran said, building back to anger again. <And then they seized the four attack fighters and two transports that were on the ground at the time.>
<No. You see, there was no warning. My warriors were dead before they could call for help or give warning.>
<Catch them? They've escaped into Zero-space,> Alloran said. <Four hundred Yeerk-infested Gedds with shredder-armed fighters.>
<You fool,> Alloran said again. <You coddled them. You trained them. You showed them the universe. You showed them all the things they could not have, living here on this planet of theirs. You even built them portable Kandronas and thus freed them.>
<A quarter million highly intelligent, ruthless, and determined parasites have just been loosed upon the galaxy,> Alloran said flatly. <They have six Andalite ships. How long before they learn to build their own ships? How long before they become a plague? How long till they find some race more useful than the Gedds, some race they can infest and transform into shock troops? There are thousands of inhabited planets in just this arm of the galaxy.>
Alloran turned all four of his eyes on my father. <Prince Seerow, you are relieved of duty>
<When a commander has become incapacitated due to injury or mental defect, his subordinates may relieve him,> Alloran quoted from the regulations.
<Stupidity,> Alloran said harshly. <The stupidity of kindness. Charity to potential enemies. You're a fool, Seerow. A soft, sentimental, well-meaning fool. And now my men are dead and the Yeerks are loose in the galaxy. How many will die before we can bring this contagion under control? How many will die for Seerow's kindness?>
On board a large, powerful Andalite stood waiting. He glared at us with a look that could have been a shredder beam.
<What do you mean by summoning me down here? When I give an order I expect it to be obeyed!> he roared. <And it's War-Prince Alloran to you, female child!>
<l know who you are,> Alloran said. <And I regret your family's death. You are no doubt to be commended for having hidden out for seven months. We will reward whoever took care of you. Was it you, Hork-Bajir? Anything you want. You have our official thanks for hiding this female.
To Sofor and his other officers he added, <Get us out of here. Standard orbit. Sensor sweep as soon as we clear the atmosphere. There may still be one or two Yeerk ships left flying.>
Alloran sighed. <We would, if we were still facing the handful of ships the Yeerks had before. But if what you tell us is true. . . . How many Hork-Bajir have been made into Yeerk hosts? We have eight fighters, two transports, one re-supply ship, one repair ship. A total of less than a thousand warriors. We destroyed two Yeerk fighters on our way in.>
<Days after we heard your message from here we received intelligence reports that the Yeerk fleet was in Sector Two. The main fleet is there. We assumed that since... that because you... > He didn't finish.
<This is going to be a tough little war,> Alloran said grimly. <A very tough little war.>
<Yes, it's confirmed. Yes, Prince Seerow, it has happened. As I warned you it would.>
The Andalite warrior was pacing back and forth, whipping his tail impatiently. He was angry. He was bitter.
<l have visual logs,> Alloran snapped. He opened his hand and revealed a small cylinder. A holographic recorder. He gave the instruction. <Play.>
<They gave you their word?!> Alloran practically shrieked. <Their word? They're parasites. The Yeerks steal the bodies of other species. What did you expect of them?>
Alloran stepped closer to my father. <Listen to me, my prince.> The word "prince" was said with a sneer. Approximately four hundred Gedds attacked our ground base last night. They overwhelmed the two dozen Andalite warriors on duty there. The two dozen Andalite warriors who had been specifically ordered not to fire on Gedds.>
<These four hundred harmless Gedds - these Yeerks, I should say, because they were all certainly Yeerk-controlled - butchered my warriors,> Alloran said. <Butchered, Prince Seerow. Shall I show you the holos of the aftermath? These were the gentlest pictures. I have others. Would you like to see what they did to the
bodies of my warriors?>
Now it was something other than anger in Alloran's tone. I could feel the pain in his hearts. And the guilt. The guilt of having survived, while his friends died.
<These four hundred Gedds overwhelmed my warriors,> Alloran said, building back to anger again. <And then they seized the four attack fighters and two transports that were on the ground at the time.>
<No. You see, there was no warning. My warriors were dead before they could call for help or give warning.>
<Catch them? They've escaped into Zero-space,> Alloran said. <Four hundred Yeerk-infested Gedds with shredder-armed fighters.>
<You fool,> Alloran said again. <You coddled them. You trained them. You showed them the universe. You showed them all the things they could not have, living here on this planet of theirs. You even built them portable Kandronas and thus freed them.>
<A quarter million highly intelligent, ruthless, and determined parasites have just been loosed upon the galaxy,> Alloran said flatly. <They have six Andalite ships. How long before they learn to build their own ships? How long before they become a plague? How long till they find some race more useful than the Gedds, some race they can infest and transform into shock troops? There are thousands of inhabited planets in just this arm of the galaxy.>
Alloran turned all four of his eyes on my father. <Prince Seerow, you are relieved of duty>
<When a commander has become incapacitated due to injury or mental defect, his subordinates may relieve him,> Alloran quoted from the regulations.
<Stupidity,> Alloran said harshly. <The stupidity of kindness. Charity to potential enemies. You're a fool, Seerow. A soft, sentimental, well-meaning fool. And now my men are dead and the Yeerks are loose in the galaxy. How many will die before we can bring this contagion under control? How many will die for Seerow's kindness?>
On board a large, powerful Andalite stood waiting. He glared at us with a look that could have been a shredder beam.
<What do you mean by summoning me down here? When I give an order I expect it to be obeyed!> he roared. <And it's War-Prince Alloran to you, female child!>
<l know who you are,> Alloran said. <And I regret your family's death. You are no doubt to be commended for having hidden out for seven months. We will reward whoever took care of you. Was it you, Hork-Bajir? Anything you want. You have our official thanks for hiding this female.
To Sofor and his other officers he added, <Get us out of here. Standard orbit. Sensor sweep as soon as we clear the atmosphere. There may still be one or two Yeerk ships left flying.>
Alloran sighed. <We would, if we were still facing the handful of ships the Yeerks had before. But if what you tell us is true. . . . How many Hork-Bajir have been made into Yeerk hosts? We have eight fighters, two transports, one re-supply ship, one repair ship. A total of less than a thousand warriors. We destroyed two Yeerk fighters on our way in.>
<Days after we heard your message from here we received intelligence reports that the Yeerk fleet was in Sector Two. The main fleet is there. We assumed that since... that because you... > He didn't finish.
<This is going to be a tough little war,> Alloran said grimly. <A very tough little war.>
