Why didn't Jake?...

[shift]

Sorry if I'm missing something but is there any reason (ignoring the fact that applegate needed a bit of tragedy) couldn't have sent some auxiliaries in with Rachael?

Is there any reason he couldn't have blackmailed a few more chee into projecting holograms of the auxiliary animorphs instead of just getting them all killed?

[Phoenix004]

Although a good idea, it would not work in this case. Remember when they get Erek to play Cassie as they arrive at the ship with Tom? One of the security guys had a life signs detector which didn't accept "Cassie" as a life form. I would assume that the ship's sensors would work in a similar way and not detect the life signs of the Chee pretending to be the auxiliaries.

[Duff]

Well we've talked about this quite alot, and I've come down to a few theories. Firstly, the chee wouldnt have survived the blast any better than the auxiliaries. They can survive low blasts but a direct shot from the pool ship, nope.

And jake didnt know any of the auxiliaries that well, he didn't know which of them he could actually trust to ask to go on a suicide mission. Cause had he asked the wrong person, they would have freaked out and told the group and they all might have left. And if had second thoughts mid-mission and tried to get out, Tom would have found out Jake was trying to double cross him and the whole plan would have failed. Rachel was the only one he could trust to sit quietly through the whole thing, knowing she was about to die, and then to do what was necessary when the time came.

[Azguard]

 dang it, I wonder how many real-live Rachels there are out there in the world.

[Phoenix004]

dang it, I wonder how many real-live Rachels there are out there in the world.

Well it's a fairly common name... 

[shift]

Well we've talked about this quite alot, and I've come down to a few theories. Firstly, the chee wouldnt have survived the blast any better than the auxiliaries. They can survive low blasts but a direct shot from the pool ship, nope.

And jake didnt know any of the auxiliaries that well, he didn't know which of them he could actually trust to ask to go on a suicide mission. Cause had he asked the wrong person, they would have freaked out and told the group and they all might have left. And if had second thoughts mid-mission and tried to get out, Tom would have found out Jake was trying to double cross him and the whole plan would have failed. Rachel was the only one he could trust to sit quietly through the whole thing, knowing she was about to die, and then to do what was necessary when the time came.

Well my understanding a chee could quite easily stand somewhere and make it look like nothing is there and project a lion 10 feet away and have it die realistically when hit.

Also the suicide mission was only a suicide mission because he only sent Rachael, if she'd had a small team with her they could have quite conceivably killed everyone on the deck. Though I don't know how many were on the ship I'll admit.

[Azguard]

 phoenix...
haha
 ...I meant, how many people are like Rachel with that ambition for war...and are also beautiful and fashion knowledgeable. ...or just how many natural female warriors in general.

[wotw2112]

Just to clarify: without the benefit of hindsight it wasn't a suicide mission at all.  Suicide mission means no hope of survival.  Rachel wasn't even supposed to be used if everything had gone right.  It only became a "suicide mission" once Rachel had to act because Erek interferred.

Thus there is no reason not to send at least one or two aux animorphs with her.

[XenomorphLV426]

They probably just weren't experienced enough to infiltrate it without getting caught.  Rachel had the know-how through three years of covert missions with the group.

Besides, one person infiltrates better than many do.  And if the kids had to demorph, they'd be screeeeewwwweeed.

[Phoenix004]

phoenix...
haha
 ...I meant, how many people are like Rachel with that ambition for war...and are also beautiful and fashion knowledgeable. ...or just how many natural female warriors in general.

Yeah I knew what you meant, sorry. I would imagine there are more Rachels out there then you might think. I for one know several girls I would definitely want on my side in a fight (or at least not on my opponent's side!)

[Azguard]

 i dunno, I find that agressiveness a little attracting....and scary. haha

[Starsword]

No one said Rachel was nuts. I have a poster on my wall with a John Wayne quote: Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.
She just saddled up better than most. I doubt she had a "ambition for war." Sometimes people fear the end more than the means.

[Azguard]

 hmmmm....interestin g.

 you know what? maybe Rachel was actually lonely. Despite her looks, despite her knowledge, despite her popularity, maybe she was always looking for something more. i guess this would mean she's way intelligent, but you know, something life-fulfilling. And she got it through the war.

[Starsword]

i guess this would mean she's way intelligent

I always thought she was a sharp cookie, she could see direct lines of thought, much like Marco, she was just a bit more short sighted.

[Azguard]

 yeah, it's interesting to see how all the Animorphs have traits that lend to the war.