It was another uneventful day at the Yeerk Pool... as if a place like that could be uneventful. But it was, nontheless. No new hosts were coming that day, nothing had broken or sprung a leak, and most of the Yeerks coming in with hosts were voluntary.
Most of them.
"Can't you shut that human UP?!" One of the humans asked a guard.
"No. Gefrach is better for it anyway." The guard shrugged, looking into a cell that held only one teenage boy. The human-controller sighed, going over the pool charts.
"Let's see... host 2937 is scheduled for 6:45... the Visser is scheduled for 6:44. Or is it the other way around? That human was screaming so much I lost my concentration." The controller thought for a minute, and then looked at the manifest again. "No. It's right. How could it not be right? I've never mixed them up before..."
I felt the normal connection, as I knew I would, but something didn't seem... right. Tom wasn't screaming and kicking. I delved a little further in, looking for a clue that would be helpful... Tom? Is something wrong?
One, I am not "Tom"; and Two, either you got promoted or I got downgraded, becuase I cannot think up another rational explanation as to why some low-level Yeerk like yourself would be in me! A voice responded. I opened up his eyes... and then blinked. All four of them.
I'm in an ANDALITE?! I said to him as I felt the restraints fall away, and was helped back up.
Three, my name is not "Andalite". It is... what was it again? Oh... my name is Alloran-Semitur-Corass. He spoke with the proudness of a human toddler saying 'the ball is yellow'.
I'm in HIS Andalite?! I staggered slightly, but then Alloran took control and walked for me, walking over to the bug fighter which would take me back to the blade ship.
By your surprise, I'm guessing someone messed up and switched things around.
I agreed, watching as Alloran stood to the back of the fighter and relaxed slightly, now out of the sight of the Yeerk pool. Best explanation I can come up with... shouldn't we tell them a mistake was made?
TELL them? You are far too passive. Besides, whether the person in charge of the scheduling or you made the mistake, chances are both of you would end up dead if the real Visser Three found out. My best suggestion would be to mold yourself into his role, and then we will take it from there.
"Into his role?" That means I have to lop off the heads of subordinates, morph exotic and deadly creatures, and get pissed off every time I hear the phrase "Andalite Bandits", right?
Alloran smirked inwardly at me. I do not beilive this... that is your opinion of him! By the way, yeerk... I never learned your name.
Nevion two-two-seven. I answered him.
Well, Nevion, just listen to me and I will tell you how to play 'Visser' without being caught... oh, this is going to be the most exciting thing I have done in YEARS!
The human in control of the scheduling was watching as the human who was screaming before was taken to the pier, reinfested... and then went BERZERK! The human-Controller quickly got out her commnicator. "Get four more guards out here. There's an obviously insane Yeerk acting worse than his involuntary host... No, I am not joking. He IS acting worse!"
Four more guards came out to hold the human under control, and they threw him back into a cell. The human terminated her call and looked at the host. "You're lucky my human is a pyschiatrist... Now, what seems to be the problem? Did your host take control?"
"I've never had a tighter choke hold on my host than the one I have on him now." he stood up, burshing himself off.
"Okay... have you been in any stressful situations over your last feeding cycle?" The shrink looked again.
"None in particular..."
"Are you still in your first week of controlling this human?"
"YES..." The boy walked up and looked at the schedule. "YOU! You did this! You messed up the schedule... switched my host with this one!"
"Did I?" The shrink looked at the schedule. "Maybe I did... but it's easily corrected. Designation?"
"Esplin nine-four-double-six." He hissed.
The shrink looked at him, raising one eyebrow. "Prime or lesser?"
"PRIME, you imbicile, PRIME! I'm Visser Three, and you've let some weak Yeerk take my Andalite! I'll have your head for this!"
"The Visser?" The shrink laughed, with a somewhat obvious sign of her host taking control and losing it again after the laughter stopped. "You must be mistaken! I saw the Visser leave before you reinfested your host. He couldn't have acted any more like himself! If he was the wrong one, surely he would have said something."
"You idiot! How would you know how I ACT?! I demand my proper host's body back!"
"No can do, patient... You can stay here as long as you need, but you'll have to stop running around and claiming you're Visser Three. You have a 'normal' lifestyle to attend to later." The shrink smirked, and walked off.
She MUST be lying! I screamed out in anger to this human host. She knows I was telling the truth... it's a conspiracy!
My new host looked from his corner of his mind. Don't you think that if it was a conspiracy, my Yeerk— and consequently, myself— would have some prior knowledge of this?
Of course not... they would be too clever to let you know... how are you even sure that your former master is in my host? For all you know, a third human is hosting your Yeerk, and the Yeerk of that host is in MY host! I seethed. I am a VISSER, not some low-level Sharing recruiter!
You know what? GET OVER IT. Just get over it. He hissed. Even if you're right about this being a conspiracy, and even if you are a different Yeerk, what's it matter? They're not going to listen. You'll have to make sure the manifest gets switched around in three days, so that you end up in the Andalite host, and vice versa.
Why wait three days? I glared at the lock, nodding to the guard to let me out of the cage. He did, and I walked, trying to remember from the human host's memory where the exit was.
Next time you're at the pool, stupid. You can't get it changed earlier, because no one will believe your story about you being the Visser.
But I AM the Visser!
Visser or no Visser, you'll just have to put up with it! my host growled, curling up in his mind. And by the way, you still need to study for my Chemistry test tomorrow.
Three days passed. I had adapted to the role of Visser rather well, in my opinion. The only differance that Alloran had noticed was, quite frankly, that the blows I dealt out to subordinates were non-lethal, and more easily healed. He shrugged it off, though.
The only problem I still had (in his opinion, anyway) was that I hadn't been confronted with any troublesome incidents, such as the Andalite Bandits striking. It wasn't so much of a problem, but the fact was that I hadn't been tested. I leaned against one wall of my quarters, thinking. This isn't as hard of a job as I thought. I mean, acting like Visser Three is, but the job itself is awfully simplistic.
When you're not having to take charge, it is. Alloran pointed out. But you still have to find out how you act under pressure. Don't forget, you need to get fed today. Same pool as last time, since the one up here is still under repairs.
I agreed to this and barked out to the guard to prepare the bug fighter for the trip. As soon as we entered the pool, one of the humans called me over to one side, where another human was waiting."Visser, there's a Yeerk inside his host that claims to be you... I don't believe him, of course, but just on the off-chance that a mistake was made, could you make sure?"
He's lying. I responded quickly, holding my tail high and glaring at both the Visser and my former host.
"Thank you for your time, Visser. Now, Nevion, walk with me to the psychiatrist's office..." I watched as he was led off. Alloran didn't like my performance. What?
You didn't strike out at him. Not even threatening with a simple tail blade held at the neck. Alloran sighed. You're not that passive anymore, but you're still civil. Things like that will be noticed.
No one's going to complain... now let's get this over with. I need my rays. I said, as I walked over to the first pier.
Three days in this damned body... and STILL no one believes me! It has to be a conspiracy, has to... how else could anyone explain the fact they allowed him to keep my host?
Face it, Visser; you're screwed six ways to Sunday! No one's going to believe you— not while there's still another yeerk in that Andalite. the human laughed at my misery.
If none of my compatriots will believe me, I'll FIND someone who believes! I looked down the hall, focusing on this host's brother. Jake'll do.
He's not even a Sharing member! He won't listen!
As you humans put it, "I don't give a flying fuck!" "Get in here, Midget." I grabbed Jake's left wrist, a and forcefully pulled him into my room, sitting him down into a chair.
"Tom? Whatever this is, can it wait? I've got homework to do..."
"No. You're not leaving this room until I tell you exactly what needs to be told." with that, I explained as much of my story as I could to him. He just stared at me in disbelief. "Well?"
"I don't believe this... I can't even believe you're TELLING me this!" He jumped out of his chair. "You're insane, Tom. Now I'm going into my room to do my biology homework."
"You're not going anywhere." I took a dracon beam out from one drawer. "Now sit down."
"No. I know you can't fire that in here, because it'll blow your cover. If everything you're telling me is true, you'll probably get yourself killed by your own kind."
I grumbled and put the gun away. The boy was right. As a visser, everyone covered for me easily... down at this level, I'd have a harder time explaining myself. "Fine. Now get out of here. And if you tell anyone... and I mean ANYONE... I won't be so nice." I opened the door, scowling at Jake... then I blinked. My host's father had been outside the door. Who knows how much he heard?
"Where's the damn gun?!"
I was waiting in the police station, in human morph. Some teenager had blown his cover... the authorities took him in on being an underage owner. I watched as he was placed in a holding cell, and then walked over. "Exactly HOW could you have been so stupid?!"
"You should know." He stood up, glaring at me. "You DO know."
It's him from earlier today! Alloran recognized him. That bastard's actually gotten himself into trouble!
Naturally. If I threatened to shoot Jake with a dracon beam in my own house, I'd get into trouble too. I responded to Alloran. I looked at the Visser. "So... how's it feel to be incarcerated by an inferior species, Nevion?"
"You know I'm not Nevion, you idiot." the Visser hissed, peering through the bars.
"Naturally. I am." I smirked. "Let's make a small deal. I've already discussed it with some of the lieutenants, and we have a small list of demands. Commit to the deal or you keep that host, plus I won't persuade the police chief to drop charges."
"What are the demands?"
"No hacking body parts off subordinates; no threats to subordinates concerning lack of starvation, except in trying times; General adhering to standard military rules; and, finally, no retribution for this latest escapade of mine."
The Visser thought for a moment, thinking. He responded quickly. "Fine. I'll do that. just one simple question: what kind of a conspiracy were you buffoons running?!"
"None. I didn't even know that the girl on the manifest had messed things up. After you had left— when you were fed for another three days and forced to keep the human body— She talked with me about that she had noticed a few minor differences, and showed me where on the manifest she might have messed up. After we realized the situation, she decided it couldn't hurt to just humble you for a few days more. That is, until I found out about you and your little incident." I glared at him. "I have a good mind to tear this list of demands up and keep your host and rank after hearing about this. Do you realize the trouble I've gone through to keep 'Jake' in the dark? You ruined it!"
He whined. "You don't understand— I needed someone I could properly rant to and boss around and—"
"Reveal military information to a boy that isn't even a potential host?!" I hissed at him again. "That does it. You're not getting your host back— at least until the next feeding time."
"Fine. Then I don't have to agree to all those demands." He smirked. I looked at the list. Maybe we WERE asking a bit too much— especially for a Visser whom, although being an Andalite-controller helped, it wasn't everything.
"Let's see if we can work this out... take out most of the original demands here. I'll keep this host until the next feeding cycle, drop the charges, and for right now, we'll just head into a room alone and duke it out. If you want to get me for using Alloran, go right ahead."
"Now that's more like it." He smirked as I told the chief about how the demands had been answered. then he led us into one room, and locked the door. He rolled up one sleeve. "Remember: no demorphing."
"I'll warn you when time's almost up.Wouldn't want to get stuck, now would we..." I looked at him... and leaped!
It was, as most humans would put it, a 'real slobberknocker.' I won't go into details, officially for the sake of it, but mainly because I don't remember too many of the details myself. What I did remember is the chief of police shaking me awake, urging me to demorph. I did so, and then slipped right back to unconsciousness.
I was giddy as I left the pool, squirming and flattening myself into all the familiar synapses and canals into the Andalite mind.the sheer electricity of it... ah, what the human-controlling Yeerk misses out on. THIS is a sheer luxury.
Are you done reveling in my mind now? my host hissed at me.
Oh, shut up. I know you had a bit in this fiasco... don't think you won't pay for it! I snarled at him. He laughed.
Do what you want, Visser. I, personally, have enjoyed the past six days— and you have not. That is worth anything you can dish out.
Hmm. Is that so? I walked up to my qaurters, shutting the door behind me.
Absolutely. And call me Alloran from now on... I like the sound of my own name every now and then. He spoke, and I almost immediately tore him down.
I suppose that's what you picked up from dealing with that low-level? Of all things, actually being on GOOD terms with a host... that's absurd!
You could stand to try it, visser... and you have plenty of trying to do.
Back already? Tom came up to full consciousness after I infested him. He wasn't as angry at me as she usually was.
Yeah. Now, if there's anything I can tell you after the past few days, it's this: be THANKFUL you only had to put up with Visser Three for six days, and not the amount of time Alloran's put up with him. Damn fool's lucky he was able to tell me his name.
True... so I shouldn't put up the fuss I did before?
You can if you want... be thankful you can do that, too. So — how much does Jake know, and what's it going to take to keep him quiet?
I think he shrugged it off. Even if he did believe the visser, who's he going to be able to tell? Tom responded to me.
Okay... I fingered the dracon beam, securely kept in a pocket of my cargo pants. Just one last thing. I kept my focus on Tom, who was shaking slightly as I put the dracon beam back in the drawer. What did that arrogant son of bitches do to your MIND?!