The Pretender

Rachel would be beautiful in the middle of mud slides and hailstorms. On a sweet, sunny day, she made my heart ache.

I was shaking and scared by the time I reached the office. It wasn't so much for me. I guess at some level I didn't care all that much if I lived or died right then. I just worried about blowing it somehow. For the others. For my friends. I guess it's true what they always say about combat soldiers. They may start out fighting for their country, but they end up fighting for the guy next to them in the foxhole. I didn't so much care about the fate of the human race at that moment. I wasn't human. I was a hawk. But I cared about Jake, and Cassie, and Marco, and Ax-man, and Rachel. Always Rachel.

The Yeerks must not be allowed to think that they can use hostages against us." "Aren't you kind of missing the point?" Cassie said quietly. "I thought the point was to save Bek." "No," Toby said. "The point is to defeat the Yeerks. We must be strong. Once we free a Hork-Bajir, he must never be taken again." "Do you think the Yeerks will respect you? They won't. They'll come after you harder," Cassie pointed out. Toby nodded. "That is true. But the Hork-Bajir will respect themselves. A fool is strong so that others will see. A wise person is strong for himself. The Hork-Bajir will be strong for the Hork-Bajir. That way, when the Yeerks are all gone, we will still be strong.

We have to take that weapon and blow it up. Quiet and fast. We want to be in there before anyone has a chance to react.” There was a moment of expectant silence. Then Marco said, “Rachel! What's keeping you?” “Oh, I forgot,” she said. And then, in true Rachel style, she yelled, “Let's do it!” “Thank you,” Marco said. “We can't run off on another idiot suicide mission without the blessings of the always insane Xena, Warrior Princess.

There was a moment of expectant silence. Then Marco said, she said. And then, in true Rachel style, she yelled, Marco said.