"Applegate, Katherine A - Animorphs - 17 - The Underground (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Applegate Katherine A)

I live among these humans now. With the
group of young humans who were given the morphing
power by Elfangor. They call themselves
Animorphs. They resist the Yeerk invasion of
Earth. All alone, as far as we know.
I live with humans. I respect them. But
my hearts are still Andalite. No matter what
anyone ever says about me and about what happened on
Leera, I am true to my own people.
And yet there are times when I wonder: Who are
my own people? My race, my species? My
family? My friends? My allies?
My human friends insist on reducing my name
to "Ax." You see, humans communicate
by making mouth-sounds. (most Andalites understand the
concept of a "mouth," I believe.) And although my
full name is easily pronounced in Andalite
thought-speak, it is somewhat long and complex for
primitive human mouth-sounds.
I am alone on this planet. The only one of
my species. The only Andalite among all the
humans. So I have used the morphing technology
to create a human morph. And sometimes, for two
hours at a time, I become human and pass
among humans as one of them.
I am very good at passing for human, if I
say so myself. I have learned the customs and
habits perfectly so that I seem entirely
normal.
That's how I am able to pass even in the most
human of places. For example, the mall. Which
is a place full of shops, most of which sell
artificial skin and artificial hooves.
Technically known as "clothing" and "shoes."
The mall also houses the most wonderful eating
places. You see, in addition to making sounds with
their mouths, humans use them to eat. They place
foods into the mouth opening and grind the foods with
teeth while adding saliva. This involves a
sense called "taste."
Taste is very, very powerful.
Oh, yes.
I was wearing artificial skin and artificial
hooves like a human. I approached the counter of
my very favorite eating place.
"Hello," I said, making mouth-sounds with my
human mouth. "I will work for money. Muh-nee.
Mnee."
I should explain: Money is a sort of
abstract human concept. You give amounts of