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

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

Wow, we're really falling apart huh? That level of nearly open distrust for your peers' motivations (earned or not) is basically poison for camaraderie. I wonder how much the auxillary Animorphs are questioning the Animorph Primes behind their back?

CidGregor posted:

I think I feel worst for the poor human not only trapped as a bird forever now but STILL being controlled by a Yeerk who probably couldn't even leave anymore if it wanted to. That's a whole new layer of hosed up, good lord.

Whoo, boy, that'd be hell for sure. Maybe he got lucky and it's a Taxxon who's just relieved to be free from the eternal hunger?

# ? Dec 2, 2022 05:31

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# ? May 23, 2024 17:18

Saros: Dec 29, 2009; Its almost like we're a Bureaucracy, in space!

I set sail for the Planet of Lab Requisitions!!

"Children's books" for sure.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 05:34

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

I do kinda wonder why they gave a bunch of human controllers the morphing capability instead of having the Yeerks do it directly from their own bodies. Unlike the Animorphs they don't uh need to do any guerilla stuff to get their morphs, they probably have cages they're just industrial line moving new morphers past to acquire the various animals.

And how many human controllers went AWOL and became nothlits. Because yeah, that's a whole new brand of horror.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 05:38

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Zore posted:

I do kinda wonder why they gave a bunch of human controllers the morphing capability instead of having the Yeerks do it directly from their own bodies. Unlike the Animorphs they don't uh need to do any guerilla stuff to get their morphs, they probably have cages they're just industrial line moving new morphers past to acquire the various animals.

And how many human controllers went AWOL and became nothlits. Because yeah, that's a whole new brand of horror.

You can stay in morph for 2 hours maximum before becoming a nothlit, and, especially if you're new, morphing is tiring. So it's very hard to morph back out to yourself and back to an animal. You give it to a human controller or a Hork-Bajir controller, after two hours you still have somebody who's functioning....who can escape or fight or whatever. You give it to a Yeerk not in a host, after two hours, you've got somebody who is blind, slow, has no offensive weaponry, can't manipulate objects and dehydrates quickly when they aren't in liquid.

it's really hard to overemphasize how harmless and weak a Yeerk not in a host is.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 06:00

WrightOfWay: Jul 24, 2010

So I'm not sure whether to chalk this up to the author misunderstanding how it works, me misunderstanding how it works or the Yeerk misunderstanding how it works, but I don't think that becoming a nothlit will actually free the Yeerk from needing Kandrona rays assuming that it is a host that got the morphing ability and not a Yeerk directly. At least, the Yeerk that controlled Jake never seemed to think that becoming a nothlit would be an escape from starving to death, because I think they would have definitely tried that if they thought it would work.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 07:19

Fritzler: Sep 5, 2007

Are morph capable controllers drugged when their Yeerks feed? Otherwise how do they stop them from escaping.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 07:23

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

Did the yeerk itself become morph-capable?

# ? Dec 2, 2022 07:28

nine-gear crow: Aug 10, 2013

WrightOfWay posted:

So I'm not sure whether to chalk this up to the author misunderstanding how it works, me misunderstanding how it works or the Yeerk misunderstanding how it works, but I don't think that becoming a nothlit will actually free the Yeerk from needing Kandrona rays assuming that it is a host that got the morphing ability and not a Yeerk directly. At least, the Yeerk that controlled Jake never seemed to think that becoming a nothlit would be an escape from starving to death, because I think they would have definitely tried that if they thought it would work.

Thinking back on it, I'm actually a little surprised Temrash didn't think to try and use nothlit'ing Jake as some kind of leverage over the rest of the kids once it was clear the jig was up for them and they were turbofucked. Yeah, it helps establish the "Yeerks give up when pressed" paradigm, but we've also by this point seen just as many Yeerks willing to ride the bomb all the way down to the ground out of spite too...

# ? Dec 2, 2022 07:45

Fuschia tude: Dec 26, 2004; THUNDERDOME LOSER 2019

CidGregor posted:

...being controlled by a Yeerk who probably couldn't even leave anymore if it wanted to.

Yeah, no, no Yeerk is crawling out of a bird morph's earholes. Morphing merges host and parasite into a single animal, same as the microbiome.

WrightOfWay posted:

So I'm not sure whether to chalk this up to the author misunderstanding how it works, me misunderstanding how it works or the Yeerk misunderstanding how it works, but I don't think that becoming a nothlit will actually free the Yeerk from needing Kandrona rays assuming that it is a host that got the morphing ability and not a Yeerk directly. At least, the Yeerk that controlled Jake never seemed to think that becoming a nothlit would be an escape from starving to death, because I think they would have definitely tried that if they thought it would work.

I'm pretty sure morphing changes your physiology entirely, too. Hence Tobias hunting and eating roadkill rather than sticking to McDonald's or going vegan. Which would mean nothlit controllers would be free of the Kandrona need.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 07:53

dungeon cousin: Nov 26, 2012; woop woop
loop loop

I definitely don't think they're making the Yeerks themselves morph-capable. It would make desertion extremely tempting. They can escape every making GBS threads thing that comes with being a Yeerk.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 08:08

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

Their priorities could adjust if the Yeerks were morph-capable. Their war is to acquire hosts, which comes with territory if they can manage to hang on to the homeworld of a conquered species. They would just drop the pretense of needing hosts and simply try to expand their empire.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 09:53

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

CidGregor posted:

I think I feel worst for the poor human not only trapped as a bird forever now but STILL being controlled by a Yeerk who probably couldn't even leave anymore if it wanted to. That's a whole new layer of hosed up, good lord.

Yeah, the Yeerk can't leave. Or die from Kandrona starvation. That human Controller is now a...what, consciousness floating along the Yeerk while trapped in an involuntary falcon body without even the moments of freedom from the Yeerk going to the Pool? Grim.

What I think is interesting is that they are giving the host bodies morph capabilities and not the Yeerk themselves, though. Presumably when the Yeerk leaves to feed the human could also morph and escape/fight, if they weren't too traumatized by the general experience. Seems logistically easier to give it to the Yeerk proper, if you can arrange the acquisition process.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 13:21

CidGregor: Sep 27, 2009; TG: if i were you i would just take that fucking devilbeast out behind the woodshed and blow its head off

Visser Three has basically kept Alloran contained/drugged up while away from his body to feed for the last 10+ years, so the Yeerks probably have at least some kind of baseline in place already for that level of containment.

# ? Dec 2, 2022 23:47

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

More like twenty years. It's got to be fuckin hell to go through that.

What I find to be more impressive is Visser One not having some lackey take a lucky shot at him or a coup that starves the Yeerk out of Alloran's body and taken over by the leader of the coup. Treachery seems like something that Yeerks have no issue with if that's what it takes to advance rank. They must all be that afraid of his lieutenants.

Star Man fucked around with this message at 00:46 on Dec 3, 2022

# ? Dec 3, 2022 00:42

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

One thing I thought of is "What's to keep a Yeerk from just taking a high ranking host and faking their life going forward?". I highly doubt most high ranking Yeerks feed in the pool with "common" Yeerks, so if some guard snuck in while Visser One was feeding in the pool, they could easily dispose of Visser One, put their ear against Alloran's, and fake it till they make it. I mean, are you gonna second guess Visser One if he forgot about that high priority project from last week?

High risk, high reward, of course, but it'd be very funny to have the Yeerks succumb to the same infiltration tactics that's made them a nightmare for their previous invasions.

# ? Dec 3, 2022 00:56

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

More fun with morphing yeerks and warcrimes tomorrow.

# ? Dec 3, 2022 07:12

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

Epicurius posted:

More fun with morphing yeerks and warcrimes tomorrow.

Well the books have invoked the name of Saint Sherman, warcrimes are basically required now

# ? Dec 3, 2022 10:18

Fuschia tude: Dec 26, 2004; THUNDERDOME LOSER 2019

Capfalcon posted:

...they could easily dispose of Visser One, put their ear against Alloran's, and fake it till they make it. I mean, are you gonna second guess Visser One if he forgot about that high priority project from last week?

High risk, high reward, of course, but it'd be very funny to have the Yeerks succumb to the same infiltration tactics that's made them a nightmare for their previous invasions.

It'd be even easier than that, because they'd have access to all of Alloran's memories throughout his life, including all of his interactions with the Visser and even some of the latter's personal thoughts and history, because when a Yeerk is distracted and isn't keeping all his defenses up, the connection can become a two-way street. And Alloran would be powerless to stop the usurper from going through all of his history from every day of his life, just as we saw in #6.

It should be no problem for this host-thief to know about all the high priority projects from last week, unless they are not just inept for a Yeerk but inept at being a Yeerk. In which case their pulling off the reversed body snatch heist seems even less likely.

# ? Dec 3, 2022 12:00

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

Fuschia tude posted:

It'd be even easier than that, because they'd have access to all of Alloran's memories throughout his life, including all of his interactions with the Visser and even some of the latter's personal thoughts and history, because when a Yeerk is distracted and isn't keeping all his defenses up, the connection can become a two-way street. And Alloran would be powerless to stop the usurper from going through all of his history from every day of his life, just as we saw in #6.

It should be no problem for this host-thief to know about all the high priority projects from last week, unless they are not just inept for a Yeerk but inept at being a Yeerk. In which case their pulling off the reversed body snatch heist seems even less likely.

Lol, I forgot about the fact that Alloran's along for the ride in all the important briefings and such. Man, that'd be a hell of a book.

# ? Dec 3, 2022 16:21

kiminewt: Feb 1, 2022

I feel like since the Yeerks can recognize each other in the pool, you couldn't really keep up such a facade for so long even if you could trick everyone while you're in the host.

# ? Dec 3, 2022 20:28

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

kiminewt posted:

I feel like since the Yeerks can recognize each other in the pool, you couldn't really keep up such a facade for so long even if you could trick everyone while you're in the host.

Right, but high ranking Vissers are probably paranoid sociopaths who feed completely in private. I mean, I can't imagine Visser One rubbing antenna with the common Yeerk.

# ? Dec 3, 2022 21:23

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Chapter 7

quote:

Three hours later we were back at camp.

All of us.

It was late afternoon and the sun was setting behind the canopy of trees that kept our camp from being seen from above.

Camp consisted of a muddy, wooded, and heavily guarded compound built by a colony of free Hork-Bajir. Rebel Hork-Bajir who had escaped the tyranny of the Yeerks and had gone into hiding.

Their leader was Toby.

When the Yeerks discovered the true identity of the resistance we, the Animorphs, evacuated our homes immediately.

Now the muddy and primitive camp is full, crowded, and contentious.

There are the free Hork-Bajir.

But there are also humans.

There is Marco, his father, and his mother, Eva, who was once host body of the former Visser One. That Yeerk is now dead and Eva is free. Reunited with her husband and her son. Living with Marco�s parents is a young girl named Elena who is blind when not in morph. Rachel gave her the morphing technology and allowed Elena to acquire her. Our mission to recruit several children from a school for the blind failed. Elena managed to escape the Yeerks in her Rachel morph. Now she lives as a refugee and cannot, for security reasons, return to the school or her parents. She is sad for her losses but slowly adjusting to her new life.

Also in the camp are Cassie and her parents, Michelle and Walter, both veterinarians. Tobias and his mother, Loren, too. Loren has no memory of Tobias�s father, Elfangor. My brother.

And there is Rachel�s mother, Naomi, and Rachel�s two younger sisters, Sara and Jordan. Rachel�s mother is quite quarrelsome. I am told that is because she is something called a �lawyer.� A lawyer seems to be an odd type of human. Intelligent but in a way that is not terribly useful. At least to my Andalite sensibilities. All they seem to use their intellect for is argument. Not philosophical contemplation or artistic pursuit.

I am told that although people often find themselves in need of a lawyer, lawyers are not very popular. After the last few days, I understand why.

Lastly, there is Jake.

Jake�s family is not in our camp. Jake�s brother, Tom, has been a Controller from the early days of the invasion. Recently, Jake�s parents were captured by the Yeerks - with Tom�s help - and made into human-Controllers.

This has made Jake very withdrawn. For a time he said he did not want to lead us anymore. Our morale suffered.

Now, after our last confrontation with Tom, during which we lost the morphing cube to the Yeerks, Jake is beginning to take charge again. He is still somewhat depressed and often angry. But as he listened to Rachel�s report his face showed interest.

�The Yeerks used what they had. They extended the existing subway tunnels using Taxxon labor,� Rachel was telling him. �We know what effective diggers Taxxons are. Now the trains run all the way to the main pool. My estimate is that there are at least six lines leading to it. And I spotted some Taxxons at work on what looked like another new line.�

�When you think how fast the Yeerks can move hundreds, maybe thousands of people in and out of the central pool ��

James did not need to finish his sentence. We all understood the implications of the Yeerks� newest scheme.

With that kind of rapid expansion system in place in cities throughout the world, the Yeerks could rule Earth in what would seem like no time at all.
�They�re probably bringing in transports of unhosted Yeerks,� Marco said grimly. �Wry should the Yeerks stay on their own planet when they can take over this one, have an unlimited supply of hosts, and pretty much unimpeded access to a feeding pool?�

<So, we�re dead?> Tobias said.

Toby, who was sitting in with us, shook her head. �Not necessarily. If the Yeerks are concentrating here, on this planet, around this pool, then ��

Marco grinned. �Right. They can move Yeerks in in big numbers. But we can take them out in big numbers.�

�How?� Rachel asked eagerly.

�A subway train loaded with explosives,� Marco said. �A small nuke if we could get our hands on one. Run that puppy at full speed, detonate it in the Yeerk pool, big BOOM! �Bye-�bye Yeerks.�

Cassie took a deep breath before she spoke. �You can�t be serious.�

�Why not?� Rachel.

Cassie looked at Jake. Jake looked away.

�Think! Those trains are full of people being taken to the Yeerk pool for infestation. We�d be killing thousands of Yeerks, yes. But we�d also be killing thousands of people who want nothing more than to go home and forget any of this ever happened.�

<We�ve been down this path before,> Tobias agreed. <Cassie�s right. We�re supposed to be saving humanity. Not slaughtering people who have the bad luck to get in the way.> He looked pointedly at Marco. <Think about it. Your mom could still be down there.>

Marco lowered his eyes. But only for a moment. Then he lifted them and looked at Jake. We all looked at Jake.

His brother. His mother. His father. Any of them. All of them. Tom could be stationed at that Yeerk pool. Jake�s parents, low-level, unwilling Controllers, could be trapped down there in cages while their Yeerks fed on Kandrona.

Jake�s face turned pale. �I�m not making this decision. It has to be a vote.�

Rachel stood and looked angrily around the circle of faces. �You�re kidding, right? I mean, you think saving the earth really demands a vote?�

�The ends simply don�t justify the means,� Cassie said softly.

Rachel glared angrily at her. �You weren�t there,� she said. �You didn�t see what we saw. It was like some old World War Two newsreel or something. People being rounded up and forced at gunpoint onto trains. Men, women, old people, and kids. It�s like the Yeerks don�t even care anymore about finding the healthiest and strongest to infest. They�re taking everyone. Quantity over quality.�

Cassie waved her hands in frustration. �Exactly. And those are the people you would kill while you�re trying to stop the Yeerks. Little kids. Retirees. Someone�s grandparents.�

�You know, we won�t actually be using a nuke,� Marco said quietly. �Not that that changes things much,� he admitted.

There was a long, long silence. I could see each one of them grappling with his or her conscience.

Toby stared stolidly into space. Her home planet had been through a devastating war with the Yeerks. Most of her people had not survived. The majority of the ones who had were now Hork-Bajir-Controllers. A smaller number of survivors or children of survivors were here in the camp.

Frankly, I did not know what her vote would be. I could not read her inscrutable expression.

But I knew that, like me, Toby understood that she was an outsider here on Earth. That her ideas and experiences were her own. And that she often did not understand human thought processes or emotions.

I was surprised when she spoke. �This is a war,� she said quietly. �There is no question that people will die. The only question is, who?�

There was another long pause.

<Okay,> Tobias said finally. He was trying to sound unconcerned but his voice quivered.

Rachel�s voice, on the other hand, was firm and unhesitating. �I don�t know about you guys, but I�m thinking it�s time to explode a big �ole bomb.�

�And you couldn�t be happier,� Cassie said bitterly to Rachel. �Could you?�

This group is basically falling apart.

Chapter 8

quote:

Two hours later we were still strategizing. Marco was correct in stating that nuclear weapons, fairly primitive explosives by Andalite standards, are very difficult for the average citizen to procure.

This is a good thing.

It wasn�t that long ago when we had just barely succeeded in averting a Yeerk-instigated World War III. There was a fierce battle on board a United States Navy aircraft carrier. Many, many innocent American men and women were killed. And it was likely that the few survivors were traumatized by the brutal attack of Yeerk-infested humans and battalions of Hork-Bajir- and Taxxon-Controllers.

Near the end of that horrible battle I had not listened to Jake. I had even gone so far as to knock him unconscious so that I could carry out a desperate plan without interference. A plan that seemed to me the only way to a possible victory.

My actions were in some ways traitorous. But in other ways, they were necessary.

Against express orders I kidnapped Visser Two and commandeered an F-14D Tomcat. The Yeerks had fitted out the plane with a nuclear weapon. Once in the air with my captive I threatened to drop the nuclear weapon directly over the Yeerk pool. The result of such an action would have been not only the utter destruction of the pool complex itself, but also severe damage to my friends� community and the inevitable loss of thousands of human lives.

It was a calculated risk, a terrible gamble. Threaten to kill thousands to save millions, maybe billions. Thankfully, my plan worked. Visser Two agreed to call off the planned nuclear strike against China if I would promise not to drop a bomb on the Yeerk pool.

Would I have followed through on my threat if Visser Two had not complied? Could I have? To this day I have no answer to either of those questions.

Now, here we were, not long after the very public incident on the USS George Washington, just days from the governor�s televised warning, once again discussing the total destruction of the Yeerks� main feeding operation.

We sat by a low campfire, studying a map of the county spread out on an old picnic table. We were minus James, who had gone back to the hospital where he lived. It was essential for the new recruits to remain undercover for as long as possible. We were also minus Toby. She had been asked to help settle a dispute between one of the older Hork-Bajir and Rachel�s mother.

Marco pointed to a military base on the map. �This place might be storing nuclear weapons. But like I said before, even if we managed to get in past security and steal a nuke, we wouldn�t be able to use it. It would take us too long to figure out its security codes. Way elaborate. By the time we knew what we were doing, the military would know what we were doing, too.�

�What if we had help from the Chee?� Jake asked.

Tobias blinked fiercely. <The Chee won�t help us. Not with something like this. Something overtly aggressive.>

The Chee are a race of androids who live here on Earth. They are incredibly brilliant. And their technical capabilities are more advanced even than those of the Andalites.

However, the Chee are hard-wired pacifists. They will help us defend ourselves. But they would never help us with an assault.

�Tobias is right. The Chee won�t help us,� Jake mused. �Everything about this idea is against who they are and what they�re all about.�

�Back to the problem,� Marco continued. �We don�t really even need a nuke. We�ll go with garden-variety explosives.�

Jake lifted an eyebrow. �Such as?� Marco shrugged. �Such as dynamite. Okay. Look.� Marco pointed to a red circle on the map. �This is a National Guard installation. They do a lot of roadwork, forestry, and fire fighting in the national parks. Other public works. That means they�ve probably got some sort of armory, stores of dynamite, maybe other explosives.�

�I�m sure potentially dangerous materials like dynamite and bombs are under pretty heavy lock and key,� Cassie pointed out. �We�re still going to have to get past all sorts of security.�

Marco shrugged. �Hey. I never said it was going to be easy. All I�m saying is that if we can get hold of enough dynamite, we could pack a train with it and ram the pool. Put some major hurt on the Yeerks.�

Jake nodded. �Yeah. The question is how.�

�We�ve got some friends in the National Guard, don�t we?� Cassie asked.

Marco frowned. <Do we? We don�t know for sure that Lieutenant Colonel Larsen is still with the governor. I mean, where is he while all of this Yeerk movement is going down? Where�s the governor? For that matter, where�s our buddy Collins? Guy took a Dracon to the shoulder and still refused to go off duty. I wouldn�t mind him on our team right about now.>

<Yeah.> Jake nodded. <Good guys. But I�m not sure we can count on our old allies anymore. Something tells me they�ve probably been taken. Let�s face it. The governor seriously ticked off Visser One.>

<So who can we count on? Okay, maybe we�ll run into an uninfested National Guard commander, but maybe not. Who do we have for sure?> Tobias mused.

�Us. And I mean all of us,� Rachel said excitedly. �The six of us. James and the new guys. Parents. Toby and what Hork-Bajir soldiers she can spare. It�ll be the most major operation we�ve launched so far.�

�That�s the entire resistance,� Jake said.

�Risking the whole team on one mission.� Cassie.

There was a long pause.

<You know, maybe we should rethink this,> Tobias said.

�Yeah, we should,� Cassie agreed. �This mission is way too heavy with bad karma.�

Jake turned on her angrily. �Look, Cassie, it would be nice if we had more choices. But now that the Yeerks have morphing technology, we�ve lost our major edge. Which means that now we have to take some major unpleasant risks.�

His voice was angry. Sarcastic. Accusatory.

I had never heard Jake speak that way to anyone.

And since his friendship with Cassie is quite special, his tone was even more surprising.

Cassie looked stricken. I wondered if she would answer him with equal passion. But she did not. Instead, she looked as if she might cry.

The others looked at one another, bewildered. It was almost as if Jake were blaming Cassie for the Yeerk acquisition of morphing technology.

I shifted my weight from one leg to the other and observed the humans around me.

Relationships were changing.

Loyalties were shifting.

There were unspoken animosities and hidden agendas.

The decisions were becoming more about emotions than tactics. The resistance was jeopardizing its ability to be effective.

I had been told this might happen.

Forget about the interpersonal drama. i'm more concerned that Collins might have been Yeerked.

# ? Dec 4, 2022 03:52

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

quote:

Toby stared stolidly into space. Her home planet had been through a devastating war with the Yeerks. Most of her people had not survived. The majority of the ones who had were now Hork-Bajir-Controllers. A smaller number of survivors or children of survivors were here in the camp.

Frankly, I did not know what her vote would be. I could not read her inscrutable expression.

But I knew that, like me, Toby understood that she was an outsider here on Earth. That her ideas and experiences were her own. And that she often did not understand human thought processes or emotions.

I was surprised when she spoke. �This is a war,� she said quietly. �There is no question that people will die. The only question is, who?�

This says it all. The Hork-Bajir have already been through the worst-case scenario: species 95% genocided by the "good guys" to avert a worse outcome, the 5% survivors rendered slaves for generations. If you could turn back the clock and say to Toby or Jara, "1% of Hork Bajir would die but you'd save your entire species," who's not taking that deal? Even if you found yourself among the 1%, could you say the sacrifice was unfair?

If we imagine Jake in that maybe-possible future of New York City, the human race enslaved at the nexus of a galactic Yeerk empire, who would be understanding of the fact that it might have been averted except a few people got squeamish about letting a comparatively tiny amount of innocent people in California die (who all died or got enslaved anyway)?

# ? Dec 4, 2022 06:01

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

Just gonna quietly point at my ALLORAN WAS RIGHT sign

# ? Dec 4, 2022 06:42

JesusSinfulHands: Oct 24, 2007; Sartre and Russell are my heroes

That's really unfortunate that everything the governor did last book was futile and she got infested right away as a throwaway line in the next book.

# ? Dec 4, 2022 09:57

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

JesusSinfulHands posted:

That's really unfortunate that everything the governor did last book was futile and she got infested right away as a throwaway line in the next book.

Did she? I just thought that was brought up as a possibility and reason that they can't be trusted, not as fact.

# ? Dec 4, 2022 14:03

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

And not necessarily futile even if she did get infested. That broadcast would be global news. Even if most people wrote it off as fake it might give a lot of others a chance to escape or fight.

# ? Dec 4, 2022 15:35

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

Yeah, that's the thing about Yeerks. You can keep your eyes on someone and verify they're clean, but if they get stuffed in a broom closet and infested next week, they've turned against you more completely than anything else possible.

# ? Dec 4, 2022 18:18

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Chapter 9

quote:

Late that night I took the Z-space transponder.

It was necessary to avoid detection by any of the camp�s inhabitants.

It was also necessary to avoid detection by any Yeerk spies.

Since the Yeerks had taken the morphing technology, any animal spotted in the camp or its environs was suspect. Every singing bird a potential enemy. Any scurrying vole a possible traitor to our cause.

Therefore, each of us had acquired several additional morphs native to the camp�s wooded mountain environment. We routinely used these common, largely innocuous morphs to get about at night or when we had to leave the camp�s perimeters. At night, a lone Animorph was more vulnerable to attack. But just as we could not attack and kill every living creature that passed through the camp, neither could a Yeerk in morph attack and kill every waddling woodchuck or slithering snake.

Clouds covered the moon. I took advantage of the almost total darkness and quickly morphed a raccoon. I was able to leave the camp without any Hork-Bajir or human lookout spotting me. An adult female raccoon with a piece of alien technology wedged in her mouth.

I scurried off into the night. I would not have much time and I did not want to bring the Yeerks too close to the camp.

As soon as I reached what I considered to be a safe distance, I removed the Z-space transponder from my mouth and activated it. The raccoon�s small and dexterous �hands� were strangely similar to those of an Andalite and were perfectly suited to the task. The morph had become a new favorite of
mine.

I listened as the waves warped and wove through galaxies, finding their way to the Andalite home planet.

After a short delay, there was a response. Coded, yes. But a code that had been carefully worked out. Numeric but thought-spoken.

<Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill?>

<Yes.> I gave the password to clear the channel for communication.

<Report,> came the curt command.

<It is just as you predicted,> I told Jaham-Estalan-Forlan, a war prince and chief of the Andalite military. <The human resistance is rapidly losing its effectiveness. There is infighting. Tensions. Discipline is breaking down.>

<They know nothing of our previous communications?>

<They know nothing> I confirmed.

<Good.>

<The Yeerk concentration here is escalating. They are forcibly transporting thousands of humans to the central Yeerk pool via the subway system. In retaliation, the resistance is planning the destruction of that central pool.>

Jaham-Estalan-Forlan made a sound of impatience. <Do they truly believe they can defeat the Yeerks by destroying only one central pool?>

I felt a need to defend my friends. <It is all they can do - for now.> Then I realized my defense would only increase Jaham-Estalan-Forlan�s contempt for the human race. He would think that if the resistance could muster no better defense than my excuse-making, they would not be worth saving.

<The high command has met and made their decision. If the Yeerks are indeed concentrating on the planet Earth, we must allow their plan to continue. Once the bulk of the Yeerk race has been transported, the planet can be quarantined.>

Quarantined.

A polite word for consigning the human race to a life of slavery under the Yeerks.

I thought about Jake. The others. Tobias. After all our time together, I felt affection for them.

<Aximili? Did you hear me?>

Yes, I felt affection. But I was still an Andalite. I was still a soldier. And this was still a war.

 I responded.

<Do nothing to hamper the Yeerk concentration on Earth. Stop the resistance�s attack on the pool. We must let the Yeerks believe they have won. Do you understand?>

I did.

Would Jake?

Would the others?

Never.

<Once the planet is quarantined,> War Prince Jaham continued, <we will be in a position to negotiate. We will mediate a peaceful symbiosis between humans and Yeerks.>

I wondered if this was an accurate description of the Andalite high command�s intention.

The high command might disdain the humans, but they knew from my reports that humans were very ingenious. Very determined. Very tenacious.

Millions of Yeerks with human hosts would constitute an intolerable threat.

A quarantine would never hold. Not even if every ship in the Andalite fleet were assigned to police the perimeters of Earth�s atmosphere.

The Yeerk-human axis would push out. And it would conquer everything in its path.

<Has there been any change in technology acquisition?> Jaham-Estalan-Forlan asked.

I knew I should tell him that the Yeerks were now in posession of morphing technology. But I did not. <No,> I said.

Perhaps I would tell the truth later. I wanted time to consider. To think how such a revelation would affect the Andalite high command�s plans for the planet.

It was an undisciplined decision, my decision to withhold the truth. It was not my place to second-guess the decisions of my superiors. Perhaps I had been on Earth too long.

Suddenly I could hear Bug fighters in the distance, drawn to the signals they had picked up from the Z-space transponder.

Quickly I severed the connection and began to demorph and remorph to horned owl, an excellent form of night transport. The Zero-space transponder was small enough to carry in my talons.

By the time the Bug fighters were hovering over my previous position, I was winging my way unseen back to camp.

Quarantine.

Quarantine.

Quarantine.

It was just a way of saying what could not be said over any channel of communication, no matter how secure. Because it was something that could not even be said in the chambers of the high command.

The stated goal would be to quarantine.

The orders would say to quarantine.

But what everyone would understand is that a quarantine would be impossible to sustain.

To enforce a quarantine, the Andalite fleet would be forced to engage.

And once they engaged, they would annihilate the planet and every living thing on it. Yeerk and human.

Quarantine was the first step toward genocide.

The high command had made its decision. The Yeerk conquest of the galaxy would stop here on Earth. The camp came into view. I wished I could just keep going. Perhaps become a nothlit. Be free of the terrible burdens of secrecy and betrayal.

I remembered the Yeerk falcon. Five minutes away from freedom.

But the price of that freedom was high.

Maybe too high.

The problem with this is it seems like it's just turning into the standard Ax dilemma....Am i more loyal to the Andalites or my friends? It's a good dilemma, but it isn't when it's every single Ax story.

Chapter 10

quote:

The next morning, Jake gathered us together to finalize our plans.

The Animorphs were there, Tobias in human form. Toby was there. James was there on behalf of the new recruits. And Marco�s parents were present.

�I�ve been on the computer all night,� Marco said. �All of us. Me, Mom, and Dad. We hacked into nearly every file on the National Guard base. Bottom
line? They�ve got a big warehouse full of thousand-pound bombs.�

�Yes!� Rachel grinned. �Major firepower.�

Marco�s mother looked exhausted. �We could kill a lot of slugs with one thousand-pound bomb.�

�We could kill them all with ten or twelve thousand-pound bombs,� Marco�s dad amended. �In an enclosed space an explosion of even one thousand-pound bomb would have incredible magnitude.

The devastation would be close to that of an atomic explosion.�

Rachel nodded with satisfaction. �We�d be going seriously medieval on Yeerk butt.�

�The big question is: How?� Jake asked. �We talked about this before. We�d have to commit everything. Everybody. Animorphs, all of us. Hork-Bajir. Parents.�

�I�m out,� Cassie said hotly. �I thought that maybe � But I can�t. And I can tell you my parents are out, too.�

Rachel glared at her. �Okay, Cassie,� she said in a sarcastic-sweet tone. �So, what do you think we should do instead? Just sit here and wait for the Yeerks to find us? Or maybe we should make it real easy on them and all go hop on the train for a little swim in the pool.�

�Why do you have to be so horrible?� Cassie exploded. �You are, you know. And you get worse every day. Your own mother can�t even stand you.�

Cassie turned to walk away, but Jake grabbed her sleeve. �Cassie! Come on.�

�Come on what!� Cassie spit. �You don�t knowingly take innocent life. Not if you�re a decent person. Not if you�re not a murderer. The goal is irrelevant. I thought you knew that, Jake, but apparently ��

�Apparently you decided to start making decisions for me!� Jake shouted back. �Somewhere along the line you decided that you knew what was best. For me. For everybody. Well, guess what?�

Cassie put her hands in front of her as if she were going to shove Jake away. �Don�t. Stop! Just don�t. Please.�

The rest of the assembled group was silent. I believe it is safe to say that none of us understood what was causing Jake and Cassie to argue so furiously.

Tears began to roll down Cassie�s cheeks. �I�m sorry,� she said. �I shouldn�t have done it. I don�t even really know why I did it. I � At that moment it seemed the right thing to do. The only thing. Now, I�m just sorry. I�m sorry.�

�What is she talking about?� Marco whispered.

�It was me!� Cassie shouted. �I gave the Yeerks the morphing cube. I let Tom run away with it. I stopped Jake from chasing him. From killing him. Me!�

I felt my back legs weaken slightly.

Cassie? A traitor?

It did not seem possible.

�Oh, Cassie,� Eva murmured.

You did what?!� Marco said, his voice hoarse.

�Tom had it. He had the cube. The only way Jake was going to get it from him was to kill him. I couldn�t let Jake do that. I couldn�t. I was trying to protect him.�

�You were trying to protect Jake so you basically sold out the rest of the human race?� Rachel said. Her voice was tight. The voice of controlled ferocity. Violence just barely contained.

�I�m sure she didn�t think of it in those terms,� Tobias said softly.

�I didn�t think at all,� Cassie said, her voice exhausted and full of grief. �It was more of an impulse. An instinct. Something inside just told me to let Tom take the cube. I knew � I knew I was making a sacrifice. That I was sacrificing so much � maybe now it seems stupid. But at that moment I thought I was doing the right thing. I really did.�

Rachel lifted her hand. Began to make a fist. Tobias grabbed her wrist.

And surprisingly, Jake pulled Cassie to him and embraced her.

Cassie leaned her head on his shoulder.

Jake pressed his cheek against her hair. �It�s okay, Cassie,� he said, his voice ragged. �I�m sorry. It�s okay.�

Embarrassed, I averted my eyes. After several moments Cassie withdrew from Jake�s arms and faced the rest of us. �I am so sorry. I made a mistake. A terrible mistake. I won�t do it again. I won�t try to decide what�s right for everyone. It was arrogant and dangerous. I didn�t mean it to be but it was.�

Jake ran his hands through his hair. �Look. This is hard stuff. But we�ve got to work as a team. We don�t have room for individual agendas. We go or we don�t go. But either way ��

Jake�s voice droned on. But I was no longer listening.

I could not stop looking at Cassie.

I was not exactly sure what I was feeling.

But I was sure it was very close to hatred.

So the secret is out.

# ? Dec 5, 2022 04:31

mind the walrus: Sep 22, 2006

Jake embracing Cassie is one of those small touches that shows why he's in charge.

But drat, yeah the books have done a solid job selling why Cassie's move was the wrong one. Good evolution of the general theme "War, even in the best case, makes you do things you can't live with.... but they still might be better than the alternative."

# ? Dec 5, 2022 06:36

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Epicurius posted:

The problem with this is it seems like it's just turning into the standard Ax dilemma....Am i more loyal to the Andalites or my friends? It's a good dilemma, but it isn't when it's every single Ax story.

I quite like it here because push is coming to shove and it upends what we already thought we knew about where he'd settled in his character arc, especially since we get dropped into the situation without preamble and are surprised to learn he's been going behind their backs for some time.

quote:

I thought about Jake. The others. Tobias. After all our time together, I felt affection for them.

Me writing in the retirement card for a co-worker

quote:

�I�ve been on the computer all night,� Marco said.

Soul of a poster

# ? Dec 5, 2022 19:48

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

freebooter posted:

I quite like it here because push is coming to shove and it upends what we already thought we knew about where he'd settled in his character arc, especially since we get dropped into the situation without preamble and are surprised to learn he's been going behind their backs for some time.

Agreed. It's not interesting because it's a new conflict.
It's interesting because Ax has, at least a little bit, changed his mind. He's living with these guys and has decided that, however much he likes them as people, the war effort is better served by giving Andalites High Command the steering wheel.

Whether or not he'll stay that way... Well... Cassie made that call a bit easier, at least.

# ? Dec 6, 2022 01:02

Kazzah: Jul 15, 2011; Formerly known as
Krazyface; Hair Elf

I mean the Animorphs and the Andalites basically have the same plan: let the Yeerks concentrate, then kill them (and their hosts) en masse. Just a question of scale.

# ? Dec 6, 2022 01:54

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Kazzah posted:

I mean the Animorphs and the Andalites basically have the same plan: let the Yeerks concentrate, then kill them (and their hosts) en masse. Just a question of scale.

They differ on the "extinction of humanity" angle. The Andalites get on this genocide kick sometimes....

# ? Dec 6, 2022 03:31

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Chapter 11

quote:

Toby spoke in her guttural voice. �My people are tired of hiding. We are a peaceful species. But we will fight. It is better than always living in fear.�

�I�m with Toby,� Marco said. �Dad? Mom?�

Marco�s mother nodded grimly. �I�ve had the worst of the Yeerk high command living in my head. I know there�s no appeasement. My advice is to fight. Go in. Clean house. Do as much damage as we can. Visser One does not cope well with setbacks. If we do enough damage, we could possibly chase the Yeerks off Earth.�

�What do you mean?� Jake asked.

�The former Visser One didn�t advocate all-out war because she knew Earth was too volatile. The inhabitants too resistant. The Yeerks are used to tractable host bodies. Humans are a fighting race. They fight invaders. They fight each other. They don�t give up easily. The current Visser One has
never really understood that.�

�So?� Jake pressed.

�So, knowing something about the Yeerk High Council, I�m thinking it�s likely Visser One�s been warned that one more major attack on a site of concentration, or one more major disaster like what happened on the aircraft carrier, or one more public announcement by the governor calling for resistance, just might mean the end of his domination here. It might mean the Yeerks would decide to move their base of operations to some other planet. Let�s face it. With the ability to morph, the Yeerks don�t really need humans. They could make do with another species on another planet, a species less aggressive than humans.�

There was a long silence.

�I�m not sure that�s good news for the rest of the world,� Jake commented.

�But it�s good news for us. Earth is Visser One�s personal fiefdom,� Marco�s father said. �If the Yeerks are forced to leave Earth, Visser One�s back to being a subvisser somewhere.�

�We may not be able to defeat the Yeerks, but we can at least move them off Earth,� Marco said.

�And inflict them on another species?� Cassie.

Toby�s eyes narrowed. �Perhaps not. With help from the Andalite fleet, perhaps we could keep the Yeerks from settling anywhere.�

�What do you mean?� Rachel asked.

�We chase them into Zero-space and the Andalite fleet ambushes them there. Effectively wipes them out.�

Jake�s eyes narrowed as he considered the possibility. �We don�t know what we can count on from the Andalite fleet, as long as the Yeerks are Earth�s problem. But maybe Toby�s right. If we can chase the Yeerks off Earth and make them the Andalites� problem, the Andalites would be forced to
act. Ax?�

My hearts thundered. I felt ill with anger. And something close to guilt. <It is hard to know what the Andalite high command would order,> I said, my voice cold.

�Fair enough,� Jake said. But he gave me an odd look. �In any event, step one is to blow the Yeerk pool.�

I said nothing.

Should I have told the high command everything?

Yes. I should have. Without doubt. They needed to know that the entire situation on Earth was changing.

Because of one human.

Because of Cassie.

Of course, it has always been a possibility that the enemy might somehow acquire morphing technology, either through conquest or guile. War is about losses as well as victories.

But to surrender without struggle your most important piece of technology � strategy � defense � It was simply incomprehensible to me.

It was also incomprehensible to me that Cassie was allowed to participate in this discussion.

On my own planet, she would have been tried for treason and executed immediately.

And yet, the others continued to consult her.

My hatred for Cassie began to extend to them all. They were fools. They would never prevail. They were too soft. Too sentimental. Too childish. Too stupid and ignorant. Stupidity and ignorance within one�s own ranks are more dangerous opponents than an outside enemy could ever be. I had been taught that lesson in the military academy. Now I had been given an object lesson that proved the principle.

As the humans continued to plan and plot, my mind raced. I did not know what to do.

Perhaps I should contact War Prince Jaham-Estalan-Forlan and tell him I had been interrupted by Bug fighters before making a full report. I could tell him that the Yeerks had acquired Andalite morphing technology.

And I could tell him that if the Andalite high command was going to quarantine the planet, they needed to do it quickly.

�Let�s go back to the attack,� Marco said. �Cassie may have been a major idiot for about half a second, but she�s right now. If there are innocent people trapped down in the tunnel, how can we justify blowing it up?�

�What if we gave them time to escape,� Tobias suggested. �I mean, what if somehow, just before the explosion, we told everyone on site that the pool was about to blow. The humans and the human-Controllers would probably run for their lives. The Yeerks in their heads will starve without the pool, but the humans would live. See? We save the humans, kill the Yeerks, and wipe out a major infestation center.�

Marco nodded. �That works for me. I mean, at least it gives people a chance. Some of them, anyway.�

One by one, each of the group nodded. Each signaled his or her approval of the plan.

Each person but Cassie. She stared at the ground. Her cheeks were stained with tears.

No one seemed to know what to say to her.

Finally, Jake spoke. �Cassie?�

Cassie shook her head. �I�ll do whatever you guys say.�

�That�s not good enough, Cassie,� Jake said. �You�ve always had definite ideas about what we should or shouldn�t do. Don�t weasel now.�

Cassie lifted her face. �Okay. Then it�s wrong. But let�s do it anyway. I�ll learn to live with my conscience. We all will. I don�t have a better plan. I guess this is as close as we�ll get to defeating the Yeerks without being the Yeerks.�

Jake�s face relaxed. I saw the faintest hint of a smile. Almost of relief.

He addressed the group. �Look. Cassie did what she did. She had her reasons. I don�t understand them so I can�t say if they were right or wrong. But her decision to let Tom get away with the morphing cube changed the equation. Still, I trust Cassie�s instincts. Even more than my own. Especially my own these days. So let�s just re-adopt this phrase as our guideline. Defeat the Yeerks. Don�t become them.�

He did not look directly at Rachel, but I knew he was telling her to restrain her violent impulses.

I remembered again the desperate falcon. The one who yearned for freedom. Had he found it in the sky, or in death?

For a long time, I have regarded Rachel as representing one end of the continuum of human nature. What all humans would become if the war went on long enough.

That perception has guided many of my decisions.

An entire human race of Rachels - angry, merciless, aggressive, and equipped with Yeerk and Andalite technology. It was a terrifying specter.
But perhaps �. perhaps I had been wrong.

Perhaps the real menace lay at the other end of the continuum - represented by Cassie. Humans who were softer. Kinder. Well-meaning.

And, ironically, infinitely more dangerous.

Is Ax right? Is compassion more dangerous than cruelty?

Also, what's interesting is, Ax is angry at Cassie, obviously, but he did let that Yeerk who told him he wanted to become a nothlit go. is that treason? The same compassion that Cassie has?

Chapter 12

quote:

That night, I asked Cassie if I might speak with her privately.

She was subdued. Still shaken after our meeting. �Let�s go sit somewhere quiet and dark,� she said.

We walked together to the far perimeter of the camp. A free Hork-Bajir sat high up in a tree branch keeping watch. But he paid little attention to us.

Cassie folded her arms across her chest and sighed.

<Tell me about the morphing cube,> I said. <Why did you keep Jake from chasing Tom?>

�Look, Ax. I already feel like a criminal. Okay? But I�ve already made my apologies. Why do I have to go through this again with you?�

I was angry. So angry the blade on my tail was quivering. <Because my brother, Elfangor, gave the cube to you. To you and your friends. He compromised everything he stood for by giving it to you. He betrayed the laws of his own people. He placed his trust in five humans. I am trying to understand why you would betray him in return. Why you would betray your friends. And why you would betray your people.>

They were harsh words.

But I had a right to say those harsh words. Because it was my brother, my people, and my planet�s technology that had been abused.

According to Cassie, she had sacrificed them all on no more than an instinct. An impulse.

I had to think there was a better reason.

If not, then I could not help but believe that the high command had every right to annihilate this planet. And I would tell them so tonight.
Humans were a retrograde species - destructive, violent, and at the mercy of their emotions. Unable to make personal sacrifices or set aside personal agendas on behalf of a larger cause.

Cassie�s head dropped. She put her hands over her face. �Oh, Ax, you�re right.� Her voice broke. �I did betray Elfangor. I never thought about how you would feel.�

<No,> I agreed coldly. 

Cassie rubbed her temples, as if she were struggling with memories she would prefer to suppress. �I suppose � I suppose ��
She stared at me, almost fearfully. �It wasn�t just about Tom. It wasn�t just about Jake.�

<Then what was it about? What did you think you were doing?>

�Ax,� she whispered, as one about to voice a terrible secret. �I just know there are so many Yeerks who would defect if they could. Aftran wasn�t the only one, we know that. There�s always been a group of Yeerks who can�t stand the notion of infestation. Who don�t want to be parasites. Who don�t want to be slavish followers of the vissers! Remember the first battle with the new recruits, when Visser One was in that horrible morph and choking Jake to death? Remember how that Hork- Bajir cut off one of the vissers tentacles and freed Jake? Some of the Yeerks just want to be free!

Now, with the ability to morph, maybe they can be. We can�t fight on forever. Not just us. And it�s beginning to look as if we can�t win by conquering. We may just have to learn to coexist. I don�t know what was in my head at that moment, when I let Tom go. But now, in retrospect, maybe letting the Yeerks have the morphing technology is the way to peace.�

My back legs felt as if they might collapse. For one person to make a decision so momentous and act on it without first talking to anyone � It was unthinkable.

And yet my conscience nagged uncomfortably. Hadn�t I acted similarly? Hadn�t I acted without the permission of my prince? Hadn�t I assumed the right to take an enormous risk with human lives when I commandeered the plane fitted out with a nuclear weapon, kidnapped Visser Two, and
threatened to explode the bomb directly over the Yeerk pool? Such an explosion would have destroyed most if not all of my friends� hometown and most if not all of its citizens.

The memory was too troubling. I chased it away and reached wildly for a way to continue to separate myself from Cassie.

Perhaps Jake had known what Cassie was going to do. Suspicion grew in my hearts. <Does Jake agree with this assessment?> I asked coldly.

Cassie shook her head. �No. No. I haven�t told anyone any of this. I can�t. Can you imagine what the others would say? Can�t you just hear Rachel? �My god. She lives for the war. And Marco�s mom? She hates the Yeerks so much that the idea of sharing the planet with them makes her physically ill.�

<She knows the enemy,> I pointed out. <She knows them in a way we never will. If we continue to be lucky.>

�Of course she feels that way,� Cassie said impatiently. �Marco�s mother was host to the former Visser One. It must have been horrible. But the former Visser One was one Yeerk. The current Visser One is one Yeerk.�

<He is the Yeerks� leader on this planet,> I replied.

�It still doesn�t mean he represents each and every Yeerk,� Cassie insisted. �Humans have had some pretty evil leaders, too. Thousands, sometimes millions of people have followed those leaders, sometimes willingly, sometimes not. Sometimes because they were just too afraid to say no. What if
some other species decided to wipe out the human race based on the existence of a few powerful people? What if that species decided all humans were cruel, based on the actions of a handful of sociopaths?�

In spite of myself, I stumbled over my thoughts.

Cassie gave me a sharp look.

Was she expecting an answer? Or was it a rhetorical question? Either way, it had come too close for comfort.

We stared at each other for a long moment.

<In the tunnel, I caught a falcon,> I told her. <A Yeerk falcon. He begged to be let go. He wanted to stay in morph. To live to escape.>

Cassie nodded slowly. �You see? I�m right.�

I shook my head. �No. You are wrong. Visser One will learn to control whoever acquires morphing technology. He will give it only to the most loyal Yeerks.�

�But the falcon you caught � �

�The falcon I caught might have been lying,� I said simply. �Or he may truthfully have been seeking escape. Yes, one or two Yeerks may be seduced by the possibility of escape. But not enough.�

�Do you think you can forgive me for this?� she said quietly.



�What are you going to do?�

 I answered again.

�I think this attack on the Yeerk pool will be our last stand. And if the Yeerks get any idea of our plan, any warning at all, chances are none of us will make it out alive,� Cassie said.

I shook my head. 

�You think I�m a traitor, don�t you?� she asked.

I nodded. <Yes.>

�But did I do the wrong thing?�



�How do you think Elfangor would answer that question?�



I turned and walked away through the darkness to an area thick with tree trunks and shrubs. I needed to be alone.

No matter what happened, I knew I would never feel quite the same about Cassie.

Or any other human.

What WOULD Elfangor have done in that situation? How would he have answered that question?

# ? Dec 6, 2022 03:47

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

Elfangor's decision to give the morphing cube to the five human Animorphs wasn't exactly spontaneous. He didn't plan to crash land on Earth and die there, but he was already comfortable enough with humanity that he did have the same social pressures weighing on him.

I'm not well versed with the series this deep in, but Ax's experience on Earth has been one where he's regularly tested with having to stab the human Animorphs in the back so he can reintegrate with Andalite society. His distrust of Cassie is not at all out of character and is rooted in his own societal pressures. His species has been at war with the Yeerks for over thirty years because of Seerow's Kindness, and has done nothing but made the Andalites more xenophobic, elitist, and paranoid. They've been glassing entire worlds or unleashing biological warfare in order to contain the threat of the Yeerks and have been nothing but just as destructive as their enemy. And none of it is working. They're always behind and facing a decentralized enemy.

# ? Dec 6, 2022 04:29

OctaviusBeaver: Apr 30, 2009; Say what now?

I don't think Elfangor hated the Yeerks as much as Ax, partly because he wasn't raised in a society that had been at war his whole life. He also understood humans better than Ax ever will. Elfangor would have been more open minded than Ax, but in the end I still think he would have opposed it. I think he knew Visser 3 too well to ever trust them. I tend to think Ax is right, some Yeerks would defect but as long as they're winning the war most won't.

# ? Dec 6, 2022 05:22

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

I always found this a bit frustrating in that they behave as though giving the Yeerks the morphing tech is some sort of show of good faith they might have done with any other piece of powerful technology, rather than the literal solution to the problem at the root of Yeerk expansionism, but it sort of makes sense in that everyone involved realises it's all way too far gone for that anyway, the Yeerks are now a fascist empire that exists for the sake of it.

Good exchange between Cassie and Ax though. They're both mature enough to be pretty close to completely honest with each other.

# ? Dec 6, 2022 08:04

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 think this is probably everyone's lowest point (so far) and we can see them all grappling with the existential dread and fear in different ways.

I think its interesting that the people dealing with the current status quo the best are Marco and Tobias who both seem pretty sane and relatively grounded considering how far off the deep end the others are spiraling. And part of that has to be that they're the only two who both gained something on the move to Hork-Bajir valley (in getting their moms back) while it marked a crippling loss to everyone else. Even Ax had to abandon his home and start living with a lot of other people, which is probably contributing heavily to how much he's stressed out considering how solitary Andalites are by nature and how much downtime he's used to to decompress away from humans.

You can see it most clearly with his recent conversation here with Cassie. One of the big hallmarks of previous Ax books is how much time we get with him reflecting on things or thinking solo. So far there hasn't been a single scene or moment in this book that's given him any kind of solitude and he's been mostly just blindly reacting to things. And it ties into all the choices he's currently making because while he's definitely betraying the Animorph's trust by going behind their backs to the Andalite High Command, he's also not exactly being a good soldier for the High Command either and seems to be desperately trying to thread a line that doesn't exist without any deeper planning beyond 'just keep the plate spinning through this next conversation'. He doesn't want to commit to anything because I think he's afraid of what he'll pick.

# ? Dec 6, 2022 08:07

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# ? May 23, 2024 17:18

Kazzah: Jul 15, 2011; Formerly known as
Krazyface; Hair Elf

Ax deliberately seeking out a conversation with another person is kind of a crazy moment for his character.

# ? Dec 6, 2022 08:19

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

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