It took Armine three days, but she finally came around. It was right after her next visit to the Yeerk pool, and Aurora could not help but think how typical this was of her. She would have rolled her eyes if she could as she heard the Yeerk's "voice" in her head.

Ok, what will it take to get you to be quiet about the whole Andalite thing?

Details.

I'm not that dumb.

Then why are you asking?

I don't know, Armine admitted.

You already know. You've been in my head long enough to figure it out. You're not totally stupid.

You want control.

Duh.

Armine sighed. You want complete control in all circumstances. Except it would blow my cover to agree to control with interaction with other Yeerks. However, since you're not going to stop whining…

There's a but in here somewhere. There must be.

I'd like you to acquire a Yeerk morph.

That's it?

That's it. Granted, I'd prefer it if you use the morph at least once, but that will not be one of the conditions for the deal.

So let me get this straight. In exchange for my silence- and you do realize that I was not kidding when I said I would use the information against you- you'll surrender complete control whenever possible, provided that you can acquire a Yeerk morph for me. One that I will never be forced to use, but I will have.

Yes.

Aurora considered. Her horror at having Yeerk DNA be part of her was stifled by the knowledge that either way, a Yeerk would be inside her mind.

Even so, Aurora considered, it was one thing to be an involuntary Controller. A completely separate thing to have the DNA as part of you forever.

She wasn't sure if she was willing to be part Yeerk, permanently.

On the other hand, there was no guarantee she would ever escape Yeerk control.

Exactly, Armine responded to her thoughts.

Aurora wondered about Yeerk instincts. She had heard from other hosts that Yeerks were naturally evil, longing to take over beings and deprive them of all free will, actually reveling in their pain.

Of course, Aurora had heard this mainly from the Yeerk pool, and while she would trust many humans before Yeerks, she knew that being a slave to an alien slug would cause most humans- even the most honest ones- to bend the truth. And this was under normal circumstances. Aurora had also studied nationalism in History, and knew that demonization -basically, making the enemy out to be pure evil- was a good way of getting one's idea across. Additionally, humans didn't necessarily need to do this, since most of the Controllers already believed that Yeerks were evil, but it was completely human to stretch the truth even more.

We're not evil by instinct. Armine sounded hurt.

Aurora ignored her as she continued her musings.

The choice seemed to be obvious. True, she had only morphed once before, and yes it had been under Armine's control, but the Yeerk morph would be just that, a morph. It might be useful in the future, but it was just the DNA of another being, and might actually cause her more good than harm.

But why did Armine want Aurora to even acquire a Yeerk morph?

Fair enough, Aurora hadn't given her Yeerk much of a choice. There was an opportunity, and Aurora seized it. Armine had been too scared of blackmail (which Aurora knew that she might use if the chance ever came up, were she at odds with the Yeerk) to protest too violently, and perhaps this was some sort of revenge, some way of saying, "If you want to escape us partly, you have to become one of us."

This idea sickened Aurora, but she could see that it made sense. She tried to look at Armine in that light. Would this Yeerk do that to her host? It was possible, even probable, but was that her only goal? It could not have been just a way to give her host some possible help later on. And how would any later on work for Aurora? She had been a slave for months now, and she doubted that she would ever get a chance to fight the Yeerks like the Andalite Bandits. Aurora was a body for a Yeerk, and would stay that way unless the Yeerks lost.

I am still here, Armine reminded her host.

So it's partial control with the DNA inside of me forever vs. no control and no contamination of my blood, Aurora thought to herself.

It's not contamination, Armine protested.

Of course, she then realized that Armine might eventually make Aurora acquire a Yeerk morph, and then she would be at a loss both ways. Just because Aurora said no now didn't mean it wouldn't ever be a possibility.

The choice seemed obvious.

All right. I agree, was the reply.

Armine knew what Aurora's response would be, heard her host thinking about the possibilities in her head, leading to the answer that made the most sense; yes. Even so, Armine was startled by the response, amazed that Aurora had thought it all through with such clarify.

Even more reason to admire their intelligence, she mused to herself. To Aurora, who was waiting patiently for the reply, though Armine could feel her nervousness, she replied, All right. The next time I'm at the pool, I'll acquire one.

Armine made it seem as though it were merely an errand, as though she was getting a bag of cookies at the supermarket. In fact, it had a lot more importance to it. With this morph, Aurora would be able to understand Yeerks. Maybe this would bring the two together… something Armine secretly hoped for even though she knew it cause her to be looked down upon. Making a friendship with a host was not as treasonous as joining the Peace Movement, but it did cause the others to see you as less intelligent, almost retarded in human language. Armine knew that she would have to be careful until she figured everything out.Can't you acquire morphs other than the hand? Aurora mused.

Why do you ask?

All that needs to happen is for the DNA to enter the body. Well, can't you do that from inside?

Yes, that is possible, Armine admitted. Okay, do you want to do it now?

Why not?

The being goes into a trance, so for a few seconds you either might have control or might be frozen. I'm not entirely sure how it works, Armine warned.

Thanks for the warning.

It was the first time she had ever thanked Armine.

Of course, Aurora would respond to that by saying it was the first time Armine had ever done anything good.

You're welcome.

Armine released control and Aurora focused on acquiring the Yeerk DNA. Armine felt herself slip into something of a trance, unwillingly loosening herself from Aurora's head. Her host took this opportunity to sit down.

Now we morph.

Really?

Yeah, why not.

Do you want to, or should I? You haven't had much practice with it.

And whose fault is that?

Please, let's not argue, Armine begged.

Fine. You do it.

All right.

The changes began as Armine concentrated, calling up the familiar (to her) DNA. Aurora hardly knew what to make of them, expecting to feel disgust and the sense of evil from the beginning of the transformation.

Stop it! she screamed as her lungs disappeared. We can't breathe!

It's okay. Yeerks breathe through their skin.

Five minutes later, the transformation was complete. Armine had provided a cup of water before beginning the process, and they inched forward to it.

I can't see anything, Aurora complained.

We're blind without hosts. Didn't you know that before?

Well, yes.

Pause.

Do you want control? Armine questioned.

Okay.

The instincts aren't strong because there's no host. There's also no intense craving for Kandrona; you could last another three days if you desired.

I have no desire to trap myself in this morph.

Armine laughed. No, I don't blame you.

Armine let go of the body, the experience already strange and out of her frame of mind. It was one thing to be a Yeerk, a completely different thing to be in a host in a Yeerk morph. It was almost depressing, really. One earned a host as a way to be able to see the world, not join with the Yeerk limitations. But perhaps Aurora would understand the species more fully now that she was one of them.

Can I demorph now? Are you happy? demanded Aurora.

Armine hid a mental sigh.

Go right ahead.

The plan had not worked, but what could Armine do? She had made a promise to Aurora. Perhaps one day. . .

She knew, however, that this was very unlikely, if not impossible. No human would ever fully understand Yeerks, even if they had been in their body for a few moments.