Tellion worked over the latest readings for the validity of the Yeerk Pool's PH balance and Kandrona ray absorption. Everything appeared to be in acceptable ranges. Once again she had surpassed the expectations of her duties.
And she couldn't care less.
Ever since the debacle with Tallaxia that had almost cost them both their lives, Tellion had felt as if she were in a spiral of emptiness of which she couldn't escape. Nothing seemed to matter to her anymore. She just couldn't forget Tallaxia's words, her soul shattering cries, or the agonizing memory of when she had lost her freedom. Tellion should have known better than to try and be something other than the horrific enslaver that she had been born to be.
She was still not sure how she was even still alive. Once she had patched up her injured head from that day, and had convinced the other Nahara controllers that it had just been a freak accident while doing some extra work, Tellion was so convinced that Tallaxia would reveal her secret to the Yeerk authorities, if no other reason than to know that she was dead. That moment when she had to leave Tallaxia after the attempted suicide had been just as terrifying to Tellion as when that drill had been thrusted at her head. Unable to do anything to help herself, Tellion had just waited in her own little world of silence as she swum through the Kandrona soaked liquid. Time stretched out as she waited to be snatched up from the Yeerk Pool and slowly fried under a low yield Dracon Beam.
Against all of her fear…nothing happened.
Tellion returned to Tallaxia without incident. She wasn't called to an inquiry or execution. When she had asked Tallaxia why she hadn't reported her, all Tellion got was silence. Nothing Tellion said, or asked, was met with a response. Not after that day. Not ever again. It was like Tallaxia had just vanished. Only she was still there. Tellion could feel her, Tallaxia just refused to speak to her. She refused to even acknowledge that she even existed.
She had said nothing to Tellion since, and that hurt Tellion almost as much as her words from that day. Because, deep within herself, Tellion just knew that Tallaxia had finally broke. It was something that older Yeerks had told her about with hosts that had been enslaved for a long period of time. They just stopped interacting with anything, even the Yeerks controlling them. It was almost like they vanished from existance, even though they were still around. A broken host. A broken soul.
And Tellion had broken Tallaxia.
She hadn't tried to. She had never meant to do that to her. But Tellion had. And now Tallaxia was what the Yeerk Empire desired of all of the millions of hosts that were enslaved by them, a completely subjugated body that they could use without resistance.
Knowing that only made Tellion feel even worse, because she didn't want to take part in that kind of evil. Yet she had, and now Tellion was no different from any other Yeerk in the vast expanse of the Empire. It brought her down to a level of lesser being than she had ever thought was possible for one of her kind. Now, all Tellion hoped for was a way to have it all end. Only the fear of death kept her from telling her superiors of what she had done that day the Andalites had attacked the pool.
Lost in that swirling vortex of emotions and despair, Tellion did the only thing that she knew to do. Perform her duties. And that was exactly what she did for what felt like a lifetime of work, all the while hoping that she could stay hidden from the conflict that was swelling all around her.
She just wanted to exist. Nothing more.
'Tellion 7854, report to the Visser's chambers.'
Tellion froze as she heard that command echo within the confines of the room she was currently working in. Why would she be called? What had she done to draw the attention of the Visser himself? Nothing that Tellion could think of. She had done everything that she could to make herself invisible to her superiors.
Then the dreaded thought crossed her mind. What if Visser Three knew? What if he had somehow found out that she had let one of the Andalites go? The icy touch of death ran across Tellion's shoulders and down her hunched back.
This had to be a mistake, she thought to herself, no way that the Visser could ever had known what she did. Surely they were calling for some other Yeerk and had instead accidentally pulled her name out of some kind of older roster. Yes, it must have been a mistake.
'Tellion 7854, report to the Visser's command center immediately.'
There, it was set. Tellion couldn't control the shudder that ran all through her body. Visser Three requested her presence. And that wasn't a 'request'. Either she went, or her death was all but guaranteed. Although she found herself in a living state of complete dispare, Tellion didn't want to die. Or at least, she didn't want to die and cause Tallaxia to perish as well. But with that command directed specifically to her, Tellion didn't have any choice. She had to go face the Visser.
Allowing only one weary breath to pass from her tentacle mouth, Tellion braced herself for her end and headed to Visser Three's command center.
Tellion passed through the vast underground complex that was the planet side Yeerk pool. The place that she ironically called her home. Tellion made sure to take in every part of it, every last little detail that had brought even the slightest joy to her, in what may be the last time she would ever experience any of this.
And just like the passing of a moment in time, Tellion found herself at the doors to the Visser's command center. With nothing left to hold her back, Tellion inhaled deeply for what may have been the last time and entered.
Where is that damn Kandrona ray specialist I requested?! Visser Three's thought speech roared out into Tellion's mind.
Tellion froze in the doorway at the sheer force of Visser Three's terrifying voice. With all six of her eyes, she scanned the room. There was a small assembly of Yeerks in all manner of host bodies, but mostly in the native forms. Visser Three stood menacingly in front of all of them. His stalk eyes instantly focused straight to Tellion.
You. he said, Are you the Kandrona ray specialist?
Tellion wasn't sure, but she thought that his question was more out of annoyance than an actual expectation of an answer. Tellion weakly nodded her head. Visser Three flicked his tail in an obvious gesture for her to enter the room. For all her faults at being able to read the expectations of others, Tellion knew not to make the Visser wait. She promptly lumbered into the room, still not entirely sure why she was even there. The one thing that Tellion did know for sure was to take great care to keep all six of her eyes focused on the floor right in front of her. She didn't dare to think of what Visser Three would do if she even accidentally managed to look directly into any of his four eyes. She had only made it several paces before the Visser spoke again.
It is Tellion 7854, correct? Visser Three asked.
Tellion nodded her head again. She knew from her memories of Tallaxia that Nahara didn't make such gestures with their bodies when answering questions through non-verbal means, but she was sure that Visser Three didn't know the Nahara body signals. And she had learned many of the non-verbal ways that the native controllers communicated among themselves when they didn't care to use words. Tellion suspected that Visser Three knew many of those gestures from his time of commanding the invasion force. Clearly, her hope was proven true as Visser Three spoke directly to her again.
I've heard many good things about you from your superiors. Apparently, they say that you are somewhat gifted when it comes to the creation and maintenance of the mini-Kandrona ray generators, and that you also possess a keen understanding of how to effectively cultivate and care for the Yeerk Pool. Is that true?
"Y…yes Visser." Tellion weakly answered. "I am an expert."
Visser Three's main eyes on his face narrowed directly at her. Then I hope you prove yourself worthy of their praises, for your sake. Because I have great need for one with your skills for this next operation that I am planning.
Visser Three, in an act Tellion was sure few Yeerks had seen in person, moved both his stalk eyes about and rotated his head around the room.
Where is Temrash 252? I specifically called for him to be present at this meeting. Where is he?
Tellion didn't have an answer for those questions. Nor did she even desire to. Tellion, like any reasonable Yeerk, was terrified of Visser Three. But aside from him, Temrash came in a very close second for being a Yeerk to fear. What little Tellion knew about him was that he had earned every bit of fear that he installed among fellow Yeerks. He was one of Visser Three's closest officers, and took care of the dirty work that the Visser found wasn't worth his time. She had heard from the friends of the security personnel that had failed to detect the Andalites when they had first attacked. She had so many cold tremors run through her Nahara body as they fearfully described how Temrash had slowly tortured the lower ranking controllers to death in front of their entire security sections. They had begged him for death long before he had finally grown weary of slicing apart their native host bodies and had used specialized tools to extract the Yeerks from their hosts. Tellion had also felt the same sickness from the day she had watched Visser Three feeding the scanner tech to the Taxxons when they described how Temrash had slowly fried the guilty Yeerks under a slow yield Dracon beam.
Where is Temrash?! Visser Three's roar broke Tellion from her terrified memories, bringing her back to a just as frightening present. He's trying my last patience.
Immediately after Visser Three spoke those words, the door to the command center opened and Temrash 252 strolled in.
You…Visser Three growled. Are late Temrash 252.
"I know Visser Three." Temrash said, bowing his head slightly to the supreme commander. "My apologies, but I had to remain with my host's family for a little longer than I expected. It was necessary for me to not break cover and raise any suspicions about myself."
Visser Three focused all four of his eyes on Temrash 252 intensely. Temrash kept his head lowered, but from her angle Tellion could see his host face clearly. The very tips of the edge of his mouth were curved slightly upward.
Tellion didn't really understand what that minute gesture meant, but she was sure that Temrash could have gotten to the assembled meeting sooner than he claimed. That belief only made Tellion feel even more worried. She rotated two of her eyes to watch Visser Three. He kept his harsh Andalite eyes fixated upon Temrash for a few more moments before diverting his attention away from his reliable officer.
Very well then, take a seat Temrash. We have much to discuss, and time is essential.
"Of course Visser Three." Temrash said, moving to take a seat right in front of her.
With his face hidden from Visser Three's terrifying gaze, Temrash smiled, seemingly more to himself than to anyone that bothered to notice. Tellion didn't like to see such a thing, because she knew what kind of Yeerk he was. Tellion was surprised that Visser Three hadn't noticed the truth, even when it was easily seen by a low rank Yeerk like herself. Temrash was only loyal to Visser Three in the sense that he had to be at the present moment. Tellion was almost sure that if he had even half a chance of succeeding, Temrash wouldn't hesitate to dispose of Visser Three and take his place. Maybe Visser Three himself knew of this, and either didn't care because he admired Temrash's ruthlessness and ambition to succeed, or he believed that he was still able to impose enough fear in his subordinates that no one, not even Temrash, would dare to try and usurp him.
Either way, it made him a dangerous liability to be near or have to work under. Tellion couldn't help but feel a great amount of pity for those Yeerks that called Temrash commander.
Tellion took a mental check of her thoughts as Temrash took a seat directly in front of her. It didn't make a difference to Tellion. Nahara were naturally taller than the natives of this world, so her head easily was above Temrash so that she could see clearly everything that Visser Three was doing.
Everyone is here now. He said more like a stating of fact to himself rather than asking a question. Good. We will get on to the reason why I have assembled you all.
Visser Three worked his Andalite fingers across a small handheld computer module. A fully clear holographic image of the full layout of the native city was set on full display for all to see. Tellion was momentarily left stunned by the sheer scope of just how big the native city was. For all the talk that Tellion heard from so many other Yeerks, the natives of this world were easily dismissed as primitive and backwards. But seeing such a vast landscape of buildings that stretched so far across the surface of this world, so vast that it could swallow up ten Pool Ships and still have room to fit more…left Tellion in complete awe.
She had thought the Yeerk Pool, her home, grand in scale. And the Pool Ship even greater. Both were dwarfed by the native city. There were no memories from Tallaxia or other images that Tellion had seen of cities under control of the Yeerk empire that came to even a quarter of the size of this massive congregation of structures. And this was only one city among countless others across the entire expanse of the globe.
Seeing this made Tellion truly realize just how daunting the task of conquering his world would really be. She had her doubts that the Yeerks would be able to conquer this world in less than three years, even without the interference of the Andalite bandits. Just as she started to let her mind wander, a multitude of red dots appeared all over the circumference of the massive city and Visser Three spoke.
As you can all see, our forces have been making reasonable progress in infiltrating all parts of the human society. Originally, the plan was to simply conduct mass infestation of all the humans until we had gained an effective foothold on this world. However, those blasted Andalite bandits have forced us to restructure our strategy. Because of their interference, we will have to be more strategic in our selection of targets to infest. But more importantly, it is vital that we create a new front. As long as our primary forces are isolate here in this one regional area, the Andalites can attack us at their leisure. However, once the invasion has spread beyond this foothold, they will not be able to halt our progress. This is why I have assembled you all here.
Visser Three tapped his control module, and the scene of the city switched to an image of a native that Tellion had never seen before.
We have just received word from several of our deep cover operatives that this native, a figure of prominent importance in the governmental structure of the greater region surrounding this city, but more importantly he will likely attempt to gain a position of higher authority soon. Some sort of post called a president. Whatever it is called, it is a position of immense power for the entire greater landmass of this part of the world. We must make sure that one of our own controls him when that happens. He has some sort of ailment that needs treatment, and as such he has come to seek it in this city. Our operatives have directed him to a local medical center that our forces have heavily infiltrated.
Visser Three's stalk eyes focused upon Temrash before he spoke next.
Temrash 252, you have proven yourself to be not only a skilled infiltrator, but an equally useful infestor. I've been keeping a close watch of your performance, and you have surpassed all of your assigned infestation quotas, more than thirty new controllers each month and almost a 70% voluntary host rate.
Tellion applied all of her mental capacities to keep her body entirely still when she heard that.
Voluntary controllers. What being in any state of reasonable mental thoughts would willingly surrender control of their bodies to a Yeerk? Tellion could never imagine herself, if she wasn't a Yeerk, doing such a thing. Freedom was far too precious of a dream to her to just give away. Visser Three continued to speak, bringing Tellion from her thoughts and back to the moment.
Temrash, I am promoting you to the rank of 114. I'm assigning you command of this operation. You will infest this 'governor' and use his position to help further solidify our forces hold over this region.
"Thank you Visser Three," Temrash (now 114) said. "I will make sure this operation succeeds."
We will see. Visser Three said in lower, more neutral voice. He then focused his attention back to the screen, changing from the image of the native governmental figure to an image of a new city.
The next stage of this operation is equally vital. Once we have infested the governor and his closest subordinates, this team will move north to a new native city. From there, after your team established themselves, you will begin immediate operations to construct a new Yeerk Pool. Once this new base of operations has been established, you will utilize your new host in the governor to assist our front group 'The Sharing' in gaining official power and influence among both the local populace and the local governmental structures. With this new base established, there will be nothing that those Andalite bandits can do to impede the invasion. All of our intelligence estimates from prior encounters with them puts their total number at no more than a dozen. As such, they don't have forces to combat us on more than one front.
Visser Three's stalk eyes looked straight at Tellion. You there Tellion 7854, the Kandrona Ray tech.
Tellion lifted herself in her seat and looked directly at the Visser. "Y…yes Visser Three?"
It is obvious that all of you will be cut off from this base's main Kandrona ray generator. This is where you shall prove yourself Tellion 7854. Your task will be to establish a temporary Yeerk Pool for our forces and keep the mini-Kandrona ray generator I'm sending the team with functioning. Once a base of operations has been founded and a supply line established, I will make plans to send more portable Kandrona ray generators, as well as more of our troops for increasing our controller base. Now, the large base Kandrona ray generators like the one we use here are in short supply, and there is far greater need for them on our many fronts. However, I managed to procure one of these generators to be brought here. It will be some time before it arrives, but once it does, I fully expect you begin the creation of a brand new primary Yeerk Pool in this new native city. This will be your moment Tellion 7854. I trust you fully understand the importance of this task I have given to you. The very success of this operation is relying upon you.
Tellion did fully understand what was being said to her.
"Yes Visser," Tellion said to her commander. "I won't fail you."
Oh, I know that you won't. Visser Three said as all of his harsh eyes glared right at her. Because if you do, you won't have the chance to fail me again.
And he said nothing else to her after that. He didn't need to. Tellion fully understood what Visser Three had meant by that. If she didn't do her duties exceptionally, if she appeared to have failed in any way, she would die. Whether by the Visser's hands or Temrash's, Tellion could only look forward to a very slow and agonizing death if she didn't perform as was expected of her.
The reality of it all finally hit Tellion like the drill that Tallaxia had used to try and kill her. The war, the one that she had tried so very hard to hide herself from, had finally found her. Now she was pulled into it, and there was no escape for her.
As she thought of this, Visser Three switched the screen to a new image. Tellion looked down at the portable screen in her tentacles. A young looking male native appeared on the surface.
Tellion 7854, this will be your new assigned host. This native is a personal assistant to the governor, so you and Temrash 114 will be able coordinate this operation without raising suspicions. He will be among the group that is coming in with the governor, so you will be assigned to infest him while Temrash is infesting the governor. As such, you will be under his direct command.
Tellion looked down at the image with a multitude of feelings. The first among them was a feeling of both sympathy and guilt, because she knew that very soon, she would be opening herself to an entirely new horrific expecience of having to steal away the freedom of yet one more being. She would continue to be a slave master to one more helpless soul. And Tellion would be the very first Yeerk to infest this poor native. She had no idea with how terrifying and agonizing experiences she would be faced with. Tellion didn't know if she would have the will, or desire, to try and make peace with this native. Or would she even be able to try, under the watchful eyes of Temrash 114.
Another thought crossed Tellion's mind, which was an unknown sensation that she felt with the idea of this new host clearly being a male. All of her hosts had been female, she saw herself as a female. To have to switch over to pretending to act like a male, felt incredibly strange to Tellion. She didn't know how she would be able to do that.
And just as that odd consideration passed through her mind, another, and even more horrifying realization crossed over her brain functions. With this new assignment…she was going to have to leave Tallaxia.
And whoever the next Yeerk was that infested Tallaxia would be exposed to all of her memories. Including the one of her letting the Andalite escape. Tellion's entire body froze with that thought. She didn't hear anymore of what Visser Three was saying about the operation, or whatever plans he had for her to play a part of them. The understanding of the fact that her life was now placed on an edge of oblivion, and it would only be a matter of time before her deepest secret would be discovered. Total, complete fear consumed Tellion. There was no escaping this fate. There was only two possible outcomes that she could forsee happening to her.
Either the new Yeerk would immediately report her to the higher Yeerk authorities and that would be the end of her, or…they would hold this knowledge over her as a way to manipulate their way to a position of higher rank, at least until they felt they had no further need to use leverage against Tellion. Which would likely end in her death.. Either way, life as Tellion had known it was well and truly over.
She was going to die. Far sooner than she would have dared to believe.
"Well, you'll get your wish Tallaxia. Soon enough I should be dead. I hope that brings you a little joy." Tellion whispered.
Tallaxia said nothing. She made no sign at all to acknowledge that she was even still alive. Faced with that lack of response, Tellion's head dipped in despair.
Tellion!
Visser Three's roar sent a surge of fear racing through Tellion, she immediately sat at attention.
"Yes Visser Three!"
I said, in addition to the portable Kandrona ray, I'll also have a 10,000 liters of Yeerk Pool liquid shipped with Temrash's team. It will be your task to find a suitable location in the governmental facility you will be relocating to so that a viable Yeerk Pool can be established without drawing any unwanted attention to our forces. Remember, you all will only have three days once the operation begins.
"I will find a suitable place Visser Three." she assured him.
Visser Three's main eyes narrowed at her. If I have to repeat myself again, I'll find another Kandrona Ray tech for this mission.
Tellion shrunk in her seat at the Visser's threat, as much as she could with her large Nahara body. Visser Three continued on with his briefing of the operation, explaining to each present Yeerk their new host body and assignment to Temrash 114's command. Tellion barely paid attention to any of it, only the parts that concerned her, more out of fear of Visser Three's wraith than any desire to succeed in her part of the mission.
Despite everything that was happening around her, Tellion felt as if she was all alone in a seemingly uncaring existence. She wished Tallaxia would talk to her, even if it was just to say that she was glad to know that Tellion would likely soon be dead. Yet there was still silence from Tallaxia. Maybe that was the best form of revenge that Tallaxia could give to her. To make her feel isolated and all alone before one way or another before Tellion was merited out her agonizing end. An end that she herself didn't doubt she somewhat deserved.
Just as she was thinking about these things, Visser Three snapped his tail blade, making a loud popping sound that brought Tellion back to the moment.
That is all. He said. Any additional information regarding this operation you will directly report to Temrash 114, he is now your commander. Any order he gives you is done with my direct approval.
After the Visser said this, Temrash 114 rose from his seat and addressed all of the assembled Yeerks. "Yes, I am now your commander. Don't disappoint me. It would be a pity to have to see your individual talents wasted from incompetence."
You would do well to save your pity for yourself if you fail in this mission Temrash. Visser Three said in a dangerously low mental voice. Remember, my patience is very limited.
Temrash turned to Visser Three and bowed respectfully again. "Of course I understand Visser Three. You have nothing to worry about, I succeed in this operation."
We will see. Visser Three replied, his attention solely focused on Temrash for a moment before he turned it back to the rest of them. The rest of you, make whatever final preparations that you need to prepare for this operation. I will have your commanders assign you the newer personel that will replace your present hosts. It will be your responsibility to prepare them to their assigned positions. You'll only have a few hours before the operation commences.
Temrash remained as he was, although Tellion could sense the tension that was rising among all that were present. Visser Three, either growing bored of Temrash's subtle insolence, or having far more pressing issues to deal with that the present operation, finally dismissed them all. Tellion waited until most of the others had left before finally deciding to make her exit.
She was about to move on to a new host, not by her own choosing, but still she was going to have to leave Tallaxia. And yet again, Tallaxia would be given another lower ranking Yeerk, passed over to be used yet again, as if she were nothing but a used tool. Tellion couldn't help but tighten the hundreds of tentacle ends of her four arms around themselves in anger. Tallaxia…was not a tool, not an object to be used by the Empire for their own ends. She was a living being, no different than Tellion, with her own dreams and hopes. And despite everything that had happened between them, Tellion wished for nothing more than to know that Tallaxia would feel the joy of freedom again before her life ended.
Tellion's only true regret in that moment, was knowing that she had failed in that effort.
"Tallaxia 7854." Tallaxia turned at the sound of her name being called. It was Temrash 114. "You didn't seem all that attentive at the meeting. I don't think I have to remind you that the very success of this operation is dependent upon you successfully keeping the new Yeerk pool functioning."
"Of course I understand." Tellion said.
"Good," he said. "because if you think that you have to fear failing Visser Three, then you don't know anything about me. And I will be directly in charge of your life."
"I never take my duties lightly." Tellion said to him.
Temrash 114 eyed her with great suspicion. Tellion didn't dare lower her guard around her newly appointed commander. Despite his young native face and charming personality, Tellion knew that a diabolical and sadistic Yeerk lay underneath. And he wouldn't hesitate to destroy her if he felt that she wouldn't accomplish in his task. And although she suspected that she didn't have long in her continued existence, that didn't mean that Tellion didn't want to have as much of that time as possible. Temrash eyed her suspiciously, but relinquished his harsh gaze after she sulked slightly before him. If anything, he seemed to revel in her fear of him.
After this brief exchange, both Tellion and Temrash heard two other controllers nearby talking among themselves.
"I still don't get why Visser Three chose him."
"I know," the other controller said. "Temrash claims to be one of the most successful infesters planet side, and yet he still has not manage to enslave his host's own family. That's the very first task of any infester. How could Temrash been chosen for such a vital mission when he can't even accomplish even the simplest of tasks?"
Temrash twisted his face ever so slightly to Tellion, the grin that he displayed could only be interpreted by Tellion as one that was completely sadistic. Almost equal to that of Visser Three and the expressions his Andalite face made when he was reveling in the torture of that scanner tech. After that moment of revealing to her who he truly was, Temrash quietly approached the two unsuspecting controllers. Neither was aware that he was even there until he was standing directly behind them. The two continued to speak to themselves as Temrash watched on, as well as Tellion.
After a few more brief exchanges, the two finally noticed Temrash. The fear that passed across both of their host faces was all too easy to read. As was Temrash's smug enjoyment of their fear of him.
"So I'm a terrible infester now, am I? Do you really think that I am so incompetent that I couldn't have enslaved my host's family if I wanted to?"
Neither of them answered him. Temrash took that as enough of an answer to his question.
"Did it ever occure to either of you two idiots that I purposefully didn't enslave my host's family to show Visser Three just how effective of an infiltrator I am?"
Stuttering gibberish was all that he got from the two of them.
"I have lived among them for well over a year now. Neither my host's parents, nor his little brother, the one that most admires and looks up to my host, had any suspicion that I wasn't their loving son or great big brother." Temrash said with a sinister laugh. "Not once in all that time did any of them even have the slightest inclination of who I really was."
Temrash closed his eyes and smiled as he changed the tone of his voice, Tellion thought that it was a mocking tone.
"Oh Tom." Temrash said both to himself and the other controllers. "How did you become such a sweet and caring boy? Helping out so much in your community and being an inspiration to younger kids."
"Hey Tom, I'll think about going to one of those Sharing meetings if you play a round of hoops with me. Don't want my big bro thinking he's going to always be better than me."
"How could you have gotten so big son? When did you turn into man all of a sudden? Thanks for spending that Saturday afternoon working on my car with me. We should really take it for a spin one weekend, maybe just cruise up the coast for a bit. Maybe you could even met some girls your age."
Temrash opened his eyes halfway, staring harshly at the pair of bewildered controllers.
"Still think that I'm not the right officer to command this operation?"
Their silence from his proclamation was all that Temrash needed to continue.
"So you both would do well to remember, that I am very skilled in everything that I set my tasks to. From this moment forth, you will both be answering to me. Any failure in your duties, even the slightest mistake, and I will end you both. You understand me?"
They both nodded their heads in agreement to him.
"Good…" Temrash said with a satisfactory tone in his voice.
His boyish face instantly twisted into one of an absolutely diabolical image.
"I better not ever hear either of you question my authority, ever again. Understood?"
The pair gave him another nod of approval. With that, Temrash patted the two on their shoulders, then roughly shoved them away. After a few fleeting stumbles, the pair of controller ran away. Temrash watched their flightly before turning back to Tellion.
"You see how easily it is to control others?" Temrash told her. "You would do well to remember how I handle subordinates, it will make things easier when you have bend others to your will Tellion."
"I'm just a low ranking Kandrona Ray tech, sir." Tellion told him. "I'm no leader."
"Yes, well, that may be true now." Temrash responded. "But once the new Yeerk Pool has been established, and if you succeed in your appointed tasks, I fully intend on recommending to Visser Three that you be appointed to head of the maintenance division of the new Yeerk Pool. It will be a big advancement from your present rank that the Visser has already granted you."
"Thank you Temrash." Tellion said, trying her best to make herself sound convincing. "I will make sure that I keep all of our people alive in this mission."
And that was the total truth. Although Tellion didn't desire for advancement of any real kind in the Empire, she also sought to keep her fellow Yeerks alive. Despite all of the evil that she had come to realize the Empire merited out upon countless beings, that still didn't give her the right to pass judgement upon her kind and what they did as part of the Empire. Tellion had only spoken intimately about her true feelings to Aftran, but Tellion secretly thought that there were many more Yeerks like herself. Just desiring to become more than what they had been born as but had no way of escaping the fate they had been born into, and were too afraid to reveal their true feelings out of the threat of severe punishment or death.
She…hoped that she truly wasn't the only one.
"Glad to know that." Temrash said, breaking Tellion's train of thought. "I fully believe that under my guidance you'll exceed the Visser's expectations. Get your personal affairs in order, and have the equipment you need sent to the acquisitions office. Once you've done that, get yourself to the pool, you'll be expected to prepare your replacement Yeerk to inhabit the Nahara's body. We'll be moving forward with the operation tomorrow night."
My Nahara has a name! Tellion wanted to shout at Temrash. It's Tallaxia!
But she remained silent. Just like she always did.
Temrash smirked, and left her. Once he was gone, Tellion went back to her quarters to prepare herself for the journey. Another advantage of being a low ranking Yeerk, Tellion had very little that she could call her own. It made packing a very quick affair.
"Tellion 7854."
Tellion instantly recognized that voice. She rotated her top pair of eyes behind her, and saw Aftran standing in the doorway to her quarters.
"Hello again Aftran 945."
Aftran looked off to her side. "Actually Tellion, it's 942 now. I've been promoted to head of my guard squad. I also have my pool brother Estril 731 reassigned to my unit, so I'll have my hands full with him."
"Well aren't we both going places?" Tellion said in a mocking voice as she stuffed the last tool into her work pouch.
"I don't really care about the promotion." she said, the conviction clear in her tone. "I just heard about your new assignment."
"And?"
"Tellion, you've never been outside of the Pool Ship and here." Aftran voiced her concern. "You have no idea what it's like out there. And you've never been in a native body before. And being under Temrash's command…you're not ready for this mission."
"Well that doesn't really matter now, does it?" Tellion joked. "The Visser has ordered, and I must obey."
"I know that, but…" Aftran's voice simply died away before she finished.
Tellion turned fully around to face her only friend.
"Aftran, I don't have much time. If you have to say something, then just say it."
Aftran stepped closer to her and stared right into all of her eyes.
"Get out of this assignment."
"What?"
"Get out of it. I don't know how, just find away."
"Aftran, I can't just…"
Aftran grasped her upper pair of arms. "Tellion, I don't know how or why, but I have a terrible feeling about this mission you're going on."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know!" she blurted out. "I just have this feeling that…I won't ever see you again if you go."
That was probably going to be true, Tellion thought. One way or the other. But, she wearily thought, if something was going to have to happen to her, then she didn't want Tallaxia to suffer in anyway because of her. Tallaxia was truly innocent in all of this mess, she didn't deserve to be punished along with her.
Tellion gently wrapped her hundreds of tentacle ends of her top pair of arms around Aftran's powerful hands. She twisted her face tentacles into a smile that only a Naharan could make.
"Aftran, no matter what happens, you'll always be the only one that I ever considered a friend. We both have our duties to fulfill, but that doesn't mean that we should give up on our dreams. I know that you desire to be more than what our people have become, just like me. You still let fear hold you back, but I hope that someday you find the courage to do what we both know is right. That's why you are my friend. Aftran, we're kindred spirits. Nothing, not time or space, even death, can break our friendship. Don't ever forget that."
Aftran sighed wearily, shutting her sharp Hork-Bajir eyes and leaning her head forward. Although it was primarily a Hork-Bajir sign of affection and friendship, Tellion rotated her eyes away from her friend and pressed her soft forehead against Aftran's own solid and bladed head.
"We'll meet again." Aftran whispered to Tallaxia. "No matter what happens, even if it's after death."
"Even after death." Tallaxia repeated.
Once the moment of silence between the two had passed, they parted. Aftran still kept her sharp eyes fixated on Tellion. "I'm going to put in a request for a transfer to your unit the moment you've established a new base to the north. It's bad enough that I have to watch over Estril, but you are completely helpless without me."
Tellion smiled again in her Naharan way. "I think you're more right that even you realize. I wouldn't expect anything less from you Aftran."
Aftran stepped aside, clearing her path to the doorway. "Come on. I'll at least walk with you to the Pool."
Tellion took her tools and exited her quarters with Aftran. As they took the long walk to the Yeerk Pool, the very last walk that Tellion would do as a Naharan, her thoughts were on things other than her upcoming mission and well-being.
"Aftran." she said, still keeping her focus on what was ahead of her.
"Yes?"
"I need you to do something for me, before I leave the Yeerk Pool for my new mission."
"Sure, anything you want. I'll do what I can."
Tellion rotated all of her eyes that were on the side of her head that faced Aftran.
"I want you…to look after Tallaxia. Please make sure that the Yeerk that takes her over after me is kind to her, the way I tried to be. You're the only one that I can ask this of."
"I don't really know what I can do…"
"Please Aftran. She's…special to me. And I don't want her being used like she is just another tool."
Aftran lost her stride at that statement. In truth, Tellion had hoped that Tallaxia would say something to her with that proclamation. But once again, she remained silent to Tellion's words. That still hurt, but Tellion tried her very best to understand why Tallaxia hadn't spoken. She just, ironically, hoped that Tallaxia would eventually understand why Tellion still considered her a friend.
"You…really care about your host, don't you?" Aftran said almost disbelievingly. "No one's ever thought of something so foolish."
"I guess that makes me the biggest fool in the entire Empire." Tellion said as they approached the demarcation pier. "And I have no regrets with that. If only more of us had the courage to try and care for our hosts instead of being slave masters…who knows what the future could hold for our kind."
"I would say that you're crazy. But I know you too well Tellion. I know that you always follow your spirit, even if it goes against everything that we've ever known." Aftran said. "And, I promise that I'll make sure that Tallaxia is treated well. Her new controller won't be cruel to her, not unless they want to deal with me."
"Thank you Aftran." Tellion told her. "I hope that we'll meet again soon."
Aftran cracked her beak like mouth to say something else, but they were intrupted by a native controller with a computation device similar to the one that Tellion used to monitor the pool.
"Tellion 7854?" he demanded more than asked of her.
"Yes?"
"Prepare for demarcation of your current host." he said, not even bothering to look up from the screen he was reading. "Place your personal equipment in the storage bin over there. It will be transported to your new location. You'll have one hour to debrief and prepare your replacement before transportation."
Tellion did as she was instructed, putting away her equipment before looking back to Aftran.
"Take care of yourself Tellion." she said, making no effort to hide the worry in her voice. "I hope we can see each other again soon."
"So do I." Tellion said. "And remember our promise."
"I won't forget." Aftran assured her.
With those last goodbyes, Tellion took her place on the demarcation pier. She watched as Aftran reluctantly walked away to rejoin in whatever duties she had assigned for her. Once her only friend was gone, Tellion had nothing left to do but wait her turn to leave Tallaxia. There was such little time as she moved closer and closer to the end of the pier, but it was enough for Tellion to think. And to feel regret.
"Tallaxia." she whispered in a voice so faint she barely heard it herself. "I know you can hear me. This…may be the last time that we ever can speak to each other."
Silence greeted Tellion, as it always had recently. She still wasn't dissuaded.
"I don't care if you don't want to speak to me. I know that I'll never truly understand what your life has been like since my people stole your life, but I just wanted to let you know that…I'm glad that I was assigned to you. You let me feel your pain and sadness. But you also showed me something."
Tellion stepped to the end of the pier. Her time was up. She had to speak her mind now, or Tallaxia would never know the truth. The group of Hork-Bajir guards at the end flanked both of her sides, ready to grasp Tallaxia the moment Tellion left her.
"She's a voluntary controller." Tellion told them. "You don't have to restrain her, she won't fight once I'm gone."
None of them bothered to question Tellion. Why would they? It's not like Tallaxia had any hope of escaping even if she wanted to. Without any more interference, Tellion knelt at the edge of the pier and tilted her head to the side, preparing to leave Tallaxia once and for all.
"Tallaxia, you showed me something better than I have ever known. Before I meet you, I was just another Yeerk seeking advancement and status in the Empire. I never knew anything else. But Tallaxia, you showed me what joy was. And hope."
Tellion began to retreat her control tendrils from Tallaxia's nerve ends, preparing herself to leave. But she still had one last thing to say before they parted ways.
"And now I hope too." Tellion said, making no attempt to hide her sorrow from Tallaxia. "I hope…that one day you will get your freedom back. I hope that you can return home and be with your family. And that you never have to know suffering again for the rest of your days. I'm just sorry that I couldn't do more for you. I'm sorry that we couldn't be friends."
Saying what she needed to, Tellion released her final links to Tallaxia's brain and began crawling out of her head. Almost all of her senses were gone again. No vision, no hearing, no smell, or taste. It was almost like being placed in a prison herself. A prison that the cosmic fates had cruelly placed upon her and all of her kind, forcing them to become something hideous and evil in order to escape that prison. Just as Tellion felt herself exiting Tallaxia's ear canal, she was aware that she still had one final tendril that was connected to Tallaxia's mind that somehow she had forgotten to withdraw. As she began to pull that one last link to Tallaxia, she heard her mental cry.
Tell…
She called her name. She was calling her name!
Tallaxia! Tellion screamed.
Too late. Far too late. Tellion, for the briefest of moments, was weightless as she fell into the Yeerk Pool. The moment she splashed beneath the surface, Tellion knew that she was forever separated from Tallaxia. She swam back to the surface, but it was to no avail. She couldn't see or hear anything anymore. Tellion was, literally, blind and deaf to what transpired just above her. For one fleeting moment, Tellion dared to try and think of a way to get back to Tallaxia. Crawl up the pier legs, find Tallaxia's large feet that were impossible to miss, and work her way back up her body and into her mind again. Just so that she could know what it was that Tallaxia was trying to say to her.
Then the moment passed, and Tellion knew that it was a fool's hope. She couldn't possibly get back to Tallaxia. They were no doubt already dragging her down the pier to be held until the next Yeerk was ready to take her over, like the bag of flesh that the Empire saw her and all other hosts as.
Damn the Empire! Tellion screamed in her own little mind world. Damn us for what we do!
None of the hundreds of Yeerks swimming all around her took any notice of Tellion as she sank to the floor of the pool. In the natural Yeerk state, the sense of touch was greater for Yeerks than any living being that was known. She could feel the ripples of each Yeerk that swam past her, a sort of sight without sight. And not a single one of them bothered to pay any mind to a single Yeerk that didn't bother swimming and happily sunk into the muck at the very bottom of the pool.
Tellion let herself settle into the sediment of the bottom, surrounded by filth and waste of the countless Yeerks that inhabited the pool. This was the place that she belonged in. Because she felt just as low as she currently was. It was where Tellion wished that she could have stayed, and just forget everything. Forget about the Empire, the pain that she had inflected upon Tallaxia, and forget that she was trapped by a cruel twist of fate.
Tellion had never asked to be born, much less born as a Yeerk. A creature just as intelligent as any other sentient being, but forced to be a slave master in order to be anything more than what the fates had ordained her to be.
As Tellion wallowed in her own personal sorrow, her palp antennae detected the electrical impulses of the natural Yeerk speak flowing through the liquid around her. A Yeerk was asking for Tellion, by her own name.
This Yeerk was the one. The one that would take over Tallaxia in her place. Although she didn't want to speak to her fellow Yeerk kin, Tellion knew that this Yeerk would take over Tallaxia, whether she spoke to them or not. And they would be the one that ultimate decided if she lived or died soon. Although she wanted to continue to wallow in her own misery, Tellion's desire to preserve her own life, and to protect Tallaxia, spurred her on to rise from the disgusting sediment of the floor of the Yeerk Pool to confront this new Yeerk. She swam over to the Yeerk asking for her and sent an impulse message directly to them.
I am Tellion.
The Yeerk approached Tellion, placing their palp receptors against her own so that they could communicate in private.
Hello Tellion. This new Yeerk said to her. I am Illim 9876. I've been assigned to replace your host.
My host…Tellion spoke, trying to hold back her anger.
A Nahara. Illim said. I've been researching them. They're not very useful as hosts, but I'm sure it's better than being assigned to a Taxxon. I'm really excited, this will be my first host since my time training in a Gedd. But I've been told it's just a higher form of training. I was supposed to be assigned to a native, but there aren't enough available right now. So I've been reassigned to your Nahara. They're similar enough to the natives in physical form that I'll have enough practice in the basic movements that I'll be ready when I'm reassigned to a native host. Any advice that you can offer me about preparing for this new host would be most helpful. I'm expecting this training experience to be most enjoyable with this new platform.
She's not a platform! Tellion roared through her palp connectors into Illim's. And she's not just bag of flesh to be used for training. 'Her' name is Tallaxia! And she is a living being, with her own thoughts and feelings, just like us!
Wha…what are you talking about? Illim stammered, clearly taken off guard by Tellion's harsh words.
Tellion knew that she was treading down a dangerous path. Talking like this to a Yeerk that she didn't even know was a jeopardy that she likely never would have taken before. But, still reeling from losing Tallaxia when she had likely been on the verge of forgiving her, and knowing that Illim would likely turn her over to the higher Yeerk authorities the moment he accessed Tallaxia's memories was enough to give Tellion the strength to say what she felt needed to be said.
Illim. Tellion spoke with her voice lowering. These beings, the hosts that our Empire enslaves, they are all sentient creatures. We steal their lives just so we can uplift our own. And that's not right.
I…why do you talk like this? Illim questioned. We are Yeerks. It's in our nature to be masters of those lesser than us.
The breaking in his voice told Tellion that he was reciting something told to him, rather than something that he really believed. Tellion wasn't dissuaded by his words.
That's the lies they told you in training, the nonsense that the authorities shaped and molded your thoughts into what they wanted it to be. None of the hosts are our lesser. They may have told you Illim that you will be a master, but all you really are is a slave master. You will be lording over a prisoner that will be with you every moment that you hold dominion over their body.
This is foolish nonsense. Illim countered, but again Tellion detected the faltering in his voice. How could any host have that affect on us?
You'll understand…when you first enter their mind, and hear their cries of pain at what you've done to them. Tellion warned him.
What is this foolish drivel that you are prattling on about? Illim demanded. I'm supposed to be receiving my training advice on my new host from you Tellion 7854, not being given a pointless lecture on how our hosts are no different than us. So I should try to be friends with those that I can subjugate at my whim?
Illim's last question was spoken as more of a mockery to her attempts to reason with him rather than a curiosity.
It couldn't hurt you to try Illim. Tellion told him. I think…no I believe, that if more of us tried to coexist with our hosts instead of trying to rule them, all of our lives would be better. And this war may not even be necessary.
I should report you for saying these things. It borders on sedition! Illim threatened.
You could, if that's what you feel you have to. I expect I'll soon be dead anyway. Tellion said. But just remember Illim 9876. No matter what you've been told or made to believe, don't ever stop believing that there isn't a better way for you and whoever you will eventually be made to control. You don't have to be a slave master. There can be a peace between us and our hosts.
I'm done talking to you. Illim said, his voice more unsure than ever. You're useless for advice. I'll just take your host when they assign me to them.
Tallaxia is special to me. Tellion told him. Please be kind to her while you are assigned to her Illim. Kindness is something that she's had so very little of since our people stole her freedom.
Illim's response was a low growl before he broke their palp connection and swam off. Tellion didn't bother sending any further signals to him. She didn't know if anything she said to Illim would have any effect on his decision once he entered Tallaxia, but at least Tellion knew that she could face whatever would befall her with a clear conscious. There would be no regrets before her end.
With nothing left to do, Tellion floated around in the Yeek Pool. Swimming aimlessly as her body was saturated in Kandrona rays, Tellion avoided all groups of her kind as they swam and communicated with each other. She didn't want to speak to anymore of them. Tellion wished it could have just stayed that way for her. Swimming about carelessly forever. Then the electrical command radiated through the Pool's liquids, received by her palp receptors.
Tellion 7854, report for transportation. Tellion 7854, report for transportation.
This is it. Tellion thought to herself. Goodbye home, goodbye to my life.
She swam over to the spot in the pool where she could feel a small group of fellow Yeerks were gathered and were being scooped up out of the pool. Tellion quietly waited her turn until she was finally picked up out of the pool and placed into some kind of enclosed container with many other Yeerks.
Goodbye Tallaxia. Tellion thought as she felt the container start to move.