We were briefed by one of Galuit's officers.

The central arming unit is well hidden.

It is in what the Leerans call a "bright hole." Here on Leera the volcanic past created a number of large, underground bubbles in the rock. Because the rock contains a great many phosphorescent minerals and bio-organisms, there is light in these holes, and thus, life."; "What kind of life?" Cassie asked.

Even now, she was interested in living things.

Plant only, aside from insects and microscopic animals. This particular "bright hole" can only be reached two ways: Either someone on the surface must tunnel down through several feet of rock. Or one must travel underwater, up a river, enter an underwater cave, pass through an absolutely lightless tunnel, and emerge at last in the "bright hole.""; Prince Jake took a deep breath.

Cassie took a deep breath. I took a deep breath. We each looked at each other.

Galuit said, That's not all. The river itself may be guarded by Leeran-Controllers. The lightless cave is inhabited by a species of snake that uses echolocation to strike at anything passing by. These snakes hang from the ceilings and walls. But once within the "bright hole" you are safe. Unless, of course, the Yeerks have already found it."; "Is it too late for us to change our minds?"

Prince Jake said.

Galuit looked alarmed.

It is humor,"; I said quickly.

Human humor often consists of pretending to wish something one does not really wish."; "What makes you so sure I don't mean it?" Prince Jake muttered.

More humor,"; I explained to Galuit.

The submarine took us to the mouth of the river. It was as close as it could take us without becoming far too visible for safety.

"I know the oceans are saltwater here, just like on Earth," Cassie said. "But how about the rivers?"

The rivers are lower saline,"; the briefing officer said.

Cassie shook her head. "Hammerheads are saltwater fish. I don't know how they'd deal with freshwater. I just don't know. But they're still probably the best morph for moving fast and winning fights."

Good luck,"; Galuit said. The freedom of this planet rests on your tails.

Or ... or whatever humans have that would be the equivalent of tails."; "Shoulders," Cassie said.

"As long as there's no pressure,"

Prince Jake said.

That would be human humor?"; Galuit asked.

"Plus a little human fear," Prince Jake said. But then he laughed.

Five minutes later, we were in the river, swimming against the current, our dorsal fins slicing upward into the air.

This should be interesting,"; Prince Jake said darkly.

I smell Leerans,"; I said. Up ahead. I recognize the smell from before."; allyep,"; Cassie agreed. Good Leerans or bad? That's the question."; We powered ahead. Through the slightly murky river water we saw them: two pebbly, yellow, tentacled amphibians.

Psychic amphibians.

As soon as we were within range of them, the Leerans knew what we were. They turned and swam away as if their lives depended on it.

After them!"; Prince Jake cried.

They were heading for the banks of the river. Trying to get up, out of the water, beyond our reach. They didn't have water jets, just their natural Leeran bodies.

We were faster, but the bank was close, closer!

The water grew shallow. No more than seven feet. Five feet! The Leerans were kicking up mud, but my shark senses could feel the electrical field of the Leerans now.

Blind, scraping my belly in mud, I lunged.

My teeth bit down. I clamped and held on and struggled to pull the creature back out into the water.

But then, up through the ripply surface I saw a huge, looming Hork-Bajir. Two, no, four of them! They came stomping out into the water.

I pulled back. I tried to turn as the Leeran kept fighting me.

Then I heard the Leeran's psychic cry to the Hork-Bajir. ..Explosives! The whole continent is rigged to explode. There's a central switch. Bright hole! It's in a--"; I bit down harder. The pain stopped the Leeran from saying more. A Hork-Bajir blade slashed down into the water. It sliced me, but not deep.

I let go of the Leeran, jerked my head right, bit down with all my might on the nearest Hork-Bajir's leg. I heard a howl of pain come burbling down through the water.

The Leeran was scrambling away. Still half-blind, I lunged.

The Hork-Bajir had backed off. And now I dragged the Leeran-Controller back out into deeper water.

ationo!"; the Yeerk in his head cried.

Oh, yes,"; I said. I swept behind him and bit off the lobe at the back of his head. Out came the Yeerk.

Are you okay, brother Leeran?"; I asked.

..I am now. Thank you, my Andalite friend! Hurry. Hurry! The Yeerks know your mission now! Hurry!"; I turned back upstream. Cassie and Jake fell in beside me. They had each had their own battles in the murky, shallow water.

How long will it take the Yeerks to find this "bright hole"?"; Prince Jake asked.

Using the sensors aboard their orbiting ships, they will have a map of every subsurface cavern on the continent within five minutes. How long to find the right "bright hole"? I don't know.

We must hurry. The fate of this planet depends on us.";

There! Is that the underwater cave entrance?"; Cassie cried.

I think so. It's in the right area. But there could be dozens of caves."; ationo time to worry about it,"; Prince Jake said.

We plunged into the mouth of the cave. The floor rose steadily and we swam on grimly, blind, scared, and in a desperate hurry.

Suddenly I felt my snout break the surface. Air!

I think we're there,"; Prince Jake said. Demorph! Cassie, what do you think?

Bat morphs?"; There was no answer.

Cassie! Cassie!"; Prince Jake cried.

The rubber band effect. She's gone. Back to Earth. Or ..."; It's happening faster,"; Prince Jake said. Less time between people disappearing. Just two of us now. We could both be snapped back before we reach this switch."; He sounded like I felt. Like he couldn't breathe. Like he couldn't stop his heart from pounding.

It was too much!

Demorph. Nothing to do now but hurry and try to get this job done!"; Prince Jake said.

all yes, Prince Jake,"; I said.

ally know, Ax, there's just the two of us now.

We could probably drop the whole "prince"

thing."; He paused, then added, ally could just call me "The Jake formerly known as Prince.""; Is that a bit of humor?"; all yeah. A joke. Not much of one, but Marco isn't here, so I figure ..."; At that point he made the transition to mostly human and lost his thought-speak ability. I emerged as Andalite, standing in a cold, absolutely black cave, with water still sloshing over my hooves.

"Bat," Prince Jake said. His mouth-sounds echoed slightly.

I focused on the bat. I felt myself shrinking, although there was nothing to see for comparison.

But I could almost feel an upward breeze as I dropped from my own height down to the stumpy, few inches of the bat.

Just you and me now, Ax."; all yes."; If one of us is stopped, for any reason, the other one has to keep going. Clear?"; We fired echolocation bursts and saw the sketchy portrait of a cave that stretched on and on, far past our faintest ultrasonic echoes.

We took to wing. We flapped up on leather wings and raced at full, tearing speed.

We have to remember the snakes,"; I said.