Chapter 2:The Legacy
It started as a normal day. My shorm (best friend to humans), Tom, and I, were working in a classroom after lessons. I was working on a collection of legends and myths from various cultures in the known galaxy. The members of the council had been a great help, contributing from their own cultures.
The council is a very diverse organization. It is also amazing. It is the first official Andalite Act to break the law of Seerow’s Kindness, bringing into use the new laws of Elfangor’s Kindness and Aximili’s Sacrifice.
Pardon me. When telling stories I have a habit of babbling about details. But I want you to know about this piece of history as I remember it.
As I was saying, the council was diverse. Most Councilors were Andalites, of course, led by my father. Next came the humans, as well as the Leerans. There were a few renegade Hork-bajir, as well as one Gedd-controller, whose Yeerk parasite provided the council with information of Yeerk tactics. Like many people, I suspected this Yeerk of being like a Skrit-Na, selling information to the highest bidder, or worse yet, acting as a double-agent.
But I have strayed from my story. While I worked on my project, I kept one stalk-eye on Tom. He was using some exercise equipment kept in a corner of the room. I am impressed by humans. Their upper-body strength is amazing, especially that of the males, who have broader shoulders. They walk with two legs and almost never fall. They only have two eyes, but are very alert to their surroundings. And they progress quite quickly in their sciences.
But Andalites will always be superior.
I must have thought-spoke that last thought aloud, because Tom stopped his exercising and said to me, using mouth-sounds, “You Andalites are so arrogant.”
(And you Humans are very proud), I replied, now looking at him with my main eyes, though my stalk eyes remained on my work.
“Don’t they mean the same thing?” he asked me, now sitting at my side.
(Not exactly,) I explained, (We Andalites are arrogant. We believe we are better than other sentient races. This is because we are.)
Tom used a facial expression that involved the rolling of his eyes.
(You humans are proud, ) I continued, (because once you have a goal or desire, you will fight to achieve it. Wars are more frequent on your planet than on others because of this pride, and surrender is considered the absolute last option, some believing that it is better to die than surrender)
“Yeah, our weakness” Tom mumbled, hating to be reminded of his people’s warlike tendencies.
(Hardly. It has been proven, in fact, to have served as a strength time and again in the War.)
Tom attempted to change the subject then, speaking of the council’s attempts to determine whether one of the marine mammal species of the Human homeworld (whose name translated, like most other homeworlds, to “earth”) were sentient. If they were, they would be invited to join the Council.
At that point, a loud noise startled us. Before I realized it was an explosion, I was flying across the room. I tried to move my tail blade out of the way so I would not land on it, and at the same time hoped my work would not be destroyed.
When I landed, I looked around. The room was on fire, and the exits were
blocked. “What do we do now?” Tom asked, with panic in his voice and a painful-looking cut along his arm.
(We hope to be rescued very soon,) I replied. I was just as frightened, but thought-speak does not reveal as much emotion as mouth-sounds. I continued, (I also suggest you pray.)