FORBIDDEN SECRETS

By D.M.P.

Chapter 1

The rain fell heavily on Latuf Space Port. It bounced off the large ships as they launched and landed. It coated the metal buildings so that they shined in the runway lights. It soaked everything and every animal living by the port. Andalites working outside had minor deflector shields to keep the rain off, making them appear to have a faint glow around them, like ghostly spirits. One, unfortunately, did not.

He stood near the rear power generators, a deserted spot in the back of the port. This Andalite waited impatiently, tapping his hooves. They splashed droplets of water along the generator’s steel platform, which clung onto the smooth surface.

The Andalite shifted his pack from one shoulder to the other. He looked around cautiously again with his eye stalks. A silent figure moved.

< You’re late, > called the Andalite as the Na walked out of the shadows. < Did you get it? >

Taking out the package strapped to his back, the Na stood up on its two hind legs, its business stance. The Andalite grabbed the parcel and ripped it open. The far-off runway lights shone, revealing a five-star Captain’s badge, a silver tail blade pin, given for a ten-year service in the military, and government retirement papers.

< Are these authentic? > asked the Andalite, examining the items.

The Na nodded. "I got them from a friend who works in the MRC."

The Andalite glanced briefly at the Na. That foreigner had connections with the Military Registration Center? But the Andalite just shrugged with his eye stalks and stuffed the things into his pack.

The Na blinked its large, dark eyes. "Payment?"

The other reached into his pack again and took out two objects. < Here. Two Z-Space Transponders, brand-new. >

"Not enough."

< What do you mean? This is the most recent model. I’m sure the ones you scavenged are long out-dated. >

The Na eyed the Andalite’s belt. "I also see that Shredder is the most recent model. The ones I’ve found are often damaged from combat use. Throw that in, and I’ll seal the deal."

The Andalite bristled, moving his tail so that the blade caught the faint lights beyond. He valued his gun as much as he valued his tail.

The Na blinked again. "I have something else that might interest you," he said. He slipped off again only to return carrying a heavy boxy item.

< An Andalite fighter’s computer core? > the Andalite sneered. < That piece of machinery looks like nothing more than scrap metal. Why would I want that? >

"I found it while on a scavenging trip," said the Na. "I believe this will be of some importance to your people." He turned on the thought-speak transponder in this black box. A faded, thought-speak voice was heard.

< My name is Elfangor. I am an Andalite prince. And I am about to die.... >

The Na turned the recording off.

The Andalite’s eyes grew wide. < Is it really- >

"Yes," the Na interrupted, "It is your great hero Prince Elfangor. I listened to this recording. It is his hirac delest, his final statement. It means nothing to me, but I’ll throw it into the bargain for the gun."

< Take the weapon. > Tossing his belt to the Na, the Andalite took the precious object. He stared at it in wonder and disbelief, turning it over in his hands.

" I suggest you listen to it," said the Na as he slipped off into the darkness. "It contains some... intriguing information."

With that last remark, the Na left.

The Andalite continued to stand alone in the rain. Then the stuffed the hirac delest into his pack and galloped off. Before, he was simply going to masquerade as a retired Andalite officer. Now he had bigger plans.

< Grallet-Anox-Heaptri, > he muttered to himself, < you are the luckiest Andalite alive. >

Something fell out of his pack as he ran. It bumped off the generator platform before falling to the ground. The Captain’s badge lay there as wet drops hit its surface, long forgotten.

Chapter 2

Three months later....

< ....Hope. As long as we hope, my people, we shall have the strength to go on, and the will to fight. And our will to fight for such a just cause will, in the end, prevail over the Yeerk scum, no matter what the numbers are. So stand proud my fellow citizens, and together we shall fix our fatal mistake and defeat our hated enemies! >

This speech a followed by roars of approval and applause. Darquin-Enolin-Shalinl turned off the F24 Thought-Speak Communicator, and the cheers were silenced. Every week, the Head of the Council gave his speech to the crowd at Latuf. Those who couldn’t attend, listened on their Communicators. And any Andalite with the least bit of patriotism (which would be all Andalites in general) heard this speech at Latuf or at home, every week at sunset.

Darquin put the Communicator away and glanced at the rising moons. He heard the squawks of birds near the scoop. Curiously, he got his metal crutch and hobbled out behind the family abode.

Five or more kafit birds soared in the sky above, calling to each other. Darquin’s eyes strayed from the playing birds to the green fields below them, dotted with derrishoul trees. He still couldn’t believe this was his new home. Darquin’s old scoop wasn’t half as large as this one and the land was enormous. This move, in fact, was one of the many changes that happened to Darquin and his small family.

About three months ago, Darquin’s home and life was a modest one at best. His scoop was an isolated spot in the mountains. Darquin’s father Grallet, unlike his late mother, was never very sociable with other Andalites from some mysterious reason. He said that other Andalites look down on people like him. Darquin’s sister recalled a time when their father was more friendly toward his own people, before Darquin was born. The children could never figure out why Grallet changed. He now bartered with the SkritNa for the equipment needed to design military prototypes, his duty to the government.

However, when the Electorate banned inter-species trading, Grallet didn’t know what to do. Strangely, even though in Andalite society families would willingly help others in need, Grallet was refused of such help from his neighbors. When the year ended and he wasn’t able to complete his working quota, the government then threatened to take away their land.

Then, for some unknown reason, everything changed. Their government troubles disappeared, while the family received an tremendous amount of top-quality grazing fields. Grallet was even elected to the position of Electorate, even though Darquin never recalled his father taking an interest in politics before.

One of the kafit birds swooped low and landed inside the scoop. Darquin limped around the corner to see his sister Shylavi in the middle of demorphing. She looked slightly embarrassed as the last of the colorful feathers melted away into lavender fur. Shylavi was always embarrassed when her brother saw her using her morphing powers.

Usually only the military and government employees were able to have the morphing ability, but sometimes important officials were allowed to let close friends and family acquired this power. Their father was now an important figure indeed, but only Shylavi-Rhin-Salupix received the morphing ability.

< I’m sorry, > Shylavi started, always guilty about her little brother’s handicap and how it hindered him. < I didn’t know you were watching and.... >

Darquin stared at her. She stopped.. < It doesn’t matter, > he said. Shylavi knew Darquin was jealous, but she also knew that he hated pity.

< I’m going out for a run, > he said. His sister nodded.

Darquin took his crutch and half-walked, half-limped out toward the patch of derrishoul trees. The spot was only a few hundred meters away, but Darquin was exhausted when he got there. He propped his crutch against a tree and sat down in the dark, blue-green grass. He barely went half a mile, but these strenuous walks were his "runs."

Darquin rubbed his front leg. Too much walking made it ache horribly, because it was the only leg that supported his front. < A three-legged Andalite? > the doctor had said when Darquin was born. < Impossible! > It was the first time in his long career that the doctor had seen a child with a birth defect.

More kafit birds and other creatures came out as night fell. Darquin knew that they were mostly females in morph. In this prestigious area, many of the children had the morphing power. The males, though, have already been sent to war. The only young ones left are the babies, the females, and Darquin himself, unfit to ever go to war.

Darquin wished with all his heart to go to battle, despite the dangers. Grallet taught his children more about the horrors of war than the heroics, having fought in combat himself. But Darquin didn’t care. So what if he got killed in battle? The fact that he fought would be enough to satisfy him, because it would prove that Darquin was not an exception, that he was just like everybody else. That he belonged somewhere and did something worthwhile was something he wanted more than anything in the world.

< Darquin. >

He looked up to see his father standing just outside the grove of trees, with a bundle in his arms.

< Father, > cried the youth. He touched tails with the elder. < Did the Council meeting end late? >

Grallet looked at his son. < Yes it did, son, but I also stopped by to get something. > He removed the covering on the bundle. Darquin stared at it, speechless.

< For me? > he whispered after a few moments.

The prosthesis shone in the moonlight. Darquin touched the smooth, cold surface gently. The robotic leg was made of metal harder than steel; it seemed to glow with a life of its own.

Prostheses were hard to get because birth defects of Darquin’s sort were rare. No one made them without special request from a high official. Of course Grallet now had the power to make one for his son.

Darquin picked up the prosthesis and fastened it to the stump of a fourth leg. It clicked at the buckles gripped around the stump and fit into place perfectly. Slowly, Darquin rose up off the ground.

He stood steadily for a few moments, looking around him. For the first time, he stood up straight, not in a crooked fashion when he used his crutch.

< Father... > Darquin started, but trailed off. He couldn’t even begin to express his joy, his happiness, the miracle of being able to stand straight and tall, like any other Andalite.

Darquin touched tails with his father again. < Thank you, > was all he could say. In that single moment for the first time in his life, Darquin was filled with pride and love and total happiness. Pride for himself, love for his father, and happiness toward the world. Grallet beamed at his son. In that single moment for the first time in his life, Grallet felt that he finally became the father that his children needed, the kind of parent who not only loved his children, but was able to provide for them as well. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

Grallet gestured to the panel on the artificial leg. < There’s a hologram, > he said.

Darquin turned it on. An image of a whole Andalite leg covered the robotic surface. Why, the illusion was so perfect, so realistic, that Darquin finally saw himself whole.

Shylavi came running to the pair. < Father, you’re home! > she cried, touching tails with Grallet. < Why did you not take the direct path home? I was waiting for you at the scoop. Oh, never mind that, I- >

She dropped off, staring at her brother. He smiled at her.

< You’re-you’re standing, Darquin, > she said, awed.

< Yes. > The youth took a few steps. The robotic prosthesis worked exactly like a normal limb, moving with any mechanical creak. < I am, Shylavi. I can stand, I can walk, and..., > Darquin looked at his sister mischievously, < I can run too. >

He sprinted off across the fields. < Bet you can’t catch me! >

< Oh, really? > Shylavi raced after him, laughing.

Grallet watched his children play with smiling eyes.

When the children ran, for a split second the hologram dimmed slightly. And for that split second, Darquin noticed the faint outline of a small black box under that hologram, attached to that prosthesis. But then that split second passed, and Darquin ran on without a care in the world.

Chapter 3

The meeting of the Electorates ended rather quickly. The Andalites filed out of the government building and off to their other duties. Grallet was one of them, talking with others about the usual political agenda: war. A young messenger zigzagged through the crowd and approached Grallet.

< Sir? > The messenger inquired timidly.

< What is it? > asked Grallet breaking off his conversation.

< The Head of the Council would like to see you. > The youth then ran off quickly, with other messages to deliver and appointments to confirm.

< All right. Excuse me, gentlemen. > Grallet headed off toward Lirem-Arrepoth-Terrouss’s Council office.

When Grallet left the group, the conversation quickly turned to him. No politician has ever heard of Grallet before; he suddenly appeared in the political scheme about three months back. Grallet was a pretty mysterious character. He owns some of the best grazing lands by Latuf and had a seemingly close relationship with Lirem himself. But soon the talk about this Electorate ceased, and the conversation turned to different topics. Most of the politicians simply thought that Grallet was a distant relative to Lirem and was using that in his favor. Even in an equal and honorable society like in the Andalite home world, things like that often happened in politics.

Meanwhile, Grallet made his way to Lirem’s office. There, he was kindly received and for a few minutes, engaged in polite small talk with the Head of the Council. Then Lirem sent his two bodyguards out of the room and got down to business.

< You got what you wanted, > Lirem started as soon as the guards left. < Now give me what I want. >

Grallet glanced at his companion. < I’m not sure the hirac delest is available at the moment. >

Lirem glared back. He was used to getting what he wanted, but recently this Andalite in front of him has been causing some trouble.

< I played your game, Grallet, > he said as civilly as he could. < I gave you the land, the power. What else could you possibly want? >

< I just want to be sure that I don’t get arrested as soon as I give you the hirac delest. > Grallet wasn’t saying this lightly. Like with everything, he took the matter seriously; if he got in trouble because of this "business deal", there would be no one to care for his children. He didn’t want them abandoned just when he finally had a chance to provide for them. Grallet loved his children, and they were his greatest concern.

< I assure you that you will be taken care of as soon as this matter is settled. Why don’t we schedule another meeting? You can bring the hirac delest then and walk off free, settling this business deal once and for all. >

Grallet suddenly felt uneasy. His stalk eyes had spotted something, a blinking light in the corner of the office. He tried to appear as if he hadn’t noticed it, but it made him nervous nonetheless. It was a security monitor. Lirem was recording this meeting.

Grallet stepped back graciously. < I have to think about it. I’m sure you’ll know when to arrange the next meeting soon enough. Good day, Honorable Sir. > The Andalite briskly stepped out through the portal doors and was gone. Lirem didn’t send anyone after him; it would be too suspicious on his part. Grallet must think he’s in control.

Lirem cursed to himself. Grallet knew of the monitors. The Head of the Council pressed a few keys on his control panel. Head Security Officer Proglok appeared on the computer screen.

< Did you get the evidence needed? > Lirem demanded.

< Yes, Honorable Sir, > Proglok replied. < But if you were able to get some kind of recording of the first meeting with Grallet, we could have been able to make a warrant for his arrest much earlier. I highly suggest- >

< Quiet. Grallet knows something is going on. Do you have the warrant? >

< It’ll be ready in a few minutes, Honorable Sir. >

< Hurry up. Then send some PIA officers to apprehend him immediately. I’ll just have to get the hirac delest by other means. >

< Yes, Honorable Sir. >

Grallet made his way home as quickly as possible. The Council Hall, however, was located on Latuf and crowded with other Andalites. Grallet passed through the hurrying crowds and darted between two mechanical assembly buildings. Maybe he could take a shortcut-

A firm hand grasped Grallet’s shoulder. < Excuse me, Sir. >

Grallet turned around to face three officers. One spoke to him as they all briefly showed Grallet their government badges.

< Hello, Electorate Grallet. We’re from the Planetary Intelligence Agency. We have a warrant for your arrest for blackmail against the government. I suggest you come quietly. You have the right to remain silent. Anything said or done, however, could be used against you in court.... >

Chapter 4

Shylavi watched the sun rise from the west with worried eyes. Her father hadn’t come home yesterday. Darquin was still asleep, but she couldn’t tell him of her concern. She was the eldest and didn’t want her little brother to get worried.

She heard him stir inside the scoop and wake up. Darquin put on his prosthesis, turned on the hologram, and stepped outside.

< Where’s Father? > he wondered out loud.

< I’m sure he’ll be back soon, > Shylavi reassured him. Darquin saw the worry on his sister’s face, but said nothing.

A figure on a police hovercraft flew into view and up to the scoop. The PIA officer got off the vehicle and approached the youngsters. < Hello, > he said. < Is this Electorate Grallet-Anox-Heaptri’s residence? >

Shylavi nodded by bobbing using her eye stalks up and down. Darquin stared at the ground, hoping the officer wouldn’t ask why he hadn’t been recruited by the Military yet.

< Are you his children? >

Another nod. More staring.

< Well.... > The officer, taught from day one to be blunt, didn’t beat around the bush. < Your father has been missing since last night. The entire PIA is now searching for him. >

< Missing? > cried the daughter. < What do you mean? What happened to him? >

< Um, > said the officer, who was taught since his childhood days to always be honest, didn’t withhold the truth. < Electorate Grallet met with three officers at Latuf last night. They were meaning to arrest him in part of confidential matters, but he resisted arrest and attacked them. Two of the three officers were severely injured because of this incident. Grallet fled the scene and is now missing. >

Shylavi and Darquin said nothing but shared the same thought. Our father, a fugitive? But it couldn’t be!

< I have been assigned to watch over you children until the search is over. My partner will be arriving soon and will patrol the property. > The officer glanced at them again. < Have you seen your father since last night? >

Shylavi shook her eyestalks in a negative manner. Darquin didn’t say a word.

The officer hardened his stare but said nothing.

Darquin spoke for the first time to the officer. < Can my sister and I be alone? >

< Oh, uh, of course, child, > said the officer. Darquin lead his sister to the derrishoul grove.

< Why would Father be arrested like this? > Darquin asked his sister.

< I don’t know. The officer said it was confidential matters. >

< Confidential? Something that serious? >

Shylavi didn’t answer, but her stalk eyes followed a hulasset beetle as it crawled on the side of a derrishoul tree.

< Children, > whispered the beetle.

< Father? > Shylavi whispered.

< What’s going on here? > Darquin asked him, gesturing toward the officer watching them about a half-mile off. They kept their thought-speech private so no one could hear them.

< It’s nothing of your concern, Darquin. >

< Not of our concern! Father, that PIA officer said you’re a fugitive! That you attacked two of their officers! >

< They were trying to arrest me, son, > Grallet explained calmly. < I had to defend myself. >

< Why are you here then? > Shylavi asked. < You could still get caught. > She didn’t like the idea of her father getting arrested.

< To get you two, Shylavi. Do you think I would leave my children behind? >

< What do you mean ‘behind’? > Darquin asked. < We’re going to leave this place? >

< I don’t want my children in the hands of the Electorate, > was all Grallet said. <Come Shylavi, and look for a hulasset beetle to aquire. >

While his sister searched for one without arousing the attention of the officer, Darquin asked his father what was he to do; he didn’t have the morphing power.

< Just do what I tell you, > his father replied.

Shylavi found the beetle and acquired it. < What now? > she asked.

< Go near the back of the grove and morph. Darquin will be there when you’re ready. >

When Shylavi went off, Grallet’s ten beetle eyes glanced at his son.

< Darquin, come. > The beetle opened its four pairs of wings and flew. Darquin followed him until it landed on a spot near a therant tree. < Dig, > ordered his father.

Darquin did so and unearthed a dark, dirty mass. Wiping the dirt off, the youth saw the bright metal sheen of two Shredder weapons. < You’ll used these to defend yourself, > said Grallet. < I d