(Note: Sorry about the delay in this chapter, my computer was screwing up big time)
Empire:
By Cyclone49
Chapter 3: Deception
Magon 2682
The bear charged straight for Emplish, on all fours, head down, a huge bulk of muscle and fur, claws and teeth. It hit him with it's lowered head and knocked him back into the viewscreen. I quickly pulled out my Dracon beam.
Tseeew!
I hit the bear in it's right flank, burning a decent sized hole, but it didn't matter. I don't think the bear even noticed. It smashed into machinery, destroying part of the onboard computer.
"No shooting!" Emplish yelled, "You'll destroy the bridge! Morph! Morph you idiots!" In the panic I hadn't even thought of that. I focused on my battle morph, Polar Bear. White fur started sprouting out of my arms and legs, and I started to get a lot bigger. My teeth sharpened, and my hands grew into large paws. I looked over and saw some of others morphing. Cacnea and Portus were morphing into lions, Hergat into a bull, and Loped had just started morphing. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Jukinz running away. Karmen and Ginyu still had to control their stations.
Muscles started bulging from every part of my body, and long black claws emerged from my foot long paws. My nose changed into a large snout, and my jaw and face widened. The morph was finished. I was nearly ten feet tall, and weighed over fifteen hundred pounds. And then the instincts set in.
The polar bear was calm, relaxed. He was little nervous in this environment, polar bears don't generally live in spaceships, but he knew he could take every other person in this room. I looked around. Polar bear eyes were good, a little better than human eyes. The Animorph had pinned Emplish to the floor, and blood was gushing from Emplish's mouth. Two lionesses, Cacnea and Portus, were next to me, and Hergat in cape buffalo morph was behind me. Behind the Animorph was Loped halfway into Leopard morph.
Rachel! Behind!> a voice said. I realized it was coming from the Pool ship. The bear, Rachel, spun around and slashed at Loped who crumpled like a paper cup, and then crashed right into the main weapons station. Ginyu just managed to jump out of the way. Then it started again: Don't kill. Don't kill. Don't kill. DON'T KILL! DON'T KILL!
My head was throbbing. What was that voice? Why didn't it want me kill this Animorph. What was going on? I noticed Emplish morphing into a reptilian shape off in the distance, and Rachel looked at us.
Well?> she said. No-one moved. We all just stood, ready, anticipating the attack.
Scared?> she asked. Again, we didn't answer. But I was scared. These Animorphs had killed thousands of our people. I was terrified.
You should be,> she laughed, and she lunged. Lunged straight at me. I braced myself for the attack. She barreled right into me. It was like a train crash. She slammed me, her shoulder into the side of my head. I staggered back. And all the while that voice was in the back of my mind. DON'T KILL! DON'T KILL! DON'T KILL!
Then she extended her claws and drove them straight into me, right into my heart. I couldn't fight back, I couldn't even concentrate. Hergat backed up and rushed at the Animorph, his thick horns like battering ram. He slipped up on the floor, and only hit Rachel with a small amount of speed. Still, it knocked her back, and Cacnea and Portus jumped on her, scratching and biting like crazed alley cats.
I tried to get my head back together again, but I just couldn't think with that voice constantly droning in the back of my mind. DON'T KILL!!! DON'T KILL!!! DON'T KILL!!! It was getting louder and louder.
Behind Rachel, I could see Emplish, almost fully morphed. He was a snake of some sort, a cobra I believe. Rachel suddenly jumped to her feet again and threw off the two lions. I demorphed, my injuries were too great.
Hergat charged into the Animorph again, hitting her in the hindquarters. Cacnea had jumped on her back, digging claws into Rachel's throat. Portus charged at her, ripping into her left haunch. Hergat kept hitting her with short, painful blows with his horns.
We were doing some damage now, the grizzly bear was slipping on the floor of the blade ship, and I started my morph again. Rachel slipped over, and landed in her own blood. This was my chance, I could kill her now.
White fur rippled over my body again, and I grew in size. In flash, I saw the now fully morphed Emplish bite her in the eyes. DON'T KILL!! DON'T KILL!!! DON'T KILL!!! the voice screamed.
Die, human,> Emplish said, Just die.> Hatred oozed from his voice. I concentrated on the morph, trying to block out the voice droning in the back of my mind. Suddenly, one of Rachel's paws grabbed Emplish, impaling his snake body on her claws.
No!> Emplish cried in outrage. She brought the paw to her mouth.
Sorry,> she said vaguely.
Jake, stop her!> Emplish screamed. The Animorph bit down on him. She started to demorph, her grizzly bear fur sucked into her skin and she started getting smaller. I had completely remorphed to polar bear, I could kill her now, I could easily kill her. But I couldn't, that voice just kept going on in the back of my mind. Don't kill. Don't kill. Don't kill.
Fully demorphed, she spit out Emplish's dead snake body. It was strange site. She was just a young, innocent looking girl, only about 15 or 16 years old. Strange to think how dangerous she was, how many people she had killed. My host had actually had a crush on her for a while. Don't kill. Don't kill.
Please don't kill her,> T.T. begged, She's just a young girl. Please!> Don't kill. Don't kill. Don't kill. Don't kill. Don't kill.
Quiet you fool, I'll do what I want!> I snapped. But, I couldn't kill her, that voice just kept drumming over and over again. Don't kill! DON'T KILL!! DON'T KILL!!
Rachel was looking at the viewscreen. I could see the Animorphs standing there, in their morphs. Except for one, he was in his human form. Strange, I didn't know who he was, we had never been given a description of that one. He was crying, looking at the screen helplessly. He knew what I was about to do. DON'T KILL!! DON'T KILL! DON'T KILL!! DON'T KILL!!
"I love you," she said to the screen. DON'T KILL!! INFEST!! DON'T KILL!! INFEST!! DON'T KILL!! INFEST!!
You fight well, human.> I said, and I swung at her with my paw. A split second before hitting, I slowed down, just enough so the blow wasn't fatal. She went flying, and smashed into the wall that the viewscreen was on. The other animorphs gasped, they boy looked devastated. I realized something: they weren't able to see Rachel. The voice started up again, even stronger. INFEST!! INFEST!! INFEST!!!
Ever since we had obtained the morphing cube, no one cared about infesting the Animorphs. Morph capable humans were no better than normal human hosts anymore. Or so we thought. But the voice in my head, I couldn't stop it, I ran over to Rachel's body. She was half unconscious, most of her bones were broken, and but, amazingly, she was still sub-consciously morphing back to grizzly bear. I leaned over to her, pressing my polar bear ear to her human ear.
What are you doing?> T.T. asked, a small amount of hope in his voice.
I am infesting this girl.> I replied.
Oh my god…> T.T. said ecstatically, Thank you! Thank you so much!> I started crawling out of my host's body and into Rachel's ear. I flattened myself as I entered her ear canal. But, I still had the end of my body in T.T.'s head. Using the last remaining control I had on his body, I slashed my throat with the bear claws. Blood gushed out of his throat as I entered my new host.
I secreted the numbing chemicals out of my body as I squeezed past her ear bones. Finally, I got to the brain. And how amazing it was. Flashes of memories went past, crazy stuff, unimaginable stuff. Strange aliens I had never seen before. This host had seen dinosaurs, had seen wars, had experienced more than I could imagine. But, I couldn't understand it yet, I still wasn't fully into her brain.
As I got further into her brain I was able to properly understand her memories. And it was even crazier than I had imagined. The stuff this host had done, the creatures she had met. The Ellimist, the Crayak, Drode, all the times she went back and forwards in time, all the aliens she had met. The Iskoort, the Howlers, the Nesk, the Mercora, it was crazy, insane. And all the morphs that they had, there were hundreds. And with this came revelations. That the Anti-Morphing ray had actually worked, that the alien device in Zone 41 was actually an Andalite toilet, and the fact that the Andalites were actually going to destroy the planet.
Suddenly, I could see. T.T. was desperately trying to demorph. The other controllers were watching, unsure of what to do. And I was still right under the viewscreen. The other animorphs couldn't see what had happened. It was perfect. I plan was forming in my mind, an amazing plan.
I quickly took control of Rachel's body and started completing the morph to grizzly. It felt good, she was a much faster morpher than my host, so much more experienced. But then, Rachel started to come back to consciousness, and realized what had happened.
NO NO NO!!!!!> she screamed, GET OUT OF MY HEAD!! GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HEAD YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!> Well, she was a lot feistier than my last host, that was for sure.
You fool, there is nothing you can do now…> I laughed, You are mine Rachel. Rachel the psycho. Rachel the killer. Rachel the pawn of Crayak.> My morph was completed. I attacked the half morphed T.T., and ripped him to shreds. I made sure to do it right in front of the viewscreen, right where the other Animorphs would see a grizzly bear jump up and attack the Polar Bear. I tore T.T. to bits. They all looked so surprised, so relieved, so happy.
Soon, they will all be mine.> I said to Rachel, Your cousin Jake the yeerk-killer, your best friend Cassie, funny old Marco, Aximilli-Egssarouth-Isthal and of course, your darling Tobias!>
NO!!> she screamed, They won't fall for it! They won't fall for your tricks you filthy fucking slug!!!>
Yes they will.> I laughed, and then in private thought speech, I talked to the other controllers, Okay, all of you in morph. Pretend to fight me and lose to me. I have a plan. Karmen. Those of you not in morph, just run away for now.> Then, in public thought speech, for all the Animorphs to hear, Yes, that's right! Rachel is here to play, you filthy Yeerks. Did you really think you could kill me?> Hergat ran at me, and I grabbed him, and slashed him with my claws.
Just demorph and repair the injuries later.> I told him in private thought, and I knocked him to the ground, and he feigned death. I did the same thing with Portus and Cacnea. Ginyu and Karmen had ran off, as I had ordered them. Then, in private thought speech, I said to Ginyu and Karmen, Hunt down that coward Jukinz and kill him!> I walked up to the computer monitor.
Rachel!> Cassie said, You're alive… I can't believe it.>
"I love you Rachel," Tobias said happily, tears flowing out of his eyes.
Rachel, I'm so sorry I sent you on that mission.> Jake said, crying as well, I'm so glad you're alive…>
Don't worry about it Jake,> I said, I'm alive, and we've beaten the Yeerks. Hold on, I'm coming right over. I'm pretty sure there are Bug Fighters on here>
Do you even know how to fly them?> Marco asked.
I can learn.> I said, a typical Rachel response. Of course, I was highly trained in the art of flying bug fighters, I'll see you guys in a minute!> I switched off the viewscreen, and ran out of the bridge and into the corridor. The others followed, and demorphed to their normal forms.
YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!!> Rachel screamed, They won't believe you!! None of them will!> But, she didn't even believe that.
I seriously doubt it,> I mocked, Marco might be a little suspicious, maybe Ax as well, but the rest are far too happy to suspect everything.> I ran through the corriders, and found Karmen and Ginyu standing around Jukinz's dead Hork-Bajir body.
Good job.> I said, Now, where is the portable pool. I need to get out a few Yeerks.>
"What are you doing? Karmen asked, "Lets just escape into zero space now. We can easily escape."
No, I have amuch better plan.> I said, We are going to infest the other Animorphs. We can easily take this planet again.>
"Why?" Karmen said, "They are just morphing humans. They are no better than my host."
No better than your host? This host knows probably knows more about the universe than the Council of Thirteen does. This host has experienced more than you could imagined. This host has seen stuff that would give you nightmares. Believe me when I tell you that you will want one of the Animorphs as a host. Now, where is the portable pool.> I said.
"Let me remind you that I happen to be the highest ranking Yeerk on this ship right now," a voice said. It was Hergat, now fully demorphed, with Portus and Cacnea standing menacingly behind him, "And what I say it that we escape into zero space, get the hell out of here, and forget about whatever idiotic plan you have."
Listen to me you stupid fool,> I said, If it wasn't for me, we would all be dead. The Animorphs had informed the Andalite fleet of our plans, and as soon as we escaped into Zero Space they would all be on us. And I am the first person the infest one of the Animorphs. So, I am in charge right now!> Of course, that was all a bluff, the Animorphs hadn't told the Andalites anything about us, Now, if we are quick, we should be able to infest the rest of the Animorphs before they inform theAndalite fleet. Now, where the bloody hell is the portable Yeerk pool.>
"Down the corrider to the left, at the third door," Hergat said.
Okay, Hergat, you are in control of the blade ship right now. Karmen, Ginyu, you two follow me. We are going to fly to the pool ship.> I ran down the corridor to the left, and went through the third door, and we got to a small Yeerk pool. It probably held about a thousand of our people.
Karmen, Ginyu, you can both take one of the Animorph hosts. Take the Andalite and the boy named Jake, they are the most valuable hosts,> I reached my hand into the pool and grabbed three random yeerks, I'm going to place these yeerks into the other three hosts. Do you understand?>
"Loud and clear." Karmen said.
"Yes, I huthren understand," Ginyu said. I grabbed a jar from the table, filled it with Yeerk Pool sludge, and placed the four Yeerks inside.
Now, lets get to the Bug fighters. Quickly, we don't have much time.> We ran through the corriders, and got to the holding chamber where the fighters were. I demorphed back to human and we got in.
YOU WON"T GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!> Rachel screamed, THEY WILL SEE THROUGH YOUR STUPID PLAN!! THEY WILL KILL YOU!! THEY WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!! AND YOU WILL STARVE!!> But, she didn't believe a word she was saying. Depression had already overcame her, the realization that she had doomed her race.
I started up the Bug Fighter and flew towards the Pool ship. I made sure to swerve the fighter around a lot, to keep up the illusion of being an extremely inexperienced flier. The Docking Bay of the Pool ship opened up, and we entered and landed.
"Both of you, hide," I said. Karmen hid under the seat, and Ginyu started to morph really small. I took two Yeerks out of the jar and hid them in each of my hands. The other Animorphs were in the docking bay, along with the Hork-Bajir seer named Toby and some Hork-Bajir I assumed were free. They were all in their normal forms. As soon as I got out Tobias ran up to me and passionately kissed me.
"I love you Rachel," he said, "I'm so glad you're alive!" Cassie ran up to me and hugged me as well.
No!! Please don't do this!!!> Rachel begged, Not Tobias!! Please!> I ignored her. No Yeerk had ever got far by being sympathetic to their host. I had one arm around each of them as they hugged me. Slowly, I reached my hands up closer and closer to their ears.
No, you can't…> Rachel sobbed, Anyone but them. I'll never bother you again, just don't do it! PLEASE!!> My hands got higher and higher as I hugged them, they were almost at their ears now.
"Rachel, what are you doing?" Cassie asked. I struck! I brought my hands up to Tobias and Cassie's ears, and the two Yeerks crawled in.