We discovered two things very quickly.

The first was that it was becoming very crowded. The titanium alloy pool that was now our home was, I later learned, one of dozens of large vats constructed by Gedd bodies aboard one of two enormous Andalite transport ships. In all, there were now more than 250,000 Yeerks aboard seven fighters and two transports. Although none of us felt it at the time, we were kept updated with information that revealed we were pool-hopping, taking off and landing at several Yeerk pools far from the surprised Andalites.

The pool I and my siblings had been deposited in seemed enormous: a bland stretch of familiar liquid that I could not even detect the far end of. Its richness was gone, replaced by an oily metallic smell. Not long after we had first arrived, the 4,000 some-odd Yeerks in this vast stretch were accompanied by 10,000 more. We were suddenly in a metropolis, as big as Sulp Niar, the enormous natural pool that was among the closest to the Andalite-Yeerk Peace and Cooperation Center. It was overwhelming, even to one so used to the constant roil of swimming Yeerks. Most of the newcomers were just as confused and frightened, despite the electronic message—a computer interface broadcasting directly into the pool itself—and its efforts to calm us.

We, unlike many people closer to the base, had not been aware of the impending uprising. There had been rumors, outbursts of vehement discontent, but if anyone in Taon Yerralash had been a part of the army of Gedds that killed the Andalite guards and stole their ships I had not been aware. Perhaps it was the great distance—it would take a strong Yeerk a sixteenth of a cycle, a considerable amount of time and effort, to swim the long distance through the traverse canals to any of the pools near the base. Even in a Gedd body or an Andalite transport it would take a long time, and the quickest method, the transport, would require Andalite clearance. Communication is excellent between Yeerks within close proximity, but even a plan of such grand scale faces a challenge in reaching distant palps.

Perhaps myself and the majority of the people I knew best were considered too young—we were unable to infest properly, and we would hardly be worth the security risk of alerting us to a major rebellion. There was no telling who we might end up inadvertently talking to. We were not much more than children, in the human sense. Yet we were so proud, so bold. We were rash.

For whatever reason, we were thrust unexpectedly into this new life, aboard technology we had heard about but had never really been exposed to. It was as exciting as it was terrifying.

The second thing that became apparent to us all was that the computer message had lied to us. It was very clear that we were no longer at peace.

So I run into him, yes? And he turns, and it isn't as though I could hide, and he says to me, 'Rykker 279, why weren't you at lesson today?' And I say to him, 'I'm sorry, sir, but it was awful of me…I was planning on going to lesson, but the ota trees had just reached their peak over the lagoon and I simply could not pass up the opportunity to visit them.'

Our brother Rykker had found us amidst the chaos, and was apparently unperturbed by it.

So he goes on about me skipping lesson to go on some wild swim in the redin, and I deny it of course, and he starts to say something about smelling alcohol when there's all this commotion at the pool's edge. I, clearly not intoxicated, tell him straight away that there is a Gedd whose head is being held partially submerged. Then we notice someone swimming right at us, who ignores me completely and goes straight for Nastram, it smelled like someone from maybe Sulp Niar, and the next thing I know this new guy is gone and Nastram swims off without so much as a farewell.

He gave you no explanation? said Larin.

No, nothing. I thought it was a little odd, said Rykker in a matter-of-fact tone.

To say the least, I said. I wish we had more information. How are we supposed to finish training without our teachers? At least then we wouldn't be stuck here, relying on some cryptic message and a few wild reports of a battle.

There was a tremor and the creak of metal, sending strong waves through the artificial pool's circular current. The pool liquid began to list to one side, sending us in the same direction until inertial dampeners kicked in and the water leveled out.

Great, we've gone from one traumatic experience to another, said Reven as he tried to swim against the sudden tilt of gravity.

I don't suppose the Andalites exactly appreciate this whole "rebellion", I said, once the pool had settled. They gave us the knowledge of their technology, and we thanked them graciously, then crushed them when they least expected it and took off.

You cannot seriously be sympathizing with those smug, grass-eating freaks? Larin demanded.

Of course not, I replied. My point is simply that we may have caught them off guard, but Andalites are not dense. They may not realize what has happened on the ground, but of all the Andalites in orbit at least one of them has probably noticed the nine Andalite ships fleeing our planet without clearance.

As if in confirmation, another jolt rocked the pool. Then another. Each more violent. They were no longer firing warning shots.

And then…

And then, firing ceased. There was a gentle, tingling sensation of motion, and then silence.

Have we died? said Rykker.

No, we haven't died, I snapped.

Then what was that?

I…I don't know.

It seemed like a very long time before we got our answer.

We Yeerks do not sleep, at least not in the same way humans sleep. Part of our brain is constantly functioning, without tiring, even if we are in a sleeping host, and in our natural state we do not become tired. Physical exhaustion can affect us, but we do not crave sleep to rejuvenate ourselves. It is perhaps because of this that the passage of great periods of time does not affect us in the same way it does to many other creatures. We mark the passage of time, but we lack anything as sophisticated as the Andalites' remarkable internal clock. On the homeworld we knew the rising and setting of our sun and moon, and if we take hosts we become invested in our feeding schedule every three days—the equivalent to approximately one passage of the Kandrona on our homeworld. Our year, a Generation, is marked by three cycles. But to Yeerks who know only the Yeerk pool life is lived in almost constant activity, with schedules that run around the clock, constant and untiring.

However, when there was nothing to do but wait and talk, and hope that we were not being boarded by furious Andalite warriors, we felt it. We waited anxiously for any news, wondering if anyone would bother to update the thousands of us who lacked hosts. We wondered if anyone could.

After an eternity, a message was broadcast. It was electronic and flat-sounding, but I could guess who it was.

My fellow Yeerks. We have jumped into Zero-Space. Our homeworld is compromised, our brothers there compromised. The homeworld is presumed to be under complete Andalite control, until the day we return with hosts sufficient to rival their own bodies. The Andalites will come in great numbers, but we shall defeat them. This is the beginning of a great and glorious era for the Yeerk race. The entire galaxy can be ours.

All individuals who have not yet begun or completed training must report their position to the pool computers immediately. To do so, insert your palps into any two contiguous interface outlets.

The message cut out abruptly.

Pool…computers? said Rykker.

I suppose we'll never be able to go home again, said Reven glumly.

I wonder who was left behind? I said. Anyone we knew.

Let them rot there, said Larin.

I turned to her, surprised.

Don't you understand? she continued. This is far better than anything the homeworld could have offered. This is what the Andalites, for all their help, have been really denying us. Conquest, think of it, we could be…overlords of the entire galaxy.

Her voice was soft, but it was exultant.

Reven burst out laughing. Listen to you, Larin, you sound like a Councilor. Can you imagine us, any of us, subduing the minds of sentient aliens against their will? Not stupid, slow Gedds but someone like ourselves?

Yeerks do not have eyes. We cannot express our anger in the subtle facial expressions like humans can. Our emotions run through our entire body. I sensed then a sort of horrible, defiant anger in Larin then that I hadn't felt from her before.

Go on thinking that all you want, Reven, Larin sneered. But don't come to me when it occurs to you how much we've been held back all this time. I think I realize, finally realize, what else the Andalites haven't been telling us while they coddled us and treated us like dust. Of course, we can infest more than just Gedds. We can infest Andalites themselves if we wanted to. You simply haven't seen that potential yet. That's all right. Her voice was tense with anger. But I hope for your own good you change your mind. Because you're starting to sound like an Andalite-lover, little brother.

She swam off, propelling a good distance away before turning towards one of the computer interfaces.

AN: Please review if you've read this far, I need feedback, and how am I going to continue if I don't know who's reading it, if they hate it or not? innocent look Pleeease?

Anifan1: Thanks for reviewing :) See, I told you I would get around to rewriting this eventually!

Tiko: Thanks, I'm glad you think it's going okay...the story will probably go at least up to the beginning of 54, but whether or not the Animorphs themselves actually appear is another matter.