Surviving in enemy territories

A few days earlier.

You didn't find anything more. I must inform you that I am sick. Exclaimed Marco upon seeing us return with a very insufficient amount of food from our supply expedition.

It had been a few days since we narrowly escaped from the permalite ship. At the last moment, the ship had forcibly transported us into an escape pod. Thanks to the extremely advanced camouflage technology of the permalite, our escape had not been detected. But we were now stuck on the yeerk capital planet.

Moreover, we quickly noticed that Marco's injuries had not yet had time to heal completely. With time, he would recover, but his face was permanently disfigured. When he saw himself in a mirror, he initially recoiled. Then he tried to make a joke about a comic book character named Two-Face, which made no one laugh (that was normal with Marco's jokes). Afterwards, he insisted that everything was fine, but even if we didn't talk about it, we all saw his forced smile. In the meantime, his condition completely forbade him from using the morph power again. If he transformed, he would risk reopening his wounds, and this time, we would not be able to heal him.

He therefore had to lie down all day in our hideout while we went out on expeditions in search of food or information (we had to find a way to stop Visser-one and return to Earth).

I still didn't know whether to scold him for playing with a grenade or congratulate him for saving our lives. I was beginning to understand the behavior of the sergeant who raised me. How unfair I found him at the time. But today I understood that he chose to prioritize our safety over our well-being. He did what he could.

Marco, stop complaining or I'll tear off the other side of your face. Exploded Rachel.

How dare you attack a weak and defenseless man? Please Jack, protect me from this fury. Marco joked.

Marco, that's enough. Said Jack wearily. None of them were used to enduring the lack of food, and the situation was exacerbating everyone.

In the slums where we had taken refuge, there was little edible food for humans. When I think that they dared to claim to be omnivores, while the only thing suitable for them was taxxon meat (and moreover, it had to be cooked and they needed assurance that it wasn't human meat). Of course, since we didn't know any established yeerks who could help us, we were forced to steal everything. For our outings, the power of morphing was very useful. Even essential, since we had learned from our first visit that it was out of the question to wander around in human form... However, it had its limits. The managers of the local food depots were becoming more and more suspicious when they saw a group of hork-bajir approaching their premises (especially knowing that hork-bajir feed exclusively on tree bark).

I was about to feed myself when I saw a suspicious shadow slip by quickly. My soldier's reflexes took over. I got into a combat position and drew the weapon I had managed to steal two days ago.

Who's there? I shouted

I had the unpleasant sensation of feeling the blade of a Hork-Bajir against my neck. A quick glance around me and I understood that the other Animorphs had just been immobilized by Gedd armed with knives that seemed familiar to me.

—Well, well, look who we have here. I thought I had warned you about what would happen if I found you on my territory. But first, you are going to return the guest food you stole from us.Ask the Hork-Bajir controller who had immobilized me.

— What do you plan to do with it? Your hosts are vegetarians.I replied, noticing with annoyance that he had managed to slip behind me without me noticing anything. How could he have done that? I wondered.

Surprising. I would have thought you would start by denying being the thieves. Too bad, making you confess could have been fun.

He paused to let his accomplices snicker wickedly.

Thevenin, what do they want? Jack asked angrily.

I don't know yet. Don't do anything for now. I replied to him.

Then the leader of the gang resumed:

Know that our motivations do not concern you. Just tell us where she is.

In your opinion? What do people who steal food do? We ate it.

— Such a large quantity? Exclaimed the gang leader in surprise.

— There weren't that many.Was I minimizing

You deserve for me to slit your throat. Do you know how hard life is here?

It's just food for guests.I reminded him.

No matter. His deposits are on my territory. I'm the only one who can extort them.

I thought they were paying us to protect them, boss.The gedd intervened, threatening Rachel with his knife (she was making a visible effort not to send him flying with a kick).

The leader of the gang let out a huge sigh and then replied:

Eril841, stop doing that thing with your mouth.

What, speak? Asked the gedd penault.

No, breathe. You can't imagine how much it annoys me.

Le gedd lowered his eyes as his leader turned his attention back to me.

We can see that you've never experienced hardship. Well, how about you start by explaining what Andalites are doing here?He asked.

Andalites? What makes you think we are andalites?

Don't play dumb with me. We followed some Hork-Bajir to this hideout. Unless he's hiding in your pants. I'm a former member of the elite commandos. Your little tricks won't work on me.He retorted while pressing his blade harder against my neck.

Why would Andalites have stolen meat?Was I trying to defend myself (everyone knows that Andalites graze on grass)

Why would Andalites come to the Yeerk capital?He replied.

You see? For you too it doesn't make any sense.I replied defiantly.

He laughed. Then he threatened:

You're a real joker, you are. I wonder if you'll still be laughing once I've gutted your friends.

He gestured to another gedd who brought his knife closer to Rachel. I shouted hastily:

If we really are Andalites, then you know that playing with my friends is not the best way to live long.

The gedd paused his action and gave an inquisitive look to his leader.

I thought you weren't Andalites?Demanded the boss, convinced that he had pushed me to make a mistake.

We are not there yet, but that doesn't mean we are defenseless. However, we would prefer to avoid fighting because of the injuries to one of ours. On the other hand, we can compensate you for the meat. In fact, if you help us, we could make you one of the most powerful yeerks in the capital.

Your babbling started well. But don't you think the last part is a bit exaggerated? What could have such value in this cupboard?

The cubbyhole.I replied. Then I shouted :

Capsule, I'm hungry.

Immediately, a light fell from the ceiling and I was able to feed on Kandrona at will without even leaving my host. After our landing, I had the very pleasant surprise of finding out that the ship had integrated this feature into the escape pod. We were all considerably relieved to understand that I wouldn't need to release David from my control every 3 days.

Our attackers were so astonished that the Hork-Bajir released my neck without noticing.

So, do we have a deal?I asked

You are definitely not Andalites.He replied.

Then he took a few minutes to think before answering:

Ok, we have a deal.

Then he ordered his underlings to release my companions.

What did you tell them? Jack immediately asked me.

In summary, we were going to give them the remains of the permalite escape capsule if they helped us infiltrate Visser-one's ship. Or rather, that's what I hope to negotiate.

Are you sure about your move? What makes you think they won't just kill us as soon as we give them what they want? Or betray us?

I don't have the impression that they are on good terms with the authorities. Otherwise, their initial plan was indeed to kill us, but I made them believe that you were dangerous. So try to look as threatening as possible.

As soon as they see Marco eat, they will be terrified. Commented Rachel.

Speaking of which, could you ask them if they have anything to eat? Marco asked.

But you only think about your stomach. Complained Rachel.

You could maybe offer to give them a large sum of money once we're back home? You know, so they have an interest in us getting back home. Asked Jack, who had remained serious despite this exchange between his cousin and his best friend.

The Yeerks do not know the concept of money. Like most races in the galaxy, by the way. I replied.

They all seemed extremely surprised.

How do you pay for what you need? Cassie asked.

We don't pay. We just take. What's the point of exchanging pieces of paper or bits on a hard drive? Besides, I'm really interested in the answer, because I've never really understood the point of this ritual. I explained to them.

But how do you know who is entitled to what? And what do you do when there isn't enough of something for everyone? Cassie insisted.

Just like at home. High-ranking Yeerks order their subordinates to produce as much as possible, then they appropriate the production and use it to maintain their power by redistributing it to their subordinates or to acquire new means of production. However, with us, the rank of a Yeerk is not materialized by the money they possess, but by the rank assigned to them by the imperial administration. Means of production are not purchased they are obtained by imperial decree or on the order of a Visser. And unlike money, these are obtained by merit and not by inheritance.

However, you have an emperor, and I thought you said that you and your brothers were destined from birth to be soldiers, asked Cassie.

Besides, Tom says that for you, the Yeerks who chased after promotions are idiots, and that's why you didn't report us at the start, Jack intervened.

I didn't know what to answer (Author's note: If he had read Bourdieu, he would know what to answer), so like any politician feeling cornered by a voter's questions, I changed the subject.

Yes, well, at home, there is no one who dies of hunger. To maintain their rank, a yeerk must distribute the production as much as possible, whereas with you, it's necessary to save as much money as possible. And to save, there must necessarily be debts and therefore people who end up having less than nothing while others have everything.

What? She exclaimed incredulously.

Well yes. To save, you have to sell more than you buy. This is only possible if some buy more than they sell. The expenses of some are necessarily the income of others. Thus, the assets of some are necessarily the debts of others. I explained to him.

Yes, but here, we are free. If I understand correctly, where you are, to get the slightest piece of bread, you have to beg your superior. Argued Cassie.

It is considered a due and the superior has an interest in giving this piece of bread to maintain their power. And in your country, only the minority who save find themselves free. The rest find themselves in a position of begging worse.That of the worst-placed Yeerk. You have the illusion that your system allows a majority to be free because you are fortunate to live in the West. Otherwise, you would know that your freedom is the counterpart of the enslavement of others.

Yes, okay, stop both of you. This is not the time. Our guests are getting impatient and I still don't know how to speak Galard. Do we agree that both systems are completely rotten and that we should find something else? Jack interjected.

Yes, I agree. She said reluctantly.

Alright too. But still, the Yeerk system is superior. I let out, annoyed by this discussion.

No, it's the humans'.

Jack did a facepalm.

oOoOoOo

Author's note: I hesitated a lot before adding this last passage.

When, unbeknownst to me, my characters decided to visit the heart of the Yeerk empire, I was very annoyed. It wasn't what I had originally planned, but that's where the writing led me. As an author, I love those moments when my story escapes me and my characters seem to live their own lives in my head (my therapist is adamant that I'm not crazy, just original). But the problem is that in the original novels, not much is known about the planets controlled by the Yeerks. So I spent some time inventing a Yeerk society that seems coherent with the few clues given in the original books.

But when I finally wrote its last 3 chapters, I had no opportunity to include what I had invented in my story. I realized that logic forces the animorphs to make a quick stop on the planet, keeping their eyes down as much as possible to avoid being noticed. As a result, they neither visit nor discover anything about the Yeerk society. And everything I had imagined was therefore perfectly useless. But at the same time, I found it really unfortunate (and disappointing for the reader) that the characters wander an alien planet and discover nothing even slightly exotic. So, with much hesitation, I decided to add this passage, a bit forcefully, to fill this gap.

I would like to have your opinion in a review. Is this a useful addition or not? No, it's not a trick to get more reviews (damn, they foiled my plan).