Disclaimer: Do I own Animorphs? No. But I do own the Perit Hur. X

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The Durag Nolar pool. Earth's first pool. My birthplace.

At the time my siblings and I departed from the dying bodies of our tripartite progenitors, I was already dreaming of the day when we'd take our first hosts. They had a computer port in the pool that we could link to, and access information about our predecessors…and more fascinating, their enemies.

I studied every species known to the Yeerk Empire. Yeerk, Taxxon, Gedd, Hork-Bajir, Ongachic, Andalite, Mak, Sstram, Human, Dyang, Venber, Skrit Na, Nahara, Leeran, Garatron, Arn, Perit Hur, Ietsu, Anati, Creteiz, Hawjabran, Helmacron, and many more. These fascinated me. I researched the application of each as hosts, and their class. I watched video clips of each, and, intrigued, looked more into this, until, after more than a whole cycle, I heard the defining words.

Eldra Four-Eight-Two-Six to the infestation pier.

I was full of glee. My first host! What would it be? A human? A Hork-Bajir? A Leeran? I swam at full-speed toward the pier, eager to receive my host. The head was thrust beneath the surface, and, after secreting a diluting fluid into the ear, I slipped in. As I connected with the brain, I scrambled to remember all of the information I had researched having to do with a successful infestation.

I flattened my biologically ingenious Yeerk body into the folds of the creatures body, and began to access senses. Hearing, first.

"How is it, Eldra?" someone's voice said. I couldn't answer.

Feeling. Something clamped against both of my arms.

I had arms! ARMS!

I scrambled for more senses. Soon, I was in control of the creature's mouth. I opened it. In words accompanied by a small, nearly inaudible hissing, I said, "I have successfully infested this creature."

"Good, good!" the voice said again. "The creature is a-"

"No. I want to find out for myself."

"Okay."

Get out of me!

I nearly jumped at the voice in my head. But of course. The host.

You'd best not fight me, little host. You're mine now, and nothing's changing that.

I didn't dare to touch the memories. I wanted to guess at this species. Finally, I was experiencing something called "sight". The most amazing sense.

I had seen videos of creatures from the in-pool computers. But nothing like this. This was real. This was now.

I lifted my four arms and looked at the human-Controller staring at me. Then I closed my eyes and thought.

What had four arms? The fur that I felt coursing across my entire body? The acute hearing? The excellent sight?

Definitely not a Hork-Bajir. Not a Gedd. Too weak. This body was strong. Taxxon? No. There was no insane hunger. Yes, there was a yearning for meat, a craving almost, but not feverish like that of a Taxxon.

Perit Hur. Yes. This creature was a Perit Hur. I was sure of it. "Perit Hur," I said.

"Yes. That's what it is. Well done, Eldra."

I opened my eyes as I read the creature's mind. It was young. It had been born of two Perit Hur-Controllers, as dictated by the Council for all low-ranking Yeerks to do it. It was strong, but not as much as a Hork-Bajir. However, it was deadlier. Whilst the Hork-Bajir ate tree bark, the Perit Hur caught and ate other creatures. This one, having been bred in captivity, was given meat. It had never hunted, yet, still, the instinct was there. The knowledge of how to capture and devour other creatures. It impressed me greatly. I felt this to be the host for me. Little did I know of my later fate.

It turns out I was one of a hundred Yeerks chosen to take a first host. I was to join them on Visser Fifty-Eight's Blade ship en route to the border of Mulan, where a quarrel over a small uninhabited moon was ensuing. It surprised me how our leaders could find this place important. But I would serve the Empire well, and hopefully be rewarded.

The Blade ship landed, and we boarded. Visser Fifty-Eight had a human host; there were a few Andalite-Controllers in the Empire, but they were high-ranked Vissers and Councilors. Sub-Vissers like the one who briefed us as our ship barreled through zero-space, Sub-Visser One-Three-Five, usually had human or Perit Hur hosts. Occasionally, you'd run across other kinds of Controllers, but the most common were Human-, Perit Hur-, Hork-Bajir-, Taxxon-, Gedd-, and Human-Controllers.

The sub-visser had a Perit Hur host, like me. I made a mental note of this; his host and his actions had gotten him to this powerful position. As he stood on his two legs in front of us, he readied a batch of new Controllers for a world of fighting, glory, and power.

"Welcome to the Yeerk Empire, recruits! Soon, when you enter this battle, you will be tested as to your strengths, abilities, and the vitality of your hosts! If we manage to secure this moon, we shall be at an advantage, for we will control the entire Perit Hur space. Now, I ask you, recruits, are you ready to serve the Empire?"

"Yes, sub-visser!" we shouted in unison.

"Good. You will face your first battle soon. You have been trained in fighting with Bug fighters, I assume?"

"Yes!" we all shouted.

"Sub-Visser," I said.

"And who is this who dares to speak out of turn?"

"Eldra Four-Six-Two-Eight of the Durag Nolar pool, sir."

"Well, Eldra, what do you have to say?" His tone was almost scolding.

I made sure to speak boldly. I didn't want my anxiety to show. "I have studied the mechanics of Bug fighter flight. I believe I am quite prepared for this."

"Good, bold Eldra. Then you will be in the head of our formation. Win, and I'll reward you. Lose, and the Andalites will deliver your punishment."

"Yes, Sub-Visser."

We were led to the hangar bay. A few of my group departed.

A Taxxon's needle-like legs clattered across the metallic floor. I turned.

"Tsssssssssssreeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwerrrrrrrp tsreweeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrt," he hissed, but the device patched to his chest translated it to Galard. "I will be accompanying you."

"Wonderful," I muttered. "Follow me. And don't drool all over the place." The Taxxon's jelly eyes stared at me blankly. "Pathetic creature," I murmured inaudibly and climbed into my Bug fighter. Yes. My Bug fighter. Because it would be mine.

And soon, I would have my own Blade ship. Or so I felt.

But it would be a slow rise to my great glory.