Categories > Books > Animorphs > The Yeerk Chronicles
DISCLAIMER: See the Prologue.
CHAPTER 3
It all seemed so grand at the time: The Andalite War-Prince Seerow-Iskillion-Nallot and the Yeerk Arklan 256 of the Sulp Niar pool working together in a way that could benefit both species.
We were both fools.
Seerow taught me so much which I wanted to use to benefit the Yeerk race. Somehow, I always felt there was more to how this universe worked than what I could have discovered about it on my own. I can humbly say that I have a brilliant mind, both now and back then, and now I felt as though I had found all these things I was looking for.
However, one thing which both Seerow and I never learned and never were taught was how other people worked, not just the universe itself.
Even now, I look back on every conceivable angle as to how I could have prevented those figurative seeds of dissent from taking root against the Andalites and growing into a problem.
For the month after Seerow arrived, I was restless. I studied under him, and he was all too happy to teach me, pleased that he now had a student with such a desire to learn.
I studied math and science, and oh, there were so many branches of science to explore... Astronomy, biology, geology, physics...
Of course, I had to learn basic tool-making before learning about how more complex machines work. My mind was filled with these explanations of all these things which existed in our universe, from the massive objects far away to those too-small-to-be-seen basic building blocks which make up everything and everyone.
He even introduced me to art: The making of things as decoration or self-expression. Sometimes they were just meant to be pleasing to the senses, other times they had things like stories to tell or lessons to teach.
We Yeerks were very smart and had much potential to learn, Seerow and his mate - sorry, his wife - told us more than once. The thing was, we just didn't have that much knowledge at that point. As Seerow and Limdin told us, it was like having a nice big container (or brain) to fill with water (knowledge), but just not having enough water at the moment.
Of course, even as we were talking together and I was learning from him, there were other concerns to take into account... such as how my fellow Yeerks were taking all of this.
Naturally, they were all shocked and surprised at first, like me. As time went on, I began to witness the full spectrum of their reactions. Some of them were scared of the Andalites; some of them were hopeful in that it could mean better things for the Yeerk race; a few of them were actually hateful of the Andalites because they saw what happened as disrupting normal life on our home world; and a few remainder of Yeerks actually did not care about the Andalites at all.
However, there were a few problems, one of which was getting along with Seerow's offspring, not to mention a few of the other Andalites as well.
Actually, I was more than happy to get along with all the Andalites who were on our home world. But I guess friendship and the sort has to be mutual in order for it to work.
For instance, take the time I tried to introduce myself to his daughter, Aldrea... "tried" being the operative word.
At the time, she was very young by Andalite standards, and seemed to be very shy... particularly whenever I was around. Coincidence? Unfortunately, I don't think so.
"Hello, Aldrea," I said with complete sincerity. We were in the Andalite-Yeerk Peace and Cooperate Centre, and Aldrea and myself were in a room adjacent to where her parents were working on something or another. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. You must be really proud of your mother and your father."
She did her best to be polite by looking at me directly in the eye with her main eyes, but her stalk eyes seemed glued to the room's portal. She clutched her Pakka doll tightly as if it were a small shield generator, protecting her from who-knows-what-kind-of-dangers.
After a few uneasy moments with her quivering ever-so-slightly in fear, I tried a different tactic. "Is there something you would like to do? Perhaps we could play chess," I suggested hopefully. "Fascinating, really, the use of pieces and a surface for games of strategy..." I added, unable to keep the small excitement out of my voice.
she said almost pleadingly, as if I might force her to if she didn't want to play this Andalite game known as chess.
"It's alright, Aldrea, we don't have to play chess," I said calmly, wishing things weren't turning out this way.
Aldrea was now backing up a few paces, and I noticed that she was about to trip over a storage container on the floor. So, naturally, I tried to stop her from hurting herself.
"Aldrea, be careful, behind you," I blurted out, reaching out to take her arm. Big mistake.
the young cadet said bravely, although I somehow got the impression that he wasn't so sure about what he was doing himself.
Seerow said. Focusing his attention back to me, Seerow said,
I calmly explained to him how I was just trying to prevent Aldrea from tripping over a storage container. Seerow could still see the Andalite hoof prints in the semi-soft floor of the complex (the Andalites wanted it to feel like the ground of their own home world), and could tell that I was telling the truth.
Seerow told me at last.
Alloran looked at me suspiciously for a moment before finally leaving the room.
Seerow let out a sigh through his nose, as opposed to a thought-speech sound of disappointment. he said to me at last.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Seerow, and neither does Aldrea," I told him. There was just something very bothersome about seeing him apologize for something which he was not responsible for, or at least in my honest opinion.
"Yes, I think that would be wise," I said with a touch of sadness in my voice.
Many years later, when I first heard that human saying about how "actions speak louder than words," I would think back on this event, which was ultimately to be the first, last and only time I ever talked to Aldrea, and then wonder if it was the first of many things to come, where people would hate or fear me simply because I was a Yeerk.
Nor did things work out well between me and Alloran, either. Then again, I wondered if it would have even been possible given him and his attitude and temperament, where he would play pranks and pick fights with his fellow cadets. In my opinion, the final clinching proof that I probably could have never resolved things with Alloran-Semitur-Corrass was what he said to me long after the incident. I don't recall his exact words, but I do remember a rush of shock, anger and sadness and what he said, which was something about "us Yeerks" being a scourge of some kind, and how alien creatures with "abilities" like ours, to take control of other creatures with sufficient brain capacity, shouldn't even exist.
I do, however, remember pointing out that "we Yeerks" weren't armed with powerful weapons and powerful vessels, enabling us to travel between the stars and do who-knew-what. I would like to think that I made a fair point there.
Ultimately, however, Alloran finished it all off with what I do remember word-for-word:
How terribly ironic indeed.
However, the final problem which ultimately started the chain of events leading to the Yeerks marauding about the galaxy and the subsequent Yeerk War was not something an Andalite did out of fear or hatred, but something which I did out of innocently wanting to make things better.
It was on my way back from talking with Seerow one particular evening that I would unwittingly play a small and seemingly-harmless role in what was to come in the Yeerk War.
Thirteen Gedd-Controllers surrounded me. They didn't appear to be threatening, or at least as far as Gedd-Controllers go.
"Arklan Two-Five-Six?" the largest Gedd-Controller asked.
"Yes," I said slowly. "What's this about?"
"We thirteen Yeerks here before you want to talk to you about something, Arklan."
"I'm listening."
"For quite some time now, you have been learning from Seerow and the other Andalites," their leader said to me. "However, we feel that there should be some sort of council or group among us Yeerks to help mediate with the Andalites."
I could see where he was going with this. We Yeerks really didn't have any type of government before the arrival of the Andalites - after all, what was there to govern, apart from who got which Gedds as hosts and when?
However, I had to admit that even I was no "politician," but something more of an "ambassador."
"What are you saying?" I said at last, even though I had a feeling that I knew the answer already.
"We wish to be the council which will help lead the Yeerk race in the years to come," their leader said.
How could I say no? The whole thing wasn't even up to me to begin with!
Besides, I did what I was doing for all Yeerks.
"Very well, I don't see why not," I said at last. "But what will you call yourselves?"
With a quick collective look amongst themselves, the leader announced, "The Council of Thirteen."
TBC...
A/N: GARGH, I am SO sorry about how long it took to finish and add this chapter. I wanted to update it some time before the end of the year (2006, that is) because I didn't like keeping you all waiting like that. College this semester has not been treating me as nicely as I would have liked. However, I don't know when I might update this next, because I'm about to undergo a MASSIVE rewrite of my first major Harry Potter fanfic which I ever wrote, which I want to do and finally get done. Still, I'll try to update this if I can. You also may consider this a gift for the Holidays of Winter 2006, if you wish.
Note about the chess thing: I'm guessing the Andalites have their own version of chess. (Shrugs.)
The next part is where we see the first stirrings of trouble... -Quillian
CHAPTER 3
It all seemed so grand at the time: The Andalite War-Prince Seerow-Iskillion-Nallot and the Yeerk Arklan 256 of the Sulp Niar pool working together in a way that could benefit both species.
We were both fools.
Seerow taught me so much which I wanted to use to benefit the Yeerk race. Somehow, I always felt there was more to how this universe worked than what I could have discovered about it on my own. I can humbly say that I have a brilliant mind, both now and back then, and now I felt as though I had found all these things I was looking for.
However, one thing which both Seerow and I never learned and never were taught was how other people worked, not just the universe itself.
Even now, I look back on every conceivable angle as to how I could have prevented those figurative seeds of dissent from taking root against the Andalites and growing into a problem.
For the month after Seerow arrived, I was restless. I studied under him, and he was all too happy to teach me, pleased that he now had a student with such a desire to learn.
I studied math and science, and oh, there were so many branches of science to explore... Astronomy, biology, geology, physics...
Of course, I had to learn basic tool-making before learning about how more complex machines work. My mind was filled with these explanations of all these things which existed in our universe, from the massive objects far away to those too-small-to-be-seen basic building blocks which make up everything and everyone.
He even introduced me to art: The making of things as decoration or self-expression. Sometimes they were just meant to be pleasing to the senses, other times they had things like stories to tell or lessons to teach.
We Yeerks were very smart and had much potential to learn, Seerow and his mate - sorry, his wife - told us more than once. The thing was, we just didn't have that much knowledge at that point. As Seerow and Limdin told us, it was like having a nice big container (or brain) to fill with water (knowledge), but just not having enough water at the moment.
Of course, even as we were talking together and I was learning from him, there were other concerns to take into account... such as how my fellow Yeerks were taking all of this.
Naturally, they were all shocked and surprised at first, like me. As time went on, I began to witness the full spectrum of their reactions. Some of them were scared of the Andalites; some of them were hopeful in that it could mean better things for the Yeerk race; a few of them were actually hateful of the Andalites because they saw what happened as disrupting normal life on our home world; and a few remainder of Yeerks actually did not care about the Andalites at all.
However, there were a few problems, one of which was getting along with Seerow's offspring, not to mention a few of the other Andalites as well.
Actually, I was more than happy to get along with all the Andalites who were on our home world. But I guess friendship and the sort has to be mutual in order for it to work.
For instance, take the time I tried to introduce myself to his daughter, Aldrea... "tried" being the operative word.
At the time, she was very young by Andalite standards, and seemed to be very shy... particularly whenever I was around. Coincidence? Unfortunately, I don't think so.
"Hello, Aldrea," I said with complete sincerity. We were in the Andalite-Yeerk Peace and Cooperate Centre, and Aldrea and myself were in a room adjacent to where her parents were working on something or another. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. You must be really proud of your mother and your father."
She did her best to be polite by looking at me directly in the eye with her main eyes, but her stalk eyes seemed glued to the room's portal. She clutched her Pakka doll tightly as if it were a small shield generator, protecting her from who-knows-what-kind-of-dangers.
After a few uneasy moments with her quivering ever-so-slightly in fear, I tried a different tactic. "Is there something you would like to do? Perhaps we could play chess," I suggested hopefully. "Fascinating, really, the use of pieces and a surface for games of strategy..." I added, unable to keep the small excitement out of my voice.
she said almost pleadingly, as if I might force her to if she didn't want to play this Andalite game known as chess.
"It's alright, Aldrea, we don't have to play chess," I said calmly, wishing things weren't turning out this way.
Aldrea was now backing up a few paces, and I noticed that she was about to trip over a storage container on the floor. So, naturally, I tried to stop her from hurting herself.
"Aldrea, be careful, behind you," I blurted out, reaching out to take her arm. Big mistake.
the young cadet said bravely, although I somehow got the impression that he wasn't so sure about what he was doing himself.
Seerow said. Focusing his attention back to me, Seerow said,
I calmly explained to him how I was just trying to prevent Aldrea from tripping over a storage container. Seerow could still see the Andalite hoof prints in the semi-soft floor of the complex (the Andalites wanted it to feel like the ground of their own home world), and could tell that I was telling the truth.
Seerow told me at last.
Alloran looked at me suspiciously for a moment before finally leaving the room.
Seerow let out a sigh through his nose, as opposed to a thought-speech sound of disappointment. he said to me at last.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Seerow, and neither does Aldrea," I told him. There was just something very bothersome about seeing him apologize for something which he was not responsible for, or at least in my honest opinion.
"Yes, I think that would be wise," I said with a touch of sadness in my voice.
Many years later, when I first heard that human saying about how "actions speak louder than words," I would think back on this event, which was ultimately to be the first, last and only time I ever talked to Aldrea, and then wonder if it was the first of many things to come, where people would hate or fear me simply because I was a Yeerk.
Nor did things work out well between me and Alloran, either. Then again, I wondered if it would have even been possible given him and his attitude and temperament, where he would play pranks and pick fights with his fellow cadets. In my opinion, the final clinching proof that I probably could have never resolved things with Alloran-Semitur-Corrass was what he said to me long after the incident. I don't recall his exact words, but I do remember a rush of shock, anger and sadness and what he said, which was something about "us Yeerks" being a scourge of some kind, and how alien creatures with "abilities" like ours, to take control of other creatures with sufficient brain capacity, shouldn't even exist.
I do, however, remember pointing out that "we Yeerks" weren't armed with powerful weapons and powerful vessels, enabling us to travel between the stars and do who-knew-what. I would like to think that I made a fair point there.
Ultimately, however, Alloran finished it all off with what I do remember word-for-word:
How terribly ironic indeed.
However, the final problem which ultimately started the chain of events leading to the Yeerks marauding about the galaxy and the subsequent Yeerk War was not something an Andalite did out of fear or hatred, but something which I did out of innocently wanting to make things better.
It was on my way back from talking with Seerow one particular evening that I would unwittingly play a small and seemingly-harmless role in what was to come in the Yeerk War.
Thirteen Gedd-Controllers surrounded me. They didn't appear to be threatening, or at least as far as Gedd-Controllers go.
"Arklan Two-Five-Six?" the largest Gedd-Controller asked.
"Yes," I said slowly. "What's this about?"
"We thirteen Yeerks here before you want to talk to you about something, Arklan."
"I'm listening."
"For quite some time now, you have been learning from Seerow and the other Andalites," their leader said to me. "However, we feel that there should be some sort of council or group among us Yeerks to help mediate with the Andalites."
I could see where he was going with this. We Yeerks really didn't have any type of government before the arrival of the Andalites - after all, what was there to govern, apart from who got which Gedds as hosts and when?
However, I had to admit that even I was no "politician," but something more of an "ambassador."
"What are you saying?" I said at last, even though I had a feeling that I knew the answer already.
"We wish to be the council which will help lead the Yeerk race in the years to come," their leader said.
How could I say no? The whole thing wasn't even up to me to begin with!
Besides, I did what I was doing for all Yeerks.
"Very well, I don't see why not," I said at last. "But what will you call yourselves?"
With a quick collective look amongst themselves, the leader announced, "The Council of Thirteen."
TBC...
A/N: GARGH, I am SO sorry about how long it took to finish and add this chapter. I wanted to update it some time before the end of the year (2006, that is) because I didn't like keeping you all waiting like that. College this semester has not been treating me as nicely as I would have liked. However, I don't know when I might update this next, because I'm about to undergo a MASSIVE rewrite of my first major Harry Potter fanfic which I ever wrote, which I want to do and finally get done. Still, I'll try to update this if I can. You also may consider this a gift for the Holidays of Winter 2006, if you wish.
Note about the chess thing: I'm guessing the Andalites have their own version of chess. (Shrugs.)
The next part is where we see the first stirrings of trouble... -Quillian
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