trans_channel | PSA: this is your brain on Yeerks

Entry tags:

PSA: this is your brain on Yeerks

My name is Jake. I'm here to tell you that there is a Yeerk among you. His name is Iniss 335, and his host is Tom Berenson. My brother.

I'm new to this ship, but not to the war against the Yeerk invasion. I'm told that some of you are sympathetic to the Yeerks, that you pity them, and I understand.

I'm not going to tell you that you're wrong. I can't make that call for you. But you know what the Yeerks are. You know how they control a host so completely, so perfectly, that you can't tell who around you is free and who's helpless in his own mind. The one you don't know is Tom, who has been imprisoned for more than three years. Imagine being unable to move a single muscle, voice a single thought, imagine your body a tool for your captor, used to enslave everyone you care about. Imagine that your thoughts are no longer your own, that someone else can rifle through them at will, and does: uses your knowledge to fool your friends, find their weaknesses, and your every fantasy to shame you.

I know that my brother is strong, but I also know that he is suffering, and I would like that suffering to stop. If you still feel that all creatures have a right to live as they choose, then so be it. But I hope you won't mistake Iniss for the victim here.

If you see Tom, I would appreciate any information.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah. I have powers. I don't know what that'd do with neurons, not to mention one form might not even be possible to infest period.

...I can't demand Iniss leaves Tom's body when he told me what it's like outside it. I know I couldn't do it. I'd do most anything to avoid it.

That combined knowing that I can easily justify a body take over on my own without a society that I KNOW makes people do weird things no matter the culture, I couldn't ask him to do that.

But I want to get more freedom for Tom because not being in control....

...that's why guilting me doesn't really work. I already feel bad what I'm doing to Tom, but this is the most peaceful way to get the best solution.

Yes, Iniss has told you what it's like outside of his host body. But has Tom ever told you what it's like inside it? I had a Yeerk in my head, Dani. This isn't something I tell most people, but I saw how easily it rifled through my memories, created the perfect illusion of me and nearly fooled all of my friends while I sat in there, screaming, helpless.

You're right that I shouldn't try to guilt you, but I do want you to know that there's no guarantee that you've ever talked to Tom. Yes, Iniss can say exactly what Tom would say, exactly how he'd say it - he probably doesn't even see a difference between that and letting Tom say it himself. But as long as Iniss is in there, he has no reason to ever give up control to Tom, even for a short while.

I know there's a chance Iniss is lying to me.

I have always been aware of that.

But there's no advantage to him doing so. Especially when I, unlike almost every other person on this ship except my cousin, is the LAST person he wants against him.

He didn't have to tell me he was a Yeerk. He chose to do so. He chose to risk that I would honestly understand where he was coming from, that I'd give him a chance and I'd try to help. And there's no advantage to lie after that. It's not like Tom has been saying he's great or anything. The best compliment is he's not as bad as the last one he had in his head.

I am Ba'al.

Understandable. I cannot imagine that anyone is completely pleased about this situation. I will certainly keep an eye out, and make sure he is no physical danger.

You bet dude! Just name the place, Mi powers is su powers!

Did you know the reason Bloodhounds faces are all droopy and wrinkly and stuff is to keep skin cells from being scattered when they're sniffing out a scent? Their noses are bigger too so they can detect as few as two skin cells even if the cells have been there for up to a week!

No, I'm not saying that.

I need you to keep this particular issue between yourselves if you can, something that you've markedly not done with this little announcement. As you can already tell, cooler heads aren't prevalent around this particular issue.

Necessary or otherwise, do you think you have that much control over this situation?

I'll do that. I know if it was one of my brothers out there, I'd want to know everything I could.

Turned out we were never dealing with a real Yeerk in the first place. The real one had been smuggled: the fake was to catch the people that were going after it. Ax was probably happy with those results, although a few people were shot at.

You're welcome--and I do understand. I think if I were in your place I'd want more evidence than just word of mouth, too.

Oh--he's Nightwing. And... I've been incredibly remiss as far as introductions go. I'm Robin. It's nice to meet you, Jake.

Well, I'm from a planet called Earth, and a nation called the Holy Britannian Empire. We don't have aliens or anything mystical, just ordinary humans.

I'm sorry, I'm not used to the idea either, so I'm not sure what would make it different from other worlds.

It's something like that, but not exactly. They come from my own world, from the Earth in which I live. It's quite interesting, really, how people continually rationalize strange things. Most of them still don't know what's really out there. That's why there's us, I suppose.

It's possible. Extremely creepy, but possible, I guess.

How do you recognize a 'controller' anyway?

I'm not either.

I never doubted that it would be a group effort, and I'm grateful for it.

~~Yeah, actually, that is true.~~ Why are you telling me thi-- oh.

Thanks, Beastboy. I think we'll find him too.

I doubt Ax was pleased that the rest of you got into trouble, but if it was a Yeerk that met Ax's approval, I'm glad it wasn't harmed. Where is it now? And where did the fake one come from? The ship itself...?

Fear is a great reason to lie. Maybe the only reason.

But it's strange, thinking of Iniss having friends. I mean, we consider the peace movement Yeerks to be our friends, but Iniss isn't... Iniss is still...

Just be careful, Dani. If anything happens, don't be afraid to let us know.

That's weird, I'm from Earth too. I've never heard of that empire, though. Maybe you're from my future?

In that case, I'm glad aliens - Yeerks - aren't an issue for you.

That's the thing - you can't. They can behave exactly like you, if that's their intention. Just be careful of suspicious orders. And... Yeerks need to leave their host bodies to feed every three days. The only way to be sure someone's not a Controller is to hold them for that long.

Ah, probably not, if you haven't heard of Britannia. It's been around for centuries.

I'm glad, too. If I find a way to assist you, I'd be glad to.

But he wasn't afraid to tell me he was a Yeerk. He talked to me about them and he decided to tell me. I didn't force him or figure something out. It just seems stupid to be honest only to make a situation for yourself where you lie.

I know it isn't impossible. I've kept that fact in mind, but he took a chance to trust me. Until I see proof not to, I'm going to return the favor.

But besides that, like I said, I'm the last person he wants against him. And he's seen enough of my abilities if he's smart enough to pull off such a big lie right off the bat, he could probably figure out what they could mean for him.

...Right. I apologize for not getting more familiar with the history of the ship beforehand, but I still think it best for everyone - and not necessarily for my team - for the threat to be known. The last thing we want is for Iniss to take it upon himself to infest a new host body - and dispose of his old one. If it comes to that, I'd rather...

Well. What's done is done. If you're worried about other people getting hurt, please help me to contain the threat.

So Nightwing's in Security. So... so I'm talking to ~~Jason Todd? Tim Drake?~~ Robin. That's... yeah, that's an added reassurance. It's nice to meet you too.

Your brothers? ~~I thought you were an only child. Wait, it's creepy that I know this.~~ I'm glad you're on the case.

But the best lies are based in truth, aren't they? Never mind. You've... never been exposed to Yeerks before, and I've been too much. We're not going to agree on this, but want to speak with Tom the way you have, if that's my only option.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 6 of 7

PSA: this is your brain on Yeerks

no subject

[Private]

Re: [Private]

[private]

no subject

[Private]

[Private]

Re: [Private to Katara]

[Private]

no subject

no subject

no subject

Re: [Private]

no subject

Re: [Private to Katara]

Re: [Private]

no subject

no subject

no subject

Re: [Private]

[Private]

[Private] 1/2, this comment probably gets deleted

[Private]

[Private]

Re: [Private]