Let's Read Animorphs! The Whole Series! Ch-ch-ch-chaaanges

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Star Man: Jun 1, 2008; There's a star maaaaaan
Over the rainbow

The logic of the morphing ability healing wounds and injuries done to the morpher's original body makes me wonder why it doesn't erase the Visser One while he's inside of Alloran's head, since the Yeerk is its own organism with its own genetic code and properties.

I suppose the science that went into creating the morphing cube deals with that issue by including things like gut bacteria and other microorganisms that live inside an individual to make sure that they are also present when unmorphing, so a morphing-capable person would also keep their Yeerk and the Yeerk would still be the one in control.

Does the host's mind accompany the Yeerk's mind while in morph?

It's magic. It's just all magic

# ? Oct 16, 2022 03:37

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# ? May 27, 2024 20:32

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

Since no one else will post it:

Here is Champ, who looks like a very, very good boy.

:luca:

# ? Oct 16, 2022 03:59

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

Luckily your haircut is encoded in your DNA so the morphing cube can restore it.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 04:25

Capfalcon: Apr 6, 2012; No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

One thing I thought when I was first reading it was "How does it know how old you are?" And then I thought, "You know, there's got to have been some Andalite who was dying of old age and morphed a young kid, went past the two hours, and had a second life."

# ? Oct 16, 2022 04:28

mind the walrus: Sep 22, 2006

OctaviusBeaver posted:

Luckily your haircut is encoded in your DNA so the morphing cube can restore it.

90s center parts are encoded in the DNA of every white boy

# ? Oct 16, 2022 05:11

Mazerunner: Apr 22, 2010; Good Hunter, what... what is this post?

so uh, Tobias' mom wouldn't be wearing morph clothes or whatever, so uh , nah not finishing that though

# ? Oct 16, 2022 05:36

Zore: Sep 21, 2010; willfully illiterate, aggressively miserable sourpuss whose sole raison d�etre is to put other people down for liking the wrong things

Mazerunner posted:

so uh, Tobias' mom wouldn't be wearing morph clothes or whatever, so uh , nah not finishing that though

The criteria for 'morph clothes' is just that they're skintight so worst case she's probably in her underwear.

Also thanks to the power of scene changing we never have to worry about it.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 05:43

Acebuckeye13: Nov 2, 2010; Ultra Carp

As mentioned earlier I loved this book when I was a kid, and it really holds up. Previous books showed escalating tensions (Marco faking his death and Visser 3 getting promoted, the Yeerks openly attacking a carrier group), but it's not until this book that the status quo is completely and irrevocably blown up�and it does so in a way that not only culminates Tobias' longstanding desire for human connection and family, but also sets up the final stage of Jake's arc in his failure to protect his family and to save Tom, his core driving motivation since the very first book.

It's a bummer that the series ends so soon. Obviously, it's a bit sad for any good series to come to an end, but to me the last few books really showcase what the books could have been had it been more serialized narrative from the very beginning, as opposed to loosely-connected individual adventures for most of the series' run. Funnily enough, I think Applegate and Grant had the same thought, which is why the Remnants books which followed this series were both individually longer and a full-on serial narrative. And is even more horrifying and hosed up!

# ? Oct 16, 2022 07:29

Rochallor: Apr 23, 2010; ふっっっっっっっっっっっっｃｋ

Acebuckeye13 posted:

It's a bummer that the series ends so soon. Obviously, it's a bit sad for any good series to come to an end, but to me the last few books really showcase what the books could have been had it been more serialized narrative from the very beginning, as opposed to loosely-connected individual adventures for most of the series' run. Funnily enough, I think Applegate and Grant had the same thought, which is why the Remnants books which followed this series were both individually longer and a full-on serial narrative. And is even more horrifying and hosed up!

Yeah, you can imagine a world where the endgame starts around five books earlier and everything isn't so compressed. Like the whole thing with Jake's parents absolutely should have happened in a Jake book; as it stand we're not going to get his (internal) perspective on what happened for another four books because of the narration order.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 13:40

SSJ_naruto_2003: Oct 12, 2012

Capfalcon posted:

One thing I thought when I was first reading it was "How does it know how old you are?" And then I thought, "You know, there's got to have been some Andalite who was dying of old age and morphed a young kid, went past the two hours, and had a second life."

Technically the morphing ability is imparted via cube so in a real world the andalites would be ruled by a cabal of people who just morph younger andalites when they get old over and over.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 13:55

kiminewt: Feb 1, 2022

SSJ_naruto_2003 posted:

Technically the morphing ability is imparted via cube so in a real world the andalites would be ruled by a cabal of people who just morph younger andalites when they get old over and over.

Yeah but it doesn't work on nothlits so you can only do it once. If you keep morphing back and forth you'd still have to sleep in your regular form and inevitably die in your sleep.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 14:18

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Comrade Blyatlov posted:

Since no one else will post it:

Here is Champ, who looks like a very, very good boy.

They replaced all of the Animorph cover models over the course of the series, i assume as the models got older. Tobias there was the last image to change. They were having trouble finding a new Tobias, until this kid, who was apparently an anthropomorphic personification of the 90s, walked in, skateboard in hand, for some completely unrelated reason. They grabbed him and got him signed up as the new Tobias.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 14:50

SSJ_naruto_2003: Oct 12, 2012

kiminewt posted:

Yeah but it doesn't work on nothlits

That's what they want you to think :tinfoil:

# ? Oct 16, 2022 15:06

Strategic Tea: Sep 1, 2012

SCP12345

Subject is a teenage male who appears and behaves at the exact average of all Scholz matrix cultural metrics for the United States as at 29 August 1991.

Also he sometimes turns into a [REDACTED] and fights [REDACTED].

# ? Oct 16, 2022 15:44

mind the walrus: Sep 22, 2006

Rochallor posted:

Yeah, you can imagine a world where the endgame starts around five books earlier and everything isn't so compressed. Like the whole thing with Jake's parents absolutely should have happened in a Jake book; as it stand we're not going to get his (internal) perspective on what happened for another four books because of the narration order.

There's even an argument that the "get the families out" book should have been a special edition with rotating narrators for each unit, although I must stress as much as possible that learning what Applegate and Grant were under during production leaves me with nothing but respect for what they did manage to get on the page.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 15:58

Capfalcon: Apr 6, 2012; No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

SSJ_naruto_2003 posted:

That's what they want you to think

Ah I see you don't know about the Real Morphing Cube.

# ? Oct 16, 2022 16:10

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Really liked this book. I think it might actually be the best Tobias book. I particularly loved this:

quote:

�Visit? I know. I was in the hospital for a long time. When I got out, I didn�t know where you were. They sent you to stay with my sister, but I didn�t know her address. I didn�t even know her last name. The hospital didn�t have it on file. Maybe I could�ve tried harder. I just thought - hoped - you were happy. With people who cared about you. Who at least knew who you were. You didn�t need a crazy, blind woman in your life.�

Yes, I did. Yes. I did.

I still did.

Especially afterwards when he tells her "that stuff doesn't matter anymore" - except it does, of course it does.

Rochallor posted:

Yeah, you can imagine a world where the endgame starts around five books earlier and everything isn't so compressed. Like the whole thing with Jake's parents absolutely should have happened in a Jake book; as it stand we're not going to get his (internal) perspective on what happened for another four books because of the narration order.

I sort of agree with this, but at the same time I think the juxtaposition of Tobias recovering his family and Jake losing his works really well.

Ideally, as someone else noted, I think this part of the story should've been a big Megamorphs book with rotating narrators (and then could've included 45 with Marco being the first to have his cover blown - the handful of books where he's living as an outlaw and hanging in the wilderness with Tobias and Ax is cool in theory but they never really did anything interesting with it).

Also, lol:

quote:

Toby, the young Hork-Bajir seer, had organized another group to debrief Marco�s mom. Eva had been Visser One�s host body for years. She�d seen everything the former Visser One had seen. She knew the Yeerk organization, the Yeerk fleet, and the Yeerks� future plans. And Toby was determined to pick every shred of that information from her brain.

I'm glad somebody thought to do this! In the real world Eva would be an invaluable resource and a near-fully integrated member of the team by now (especially if they're willing to give Loren the morphing power!) but in practice it runs into the forbidden YA narrative constraint of No Grown-Ups Allowed.

edit - also I can't remember what they end up doing, but if Loren's blindness has been cured by morphing it'll be a bit hosed up if they don't let Eva cure her maimed limbs and horribly burned face the same way

# ? Oct 17, 2022 07:47

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Book 50-The Ultimate
Chapter 1

quote:

Tsseeeewww! Tsseeeewww!

I dropped to the ground. Dracon fire narrowly missed frying my head. Before the enemy could squeeze off another round, I rolled into one of the newly dug trenches.

The trench was muddy, the soil teeming with earthworms. Gross, but it was protection. And the trench was deep enough for me to morph big. But under an attack like this, I knew to go small.

Tsseeeewww! Tsseeeewww!

More Dracon fire whizzed by overhead. And then I heard the sound that always makes my blood run cold.

Like somebody sharpening knives. Stalking me. Preparing to kill.

It�s a sound I seriously don�t enjoy.

The sound of Hork-Bajir.

Hork-Bajir are massive creatures. Seven feet tall with machete-like blades on their elbows, their knees, and their foreheads. They�re not natural diggers, like the Taxxons. But they can move a powerful amount of earth if they have to.

�Hrrath!�

Tsseeeewww!

A shout and another round of Dracon fire. The whisking, knife-sharpening sound receded slightly. I poked my head above the rim of the trench. Saw Marco running across the compound yard, another group of Hork-Bajir close behind him.

He was creating a diversion. Helping me to escape. Giving me time to morph.

Marco dove into another trench.

I knew what to do. We�d planned it in advance. Rehearsed it endlessly.

We�d use our roach morphs to escape the compound through a network of underground pipes we�d laid beneath the trenches.

I closed my eyes to begin the morph. From ground level, more shouts and explosions. Were my parents out there vulnerable to the attack? Terrified?

The morph was slow to start. I couldn�t concentrate. Fix the image of the roach in your mind, Cassie. Fix it and morph.

No use. I couldn�t keep the roach within view. Instead, I saw my mother.

Saw the look on her face when, for the very first time, she watched me morph.

What would her face look like now if she saw me burrowing in a muddy trench full of worms, dung, and rotted vegetation?

Stop it! I ordered myself. You have to do this! So, do it.

I concentrated hard. Nothing. I couldn�t morph. And I�m the one who�s supposed to be so good at it.

<Cassie! Come on! Where are you?> Marco.

I concentrated harder. Now it was my dad�s face that appeared in my mind. He looked sad and disappointed. As if until this moment he�d never realized that evil really did exist. Not only in the big �out there.� But right in his own backyard.

The Hork-Bajir were closing in. I could hear their blades slicing the air. It was new or never. If only I could know my parents had taken cover, reached safety!

<Morph, Cassie!>

Jake�s voice, commanding me through thought speak.

I looked up. Two Hork-Bajir were staring down at me. Jaws open, blades gleaming. One of them reached to scoop away the muddy soil. To grab me.

That did it. I flattened myself against the bottom of the trench, facedown. Felt earthworms tickling my skin. I fought the urge to puke and started the morph.

Crrreeeeek!

Fingernails turned brown, then crept up along the backs of my hands. Covering them with a hard, shiny brown skin. Then that new skin spread up my arms and across my back. Worked its way over my belly and down my legs.

My skin, once supple, was now the hard exoskeleton matter of a roach.

One of the Hork-Bajir said something. I couldn�t understand the words. A roach�s sense of hearing isn�t great. But the roach could easily sense vocal vibrations. And movement.

Whumpf! Whumpf!

A massive Hork-Bajir talon scraped the soil around me. Faster. I willed the human-sized roach to shrink to less than an inch long. Small enough to slip between huge Hork-Bajir claws.

The other Hork-Bajir stepped down into the trench.

Whumpf!

I felt the vibrations of a heavy footfall. But I was safe. The morph was complete. The roach crawled down deep, into the soft, squishy mud.

Suddenly, the smell of pepper and cinnamon and oregano.

Perfect.

A spice sack, planted at the opening of each pipe to guide the roach to the escape path.

Scraaaape. Scraaaape.

The soil above me ruptured as the Hork-Bajir continued to claw at the mud. But I�d reached the narrow opening of the pipe.

Once inside, I ran. Skimmed along the slick interior, easily following the narrow twists and turns.

The tunnel swooped gently upward. I hurried up the incline. Finally, daylight. I emerged and began to demorph.

With a rapid series of disturbing motions my human self began to emerge from the tiny insect body. When the demorph was complete, I stumbled to my bare feet.

And stood before a gorilla, a Siberian tiger, and a grizzly bear.

Marco, Jake, and Rachel. Already in battle morphs.

Ax and Tobias were on the other side of the camp. At least that was where they were supposed\ to be, according to the plan.

The plan. Well, basically, if there was ever a surprise attack by the Yeerks, we would escape the compound as roaches, demorph, go to battle morphs, circle the camp, and go back in to fight.

<Where have you been?!> Jake demanded. <Seconds count, Cassie. You know that.>

Before I could answer, there was a crashing in the brush and two Hork-Bajir cut their way through the trees.

We stood in the clearing. Defenseless. No escape.

The smaller Hork-Bajir stepped forward. In her slightly guttural speech, she announced. �You are all dead. And so is everyone in the compound.�

Well, good series, everyone.

Chapter 2

quote:

<Thanks, Toby,> Jake said dryly.

The leader of the free Hork-Bajir bowed her head.

�I�m not criticizing,� she said. �Your plan is a good one. But only if everybody cooperates. It�s a good thing this was just a war game.�

Jake, Rachel, and Marco began to demorph. When he was human again, Jake gave me an odd look.

�The plan depends on rapid response and following orders. Where were you, Cassie? And why did you demorph before I gave you the safe signal?�

Good question. I�d forgotten we weren�t supposed to come out of roach morph unless Jake gave us the okay.

If we came out of the pipe and didn�t hear Jake�s private thought-speak, it meant that we should keep out of sight. Wait for further instructions.

I felt my face get hot. �Sorry.�

Jake shrugged and turned to Toby. �What about the others? Did any of them get it right?�

Toby hesitated. �Well, let�s just hope the Yeerks don�t launch an attack any time soon. The adult humans need much drilling. Or else they will need a lot of protection.�

I guess it�s time to explain a few things. Like why a seemingly average kid was diving into mud and crawling through pipes. As a roach.

My name is Cassie.

At first there were only five of us. Just five ordinary kids. Until one evening we hooked up at the mall and decided to walk home together. Through an abandoned construction site.

Mistake number one.

Because that�s where we stumbled on a crashed spaceship. And an alien named Elfangor. And ended up in this war.

The pilot was close to death. Before he died he told us an amazing but true story. That Earth had been invaded by Yeerks, parasitic, sentient sluglike things that had been infesting bodies of various species around the galaxy. Now the Yeerks were on our planet. Busily invading the human race. Taking human bodies as their hosts.

Elfangor also gave us a small blue box. A cube that held the key to the most valuable piece of technology his people, the Andalites, had ever developed.

The ability to morph.

That was the beginning.

Later, we were joined by another Andalite. Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. Ax. A cadet in training. A kid like us.

Like we were, once. Because none of us will ever really be kids again.

Now, a hundred or more battles later, I�m not sure exactly what we are. In the eyes of the innocent world, we�re still children. But in our own eyes �

We�ve won some of those battles. Lost others. At least we�ve come out alive. But the war rages on.

And everything is different. Because now, the Yeerks know we�re not �Andalite bandits.� Now they know we�re human. Most of us, anyway. They even know our names. They know who our families are, too.

Which meant we had to tell our families everything. About the Yeerks. About the Andalites.

About why we call ourselves Animorphs. About the months of fighting and the incredible danger and the exhausting emotional drain.

We didn�t have time to break the news to our families gently. Not with the Yeerks on the way. We had to evacuate our homes - our lives - immediately.

Just about all of our parents are still in shock. Who can blame them? Even after everything I�ve witnessed, after everything I�ve done and had done to me, sometimes I can�t believe it�s real, either.

Sometimes I just know what at any minute I�ll wake up from this nightmare.

So now we�re in hiding. Me and my parents. Rachel, her mom, and her sisters. Her father lives in another state. There was no time to find him.

Marco and his parents are here, too. Tobias and his long-lost mother, Loren.

Everyone except for Jake�s parents. And brother.

We�re taking refuge with the colony of free Hork-Bajir. So far, the Yeerks haven�t found this new camp. For now at least, we�re safe.

The Hork-Bajir are by nature gentle tree-dwellers. And, well, by our human standards, not too bright. But Toby, their �seer,� is different. She�s done a good job of leading her people. Keeping them safe on a daily basis. Troubleshooting in emergencies.

Toby and Jake discussed logistics as we walked back to camp.

�The trenches need to be at least eight feet deeper,� she said. �And the escape pipes need to be imbedded in concrete to keep them from shifting.�

�What if they fill up with water?�

�That�s an easy problem to fix,� Toby answered.

Jake nodded. But he didn�t ask any more questions. Like how Toby planned to fix flooding pipes. And how long it would take. And could Taxxons dig up the pipes, concrete or no concrete.

That wasn�t like Jake. Jake was usually way in front of any situation. The truth was, and it hurt me to admit it, Jake just wasn�t Jake anymore.

Ah, just a wargame. And I have to think that Jake isn't himself right now.

# ? Oct 18, 2022 04:01

Vandar: Sep 14, 2007; Isn't That Right, Chairman?

Hell of a way to start a book.

I feel like practicing with war games is something they should have been doing like half a series ago.

# ? Oct 18, 2022 04:16

Fuschia tude: Dec 26, 2004; THUNDERDOME LOSER 2019

Vandar posted:

Hell of a way to start a book.

I feel like practicing with war games is something they should have been doing like half a series ago.

They have had that hidden valley ranch for a few dozen books now, haven't they? And they didn't actually make much use of it until Jake decided to try his hand at being a Civil War reenactor a few books ago.

# ? Oct 18, 2022 06:22

Vandar: Sep 14, 2007; Isn't That Right, Chairman?

Fuschia tude posted:

They have had that hidden valley ranch for a few dozen books now, haven't they? And they didn't actually make much use of it until Jake decided to try his hand at being a Civil War reenactor a few books ago.

Honestly, you'd think 'get our families to safety just in case' and also 'hey let's try to save Tom' would have been way bigger on the priority list, rather than waiting for the last possible minute.

# ? Oct 18, 2022 06:34

Zore: Sep 21, 2010; willfully illiterate, aggressively miserable sourpuss whose sole raison d�etre is to put other people down for liking the wrong things

Vandar posted:

Honestly, you'd think 'get our families to safety just in case' and also 'hey let's try to save Tom' would have been way bigger on the priority list, rather than waiting for the last possible minute.

I do get it though, for all they've been through these are like 15-16 year olds who've been fighting a grueling guerilla war for 2.5-3ish years at this point. Their biggest touchstone keeping them going has been keeping their families safe and letting them live normal lives. Uprooting their families and disappearing also loses them one of their biggest advantages in anonymity and the ability to walk around as themselves.

Like its definitely a bad choice in retrospect but I totally get why Jake couldn't make the call before it was too late.

# ? Oct 18, 2022 06:38

Tunzie: Aug 9, 2008

There�s an element to it as well, I think, of �sometimes people make mistakes�. I know up there last book Jake beats himself up over it for a hot minute about �oh, I rush in when I should wait and wait when I should rush in� over it, and as noted they�ve been doing this for years and are also children. The stakes are a little higher than �missing out on the soccer team� or whatever, but people do make mistakes. What�s important is how you handle it.

# ? Oct 18, 2022 06:47

Capfalcon: Apr 6, 2012; No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Fuschia tude posted:

They have had that hidden valley ranch for a few dozen books now, haven't they? And they didn't actually make much use of it until Jake decided to try his hand at being a Civil War reenactor a few books ago.

Well, they don't really have a lot of use for it until they want to get their families to disappear, right? It's not that it's a useful place, but it's an important place to protect.

# ? Oct 18, 2022 13:39

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Chapter 3

quote:

Jake�s parents, Jean and Steve, didn�t make it out in time.

Their chances of escape were slim from the beginning.

See, Jake�s older brother, Tom, has been a human-Controller since the early days of the invasion. Even with the enemy under his own roof, Jake had managed to protect his parents from the Yeerks. And from their own son, their own first child. Because Tom wouldn�t have hesitated to kill either one of his parents if the Yeerk mission required their deaths.

Jake had done an almost superhuman job of protecting his parents. Both from death and a fate worse than death.

Infestation.

Until the last time. When the Yeerks finally took them.

Jake hasn�t been the same since. He blames himself.

Yeah, he goes through the motions. But it�s like he�s lost the spark. Lost whatever it was that kept him going.

That kept us going.

We got back to the camp. Ax and Tobias came wandering in from their positions.

Tobias was in human form. These days, his human self is an acquired morph. Made possible by a powerful, enigmatic being called the Ellimist. Since the very first battle we fought, Tobias�s natural form has been red-tailed hawk.

Tobias is a nothlit. Someone who stayed in morph beyond the two-hour time limit and got trapped in that morph.

None of us are one hundred percent sure it was an accident.

Sometimes we think Tobias is happier as a hawk. That he let himself be trapped, on purpose.

But none of us has come right out and asked him. At least, I haven�t.

And none of us has asked if given the same situation he�d do it again. Assuming Tobias chose his fate and wasn�t just a victim of a really bad circumstance.

Anyway, Rachel was upset.

�That was a disaster! People, we�ve got to get it together.� She turned to Jake. �Well? Aren�t you going to do something?�

Jake rubbed his hand over his face. He looked exhausted. �If I knew what to do,� he said between gritted teeth, �I would be doing it.�

Marco stuck his fingers in his mouth and produced a loud �break-it-up� whistle. �Time out. Look, we�re all on the same page here. We just need a little more practice. Tomorrow. Let�s call it a day.�

Still, Marco waited until Jake nodded. Then he walked off toward the cabin the Hork-Bajir had helped his parents construct.

Rachel turned to Jake. �You�re letting him walk off like that?�

Jake lifted his hand � and dropped it. Like he didn�t have the energy to argue. Then he, too, walked away.

Rachel turned to me with that no-tolerance look in her eyes. �If we don�t get serious and focus ��
I tuned out. Rachel�s my best friend. She always puts the mission first. Which is a good thing in a fighter.

But sometimes she has trouble cutting an individual, a person, slack. She�s not cruel, just � hard sometimes.

I let her rage on. Everybody had gone back to work now that the drill was over. Hork-Bajir and humans worked on the structures that would house any new arrivals to the camp. The thumping and buzzing of hammers, axes, and saws made it easier to ignore Rachel�s voice.

But it didn�t block out another familiar voice. My mom, arguing with a Hork-Bajir workman. I left Rachel, still complaining, and hurried over to her. The Hork-Bajir used my arrival to get back to his task.

�Mom! You and dad were supposed to take cover. You know, the drill? All the training? What happened?�

She shook her head dismissively. Like she had something way more important to discuss.

�Cassie, we�ve got to do something.�

�What�s the matter?�

She pointed to the long, low, windowless structure behind us. The place where the children, elderly, and ill would take refuge in case of a real surprise attack.

It was a rock-and-wood fortress. No windows. Just little holes through which those who were strong enough could fire what weapons we had accumulated.

Several Hork-Bajir were covering the structure with mud. Spackling up the cracks and covering the roof with vines so the structure couldn�t be easily spotted from the air.

�Look at that,� my mother said angrily.

�Mom, I�m not getting it. What�s wrong?�

She put her hands on her hips. �Cassie. Fifty, sixty Hork-Bajir might all have to live in that structure.�

�Only if we�re under siege,� I explained patiently. �And not for a long time. Hopefully.�

My mother shook her head again. As if what I�d said didn�t make any sense.

�I don�t care why they�ll be living there.� She held up three fingers. �One: There�s no ventilation except for some tiny squares in the wall. Two: The provisions for sanitation are practically nonexistent. Three: An animal the size of a Hork-Bajir needs at least forty square feet of -�

I cut her off. �Mom! The Hork-Bajir are not animals.�

�Cassie, just let me -�

�Okay, they�re not humans, but they�re not big pets, either. The Hork-Bajir are a sentient species. They�re capable of understanding what�s in their own best interests. Just like humans.�

�I understand that,� Mom said in an exasperated tone. �Although I�m not sure I totally agree. But Cassie, you don�t seem to understand my point. If a group of Hork-Bajir spend any prolonged time in those conditions, they could easily die.�

Suddenly, unexpectedly, I was angry. Mad that my mother, a scientist, wouldn�t - or couldn�t - face the awful truth.

That we were at war. That the rules had changed. That we had to do things we�d never choose to do under peacetime circumstances. That we didn�t have that luxury. That every single minute of every single day we had to make sacrifices we�d rather not make.

And I was angry that my mother was forcing me to confront her with this truth.

�That�s right, Mom,� I said, my voice hard. �The Hork-Bajir could die. Every single one of us, human and Hork-Bajir and Andalite, could die. Any day. At any time. I still don�t get your point.�

My mother gasped. It wasn�t a fake gasp, either. She was shocked. �Cassie! How can you say that? We�re talking about lives.�

�I�m being realistic. This is a war, Mom. Do you understand what that means? Some of us are going to die. That�s a fact. From disease or injury or deprivation. It doesn�t much matter how, does it? Nothing we do now can change that fact. Not building a nicer shelter or being all pleasant to each other. Nothing will stop the dying except winning the war. And right now, our chances of winning don�t look real good.�

I turned away from my mother�s stricken face. Walked away.

Still angry at her for making me say the things I�d said.

Angry at myself because I knew I had hurt her.

Angry mostly because I had wanted to hurt her.

Because she was making me be the grown-up. And even after all the endless months of fighting, with all the disgusting acts I had witnessed - or committed - I still sometimes wanted to be normal again. Also, because I was worried. Not just about my own parents.

If the adults didn�t accept the reality of the war, they would never be prepared when the time came to fight.

And if they weren�t prepared, they wouldn�t survive.

The thing about this is that Cassie is right (if not diplomatic), and even though her mom wants to protect her, Cassie has a lot more experience here than her mom does and is able to understand the stakes, because she's been living it.

Also, and i've said this before, but Rachel and Marco are more similar than either want to admit.

Chapter 4

quote:

Marco. Always vigilant. Always alert. Always scheming or, amazingly, figuring out the enemy�s schemes.

I�d go spend some time with him. The one totally aware of our enormously serious situation.

Life is full of surprises.

Marco wasn�t noodling with the design of the trenches. Or calculating a faster way out of the compound during an attack.

No. Marco was sitting on a stump, messing around with a stick and pocket knife. Like a guy with all the time in the world. Like a character on a rerun of The Andy Griffith Show on Nick at Nite.

�What are you doing?� I asked quietly.

He looked up at me and grinned.

�This, Cassie, is the almost-lost art of whittling. It�s something people used to do when they were passing the time between milking the cows, plowing the back forty, and doing all kinds of labor intensive jobs that are now rendered unnecessary by the proliferation of food courts.�

�There�s no food court around here,� I pointed out. �And there�s a lot of work to be done.�

He smiled. He looked positively serene. This was not the Marco I knew.

�Yes, Cassie. There sure is a lot of work to be done. But didn�t you see Jake give the go-ahead for a little downtime? All work and no play makes Marco one dull boy. So for once since this whole sorry mess began, I�m not worrying about what needs to be done.�

�Where are your parents?� I said. �You could be helping them with something.�

Yes, I sounded like a nag. A pain in the butt.

�My dad and mom are inside. They�re figuring out how to mount a Dracon beam on the roof.� He chuckled. �They�re so romantic those two.�

Marco�s mother, Eva, was the former host body of the former Visser One. Long story short, we�d rescued the human and destroyed the Yeerk. Now Eva was back with her husband and son. And Marco was thrilled. At least about his parents� reunion.

I tried to curb my mounting impatience. What was wrong with me? I mean, I was supposed to be the sensitive one. The one who understood people�s feelings. The one who cared. The one who�d just walked away form Rachel for not considering Jake�s feelings.

I should have been glad to see Marco so happy. Normally, I would have been. But so soon after the confrontation with my mother, Marco�s good mood only annoyed me. Plucked my last nerve.

He was acting like my parents. Clearly, he was in denial.

And with Jake only partly focused on the mission, someone had to keep us in line.

�Marco, look,� I said. �Downtime is one thing. But we can�t just sit around. Sure, things seem peaceful. But the Yeerks are looking for us. Right now. As we speak.�

He nodded. �Yep. I reckon you�re right.�

�Huh?�

All color drained from Marco�s face. His voice was hushed. �I didn�t really say that. Did I?�

I nodded.

Marco flipped the piece of wood over his shoulder, shut his knife with a snap, and stood. �Okay. You�re right. This R and R thing has got to stop. I could wind up dead. What do you want me to do? Build a catapult? Battering ram? Lead the Hork-Bajir in work songs?�

�Galafth!�

We froze.

Yeerks. So soon. We weren�t ready! Not the Hork-Bajir. Not the Animorphs. And for sure not our parents.

Eva peeked out the door of the cabin, her expression tense. �We�re powering up. You guys get out of the compound, spread out, and get ready to launch a counterattack.�

Everywhere, Hork-Bajir and humans scrambled to take cover. I saw my parents standing off to the right. Frozen. Like they had no idea at all what they were supposed to do. I started toward them, but Marco grabbed the back of my shirt. �Let Toby handle it. You and I head for the trenches and ��

�Whoowhoo!�

The �all clear,� a high-pitched whistle. The activity came to a halt.

�Was that a drill?� Marco wondered. �Maybe Jake and Toby set up a surprise ��

That�s when I saw what had caused the disturbance. I couldn�t help but smile. The overall situation was as grim as it had been a moment ago, but my bad mood was lifting.

Two Hork-Bajir came into view. Between them marched Rachel�s mom, Naomi. To say she looked mad was a huge understatement.

Rachel, Jake, and Ax emerged from the trenches. Marco and I joined them at the center of camp. The guards brought their prisoner to a halt before us.

�Mom.� Rachel�s voice was hard. She flung a clump of mud from her hand. �You tried to get away, didn�t you? How many times do I have to tell you not to leave the camp?� She barked a very unhappy laugh. �Are you actually trying to get everybody killed?�

Rachel�s mother yanked her arm from a Hork-Bajir�s grasp.

�This is outrageous,� she spit. �This is some kind of loony cult. Or a particularly weird and paranoid militia movement. If you don�t let me contact the proper authorities, I�ll -�

Rachel cut her off. �What authorities, Mom? The police, the FBI, and the CIA have all been infiltrated by Yeerks. So, who are you going to call? Your partner? He could be a Yeerk, too.�

Naomi flinched.

�Rachel,� Jake said quietly.

But Rachel wasn�t ready to back off.

�This isn�t one of your bogus lawsuits, Mom. This isn�t something you can fix on paper. Okay? It�s a war. We�re not worrying about being sued. We�re worried about being killed.�

Rachel took a breath and continued. �Look, you�re a lawyer. Maybe that�s something back in your old life. But here it�s useless and means nothing. But you can at least stay out of the way, follow orders, and try not to get us all killed.�

Naomi�s mouth trembled. I hoped she wouldn�t cry. Watching an adult cry is one of the most unsettling, disturbing things a kid can see.

Okay, maybe Rachel�s mother had deserved everything Rachel said. Yeah, she�d helped the Hork-Bajir write a constitution and was teaching some to read. But she�d also caused trouble for the camp with her general bad attitude. And her habit of sneaking away.

Still, I thought Rachel had gone way over the top.

I didn�t condone her behavior, but I thought I understood it. Understood what had made Rachel go ballistic on her mom.

Like me, Rachel was scared.

That's the thing. They're all scared. This is a massive upheval for everyone, and everyone is concerned about everyone.

# ? Oct 19, 2022 03:15

mind the walrus: Sep 22, 2006

As someone with neglectful, damaged parents who was forced to be an adult about far more than I wanted to, these chapters speak to me something fierce.

# ? Oct 19, 2022 06:26

Zore: Sep 21, 2010; willfully illiterate, aggressively miserable sourpuss whose sole raison d�etre is to put other people down for liking the wrong things

I also think it gives another decent reason why they haven't really conscripted Naomi or Cassie's parents, or given them morphing powers. None of them are really internalizing reality yet and they are probably (correctly) fearing the first thing they would do is sneak out in morph and do something really stupid.

Of course even if you handwave that to extend to Peter and Loren it uh really doesn't help explain why Eva's been sidelined since her rescue outside of kidlit tropes. Ditto Toby and at least some of the other Hork-Bajir.

# ? Oct 19, 2022 06:52

mind the walrus: Sep 22, 2006

I just rationalize it in my mind as "Applegate and Grant were obvious Trekkies and lord knows that's a franchise known for introducing phenomenal, game-changing ideas and then swiftly forgetting all about them by next week"

# ? Oct 19, 2022 07:00

nine-gear crow: Aug 10, 2013

mind the walrus posted:

I just rationalize it in my mind as "Applegate and Grant were obvious Trekkies and lord knows that's a franchise known for introducing phenomenal, game-changing ideas and then swiftly forgetting all about them by next week"

You know, I never really thought about it in that context before, but it makes perfect sense now. Just like in Star Trek, direct continuity in Animorphs should be avoided at all costs lest there be consequences for actions and we're not equipped to deal with that.

# ? Oct 19, 2022 07:16

Tunzie: Aug 9, 2008

Zore posted:

I also think it gives another decent reason why they haven't really conscripted Naomi or Cassie's parents, or given them morphing powers. None of them are really internalizing reality yet and they are probably (correctly) fearing the first thing they would do is sneak out in morph and do something really stupid.

After all, that's what David did, right?

# ? Oct 19, 2022 07:41

mind the walrus: Sep 22, 2006

nine-gear crow posted:

You know, I never really thought about it in that context before, but it makes perfect sense now. Just like in Star Trek, direct continuity in Animorphs should be avoided at all costs lest there be consequences for actions and we're not equipped to deal with that.

I'm being glib but really, that type of syndicated serialization you'd find in Trek or Animorphs where there is continuity but it always takes a backseat to the status quo until sweeps week (and even then only if they feel like it) was absolutely the style of the 90s. Heavy continuity was for headache-inducing comic books whose market perception was the opposite of stable at the time.

Tunzie posted:

After all, that's what David did, right?

You're right and that is a window into Rachel's mindset rn but drat son

# ? Oct 19, 2022 08:05

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Zore posted:

I also think it gives another decent reason why they haven't really conscripted Naomi or Cassie's parents, or given them morphing powers. None of them are really internalizing reality yet and they are probably (correctly) fearing the first thing they would do is sneak out in morph and do something really stupid.

I think this also actually makes sense as to why the adults aren't necessarily coping well. When the kids got a hole blown through their reality back in book 1, they still had normal stable lives to take refuge in, double identity superheroes that they are. The adults on the other hand were immediately shanghaied to the woods.

That dialogue with Marco was weird though. I thought he was about to illustrate some kind of point to Cassie.

# ? Oct 19, 2022 20:34

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Sorry, post tomorrow, and we'll see if they execute Rachel's mom for desertion.

# ? Oct 20, 2022 04:50

SonicRulez: Aug 6, 2013; GOTTA GO FIST

I'm here in Book 27 and I have to confess I just don't buy the Rachel/Tobias stuff. Feels way more told and not shown or earned than Cassie/Jake. Marco has more chemistry. With all 4 people involved actually.

# ? Oct 20, 2022 18:53

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Chapter 5

quote:

Rachel�s sisters gathered protectively around their mother. Jordan took her hand. �I don�t think you�re useless, Mommy,� she whispered. A tear rolled down Sara�s cheek.

Naomi swallowed hard and lifted her chin. Her eyes hardened and she looked at the two Hork-Bajir guards. �Don�t touch me again,� she said coldly. �Don�t touch anyone in my family. If you do, I�ll �� She broke off. Swallowed hard and tried again. �If you do I�ll ��

Finally, the reality was dawning on her.

Rachel�s tough-as-nails lawyer mother was realizing how incredibly vulnerable we all were. I saw Marco smirk and turn away. His were the only set of parents that had accepted their position as guerrilla warriors - and as refugees.

Tears began to trickle down Naomi�s face. It felt wrong to be watching her and doing nothing to help ease her pain. But would Naomi take comfort from her daughter�s accomplice? From a kid?

Then Eva joined the awkward group. Put her arm around Naomi�s shoulders. �It takes a while to accept,� she said softly. �Come on. Let�s talk.�

Slowly, the two women walked toward Eva�s cabin. Jordan and Sara followed closely.

�Can you talk to Rachel?� I said quietly to Jake. �She explodes at her mom and it just makes Naomi more determined not to deal with this.�

Jake�s voice was impatient. �I�ve tried to talk to Rachel and she won�t listen. So, no, I won�t talk to her again. And no, I don�t want to talk to you about my feelings.�

I stood perfectly still, not trusting myself to move. I felt as if I�d been slapped.

Jake lowered his eyes, turned and walked away. I stalked after him. �Jake! Things are falling apart.� He whirled on me. His eyes were dark and wild. For the first time since I�d known and loved Jake, I was afraid of him. Afraid of what he might become.

�You think I don�t know that?! I know we�re slipping up. Making mistakes. I know we�re at one another�s throats. And I know that if it weren�t for Toby, this whole camp would probably be just a scar on the ground by now. What I don�t know, Cassie, and this is the hard part � what I don�t know is what I�m supposed to do about it.�

I�d heard the expression, �my heart almost broke� before. Now, I knew what it meant.

I put my anger aside and fell into step beside Jake.

�It�s going to take time,� I said calmly. �These people, our parents, have been dragged into this - into a refugee camp - against their wills. Their world has been torn apart. We have to respect their reluctance to fight alongside us. But, Jake, somebody�s got to take charge.�

�Fine. You do it.�

�No,� I said firmly. �I�m not a leader, Jake. You are. You�re going to have to talk to my parents. And to Rachel�s mother and sisters. Even Tobias�s mom.�

�Why should they listen to me?� Jake countered. �Look at the situation. We�re hiding in the forest, living on the charity of the Hork-Bajir. If you were an adult - or even another kid, not Cassie - would you listen to me? No, you wouldn�t. So why don�t you just leave me alone?� He looked at me. Then turned his head. �Please, Cassie.�

Jake quickened his step and left me behind.

�Stop feeling sorry for yourself,� I called after him. Desperate. He didn�t stop. �You�re acting like a coward!�

The moment the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them.

Jake stopped. Turned. His face was a stranger�s. �What did you call me?�

He�d heard me. Too late to take back the words. �A coward,� I repeated, flinching. �Now that it�s the final crisis, you�re turning chicken on us.�

I didn�t expect his weary laugh. �I�m not chicken,� he said. �I�m just trying to give everybody a fighting chance. I�m not going to insist people do what I say when I don�t have the slightest idea what�s right or wrong. What�s smart or stupid. Cassie, it�s my fault we�re on the run. You can�t deny that.�

I walked up to Jake, took a deep breath, and tried to sound reasonable. Reached for his hand and held it tight.

�Maybe you�re right, Jake. And maybe you�re wrong. Maybe you are a good leader, after all.�

He tried to pull away but I wouldn�t let him go.

�No, Jake. Listen. If that�s the truth, you have to take charge. And if you really are a failure and it really is all your fault, then it�s your responsibility to get us out of here. We need you, Jake. Either way, it has to be you.�

It was a cheap shot. Jake�s Achilles� heel has always been his sense of responsibility. I could see him weakening.

�Marco can be in charge,� he said helplessly. Again he pulled his hand away. This time I let him go. �He�s smarter than I am. Or Tobias. Or Ax. Or you. Rachel. Anyone. Anyone but me. You know why I was in charge in the first place, Cassie? Because once upon a time, a long time ago, Marco said I was.�

�Jake, that�s not the whole truth ��

�Well, now my term of office is over,� he continued bitterly. �So how about for once you guys figure things out and tell me what to do.�

Then he turned and walked away.

And just kept walking.

i mean, Jake's been traumatized as well, and really, he was the one keeping the group together.

Chapter 6

quote:

That afternoon I lied and told everyone that Jake had called a meeting for later that evening. Then I told Jake about the meeting. Two minutes before it was about to start.

He was not thrilled. But he wasn�t angry, either. He was just � neutral.

Ever been to camp?

Sit around a fire with your friends?

Sing songs with your counselors? Roast marshmallows and tell scary stories?

Well, this wasn�t like that at all. This was one sorry excuse for a camping experience.

The humans and Toby sat around a low fire covered with a damper. If we heard chopper blades overhead, the fire would be choked.

Every human face showed some level of fear. Tense with some level of uncertainty.

The Hork-Bajir were gathered just behind the circle of humans. Some sat, awkwardly. Others stood, towering.

Strangely enough, everyone was quiet. No bickering. No shrill whispering.

Jake stared into the fire.

Rachel folded her arms over her chest.

Marco stared up at the sky, like whatever was going on around the fire had nothing to do with him.

Ax hovered just behind Toby, his main eyes staring ahead. His stalk eyes scanning for trouble.

Loren and Tobias sat next to each other, shoulders touching. Tobias again in human morph. There, but somehow in a world of their own.

Toby peered across the fire. �Jake? You have called us together. Do you have something important to say?�

Jake looked up. Shook his head.

I stood. �Um. Actually. It was me. I called this meeting.�

Rachel turned to me, curious. Marco and Tobias, too.

�I just wanted us all to talk,� I explained. �Clear the air, if we can. We�re not working together. Not as Animorphs. Not as families. Not as a camp.�

No resistance so I went on.

�I know it�s hard on you guys,� I went on, looking at my parents, then at Rachel�s mother. �But if you could just try to understand we�re doing what we believe to be in everybody�s best interest and��

Rachel�s mom let out a noise. A cross between �bah� and �harrumph.�

I think it was lawyer talk for �cut the crap.�

�Why am I being lectured to by you?� she demanded, looking at the other parents for support. �Why are we tolerating this? We�re in the woods. We�re living in filth - with aliens, for God�s sake! And every time I try to leave - some creature, some fur-covered human abomination stops me. Let�s face it.�

Naomi looked at each adult in turn. �Michelle. Walter. Eva, Peter, Loren. We�re being held prisoner. Why?�

Rachel leaned forward. Her eyes glittered dangerously.

�How many times do I have to say it, Mom? We�re trying to stop the Yeerks from taking over the planet. And we�re trying to stay alive while doing it. Trying to keep you alive, too. These past months, while you were busy fighting battles on paper and arguing in court, Jake and me and the others? We�ve been fighting.�

Rachel�s mother stood up. �I am sick to death of your insults. How did you turn out to be so arrogant? So sure nothing can be solved by compromise or negotiation. So sure all disagreements have to be settled by force or violence.�

�That�s our Rachel,� Marco mumbled.

�Why won�t you listen?!� Rachel cried.

Sara burst into loud sobs. �Mommy, I want to go home. I want Daddy!�

Naomi knelt and pulled her youngest child into her arms. Stroked the crying girl�s head.

They weren�t the only ones grieving for the safe, well-ordered life they had left behind.

There was a long silence, broken only by Sara�s whimpering.

Finally, my dad spoke up.

�What do they want? These Yeerks. Cassie, surely they can be reasoned with; most people can be. What can we give them that would satisfy them?�

�Our souls,� Jake answered quietly. The first words he had spoken all night. �If they don�t already have them.�

i mean, i think this meeting is going to be good, in the long run, as painful as it is now.

# ? Oct 21, 2022 02:57

mind the walrus: Sep 22, 2006

Really do have to hope that they can show some kind of real evidence for the Yeerks. Loren and Eva understand obviously, and Cassie's parents are healers by nature so they'll just keep themselves busy, but yeah Naomi needs something harder than what they've got and I do like the emotional realism of these kids just not having anything on-hand other than "but mom you've got to trust me."

# ? Oct 22, 2022 03:57

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

The kids had the advantage of having, on the first night in the construction site, seen humans among the Controllers. And then they encountered that again at the Sharing beach meeting. It's one thing to be told that aliens are infiltrating your society - another to actually see it.

# ? Oct 22, 2022 04:03

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Chapter 7

quote:

Jake stood. Reluctantly. But he stood.

�As long as Visser One is in charge, no negotiation is possible. He wants total control of Earth and everyone on it. If another visser comes into power, that might change. Maybe. But right now, we�ve got to deal with this reality.�

�There are other vissers?� my dad asked hopefully. �Would it be possible to tell Visser One we�ll negotiate, but not with him?�

Eva smiled slightly. Glanced at Jake, then back to my dad.

�I don�t mean to sound condescending, Walter,� she said. �But you have no idea who we�re dealing with. If we approach Visser One for any reason, he�ll kill us. Period. If we�re lucky. If he stops to think, he�ll probably torture us first. Just in case we�ve been holding back any useful information.�

My mother shivered. My father put his arm around her shoulders.

Naomi looked at Rachel. Her face was tense. �I have three daughters to care for,� she said. �A year from now, I want to still have three daughters. What do I have to do to keep them safe?�

�Believe that you�re at war,� Eva said simply. �You�re a parent and a soldier. Learn to follow orders. Learn to respect experience.�

�Okay, fine,� Naomi answered crisply. �Eva, you used to be a big shot in the Yeerk organization. You know how the enemy thinks. What they�re likely to do. And you�re old enough to drive. I�ll accept your word.�

Eva shook her head. �There�s only one enemy Visser One respects. And fears. And that�s Jake. He needs to be our leader.�

My father spoke up. �Even if he can do the job, he shouldn�t be expected to. It�s an enormous burden. It isn�t fair to ask him.�

No one asked him in the first place, I thought. No one asked any of us.

I looked at Jake. He looked like he was about to cry.

My father stood, walked to Jake�s side, and put his hand on his shoulder. �I don�t understand all of this, Jake. I don�t really know what happened to your parents. But until they come back � or � well, I want you to consider yourself part of our family.�

Jake�s mouth went tight. Yes, he was going to cry. I felt like I�d been punched in the stomach. If Jake lost it, I�d lose it. We�d all lose it. We�d all just break down into a sobbing, screaming, guilt-ridden, terrified group. Kids. Adults. Hork-Bajir. Probably even Ax.

Hold on. I mentally willed Jake. Hold on.

I saw Rachel watching him, her blue eyes wide with concern. Even her mother, not Jake�s biggest fan these days, seemed to be waiting for his reaction.

The Hork-Bajir watched Toby. They would take their cue from her. But Toby�s eyes were glued on Jake. Her massive lower jaw jutted forward.

Jake was the center.

If the center didn�t hold �

It seemed like we waited for hours. But it was probably only thirty or forty seconds before Jake stood taller and expelled his breath in a long, steady stream. He met my eyes, then my dad�s. When he spoke, his voice was clear and strong.

�I appreciate that. I really do. And I appreciate the fact you don�t think my being asked to lead is fair. The funny part is, I agree. It�s not fair. But I guess it�s no news that life�s not fair.�

Naomi mumbled something under her breath, then looked embarrassed for interrupting.

�Look,� Jake went on. �This isn�t the life I would have picked. Man, if I could go back, do it all over again � But I know that whether I like it or whether you like it, I�m the best-qualified person for the job. Understand me. I don�t want it. I�m just saying I�m willing to do it. If you want me to. But it�s your call.�

My dad looked at my mom.

She turned to Eva.

Eva took her husband�s hand. Nodded to Loren. Then, she raised her hand.

So did my mom.

So did my dad and Loren and Peter.

So did Toby and every Hork-Bajir.

Rachel�s mom frowned. Looked around the group, from face to serious face. Finally, she raised her arm, only halfway, as if she were beaten.

�Mass psychosis,� she pronounced. �That�s all I can guess. So, what are your plans, Tsar Jake?�

�My plans?� Jake shoved his hands down into his pockets. �To keep us alive.�

If this had been a movie, we all would have stood and cheered. Vowed to follow our leader anywhere, even to the grave. To die for the cause. Braveheart. The Patriot. Gladiator. One for all. All for one.

Blah blah blah.

But it wasn�t a movie. It was real.

I watched Jake�s face. I had to admit he didn�t exactly look like an inspirational leader. He just looked like a sad, harried kid.

And it felt like my fault.

Here's the thing. I don't know that Cassie's dad is entirely wrong. I mean, obviously, if they go to Visser One, Eva's prediction will come true. But the Yeerks aren't united....we see that in the way that the Animorphs were able to play Visser One against the former Visser One, and Visser One's conflict with the Council. And the Yeerks are desperate right now, because it looks like the Andalites are closing in. If there's a time Yeerks will be open to a deal, it's now.

Chapter 8

quote:

Early the next morning. Jake called us together, privately.

�We can�t go on like this,� he said.

Marco choked on a laugh. �Now there�s a profound statement.�

Jake grinned wryly. �Let�s review. Everything has changed. Our usual sources of information have pretty much dried up. The Chee are coming up with nothing, which means the Yeerks have tightened internal security.�

�And the Yeerk resistance movement,� I said. �We�ve lost touch with Mr. Tidwell at school. He�s got to assume our disappearance means we�ve gone underground.�

�So maybe we need to get in touch with him,� Tobias suggested.

�Too slow,� Rachel said. �We need action and results more than we need intelligence. Besides, for all we know Visser One has totally crushed the resistance.�

<And now that we are in hiding,> Ax said, <it has become even more dangerous for me to attempt communication with the Andalite fleet commanders.
The Yeerks are more determined than ever to locate the rebel force.>

Rachel frowned. �So, exactly what are we saying here?�

Jake looked at each of us in turn. �I think it�s time,� he said.

<You have come to a decision, Prince Jake?> Ax.

�Yes,� he answered. �The morphing cube.�

The morphing cube.

A gift.

And a curse.

There are times when we�ve been tempted to weight it down with bowling balls and drop it into the middle of the ocean.

The only problem is you still couldn�t count on somebody not finding it someday.

�We can�t go it alone anymore,� Jake said. �The Yeerks know us. They know our names. They know our faces. If the take us down, there�s nobody to replace us. The resistance is finished. It�s time to build our forces. Reinforce our troops. The Chee can�t help us here. The Yeerk resistance is a total unknown. And it�s not like we can count on the Ellimist riding in to the rescue.�

Marco scratched the back of his head like he was nervous. �More Animorphs? I just can�t get comfortable with that.�

�No way!� Rachel exploded. �We tried once. It was a disaster. Am I the only one who remembers David?�

No. She was not. I caught her eye then looked away.

Not long before, Rachel had encountered David again. A kid we�d deliberately made a nothlit after he attempted to give us up to the Yeerks.

A kid we�d reluctantly made an Animorph when his parents were taken and made Controllers. From an average, if slightly troubled kid, to an Animorph, to spy and traitor. To rat. Forever.

Then, surprisingly, to tool of Crayak. The roughly equivalent, evil version of the Ellimist.

Long story short: Crayak hates Jake. He would do anything within the rules of his cosmic game to take Jake down. Recently, this involved pitting David against his ultimate enemy. Rachel.

In the end, Rachel had rejected Crayak�s manipulations of her dark nature. Had refused to give up Jake. Had defeated David.

But had she killed David? I didn�t know. She hadn�t told me. She never would.

Marco nodded. �I�m with Rachel on this. No more Animorphs. Too big a risk.�

�So maybe humans aren�t the best choice for new Animorphs,� Jake persisted. �What about the Hork-Bajir?�

There was a long pause. Then, as one, we all said, �No.�

When you morph another animal, there�s a short amount of time when the animal�s brain, its instincts, pretty much dominates. It takes a lot of mental discipline and focus to get those animal instincts under control. To get them to work for, not against, your own brain. The average Hork-Bajir probably couldn�t handle that disturbing phase. Would succumb to the panic of the mouse or the aggression of the squid. Besides, the Hork-Bajir didn�t really need morphing ability, like we did. Their bodies were well equipped for battle as any Earth creature they could morph.

�Okay, so it has to be people,� Jake said. �What about the �rents?�

�I�m overruled?� Marco said. �Okay, then. But not my parents.� Marco�s face was grim, not one trace of humor in his voice. �My mother�s put in her time up front. And my dad�s been through his own version of hell. He�s officially dead, remember? Lost his job, his second wife ��

�What about Cassie�s parents?� Jake asked. �Or Rachel�s mother?�

Marco shook his head before I could say a word. �No offense, Cassie, but I think your parents may be bigger peace, love, hug-that-tree types than you are. If that�s possible. And Rachel�s mom is an even bigger loose cannon than Rachel.�

�Hey!� Rachel barked.

�Okay! Okay!� Jake held up his hand. �We don�t have time for this. Ticktock. We need ideas.�

<Not my mother, either,> Tobias said. His hawk stare was more intense than usual. <Sorry. I can�t deal. Okay, we�ve given her the morphing ability. And she�d probably fight if she had to. But after all she�s been through � I mean, she doesn�t even remember my father. Or me.>

�Not a problem,� Jake assured him. �So, the parents are out of the running.�

�It�s got to be kids,� Marco said musingly. �Adults are too reality-bound. It�s too hard for them to suspend disbelief. Even when the new reality hits them in the face.�

<Right.> Tobias. <Remember, we had some degree of acceptance from those campers a while back. They thought we were cool. Okay, they also thought we were aliens, but still.>

�Yeah,� Jake said. �We look for other kids. But we still have a problem. �Cause we�re gonna have to figure out who�s a Controller and who�s not. Every day, every hour, counts. And we don�t have time to watch our recruits for three days before we make a move.�

Fact: Controllers have to return to a Yeerk pool every three days to feed on Kandrona rays. If they don�t they�re facing starvation. A horrible way to die by anyone�s standards.

Unfortunately, about the only way to be completely sure people don�t have a Yeerk snuggled somewhere in their cranial cavities is to watch them for three days. If they made no attempt to find a Kandrona source, you know they�re okay.

<There�s got to be another way,> Tobias challenged. Then, excitedly, <What�s the one sort of person the Yeerks won�t touch? Who do we know for sure isn�t one of them?>

It took me a minute.

Then, I got it.

So, as we've discussed before, these are kids's books, and it should be kids leading the action, in the main roles. We've talked before about kids, adults, authority figures and all that. Narratively, though, we just recently discussed the question about giving the parents morphing, and i think the book gives a pretty good reason here. Like Zore pointed out, the only adults in the group who probably could handle it are Peter and Eva, and I sort of respect Marco's opinion here that they've been put through enough. I understand his protectiveness. I think i also understand what the book is saying about the Hork-Bajir...with the exception of a seer like Toby, they don't have the level of mental control not to be taken over by the morph....or at least it isn't likely they do.

# ? Oct 22, 2022 05:34

Capfalcon: Apr 6, 2012; No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Epicurius posted:

Chapter 7

Here's the thing. I don't know that Cassie's dad is entirely wrong. I mean, obviously, if they go to Visser One, Eva's prediction will come true. But the Yeerks aren't united....we see that in the way that the Animorphs were able to play Visser One against the former Visser One, and Visser One's conflict with the Council. And the Yeerks are desperate right now, because it looks like the Andalites are closing in. If there's a time Yeerks will be open to a deal, it's now.

The problem with this is: what does a deal even look like? At the end of the day, the average yeerk has to have a living being that they're puppeting to have a remotely reasonable standard of life. It's a cruel biological fact, but it's still the crux of the issue.

Ending spoilers:
I know how it shakes out at the end of the series, but that's 1. Effectively a bloodless genocide and 2. The kind of terms victors get to dictate to the defeated.

# ? Oct 22, 2022 05:49

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# ? May 27, 2024 20:32

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Capfalcon posted:

The problem with this is: what does a deal even look like? At the end of the day, the average yeerk has to have a living being that they're puppeting to have a remotely reasonable standard of life. It's a cruel biological fact, but it's still the crux of the issue.

Well, that's the problem. The only solutions i can see are.

1. Non-human primates. Would Yeerks be willing to puppet chimps, gorillas,, maybe even monkeys? it's not ideal, but it's a step up from Gedds.
2. As was talked about before, some sort of time sharing agreement between the Yeerk and the host? it works for the Peace Movement, and for fans of the Stargate TV show, it's the way the Tok'ra work with their hosts. Other than Yeerk aggression and a sense of their own superiority, there's no reason they can't form a symbiotic relationship with their hosts.

# ? Oct 22, 2022 06:08

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > Comedy Goldmine > Let's Read Animorphs! The Whole Series! Ch-ch-ch-chaaanges

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