<They have come to destroy you.>

It was strange, the way we all just knew he was telling the truth. No one said "no way" or

"you're making it up." We all just knew. He was dying, and he was trying to warn us of something

terrible.

<They are called Yeerks. They are different from us. Different from you, as well.>

"Are you telling us they're already here on Earth?" Rachel demanded.

<Many are here. Hundreds. Maybe more.>

"Why hasn't anybody noticed them?" Marco said reasonably. "I think someone would have

mentioned it at school."

<You do not understand. Yeerks are different. They have no body, like yours or mine. They live

in the bodies of other species. They are...>

I guess he couldn't think of a word to explain Yeerks, so he closed his eyes and seemed to

concentrate. Suddenly a bright picture popped into my head. I saw a gray-green, slimy thing like a

snail without its shell, only bigger, the size of a rat, maybe. It wasn't a pretty picture.

"I'm guessing that was a Yeerk," Marco said. "Either that or a very big wad of slimy chewing

gum."

<They are almost powerless without hosts. They ->

Suddenly we felt that blast of pain, straight from the alien. I could also feel his sadness. He knew

his time was almost up.

<The Yeerks are parasites. They must have a host to live in. In this form they are known as

Controllers. They enter the brain and are absorbed into it, taking over the host's thoughts and feelings.

They try to get the host to accept them voluntarily. It is easier that way. Otherwise the host may be

able to resist, at least a little.>

"Are you saying they take over human beings?" Rachel asked. "People? These things take over

their bodies?"

"Look, this is serious stuff," I said. "You shouldn't be telling us. We're just kids, you know. This

is like something the government should know about."

<We had hoped to stop them,> the alien continued. <Swarms of their Bug fighters were waiting

when our Dome ship came out of Z-Space. We knew of their mother ship and were ready for the Bug

fighters, but the Yeerks surprised us - they had hidden a powerful Blade ship in a crater of your moon.

We fought, but... we lost. They have tracked me here. They will be here soon to eliminate all traces

of me and my ship.>

"How can they do that?" Cassie wondered.

The alien seemed to smile with his eyes. <Their Dracon beams will leave nothing behind but a

few molecules of this ship, and... this body> he said. <I sent a message to my home world. We

Andalites fight the Yeerks wherever they go throughout the universe. My people will send help, but it

may take a year, even more, and by then the Yeerks will have control of this planet. After that, there is

no hope. You must tell people. You must warn your people!>

Another spasm of pain ripped through him, and we all knew he was nearly gone. "No one is ever

going to believe us," Marco said hopelessly. He looked at me and shook his head. "No way."

He was right. If these Yeerks were to wipe out the Andalite's ship, how on Earth would we ever

convince people? They'd think we were either nuts or on drugs."I don't care if he thinks he's going to die, we have to try and help him," Rachel said. "We can

get him to a hospital. Or maybe Cassie's parents..."

<There is no time. No time,> the Andalite said. Then his eyes brightened. <Perhaps...>

"What?"

<Go into my ship. You will see a small blue box, very plain. Bring it to me. Quickly! I have very

little time, and the Yeerks will find me soon.>

We all looked at each other. Who was going to be the one to go inside the ship? Somehow we all

seemed to agree it would be me. Actually, I didn't agree, but everyone else did.

"Go ahead," Tobias said. "I want to stay with him." He knelt beside the Andalite and placed a

comforting hand on the alien's narrow shoulder,

I looked at the doorway into the spacecraft. I glanced at Cassie.

"Go ahead," she said, sending me a smile. "You're not scared."

She was wrong; I was plenty scared. But the way she smiled at me, I wasn't about to weasel out.

I walked over to the door of the ship and looked inside. It was surprisingly simple. It looked

cozy, almost. Everything was a creamy color with rounded edges and shapes that tended to be oval.

That was one of the things that helped me to spot the box so easily. It was sky blue and square, maybe

four inches on each side. It seemed kind of heavy for being so small.

I stepped up into the ship. There was no chair, just a sort of open space where I guess the

Andalite stood on his four hooves while he worked the few controls. There weren't a lot of buttons or

anything. I wondered if the Andalite controlled the ship with his thoughts.

I quickly reached for the box and started to head back outside. But then something caught my eye.

It was a small, three-dimensional picture - four Andalites, standing all together, looking like a strange

gathering of deer with solemn faces. Two of them looked very small kids. I realized that this was a

picture of the Andalite's family.

It filled me with sadness to think that here he was, dying, a million miles from his family. Dying

because he had tried to protect the people of Earth. I felt a small flame of anger against the Yeerks, or

Controllers, or whatever they were, for causing this.

I went back to the circle of my friends.

"Here's the box," I told the Andalite.

<Thank you.>

"I, um... was that your family? That picture?"

<Yes.>

"I'm real sorry," I said. What else could I say?

<There is something I may be able to do to help you fight the Yeerks.>

"What?" Rachel demanded.

<I know that you are young. I know that you have no power with which to resist the Controllers.

But I may be able to give you some small powers that may help.>

We all looked at each other. All except Tobias, who never took his gaze off the alien.

<If you wish, I can give you powers that no other human being has ever had.>

"Powers?" What was that supposed to mean?

<It is a piece of Andalite technology that the Yeerks do not have,> the Andalite explained. <A

technology that enables us to pass unnoticed in many parts of the universe - the power to morph. We

have never shared this power. But your need is great.>

"Morph? Morph how?" Rachel asked, her eyes narrowed.

<To change your bodies,> the Andalite said. <To become any other species. Any animal.>Marco laughed derisively. "Become animals?" Marco isn't the most accepting person in the

world.

<You will only need to touch a creature, to acquire its DNA pattern, and you will be able to

become that creature. It requires concentration and determination, but, if you are strong, you can do it.

There are... limitations. Problems. Dangers, even. But there is no time to explain it all... no time.

You will have to learn for yourselves. But first, do you wish to receive this power?>

"He's kidding, right?" Marco asked me.

"No," Tobias said softly. "He's not kidding."

"This is nuts," Marco said. "This whole thing is nuts. Yeerks and spaceships and slugs taking

over people's brains and Andalites and the power to change into animals? Give me a break."

"Yeah, it is beyond weird," I agreed.

"We're off the map of weirdness by this point," Rachel said. "But unless we're all just dreaming,

I think we'd better deal with this."

"He's dying," Tobias reminded us.

"I'll do it," Cassie said. That surprised me. Cassie isn't usually so quick to decide. But I guess,

like Tobias, she felt the truth of what the Andalite was saying.

"I think we should all decide together," I suggested. "One way or the other."

"What's that?" Rachel asked. She was looking up toward the stars. Far, far overhead, two

pinpoints of bright red light were shooting across the sky.

<Yeerks.> The Andalite said the word in our minds, and we could feel his hatred.