"Okay. I don't think somebody who makes lightbulbs is strategically important, anyway."

<I wouldn't expect so but at some point it might be useful to have people with freedom of movement on the Andalite home planet. Depending on what you decide to do.>

"I think he got arrested," says Rubelite.

"What makes you say that?" She sounds very proud.

"It fits, but I had other guesses till the freedom of movement part."

"I want to give you a hug, do you know if you like hugs in this body?"

"I do not know if I like other people doing it! The Presger does not hug."

"I bet it doesn't."

"Rubelite is the us who is a spaceship. Anaander is her you and a genocidal galactic empress hive mind."

<Things could very easily have turned out such that worse could be said about me, but - is that a good person to have on your interdimensional outreach team?>

"The other mes are kind of dense, so it's useful to have one around who's not."

"Nobody asked for the ones who suck, it just happened."

<I see.>

"So what were you arrested for."

<Actions on Earth not in keeping with Andalite law for contact with other intelligent civilizations. Plus going in the first place, which we did against orders.>

"And this is a secret because -"

<I was very popular on Earth, it'd damage relations. It'll probably be fine in a few more years once people've mostly moved on and the alliance has surer foundations. Also I sort of put the Imperatrix in charge and we want her to be a fact of the universe before anyone unravels how she ended up there.>

"So we shouldn't magically bust you out of prison?"

<I am not sure.>

"Those temporary gates, can you close them after less than two minutes if you want?"

"Yes."

"So we can get you out whenever, aforementioned opportunity cost."

<Once you've talked with the Imperatrix about what kind of relationships you want to have with the Andalites, whether to break me out will probably follow from that.>

"Does your world have an afterlife?"

<I have no reason to think so. Why?>