Anifan1: Thanks for your review and for beta-ing this chapter. I'll get AIM asap.
LilManiac: Thanks for your review, although constructive criticism is welcomed, so feel free to say more than just that it's great every chapter, although the praise is nice :)
OK, why has everyone stopped reviewing? Two reviews (although one was long enough to be three!) is really down on my average of around four or more. So why has everyone left? If you're reading this, please review it. Remember, you might get a chapter dedication in the following categories:
1) First review
2) Most helpful review
3) Longest review, although not repetitive!
Chapter dedicated to Anifan1 for all three categories! This earns you a virtual bowl of your favourite dessert/ice cream (whatever that is!) Virtual food... no calories! (although no taste, either!)
Thanks to LilManiac for reviewing, as well.
Please read and REVIEW! There's no excuse for not reviewing, I accept anonymous reviews and it's not that challenging just to type a sentence or two (although the longer, the better.)
Right, rant finished! My updates may slow down, as I now have a beta-reader (Anifan1) so all chapters will have to go through the beta reading process. Although, credit where credit's due, Anifan1 is both quick and thorough: I got a very well edited copy back in less than a day, with loads of helpful suggestions. Thanks Anifan1!
Terran's POV
The next time I was in the Yeerk pool, I knew I needed to find a
Yeerk that knew how to treat traumatized hosts. I thought asking Illim
might be a good place to start.
Not all Yeerks who re-habilitated hosts for other Yeerks were members of the
peace movement, although most were. It is one thing to help hosts as a way to break up the boredom of being unhosted but it is quite another to directly defy the Empire and risk death as the peace movement were doing.
I would need a peace-movement Yeerk to advise me about Jenny, since I did not
think that others would advise me when they could gain a host by doing it
themselves. Also, I was doubtful about how much these other Yeerks actually
cared for the hosts that they were re-habilitating. I wanted advice that would wholly heal Jenny, so she could be a friend, not just make her mentally sound.
(Illim,) I called as I approached him.
(Hello Terran. I hope you're not going to go and talk to Braunan again,) Illim retorted.
I was stung by his cold tone. (No. I need to know how to help Jenny.)
Illim warmed instantly. (Finally you're doing something to actually help
the host,) he said teasingly.
(I don't know much about tortured hosts myself, but I know someone who does. Let me find her.)
He returned shortly afterwards with another Yeerk following him.
(This is Asta 531. She's a member of the movement, but is currently unhosted.)
(Officially.) Asta said with a laugh. (But I'm helping out with a Hork-Bajir at the moment.)
(You re-habilitate?)
(I certainly do,) she replied. (But you wanted advice? Since you're a member of the movement, I'll be happy to give it to you. How much time do you have now?)
(About an hour.)
(I have only half, but I should be able to fit in what I need to say.)
(I'll speak to you later,) Illim cut in.
He swam away whilst Asta and I swam to the quietest area of the Pool.
(So, what's the nature of the problem?)
(You want the name and designation? Braunan 232.)
Asta's tone was one of disgust. (Oh, him. I've helped a few of his former hosts. How is she doing?)
(It depends when you ask. Sometimes, you can have a good conversation with
her, but then one sentence makes her break down into tears.)
(Have you tried any healing techniques?)
(I tried several times, but when I re-played a pleasant memory of her grandmother, but Jenny broke down into tears as she had died a few years ago. Braunan had used the memory of her funeral for torture, so since then I haven't dared try another. How
do you use these calming techniques?)
Asta sighed, preparing to begin. (It's different for every host. Some like you to replay pleasant memories, some feel belittled when you do that, because they feel as though you're in control of everything good that's happened to them. It's a matter of finding out what she likes. You can try physical things as well, like slowing down heart beats or lowering adrenalin levels if she's the sort to get really frightened.) For the next five minutes, Asta continued to explain the various methods to calm the host mind, may of which were simply the opposite to the torturing techniques that Braunan had used.
(How do I tell when she's healing? I know you can watch sleep patterns, but what's normal?)
(Don't worry about sleep patterns,) Asta told me. (Observe her emotions. Once she can
remember Braunan without feeling frightened or hurt, and when she trusts you, then you can consider your work finished.)
(Thank you.)
(Tell me how you're doing next time you feed. And when you play memories, take your time choosing them beforehand. You have to be careful with tormented hosts, or you might end up making them worse,) she warned.
(Thank you.) (Again,) I added with a laugh.
(You're welcome.)
I swam away. I was glad to get some advice, and felt a little more confident about returning to Jenny now I understood some of the mind-calming techniques. What I did not understand was how anyone could want to be in a traumatized host.
I found Jenny's memories of Braunan heart breaking. I was re-living her pain. I knew the other Yeerks would say I shouldn't get so attached, but I couldn't seem to help it.
The broadcast message came thorough the pool about half an hour later. The Yeerk pool broadcasting system picks up the sound of the Gedd on calling duty, and speeds up the vibrations to an ultra-sonic frequency, which can be heard by Yeerks in their natural state. This is then transmitted through the pool. It's almost constant, because the movement of hosts is continuous.
"Terran 864 to the re-infestation pier," came the flat, unemotional tone.
I swam towards the pier; more confident now that I had learned some of the things I needed to know. I echolocated, and 'saw' her head in the water, her long hair flowing gently. Even seen by echolocation, she looked beautiful.
BEAUTIFUL! What was wrong with me? I was a Yeerk, not a male human. How
could I possibly feel physically attracted to a human?
I did, though. I could no longer avoid my feelings. I had lied to myself, tried to deny the affection I felt towards this human, but I could no longer. My heart started racing. This was wrong, completely immoral to feel attracted towards my host. I knew that everyone would avoid me if they found out. I knew I could certainly not allow Jenny to find out, as it would frighten her. Of course it would, it would make anyone, even the most
mentally secure, feel freaked-out and afraid.
However, I had no time to dwell on this right now. Jenny was holding her breath, her head underwater, while I hung still, allowing myself to become over-emotional.
I squirmed in through her ear canal, secreting a generous amount of the anaesthetizing chemical. Eventually, I touched her brain, and wrapped around the grey tissue, sinking deep into the crevices.
(Hello, Jenny,) I said, as gently and calmly as possible. Asta's voice echoed in my head: Always speak calmly and pleasantly, no matter how you feel inside. She needs to trust your voice.
(Hi,) She replied. Oblivious to the torrent of my emotions. Good.
She raised her head, and began the long walk home. I said little, mostly because there was nothing I could say.
I also couldn't say too much for fear that my tone would give away how I felt inside. No matter what, Jenny could never know what I felt for her. It would ruin everything I had tried to accomplish with this host.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! I don't know if you're reading otherwise.