Big Jake. Jake, the reluctant leader. Jake, the oh-so-tiresomely decent leader. A sanctimonious killer: my least favourite kind.

I decided that I don't care what it takes, or how many risks I have to run. I don't care what happens to me. I hate those Yeerks. I hate them. I hate them. And I will find a way to stop them.

I wished I could forget what Ax told us. I wished I could stop seeing the pictures in my head of an Earth without birds and trees. An Earth where the ocean was empty and dead.

<Don't you know whom you're fighting?> the Andalite had asked.

Yes.

Now I knew.

People don’t understand the word ruthless. They think it means ‘mean.’ It’s not about being mean. It’s about seeing the bright, clear line that leads from A to B. The line that goes from motive to means. Beginning to end. It’s about seeing that bright, clear line and not caring about anything but the beautiful fact that you can see the solution. Not caring about anything else but the perfection of it.

And Tobias is never happy, period. He thinks if he's ever happy, someone will just come along and take his happiness way.

I shook my head. <No. I have learned something, Estrid. These are my people. Anyone who believes in freedom, anyone who resists tyranny, anyone who pursues peace is "my people." Andalite, Hork-Bajir, or human.>

"Yeah," Marco said. "Besides, we humans make a mean cinnamon bun."

I laughed. <That is definitely true.>