trans_9 | Closed to Animorphs and Guards.

His hands itched. So did the backs of his ankles. And his head hurt.

It was rather annoying to not be able to scratch the itch. The headache was more troubling. It was going to get worse, but for the moment it was just an ache behind his eyes, aggravating more for the reminder than the actual physical pain.

He was helpless.

He let his head lull forward, resting his chin on his chest and testing the bindings on his hands. They were solid, and it didn't give in the least. They didn't even have the decency to scratch the damned itch.

He was hungry, and that would get worse as well. He had a feeling the current small portions of food would continue until he starved. He would get the added pleasure of his host's hunger making his own worse.

< They're going to kill you. > Tom's voice was soft, invasive, and annoying.

< That should make you happy. You're getting everything you wanted, aren't you Tommy-boy? >

The host was silent, considering.

Iniss kept his head down, soon, perhaps, one of his jailers would decide to lecture him, and who knew what might happen then?

If he pretended to be asleep, maybe they would just leave him alone.

((Occ: Give me what day you're on when you tag in, and we'll just do it sorta day by day? I guess? Maybe? Suggestions?)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Jake felt like he was on the brink of something, like if he just said the right words here, he could convince the Yeerk to do what he wanted. Whatever that was. Maybe he could convince the Yeerk that he was sincere, that if it let Tom go willingly, they wouldn't murder it in cold blood. But he wasn't about to go through that much trouble just to eliminate his best excuse to see his brother's tormentor dead, to say, 'Sure, they were working on artificial host bodies, but the Yeerk chose to starve.' And maybe that was no better than murder, but Jake didn't look too closely at his actions as he muttered a simple, "Fine. Then we'll wait."

And suddenly Jake was taken with something like - pity. The Yeerk must know that its chances at survival were slim, and here it was, trying so desperately to find some weapon, some leverage, while all it had to go on was this system, this game, of question for question, answer for answer. He met the Yeerk's gaze, shook his head sadly. "It was never about saving everyone. Once I found out what the Sharing was, what Tom must have been, my goal was always - this." He motioned vaguely to the room, to Tom, then let his hand fall. "I don't have any more questions for you."

"I supose we will." He scowled faintly, bowing his head briefly.

Information, understanding. They had always been what he valued. Trying to understand these humans, trying to understand what made them work the way they did...it had always been so confusing.

"That doesn't answer how you got involved. Just that you are selfishly motivated. So if you could have saved Tom, you would have what? Retired to the country side?" His lips pressed into a thin line, scowling. He needed to know.

They were going to kill him anyway, why not just TELL him?

"Why are you so hung up about this?" Jake demanded, trying to read answers from the way Tom's face darkened. It was hard in spite of everything to remember he wasn't talking to his brother, hard not to read condemnation on his brother's face for his actions, his choices, all the delay.

"I-- yeah, at first, if I could, I would've freed Tom right there and just, I don't know, run away. But there was never the time to be selfish, you know? There were always other things to deal with, the bigger picture, and people got hurt. Tom, I--"

Jake broke off, frowned. "I guess you realize that no one will be safe, not until this war is over."

"Because *I* protected you. And I wonder how useless that was." And he had, when others had carefully infested entire families just to cement their cover, he hadn't gotten Jake and his host's parents infested.

"How very grown up, Jake. I'm almost proud." The words were harsh, but the kid was going to kill him.

< There's always a bigger picture, Jake, you did the right thing. It's ok, I understand. If you'd gone after me, it just would have blown the whole thing wide open and mom and dad would have gotten involved. You did the right thing. >

"You protected me?" said Jake skeptically. "Don't you mean you left us free so you could use us to threaten Tom with? It's true, isn't it?" And as Jake spoke the words, he became certain. "Even in my brother's head, even controlling his every movement, you couldn't control him, could you? That's why you needed us free."

Jake remembered the books of poetry, and wished he'd thought to bring one with him. "You don't have to worry about that anymore, Tom," he said firmly. "It's never going to get me."

He snorted. "No, Jake. I protected you. Tom and I have a deal. If he didn't cause trouble, then I would do my best to keep you, your parents, and your little dog out of the invasion unless my life or safety were compromised. I felt no need to shred your brother into tiny pieces of a person. Excuse me for not being the cackling evil you assumed."

He watched Jake, eyebrow arching thoughtfully.

< I know I don't, Jake. And I'm glad. I'm so glad. >

It was the second time Jake had been taken aback, and the second time he had to stop and wonder if Iniss was telling the truth. It was obvious why he'd lie, less obvious why he'd keep a promise like that - but something stopped Jake from disregarding the idea as impossible. He almost found himself about to thank the Yeerk, before he caught himself and shook his head. No. Either way, the deal only benefited the Yeerk. Getting Tom to quiet down, stop fighting, was nothing but good for him.

Still, Jake remembered his own experience, knew for fact that Temrash would have beaten his host down rather than negotiated. Jake gave a small shrug, not a commitment, but also not a denial. "Just the body-snatching evil that you are, then, even right now."

Iniss had discovered an odd trait about humanity. Often times, when you presented them with the truth, it confused them more than the most elaborate lie.

"Well I can't argue with that, Jake. Though your impression and my understanding are two completely different things, after all. I'm just surviving the best way I know how, kid. You opinion is entirely subjective based only on your personal understanding."

< Does it make you feel better about your self to use four dollar words against a kid? Or is that just for your own personal enjoyment? >

< Hush, this is fun. He still thinks I'm lying to him, which means he can't read me. This is fantastic. >

< Quit. >

Jake took a moment to let the syllables slide into place. "Based on my own--? Well, yeah, not like I've got anything else to base on. Isn't it the same for you? All these years, and have you ever felt..."

But no, that was a stupid thing to ask. Like all this could be made right with guilt, or an apology. Besides, today was the Yeerk's last full day on Earth. Or. On Stacy, actually. It was different in the heat of battle, different to sit in the same room and wonder about the creature that was dying in front of him.

"Hey," he said, after some silence. "Do you... do Yeerks ever... do anything? Like, you go through all this trouble to enslave us, and then what? Just fly off to the next planet and start some more wars? Don't you have any - I don't know - Yeerk hobbies, or anything? Yeerk sports? Yeerk books? Do Yeerks ever tell jokes, or does fighting with your hosts all day not leave time for a sense of humor?"

He tipped his head, staring at Jake. "Have I ever felt?"

He paused for a moment, processing the question. "I've been told that attempts our attempts at humor are terrible. We don't have what you humans consider novelists, though we do have research specialists." He leaned his head back, resting against the wall behind him, sighing faintly. "I enjoy reading your human books, especially your history, we have nothing that can compare. I enjoy your brother's sense of humor, but I think his taste in reading material is utterly terrible. Poetry very rarely approaches sense. I've learned a lot about your species in my time on earth. I find them interesting. Odd, isn't it? You little murderours humans are going to kill me. But I still find you fascinating. Knowledge has always been my drug."

Closed to Animorphs and Guards.

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