"There might be something you could help us with," he says one night, when they break from a marathon session of video games to have pizza.

"Yeah? Like what?"

"We recently got some intel about a facility where we think the Yeerks are building some kind of weapon to use in another invasion. We don't know much about the planet- it's called Leera, and the people there can read minds- but they sent someone pretty high up in the empire to lead it. Whatever they're doing, it's important."

"And breaking into facilities is the sort of thing my skills are good for." At least, when a world lacks proper Master-Stranger protocols.

"That's the idea. The plan is that everyone else is going to try some reconnaissance while you and I try to infiltrate. Do you think you should wear a mask or some kind of disguise?"

"Hiding my expressions makes my powers work more slowly - though I guess retalliation's a concern if they've got cameras?"

"I think they will. These places are higher tech than anything we have on Earth. How much slower?"

"Cuts off indirect working, and I can't use the befriending thing to make people actively trying to shoot me stumble."

"The real problem is if the cameras are transmitting anything live. Otherwise, you talking to Visser One would give us the edge we've been waiting for, and the rest of the Yeerks wouldn't know what hit 'em."

" - If they're live and I'm turning up the charm enough to get a headache I might be able to hit anyone on the other side, especially if they're listening to my voice and watching my face."

"You're pretty charming. Alright. I'll bring it up with the others. If it goes well, this might be the most important thing any of us have ever done."

And it's back to less serious matters, for now.

Later that night, Scott calls and declares an emergency meeting at the animal clinic. Anyone who can make it should, and anyone who can't sneak out will get an update in the morning. They need to move fast.

He's the first to arrive- in human form. His guess is that everyone else are probably birds waiting in the bushes for him to open the door.

Whatever Callie might be, he certainly won't see it. Hear it, maybe, but this is hardly an infiltration that requires serious stealth.

Silv is a small, native bird - common and brown and entirely unexceptional - indeed waiting for him.

Jessica had a harder time sneaking out.

But she's there.

<Right by his feet. I should only need an extra few seconds.>

Scott waits for the bird to perch on his shoulder and opens the door long enough to let all sorts of creeping and crawling things inside. When everyone has finished demorphing, he begins.

"Nereus needs to be part of this mission, but we need to make sure his face is only caught by any cameras that we know about. We have to at least consider involving the Chee."

"What, exactly, do you think they'll add to the operation? I for one could do without non-violence programming getting in my way."

"The Chee are valuable," Jessica says, dragging a hand down her face. "And if this Nereus can mind-whammy the mind-whammiers then it might not come down to violence - if he gets stuck in there, I'm not going in to rescue him, so why would us being restrained to non-violence matter?"

"I can't get them to test the limits of their programming under controlled conditions. I don't want to find out under fire that they're obligated to stop us from doing property damage. There are too many variables."

"Illusions are way better than morphing bugs for stealth, Callie. This is our easiest decision yet. Get the queen next to their king however we can."

"We have to plan for the things that we can plan for. If the Chee turn on us, we're not ready. We could be."

"Do they stop random people on the street from spray painting buildings?"

"No. The Chee have been around for thousands of years and haven't interfered with history at all."

"If they're complicit as opposed to bystanders- look, I can acknowledge when I'm outnumbered. If you're all so set on this, fine, go ahead."