trans_9 | Morning Ritual [open]

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Morning Ritual [open]

Ax stood alone on the grass surrounding the Garibah that Stacy had abducted from his homeworld. The ship lacked the sunrise he needed to properly perform the morning ritual, but he had decided that the Garibah would make a more than adequate substitute.

< From the water that gave birth to us, > he began, dipping his right forehoof into the dish of water he'd brought with him. The lack of running water in the vicinity had been the second problem he'd faced. He wasn't particularly fond of the ritual, but he certainly wasn't going to perform them in a room devoted to waste elimination.

< From the grass that feeds us, > he continued, crushing a tuft of grass under that same hoof. < For the freedom that unites us, > he spread his arms wide and looked up at the branches of the Garibah and up further to the ceiling of Stacy's City. < We rise to the stars. >

Ax bowed low. < Freedom is my only cause. Duty to the people, my only guide. Obedience to my prince, my only glory. The destruction of my enemies, my most solemn vow. > Rising from his bow, he stepped into a fighting stance and drew his tail blade against his own throat. < I, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, Andalite warrior-cadet, offer my life. >

The ritual complete, he relaxed his tail and closed his main eyes. This was the part where he was supposed to meditated on the ritual and whether or not he was living up to it. He'd never been particularly good at that part, not being a big believer in the rituals to begin with. But he was an Andalite, and he did intend to be a warrior, to continue being a warrior, and so the ritual must be performed.

Perhaps it would give him some direction.

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"The Yeerks," Katara muttered half to herself. "I keep hearing about them, but I avoided learning about it since it was before I came aboard the ship. I know there are a lot of people who don't like them, but I feel like I can hear something specifically in you that makes you hate them. I can make a guess that they aren't good memories. The Yeerks...they're from your world, aren't they?"

Huh. To make them more comfortable. She guessed that made sense in a weird kind of way. Personally, no amount of buildings was going to make her forget she was abducted on a strange ship going throug space, especially when nothing like it existed in her world.

< They're not from my world, but they are from my universe, > Ax said, putting away his omnicom. < They are a space-faring empire of mind-controlling slugs that wish to enslave or destroy all life they encounter. My species has been fighting them for longer than I've been alive. The ones on board Stacy attempted to take control of her mind in such a way that it would have likely wiped out any chance we have of returning home. >

They weren't much comfort to Ax either, as fond as he was of Earth. But then, he wouldn't have been comforted by the sight of more Andalite structures either.

"Mind control?" Katara's face paled a little. "Are you serious? They can control your mind? And they're on this ship still? Why hasn't anyone thrown them off yet? Don't they think keeping it around would be dangerous? What if there are more? Who thinks it would even be a good idea that they stay on the ship?"

Katara was definitely disturbed now. The memory of fighting Hama was still in her mind, having a tendency to star in her dream every now and then. She could have really hurt Sokka and Aang when they were being controlled, and that was just their bodies. To have their minds controlled....Katara shivered. "That has to be the creepiest enemy I've ever heard of."

< "Mind-control" may not quite be the best word for it, > Ax said. < I'm not sure there is a single word for what they do, but they control the bodies of others by wrapping their own body around the host's brain and cutting them off from control of their own body. >

Ax had been infested once, for a few minutes. It had been one of the most terrifying experiences in his life.

< Then they rifle through the host's memories so that they can act exactly like the host. It is almost impossible to tell who is and is not a Controller -- someone under Yeerk control. >

He shook his head at the rest of Katara's questions. < There are no more Yeerks on board. I saw them destroyed myself, along with their food source. This one only survived because its host was briefly returned to stasis and then released again. If the jury decides to spare the Yeerk, it will likely be returned to stasis or imprisoned some other way. I believe members of the crew are reluctant to kill it because it was an underling rather than one of the leaders, and possibly because it surrendered instead of attempting a suicide mission when it discovered that it was the only Yeerk left alive. >

"It sure sounds like mind control to me," Katara said. "I can't imagine having someone take my mind over and not beng able to do anything about it. I told you I was a waterbender, right? Well, once I came across a twisted woman who was a bender like me, but she knew a technique I never learned: bloodbending. For a short while, she was actually able to control me. I broke free, but it was horrible. Then...she started to bend my friends too. To stop her, I had to bloodbend her. It was one of the worse experiences I ever had to deal with."

Even now, Katara still didn't like talking about it...or the time she actually used bloodbending in a fit of revenge.

"I can't see why that would matter," Katara finally said quietly. "How do they know that it wouldn't attack other people on the ship? How do they even know that they would be able to keep it imprisoned? Do they really want to risk being mind controlled? Even if they don't kill it, it shouldn't stay non the ship. We're not a scary alien being museum."

< In their natural state, the Yeerks are helpless. For it to infest anyone at this point, it would need someone to take it out of stasis and place it in their ear, or in the ear of another person. >

Ax shook his head again. < I'm not going to defend the Yeerks. I've been fighting them for the past two Earth years; they've nearly killed me more times than I can count, and I've killed even more in turn. > And he had very nearly blown up the Yeerk Pool -- and the human town over and surrounding it -- with a nuclear missile. He didn't like even thinking about that. < But when I joined the military, I swore a vow to serve the will of the people and the will of my prince. You just witnessed me reaffirming that vow. If the people of this ship decide that the Yeerk is to be imprisoned, I will obey them. And I will be checking daily to be sure that the Yeerk remains imprisoned, as will my prince and several others. Of that, I have no doubt. >

"Those things can happen though," Katara said, "As easily as someone just lietting the Yeerk loose. You may think its the will of the peple on this ship that the Yeerk be imprisoned, and I'd really, really like to agree with you. But it only takes one person, Ax, ONE, to want to cause chaos. THey just have to stay quiet, lay low, and wait for everyone to be lured into a fake state of security."

Katara didn't like thinking like this, she really didn't. Still, she remembered Admiral Chao and his attack on the Northern Water Tribe as well as his attack on the moon god. It hadn't mattered that he would throw the world into imbalance: it was victory over enemies in chaos that he'd been after. "You said if the people decide on this ship that the Yeerk will be imprisoned, you'll stand by that decision. But what if there's some people on the ship that don't believe that? I respect your vow, Ax, and in some ways, I admire your people. But there will always be people on this ship from a different world that won't."

< I'm quite aware of how much chaos one person can cause, > Ax said, a touch reproachfully. < My allies and I have taken advantage of such things on more than one occasion. Because of that, are we to allow fear to rule us? To rule our decisions, especially those pertaining to life and death? > He shook his head. < When Sam Winchester attempted to subvert the will of the crew by going after the Yeerk by himself to kill it prior to its trial, he was caught and put in the holding cells in the Precinct here in the City. Anyone attempting to free the Yeerk to use it against the crew would likely receive a much harsher punishment -- if the Yeerk is spared. This may all be entirely academic. >

Katara was quiet. She could understand where Ax was coming from, to a point. It was still the idea of what the Yeerks were that changed things. She wasn't a girl that wanted to be ruled by her emotions, not anymore. She knew if it were presented to Aang that he would want the Yeerk free too. That made sense.

So why was she still uneasy?

"It's not only academic, its theoretical, and still, to a point, dangerous! Unless you can tell me the Yeerk is at a complete disadvantage, who would want to have such a risk only in prison? I really wish that were possible, Ax, but I've seen what determined people can do, and its pretty scary. An alien that can control how people see you and who you are is just...unsettling."

< A Yeerk in its natural state is entirely helpless, > Ax assured her. < They have no limbs, no eyes, and no natural defenses. If the jury votes to let it live, then it will be under guard, likely with additional defenses that Dox has undoubtedly been designing. I too have seen what determined people can do, and I know exactly how dangerous the desperate can be. But if we let a single, determined person control what we do to this Yeerk, what else do we let them control? I don't doubt that the crew can put down one or two temper-tantrums. >

He sighed. < I don't disagree that the Yeerks are unsettling. I'd use much stronger words myself. I just disagree that we should obey the will of a few people who think that they know better than everyone else on this crew. >

"So you're not for single person anarchy," Katara said, thinking a moment. "And you are a little more informed when it comes to the Yeerks. Well, I like that. At least you know that you can put them down if there's ever an uprising. But I also wonder: how many people on the ship agree with the status quo because its easier? Think about it: you're on a weird ship with other beings from other uninverses. Are you really going to elect to get your hands dirty by killing something? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I am wonderig about those other factors. I mean, let's say we had more than just five people who wanted to put the Yeerk down. What would happen to them if they wanted it enough that it caused a split on the ship? How do you go about repairing that?"

Even Katara recognized the danger in the situation. "And truth be told, I don't even know if letting it live is a good idea. I'm from another world too, and if there's one thing I know, its that seals or jails can always be broken. I have to believe that security will know what they're doing with the Yeerk, despite not really knowing what they can do."

< I'm not a peacemaker, I'm afraid, > Ax said, shaking his head. < I'm a soldier. A cadet, technically. If they want to kill the Yeerk badly enough to damage the cohesiveness of the crew as a whole -- which attempting to subvert the jury's ruling will do -- I'm not sure what I could do to repair the rift. >

Among the Animorphs, Cassie was the peacemaker. Ax had usually simply kept silent during arguments, limiting his contributions primarily to information rather than opinion. He knew how the situation would be handled on an Andalite ship; but this wasn't an Andalite ship, and the people on board weren't Andalite soldiers.

< I can only hope that those that disagree with the ruling would work within the system rather than try to use force to get their way. Making themselves heard isn't the problem, just trying to control the rest of the crew against their will. >

Katara was quiet. "In my group, I am," she finally said. "I needed to be, to make sure that our group could deal with certain situations. But we were lucky then: we never had to make a decision about killing anyone. I'd like to think it was good, but the truth is it could be reckless. The people that came after us then were human, but homicidal."

Katara paused a moment. "But as far the cohesiveness of the crew....that difference is going happen soon or later. The idea that we can all get along and get along together can only last for a little while. There's always going to be times we disagree. It might be better it happens soon, so that we're prepared. When the actual battle I keep hearing about happens, we won't be able to afford any disagreements. That's the time you'll need that cohesiveness the most."

Katara didn't mention the whole "working with the system" thing. She knew people were impulsive, not liking to want to do something like that.

< ...I'm not entirely sure what you're saying, > Ax said, peering closely at her. < I'm aware that, to some degree, the crew only gets along as well as it does because everyone agrees to it. We aren't a military force, every one of us has been abducted against their will. I'm aware of just how tenuous a position that is; but I believe that the outside threats are great enough, and the command staff are flexible enough to adapt to the changing needs of the crew. >

It sounded like Katara had said that the crew splintering into small factions was inevitable, but Ax was willing to give her a chance to clarify before he brought up that topic.

"No, that is what I'm trying to say," Katara said. "Outside threats that are held over us are definitely a way to unite the crew. At the same time though, we need the threat too. I'd like to believe that it'll be easy for us to unite, but I think there will always be people who believe in the things in their world superceding anything we have to deal with. I've had to come face to face with that the other day with a certain person, actually. It was an annoying reminder that some people will only believe the things that make them feel better about their situation."

< I too have encountered such people, > Ax said, nodding his head as he repressed a shudder at the memory of David and what had ultimately happened to him. < And there may very well be such people on board, though I hope they are in the minority rather than the majority. But the answer to those people is not to let them control what the crew as a whole does. >

Katara heard this, and a sinking feeling came to her chest. She understood what he was saying, and she could hear echoes of other people saying it, specifically one bald monk who thought the world of her. The sinking feeling come from knowing exactly why she thought that was wrong. His thought were of a democracy: hers was keeping the crew safe at whatever cost.

"I understand what you mean," Katara said softly. "I really wish I believed it too, because its the right thing. But I also know that the right thing can sometimes not be the best thing."

Ax stood quietly for a moment, looking up at the "sky" and the branches of the Garibah.

< No, > he said finally. < Sometimes the right thing isn't the best thing. And sometimes the best thing must be done, over the right thing. But whenever possible the right thing must be done, if only to keep us from becoming the monsters that we fight. >

Katara wouldn't argue with that. She knew what monsters looked like: she'd met Hamma, and there was her, of course. Katara knew somewhere there was her mother, hoping her daughter would do the right thing.

"The line isn't as clear as it used to be."

< Perhaps it was never clear to begin with, > Ax said. < And we only thought it was clear before because we didn't know as much as we thought we did. >

He'd spent a lot of time learning that some things that he had assumed or even been taught were wrong. War and reality were harsh teachers.

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Morning Ritual [open]

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