Yeerk Quantum Virus

[saamoz610]

If the Andalites hate Yeerks so much, why don't they release a quantum virus tageting them.

*First Thread*

[DinosaurNothlit]

Well, they sorta tried, actually.  Ax stopped them.  Book #38.  The whole thing about plintconarhythmic equations and whatever virus Estrid was creating?  I always assumed that was a quantum virus, or at least as close as they could get.  It's been speculated that something about Yeerk biology would make them immune to most viruses, which makes sense since they'd have to have a very powerful immune system just to fend off their host's natural defenses against parasites.  This would explain why, in the Hork-Bajir Chronicles, they didn't create the virus to target the Yeerks themselves.  It could be that quantum viruses are just not honed enough to get past Yeerk immune systems, so they needed something even more specialized for the task.

Congrats on your first thread, by the way, and welcome to the forum!  You should go introduce yourself in the social board.

[saamoz610]

Quantum viruses are just not honed enough to get past Yeerk immune systems

Yeerk immune systems must be something, if they could stop a quantum virus created by the combined efforts of the Arn and the Andalites.  By the way,doesn't a quantum virus sever the bonds that hold sub-atomic particles together?  I don't know what immune system could prevent that.

[RYTX]

I think the problem would be exposing the Yeerks to it directly.
They aren't just going to drop it on Yeerks trapped in homeworld pools- bad PR, but getting one that can bypass the host and only hit the Yeerks seems like it would be near impossible. And even if you did, then you have a disassembling Yeerk in your head.

Mostly likely easier to just target controllers, and somehow less shameful that well, killing helpless slugs by the boat load

[saamoz610]

How does a quantum virus spread?  Through blood, or maybe by air.  Plus, there are some Andalites who wouldn't mind the shame (Alloran in Andalite Chronicles).  Also, I don't think a disassembling Yeerk would be a problem, as it take away the organism molecule by molecule over weeks, and the molecules would dissipate in somebody's head.

[RYTX]

From HBC, it seems like it spreads through the air, since once the canister was open everything went to hell.

But I maintain than having a organism dying while attached to your brain would not be good for you.

We talk about yeerk immune system, but they must be something special that they don't evoke a response from any host body's defenses: wheather or not an external object is overcome by the host immune system, you still expect some response of the host: beat a flu or not, you still show symptoms-not the case with yeerks
It's one thing when they're to confined region, but random assortments of molecules from a separate organism drifting around your body


And while obviously some individuals would be okay with blasting yeerks in the pools, the majority of the Electorate wouldn't condone it.
Keep in mind, Elfangor didn't know Alloran had used the virus tell they worked together: it's not public knowledge, and it ruined Alloran I think he very much minded the shame.
After that, very few would do it to a planet of defenseless yeerks; the military couldn't officially do it. The people wouldn't stand for it, and then you have infighting between the military and the people.
Same reason they didn't fry the Yeerk planet with shedder fire, same reason earth survived when the Animorphs revealed that was plan to the Electorate

[yunyun]

I always thought that it was because the yeerks were everywhere, and it'll be hard and inhumane to wipe out every one of them.
And I agree with Dino. In #38, that was probably a quantum virus targeted at the yeerks

[saamoz610]

Would a Yeerk even be considered as something to attack like a virus or bacteria?  Anyway, wern't the Andalites planning to exterminate Earth or something?

[RYTX]

Anyway, wern't the Andalites planning to exterminate Earth or something?

Yep, that was my point. The military was going to on their own accord. But the Animorphs set up communication with the Andalite civilian net, which, once that was revealed, is why they didn't.
If the military/government/ whatever, decides they can instill their will w/o the peoples consent, they're asking for an uprising, and they don't want to face off with their own people.

The issue of the Yeerk home world is never highly detailed, but unlike Earth, it's a reasonable bet that the andalite populace was aware enough of that situation that the military couldn't get away with moving in, doing it, and apologizing later. They'd never get clearance for either in advance, but if the Animorphs hadn't been able to say "we won, it's safe" the military may have been able to be forgiven for wiping out a primitive species that greatly would have empowered the enemy after the fact.


Yeerk probably would be more akin to a worm infection. Some worms may be able to suppress effects, but nothing is 100% immune to immunity. And keep in mind that worms have probably been evolving with host immune systems since time forgotten.
The body could still be expected to recognize a foreign entity, whole or disassembling, and should have some response. That the Yeerks can suppress this response from every potential host without prior exposure is either 1) ludicrious science fiction (most likely that) or 2) a marvel of nature, considering how different in methods this independently formed immune systems should be.