Ch.2 Dire Consequences
If I were in my human body, I would have been trembling in fear. I hadn't heard anything since Tobias screamed. I was sure he was dead. And to make matters worse, I got a front row seat to watch my friends be made into controllers. Jake had told me to run, but it wasn't gonna happen. If there was a chance to free them, it was up to me. If I ran, I alone would be responsible for dooming my species. My fly eyes struggled to piece the scene together. Seeing is a bit different with compound eyes. Instead of one solid picture, I saw pieces of the same picture.
What I saw, I wished I could un-see. Jake, Cassie, Marco and Ax each had three Hork-Bajir guarding them. There was no way they could go to battle morphs. They'd be cut down at the slightest flinch. [Tobias!] I yelled in thought-speak. I had to hope he was ok. [If you can hear me, get out of here!] There was no response, which fueled the despair threatening to overtake me. My attention came back to the scene before me.
My friends had been forced on to the infestation pier. Andalites don't have mouths, but I swear I could see Visser Three smiling as he viewed the proceedings. Cassie was first in line, and she shot him a defiant glare that made me think I was watching myself. "No matter what you do, we will still resist you," she said. She didn't tell the Visser that this wouldn't be her first time being infested by a Yeerk. Not that it mattered. He laughed in my head. [That's where you're wrong. The only freedom you'll ever know again will be in the special holding cells I'm having made as we speak.] Cassie struggled as she was drug closer to the edge. "Never surrender!" she yelled. Visser Three made a slight gesture. [Ladies first, my dear] he gloated.
I wanted to morph to grizzly bear and kill him where he stood. Cassie was forced to her knees and her head made contact with the sludge that the Yeerks swam in. After a brief moment, she stood on her own power. Except it wasn't. I could only imagine her screaming as the Yeerk took over. Outwardly, she appeared to be the same Cassie. But I knew different. Even as far away as I was, I could tell that something was not right. Her guards moved to guard Ax, who had begun fighting. [Come on, Ax, escape] I cheered. It was hopeless. He had six Hork-Bajir on him. One of them injected him with something.
[That's a new drug we've been working on. It paralyzes troublesome hosts so we can take them with minimal damage] Visser Three explained. Ax seemed to go limp, and had to be supported by his guards. Cassie smiled gleefully. I wish I could forget what she said. "Welcome to the Yeerk Empire." It was her voice. But the tone was definitely not Cassie's. She stepped to the side as they forced Jake forward. The process repeated for the rest of my friends.
I realized then the gravity of the situation. By infesting Jake, the Yeerks would learn every secret. The war was practically over in that moment. They would learn about the Chee, who worked covertly to fight them. As the Chee were pacifists, they would have no chance. The Yeerks would make mincemeat of them. They would also learn the location of the free Hork-Bajir colony. Visser Three's booming thought-speak voice brought me out of my thoughts. [Is that all of you?] he questioned my former friends. Marco stepped forward. "No, Visser." My stomach dropped at the coldness of his voice. "Rachel, come join us," Jake said.
I realized it was time to retreat. [No way, I think I'll pass!] I said in public thought-speak. Visser Three was livid. [GET HER!] he roared as I flew out of there. I managed to escape as dracon beams flew in my direction. I was glad that I was a small target, but now I needed to morph something that could actually get distance. I landed in a dumpster and demorphed. I heard Marco's voice and quickly pulled the cover shut.
"Come out, Xena." It sickened me to my stomach, hearing the Yeerk refer to me with Marco's nickname. What was a joke between the two of us was now a cruel mockery. I kept silent. As footsteps aproached, I could feel my heartbeat quicken. It didn't surprise me, he almost seemed to know I was in the dumpster. Any of us probably would have hid there. I supressed a scream as I heard the loud bang of Marco kicking it. "You know, you should give yourself up. You'll be reunited with your family."
How could I be so stupid? Of course the Yeerks would go after my family. Jake was my cousin, after all. I kept my mouth shut. I knew the Yeerk was trying to bait me into revealing myself. Getting no answer, I heard the footsteps as he departed. I had to get to my house before the Yeerks did. There was no way I was letting them be taken.