The three Black Yautja chased after the Yeerk infested Hork Bajir hitting them with plasma bursts, traps, and hand to hand combat. The Black Yautja were successful each time leaving corpses on the ground instead of taking back the skull trophy. When they were done with their hunt, the Black Yautja went back to infest additional Hork Bajir for a new hunt.
Eventually, the Yeerks started to learn how to escape the Black Yautja for longer periods of time. Two of them would capture a free Hork Bajir and infest it with the third. They would then cycle out until they were in new bodies. This would fool the Black Yautja briefly until they used their masks to determine which Hork Bajir was infested.
Occasionally the Yeerk Hork Bajir would be able to inflict an injury on the Black Yautja, which would postpone a hunt. Blades used for ripping bark from trees was now being used to slice into flesh and metal. "You give us freedom only to take it away," Visser One commented still chained up in a Yautja body.
"Would you rather live a few hours free or remain blind forever as a slug?" the Leader asked dismissively. "Be thankful we are reserving you for last."
Visser One realized he had little choice in the matter. Off the Yeerk home world, they were cut off from their radiation. Without the Black Yautja's radiation generation thousands of Yeerk slugs would perish.
A distance away the Andalite settlement was oblivious to what was happening. Prince Seerow, his wife, his son, and younger daughter were studying the Hork Bajir for research purposes. Andrea was the most adventurous going out to observe the Hork Bajir directly. She even discovered the Seer, or enlightened one. The Seer named Dak Hamee was capable of intelligent discourse on the same level as a human being.
"The trees speak to me," he said to Andrea.
"What do they say?" Andrea asked through her thoughts.
"They tell me of death. My people are being swallowed up by the jungle itself," he said.
"Bring me to your dead," Andrea requested.
On Yautja Prime, the Prince attended the next council meeting. Citali and Maquinna appeared as holograms with Citali in charge of the meeting. "We have intercepted a transmission from a Black Yautja ship. They have landed a ship and a squad of hunters on this planet," Citali said.
A hologram of the planet showed itself before the council. "The planet is covered in dense forest with deep canyons. The sentient race on the planet are the Hork Bajir and I use "sentient" loosely. Their intelligence is lower than even the humans," Maquinna said.
"Those blades look like they could do some damage," Nahuel noted.
"They use them to pry bark off trees. They are herbivores and non-violent," Maquinna said.
"What do the Black Yautja want with them? No sport," Nahuel asked.
"The transmission indicates they are using Yeerk slugs to mind control the Hork Bajir to become violent and worthy prey. If they were able to infest the entire planet the Black Yautja would have thousands of armed soldiers," Citali said gravely.
"Why would these Yeerks follow the Black Yautja's directives?" Nahuel asked.
"The Black Yautja have radiation generators, the Yeerks require the radiation to survive," Maquinna answered.
"The Hork Bajir must be exterminated. It is too risky to confront the Black Yautja on the planet. The Yeerks can infest a Yautja just as easily as any other creature. If the Yeerks leave the planet they would be difficult to contain," Citali said.
"I propose we send a few scouts to gather more intelligence on this threat," the Prince suggested.
"There is no time. The galaxy will not miss these creatures," Citali objected.
The hologram of Citali and Maquinna started to shift, struggle, and then disappear. "It appears we have lost their signal," Nahuel said and then took Citali's seat on the council.
"We will send scouts to the Hork Bajir world. Is anyone opposed?" Nahuel asked.
No one decided to object to him. "Good, then it is settled."
Andrea and Dak looked over a dead Hork Bajir corpse. There was a severe burn mark through its chest where its hearts would have been. "What could have caused this?" Dak wondered.
"An energy weapon. We are not alone here," Andrea realized.
She looked over the body and saw the dead Yeerk slug a few inches away from the dead Hork Bajir. "What is that?" Dak asked.
"I don't know, but my father can find out," Andrea said picking up the Yeerk slug. "I must go back to the settlement," Andrea said.
The Prince arrived back at the palace and summoned Lex to his throne room. "You called for me?" Lex asked annoyed at being sent for.
"I have reports that you have authorized some unusual expenses. Most females buy clothes, jewelry, furniture, music, and films," the Prince said.
"I have plenty of those," Lex said dismissively.
"It's not about what you have or what you need. The rich buy what they do not need nor want to project power. Your possessions give others the impression that you are a commoner and that looks badly on me," the Prince said.
"I thought you were above such concerns," Lex challenged.
The Prince hesitated as he looked over his data pad. "You arranged for a disabled and disgraced Yautja warrior to join my service when called upon. Are you aware of how he acquired his injuries?"
"Yes, I read the report," Lex said.
"He activated his self destruct in a battle but then had second thoughts. He cut off his arm and tried to escape the blast. Barely anything left remained when he was discovered," the Prince said.
"He's grateful to me. You understand the concept of gratitude?" Lex asked.
The Prince stared at her uncertain. "It just so happens he may be of use to me. There still may be a chance for him to have an honorable death."
The Black Yautja considered the Andalite settlement. "We cannot allow them to transmit what is happening here. Their reinforcements will overwhelm us," the Leader said.
The other two agreed. The Black Yautja ship in orbit targeted the settlement and fired an intense beam of light towards the planet. The beam sliced into the settlement causing a massive explosion. The beam drilled deep into the ground and caused nearby trees to burst into flames. Andrea was a short distance from the settlement once the beam hit. The heat was too much for her move forward.
"I do not understand this," Dak said stunned.
"My family, everyone is dead," Andrea said grief stricken. Dak could feel her emotions of sadness and anger. "I'll help you understand," she vowed.
The Prince and Lex visited the rehab facility and approached the disabled Yautja in the robotic suit. "My Prince, I would kneel if I could," he said upon seeing him.
The Prince motioned for the table to be tilted so the disabled Yautja was facing the ceiling. "This will have to do," the Prince said.
"Install weapons," the Prince ordered.
The rehab staff placed plasma cannons on his shoulders, wrist blades on the wrists, dart projectiles on his arms, and shuriken blades on his hip. Other types of blades were attached to his robotic legs. The Prince looked over the Yautja's head and noticed the broken ear drums were fitted with robotic auditory sensors.
"You will serve me now and you will not die unless I tell you to," the Prince said. A rehab doctor handed him the remote. "With this I can shut off your systems," he warned him.
"I understand," the disabled Yautja said.
"Be ready to pack him onto my ship at a moment's notice," the Prince ordered the doctors.
The Prince and Lex walked down the halls towards the exit away from the doctor's and staff. "This isn't what I had in mind," she said.
"What did you have in mind?" the Prince asked.
Lex said nothing and the Prince huffed at her.
The three Hork Bajir controllers lured two pursuing Black Yautja towards the canyons below sea level towards the cracks in the crust revealing the manga below. The intense heat and steam made the Black Yautja's infrared scanners useless, so they switched to other visual spectrum. It was too late though as the creatures of the Deep approached the Black Yautja seeing through their cloak.
One amphibian monster hit a Black Yautja with its tentacles penetrating the midsection, shoulder, and wrapping up the arms and legs. The Black Yautja struggled with the tentacles and was suddenly devoured by a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth. The monster ate the Black Yautja whole and spit out the metal pieces. The second Black Yautja fired on the creature blasting holes in its hide. Another monster towered above the Black Yautja and grabbed him crushing his ribs instantly. His lungs crushed, the Black Yautja fired plasma blasts in vain. The creature slammed the Black Yautja to the ground and stomped on him. The three Hork Bajir escaped the canyons and went back towards the ship.
The Leader quickly realized that the signals of his two comrades went missing. The three Hork Bajir controllers covered in mud ambushed the Leader from the trees overhead. In the brief struggle, the Hork Bajir sliced into the Leader cutting deep with their blades. The Leader sliced back at them but was quickly overwhelmed. A kick from one of the Hork Bajir's disemboweled him.
The three Hork Bajir controllers then sliced off the chain around Visser One. "We do not have much time. We must now free our brothers," Visser One said to the three.
Nahuel met with the Prince at the docking bay. "Father has agreed to our scouting expedition," he said.
The Prince didn't bother to verify Nahuel's claim. "I have a new weapon I wish to test on the planet," the Prince said pointing out the Cyborg Yautja.
Nahuel stared at Cyborg Yautja walking around with robotic legs. "He has dishonored himself and you would have him fight?" Nahuel asked.
"Brother, there is no need to address it as a person. It is a weapon," the Prince said.
"You and your toys," Nahuel chuckled amused.
Lex approached the two without giving Nahuel a proper greeting. "When do we leave?" she asked rudely.
"As soon as my son is ready," the Prince told her.
Lex saw a Yautja youth approaching from a transport. She immediately recognized him as Makawee's oldest son. "Isn't he too young?" Lex protested.
"At his age he should be ready for his first Xenomorph kill," the Prince said.
Lex then realized that the three Yautja in the temple at Antarctica were mere youths similar in age to the Prince's oldest son. Wayra was the same height as Lex and slightly heavier. He gave Lex a glance and then addressed his father and uncle. "Permission to board," he asked respectfully.
"Permission granted," Nahuel said. His father gave him a slight nod confirming the order. Once he was gone, the Prince turned to Lex. "I am a superstitious creature. If something were to befall my son even if he be struck by lightning I am going to blame certain people for it."
"He will be fine brother," Nahuel said leaving.
"Since I have come here I haven't interfered with your children from your other wives by their own request," Lex said. "Are you not concerned my humanity may corrupt him?"
"No, he knows his father's will is absolute," the Prince replied.