We'd waited for the Nebula Striker for over a week, they never came. We assumed they'd lost the battle, lost us, or had been destroyed.
    Probes showed that the planet we were orbiting was inhabitable and could give us all the supplies we needed. Since there was no way of getting supplies on to the TalonClaw, we made a hard decision, we'd land the ships and live there, at least for awhile.
    Once both ships were safely landed, I walked out of the TigerFist to wait for my engineers to cut through a wall of the ship. Not only did I want to see everybody, but if I had to spend one more minute on the TigerFist, I would go insane. I'd practically been confined to quarters during the past week, even though I was completely healthy after two days of rest.
    < Rachel! > Alaxi shouted as soon as a section of the TalonClaw had been completely cut away.
    "Hey, Alaxi!" I called back.
    She picked her way over the unfamiliar terrain, probably tasting the grass, to get to me. < You okay? > I hadn't talked to her since I was taken aboard the TigerFist. The doctor had only allowed me to make five minute calls to Cusdo to make sure everything was all right on the TalonClaw. Honestly, my mother used to let me do more when I was sick.
    "I'm fine, Alaxi. I wish people would stop asking me that, I'm absolutely fine."
    < Except for your temper, obviously, > she said with a slight smile.
    "You try being locked in your quarters for a week and see how your temper is."
    < Before we landed, the crew was divided into teams, some to look for water, and food for you and Marco, some to gather fire wood, and some to find shelter for the night. >
    "Sounds like you've been on top of things. I have no idea whether the TigerFist is that organized because somebody kept me locked up for a week," I glared over my shoulder at Marco.
    Alaxi laughed. < Come, let's get to work. >

    < Aunt Rachel! Uncle Marco! Hi! > Alaxi's daughter, Cholay-Rinia-Sareen, called to us when she noticed us standing in the door way of our house.
    Yes, our. It was our for two reasons, one, building just one saved on resources, and two, Marco and I were as close to being married as ever would be, there wasn't exactly a church we could go to, so we just lived together and acted as husband and wife.
    Cusdo and Alaxi were also "married". Right now, Cholay is the only child in our little colony, but six months after we'd set up camp, a ship of refugees arrived, nearly doubling the size of our settlement.

    < Commanders? >
    I walked to the door and opened it. "What is it, Cusdo?"
    < I thought you'd like to see this, > he handed me a pad.
    I looked over it quickly. "Marco, you might want to look at this." He came over and I handed him the pad.
    "Have they found us?" he asked once he'd read it.
    Cusdo shrugged. < We don't believe the Electorate knows of our location. This is just one older model transport ship. But they're on a direct course for us. >
    "So what do we do?" I asked. "If they're military, there's nothing we can do."
    "I guess we just sit back and wait," Marco said.
    I wanted to argue, but couldn't. We didn't have any ships capable of fighting anything. If this was the enemy...well, i guess I'd get to see Tobias, Cassie and Jake again.
    Three days later, the answer of who was on the transport was answered: refugees from the Andalite Home world. All of them escaped political prisoners. According to them, the electorate had gone mad wanting to destroy the Yeerks. When anybody tried to speak out against their actions, they were jailed.
    "Communists," Marco said when he heard this. "The Andalites have become Communists."

    The refugees from that transport had paired up and were starting families here. Several children were expected in the coming months, along with more refugees, and one human child.
    In three months, Marco and I would be the parents of the first human born into freedom for nearly a decade. I felt how Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak must have felt when we'd freed them. We were billions of miles from our home, and our child could very well be the last free one of it's species. Unlike the Hork-Bajir, we couldn't stage raids to free other humans. We just had to hope that the Electorate regained it's sanity and finished of the Yeerks, at least, those on Earth.
    < Oh, Mother and Father wanted me to get you two. Go to our scoop, they have something to show you, > Cholay said.
    "Okay," I said. "We'll be right there." Cholay continued on her run while Marco and I started walking towards Alaxi's and Cusdo's scoop.
    Their scoop was only a few hundred yards away, but it took us nearly ten minutes to get there. It's impossible to walk fast when you have a stomach the size of a beach ball.
    "What is it, Alaxi?" I asked once we reached her and Cusdo's scoop.
    < We just intercepted an Andalite transmission, > she said excitedly. < Here, watch! > she put a small cylinder in a hole in a message board. We'd taken apart most of the TigerFist and TalonClaw and modified them for personal use.
    "A new leader has taken control of the Electorate today. Vestef-Jania-Tolup, formerly Tactical Officer of the ship Nebula Striker. He gave a speech shortly after the results were in." The picture cut from the reporter to Vestef.
    "I am thankful for this opportunity to bring about change in our ways. As many of you know, the former Electorate leader became insane in his quest to find the Yeerks. So insane, in fact, that he had two brave and honorable warriors imprisoned and hunted down for their beliefs in right and wrong.
    "These two warriors were Commander Marco of the TigerFist and Commander Rachel of the TalonClaw. They and their crews have gone into hiding. Even I, who aided in their escape, do not know of their location. But if you are listening, Rachel and Marco, know this, my first priority is to free your home, and if you wish to come out of hiding, you're free to do so without worry."
    The reporter came back on. "Leader Vestef went on to say--" Alaxi turned it off.
    < We're free again, Rachel. We can return to our home without worrying about being tried for treason. We can live freely among our own people! >
    I forced a smile. "This is great!" I wasn't sure if she bought it, though. Although Vestef promised to end the Yeerk's reign on Earth, what were the chances of that happening? But it was a step in the right direction, at least.
    < So, Commander, what are we going to do? > Cusdo asked. < Stay here quietly or contact Vestef? >
    "You two go ahead and contact Vestef. Tell him our coordinates and the number of ships we'll need to transport all of us. If any one has a problem with you trying to contact Vestef, tell them the message come straight from Commander Rachel and Commander Marco. While you do that, Marco and I will go tell everyone the news."
    "No, Rachel, I'll go tell everyone," Marco interjected. "You're not going to go walking all over the countryside right now."
    "I can take care of myself, Marco," I argued.
    He gave me a pitiful look. "Please?"
    I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Fine. I'm on my way home. You go out. Go talk to everybody. I'll stay home and watch soaps."
    He gave me a peck on the cheek, "Thanks."
    "Any time," I said, still being sarcastic, and went home.
 

    Three weeks later, a fleet of Andalite ships arrived, all ordered to treat us like royalty and bring us back to the Andalite home world.
    Naturally, all of us were suspicious. Even those of us who'd worked with Vestef were. How were we supposed to know the Andalites flying us back weren't loyal to the old Electorate and would go on a killing spree?
    Luckily, all the crews were sane. None of them even said something negative about us, and only laughed when Cholay was making a nuisance of herself.
    One evening on the main Dome Ship in the fleet, Alaxi, Cusdo, Marco's first officer, Capres-Alini-Folia, Marco and myself were in the captain's quarters along with the captain, Fanora-Macell-Lorait.
    < What changes has Vestef implemented already? > Alaxi asked. We were having a little Q&A session with Fanora. We wanted to know everything we could about the world we were returning to.
    < Implemented? Few, > Fanora answered. < After all, he's only been in power for three weeks. But after organizing forces to protect Earth, he made it easier for females to get into the military. >
    "No way," I said. "Hundreds of years of oppression and Vestef gets it changed in three weeks?"
    < His stories of yours and Warrior Alaxi's accomplishments persuaded most of the population that females deserve a place in the military. >
    < What is he planning on changing? > Cusdo asked.
    < He wants to encourage acceptance of other species and cultures. Another change influenced by Commander Rachel and Commander Marco. >
    "Guess we're just influential people," Marco joked.
    < Anything else? > Capres asked.
    Fanora waved his stalk eyes back and forth, a gesture I'd learned to interpret as 'I don't know'. < Vestef keeps all plans secret, except those he is sure will work or he feels strongly about. Such as giving females equality with males. >
    "Sounds like Vestef is doing a lot better job than the former Electorate leader," I said.
    < Much better, > Fanora assure us. < HIs ideas, while not traditional, may be just the thing to help our
people. >
 
    Two weeks later, we arrived on the Andalite home world. The base we landed at looked like Times Square used to on New Year's Eve. All the Andalites I'd ever met were always very calm, even in the heat of battle, but these Andalites were, by Andalite standards, having a wild party.
    As Marco and I walked down the exit ramp, the crowd parted directly in front of us to allow Vestef and two stern looking Andalites, probably guards, through.
    < Commander Rachel! Commander Marco! >
    "Hey, Vestef," I greeted.
    "Hey," Marco said.
    < Welcome to our planet. I assure you this visit will be more pleasant than your last, > Vestef said with a smile. < Come, I have made living arrangements for both of you. Once you have rested, I need to talk to both of you. >
    "Why don't we talk now, then?" I suggested. "We've been resting on the ship for two weeks, I need to do something else."
    < Then follow me. >
    We followed Vestef and his two guards to one of the few buildings on the planet. Once in, he led us to a large room with only a table inside.
    < I apologize for the lack of chairs. I know you're more-- >
    Marco interrupted him, "We're fine, Vestef. What do you need?"
    < Your help is required in the final assault at Earth against the Yeerks. As you may have noticed last time you were in the system, there were no ships in orbit around your planet.. We've been able to keep Yeerk forces out of the area, but we feel it's time to end Yeerk control of Earth itself. >
    "I couldn't agree more," I said. "What do you want us to do and when?"
    < We are scheduled to depart for Earth in a week. Ships are being modified for you as we speak. >
    "That gives us a month to fight this final battle," Marco said.
    I sent him a look. "What do you mean 'a month'? We've got as much time as we need."
    "No, we don't, Rachel. Or at least you don't. You're already seven months pregnant, you're not going to be fighting in your ninth month."
    "I can take care of myself and our kid, Marco," I growled. "I have done every damn thing you've asked me to for the last seven months, but this is different. This is our home we're talking about, and if you want to keep me from fighting you're welcome to try, but I can guarantee you won't succeed. I'm going to fight in this last battle and there's absolutely nothing you can say to stop me!" By the time I was finished, I was yelling.
    Marco looked like he was going to argue with me, but I kept glaring at him and he kept quiet. He knew there was no way to keep me out of this.
    I turned to Vestef, who'd been watching our argument in silence. "Maybe I could use a rest. Where are those quarters you had prepared for us?"
    He turned to one of his guards, < Show the Commanders to their quarters. > The guard nodded and motioned for Marco and I to follow him.
    We were led down a series  of hallways before we stopped in front of two doors. The guard motioned us forward, indicating these were ours. I got the feeling this guy didn't like us. Oh, well, I had bigger things on my mind.
    Once I was in my room, I discovered that Marco's and my rooms were connected. Or, more precisely, Marco discovered that by barging into my room.
    "Rachel, we need to talk."
    "If you're going to try and change my mind, no we don't."
    "Fine. I won't try to change your mind. But we do need to talk. Why are you all pissed at me? I'm just trying to look out for you and the baby."
    "Thanks for your concern, Marco, but as I said before, I can take care of myself. Trust me, I'm not going to put myself in immediate danger. No taking out a fighter and fighting a blade ship one on one. And commanding a ship isn't going to hurt the baby."
    I'd sat down on my hard bed while I was talking and Marco came over and sat next to me. "I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt it, but I can't help but worry."
    I smiled. "That's sweet, Marco, and I'm glad you're looking out for us, but you do need to let me live my own life. Okay?" He nodded. "Good, now go back to your own room, I need to get some sleep." He gave me a quick kiss, then left.
 

    "Systems check," I ordered from my command chair.
    < All systems are ready, > Alaxi replied from her post next to me.
    We were on the bridge of my new ship, the WolfHawk, named for Cassie and Tobias this time. Most of my crew was new, the old crew opting to retire from the military, but a few stuck around. Cacitini was still at the helm, and Trax still at operations.
    Alaxi was my first officer. Somehow, she convinced Cusdo to stay home with Cholay while she came with me, although with was to be her last military action. I agreed. I was sick of this. Once Earth was free, I wasn't going to fight again.
    "Let's do it, then. Cacitini, set a course for Earth."

    After two weeks of sitting on the bridge or in my quarters talking to Marco on his ship, the Tiger, we arrived at Earth.
    When I saw the planet on the screen, emotions I'd kept buried for a year threatened to come out again, but I was prepared this time. And I couldn't allow old wounds to get in the way of the mission. I could feel later, when Earth was free.
    < No Yeerk ships are in orbit above the planet, > Trax reported. < However, a few hundred bug fighters and two blade ships are detected on the planet itself. WE're too far away to be sure, but preliminary reports show the blade ships are not operational. >
    "An entire fleet was needed for this?" I muttered under my breath. Louder, I said, "Take us down to the surface, Cacitini, and relay the order to the other ships, Alia," I said to the new communications officer, one of the first females to join the military under Vestef's changes.
    A minute later, I could see other ships in the fleet beginning to descent to the surface, which was getting larger as we also descended. I felt a slight flutter go through my stomach as I   realized what we were doing. I would be walking on Earth soil again, breathing Earth air, feeling the warmth of Earth's sun, sensations I hadn't felt for a long time.
    < We've landed, Commander, > Cacitini announced.
    "Order all the warriors to get their weapons together. We need to get off the ship before the Yeerks realize what's going on." Alai nodded and quickly sent the message as the rest of us exited the bridge, including myself. Yes, it was dangerous, but I had to, the WolfHawk would offer little protection parked on the ground, I was better off risking it outside.
    When I stepped off the ship, I stumbled a bit and felt a slight bit of pressure. Evidently, Earth's gravity is just slightly greater than that of the Andalite world. Not enough to kill anyone, but enough to notice and take a minute to get used to. Marco and I adapted quicker than the Andalites since this was our natural environment, and went off looking for...well, we weren't sure.
    "Where're you going to hid if serious fighting breaks out?" Marco asked as we walked. "There's nothing here to hide you."
    I looked around. He was right, Earth looked even bleaker now than it had when we'd left, and there wasn't so much as a shrub in sight.
    "We need to bring the fight back near the mountains," I said, pointing back the way we came. "No idea whether they're the mountains we know, I have no idea where we've landed, but there's sure to be an out cropping of rocks I can duck behind if things get too bad."
    "Then let's head--Whoa! Watch it!" he said as he grabbed my arm, I'd tripped over something.
    "What the hell?" I looked down at what I'd tripped on. It was a small piece of wood, twigs really, My foot had snapped it in half, but I could tell what it had been before I'd tripped. A cross.
    "Oh, my God..." I whispered.
    "What?" Marco asked. He didn't' realize what it was yet.
    "We're home, Marco. Really home. This is the grave marker I made for Tobias." Tears were falling down my cheeks, but at least I wasn't in hysterics like I usually was when I was reminded of my friends.
    "You sure?"
    "I'm positive, Marco." I scanned the open filed that had once been dense woods. "See that building over there? The one that's nearly destroyed? That was Cassie's."
    "What happened to the Yeerk pool they were supposed to be building here?"
    I shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't care. Come on, let's get back to the mountains."
    It took nearly three hours to get all of us back near the mountains, and once there, it was only an hour before the first Yeerks arrived.
    The Taxxon trackers, who'd been leading several dozen Hork-Bajir and humans were taken out easily by our hand held shredders, but the humans and Hork-Bajir were harder to get. They'd had time to pull out their dracon beams and fire back.
    We were able to hold off the first Hork-Bajir and humans with our shredders, but when reinforcements started showing up and you weren't sure if your own weapon and hit an enemy or the warrior at your side, we had to bring out the big guns, shredder cannons.
    Basically, they were huge shredders mounted on wheels, but they sure packed a punch. On a good shot, ten controllers could be taken out of the fight.
    When the cannons were brought out, I reluctantly ducked behind a large boulder. I sat and listened to the sounds of battle around me as I waited for my shredder to reload. I'd drained nearly all it's power and it would take a minute to recharge.
    I didn't have the opportunity to use it again that day, though. With our superior shredder cannons, the surviving Yeerks turned and ran. We knew this wasn't the end, not a chance. But it was a victory, and it felt good to win again.

    I fought in minor battles for another month before myself and the doctor took the WolfHawk deep into the mountains where I could be spending a month with just the doctor for company. Being pregnant sucked. Why couldn't a stork just drop off kids whenever two people wanted a baby? That way, I'd still be able to fight.
    Three weeks later, just about a week early, it happened. I went into labor, and four hours later, I found myself as the mother of an absolutely perfect baby girl.
    "Hurry up and try to call Marco on the Tiger," I ordered the doctor once I was holding my daughter in my arms. "Tell him to come here ASAP to meet his daughter."
    I was laughing and crying tears of joy when Marco came in two hours later.
    "What's her name?" he asked while holding her.
    "I was waiting for you to help decide that."
    We sat for half an hour debating names. We weren't going to name her after our friends, too many memories that we didn't need every time we talked to her.
    "How about Faith?" I suggested.
    Marco looked down at our daughter. "Yeah, she looks like a Faith. For a middle name, how about...Joy."
    I tried it out. "Faith Joy. I like it."
 

    It had taken a year, but we did it. The Yeerks were gone. All the hosts were free, every Kandrona was destroyed, and the Yeerk Pools filled in and entrances sealed.
    Marco and I were spending our days trying to find our friends and families, and the families of fellow Animorphs. They deserved to hear what had happened to their children.
    We also tried to help other families find each other. The Yeerks hadn't exactly cared about keeping families together, so family members could be spread across the state, country, even world.
    Once day, after I'd put Faith down for a nap, there was a knock at the door. Since Marco was out looking for a friend of his, I answered it.
    "Can I help you?" I asked the woman who was standing there.
    "Rachel?"
    "Yes." There was something vaguely familiar about this woman, but I couldn't quite place it.
    "It's me. Aunt Nikki."
    "Oh, my God! Come in!" I opened the door wider and let her in.
    "Where is he?" she asked right away. "Where's my Jake?"
    "Aunt Nikki...here, sit down," I led her to the hard couch that had been left in the house when Marco and I'd found it.
    "Rachel, I know he was an Animorph, and that you and Marco freed him, now where is he? Is he somewhere with Cassie?"
    I can only hope, I said to myself. "Aunt Nikki...Jake's dead." Her eyes widened with shock. "Shortly after we freed him, Cassie and Ax, Ax disappeared, shortly followed by the re-capturing of Jake and Cassie. We...Marco and I...we weren't able to free them a second time so...in battle we...we had to kill them."
    Aunt Nikki was silent for a minute, then started yelling, "No! No! You're lying!" she jumped up from the couch, hysterical, and ran towards the door. "You're lying, Rachel! I'll go find him myself!"
    Before she ran out the door, I managed to grab her arm and keep her from doing something stupid.
    As I dragged her back to the couch, Marco came back. Simultaneously, Faith woke up crying from Aunt Nikki's hysterics.
    "Damn," I cursed, but Faith's crying seemed to calm Nikki down.
    "Who's that?" she asked.
    "Our daughter, Faith," Marco answered, walking towards the stairs to comfort Faith.
    "May I see her?"
    "Of course," I said, and allowed her to get up and walk upstairs.
    "Who's that?" Marco whispered to me as we walked behind Nikki.
    "Jake's Mom," I whispered back. "She didn't exactly take the news of Jake's death well."
    "Hello, Faith," Aunt Nikki cooed as she lifted Faith out of the old crib we'd found. For a minute Faith looked like she was going to burst into a new wave of tears at the sight of the strange woman picking her up, but grinned and started babbling away in baby talk.
    "She likes you," I said while smiling.
    Nikki walked back to Marco and I and handed Faith to me. "I'm sorry for getting upset at you, Rachel. Really, you set Jake free, and for that I'm thankful. I just wish that things hadn't ended that way."
    "We feel the same way," Marco assured her.
    "I need to return home. Tom and I are looking for my husband."
    "Where are you living? Marco and I are trying to reunite people, we could send him to your place."
    Nikki wrote her address down on a scrap of paper and left.
    "Did you find who you were looking for?" I asked Marco as I laid Faith back down.
    "Yes and no, I managed to find my father, your mother and father and sisters."
    "But?"
    "But they're all dead."
    "What?!"
    "They've all died. Same with Cassie's family."
    We were back down in the living room, I sat down on the couch. "How could they all be dead?"
    Marco sat down next to me. "Rachel, we both knew there was a possibility this could happen."
    "I know, Marco. That doesn't mean I'm going to handle it well though."
    He hugged me close and I hugged back. "I've lost it all, too, Rach. But I still have you and you have me, and we have Faith. As long as the three of us are together, we can make it."
    I thought about that for a moment. "You're right, Marco. As long as we have eachother, we'll be fine."

    I laid down the book and pencil, too tired to write. Hope must have seen the fatigue on my face for she gently took one of my hands. I smiled and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Softly, though, I didn't have the strength I once had.
    I heard a voice whisper in my ear softly. "Come on, Rachel, we're all waiting."
    I looked over and saw a human Tobias standing with Cassie, Jake and Marco. I smiled.
    "I'm coming...I'm coming."

Author's Notes: I think I successfully combined sappy and dark, don't you? And yes, I know pairing up Marco and Rachel is a little...off, so sue me, it's my story and I can do whatever I darn well please with it!!! As always, feed back is appreciated.

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