42 - 5 - Modifies a Helmaroc Ship

Ax went to work on the Helmacron ship.

I watched for a while. He used some of the surgical equipment Cassie's dad kept in the bam. Held the precise instruments in his delicate Andalite fingers and carefully manipulated control rods the size of human hairs. Squinting at the procedure for ten minutes was enough to give me a headache.

My eyes kept drifting to Marco. Still sitting on the hay, looking miserable. I wandered over to him. Sat next to him. Considered giving him a hug, but couldn't quite bring myself to actually do it.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Great. I always wanted to grow up to be a Helmacron Holiday Inn."

It wasn't funny, but I smiled anyway. "We're going to get them," I told Marco.

An hour later Ax was finished.

<This device is very simple to operate,> Ax told us. <The target size has been set. All we have to do is touch this panel and it should engage the shrinking ray.>

I felt wired. Nervous energy. I was anxious to get moving. The Helmacrons had been in Marco's body for over an hour. Plenty of time to do plenty of damage.

"Just show me which button to push," Marco told Ax eagerly."

(...)

The five of us huddled together. I took Cassie's hand and gently held Tobias's wing. We watched as Marco hovered over the Helmacron ship, looking too big and clumsy.

<Simply place your hand on the panel and pull down the left rod,> Ax said.

"Yeah, I got it," Marco said. "Ready, set -"

<Make sure it is the left rod,> Ax said. <You do not want to touch the right one.>

"I got it," Marco said, sounding annoyed.

"Ready -"

FLASH!

A flashbulb brilliance. The light was green and shockingly bright, like looking into an emerald sun. Then, with surprising speed, we all started to get very small.