Z-Space transponder

Z-Space transponder
Creator	Andalites Yeerk Empire Peter
Owners	Andalites Yeerk Empire Animorphs
Users	Andalites Yeerk Empire Animorphs *Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill
Status	Active
Appearances
First Appearance	The Predator
Last Appearance	The Sacrifice

"A Z-Space transponder. It translates the signal into zero space."

―Ax

A Z-Space transponder is a device that allows for faster-than-light speeds through Z-space.

History

Used by the Andalites

To be added

Used by the Yeerk Empire

"Doesn't that mean that Chapman's secret radio thing must have one of these Z-Space transponders?"
"Yes! If this Controller speaks to any Yeerk ship, he would have to have a Z-Space transponder. The Yeerk ships are all cloaked. Cloaking technology requires a Z-Space deflection."

―Tobias and Ax

The Yeerk Empire also uses Z-Space transponders in order to communicate across Z-Space. As the Yeerk Empire's ships were cloaked, which required a Z-Space deflection, the Z-Space transponder was necessary in order to establish communications with these chips. Several Z-Space transponders were integrated into a communication device given to Iniss 226, that allowed him to communicate with Esplin 9466 when the latter, as Visser Three, was on his Blade ship or on the Pool ship.

Stolen by the Animorphs

"He held up a tiny, shiny disk. No bigger than a pea."

―Marco

In order to steal a Bug fighter, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill created a Yeerk Distress Beacon which would alert the Yeerk Empire that one of its members required assistance; this in turn would cause the Yeerk Empire to send a Bug fighter to investigate the location the signal was sent from. In order to send the signal into Z-space, as well as to successfully transmit the signal to any cloaked Yeerk ships, a Z-Space transponder was required. Using ant morphs, the Animorphs infiltrated the basement of the Chapman Residence, where Iniss 226's office was located, along with his communication device. Ax then removed one of the Z-Space transponders from the device and placed it near a crack; the team then returned to their ant morphs and pushed the transponder through the crack and back into the yard.

Upon being forced to demorph due to an ant attack that nearly killed them, Marco retrieved the transponder from the dirt. Shortly after, Ax integrated it into the distress beacon, and a few days later, used it to summon a Bug fighter. However, as he had used an outdated frequency, specifically a frequency that the Andalites had already used in the past to trick the Yeerks, the Yeerk Empire quickly realized it was a trap.

Created by Peter

"Erek, the Yeerks are after my dad. With a little Yeerk information, Dad here went and invented a Z-space transponder."

―Marco to Erek King

To be added

Capabilities

"I had to find a way to contact the fleet or the home world. Nothing would save this planet now but the appearance of a full-fledged Andalite war fleet. That meant Z-space communication. A radio signal would take decades to reach anyone. I needed advanced Zero-space transponders. And the only ones on this planet were aboard the ships the Yeerks controlled."

―Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan

Functionally, the Animorphs use it to call the Andalite homeworld and to intercept Yeerk transmissions for intelligence purposes. The Yeerks will sometimes use transponder-modified devices to communicate in places where normal communication is hampered - for instance, to use a cell phone far underground.

Later on, in The Revelation, the Z-Space transponder is convergently invented by humans, specifically Marco's dad and his engineer co-workers. Marco describes it as "mini-cooler size", but by The Sacrifice, it was small and light enough for Ax to carry as a raccoon and horned-owl.

Appearances

In chronological order:

• The Hork-Bajir Chronicles
• The Predator
• The Revelation
• The Deception
• The Sacrifice

Gallery

Graphic novel