:Yes, I think so. It seems time sensitive: He frowns. :It's possible you should come, so Randi can negotiate with you directly as the leader here. I suspect he'd feel more comfortable with that: 

<I can come with you.> He does not love the idea but he is fairly confident Vanyel at least is sincere. <I will need about twenty minutes to make arrangements here should they be attacked or disturbed in the night.>

:Of course. Savil can stay - she's not as powerful as me, but she can get a message to me right away if anything happens and I: he winces a little, :could Gate you back at least, if minutes mattered. I - have a hard time with Gates, so I wouldn't be good for much fighting afterward, though:  

<I do not expect an attack but it's good to have options, should anything happen.> 

He makes arrangements and then they can get in the shuttle.

:Did the people trying to morph Masha figure out the Gifts part?: Vanyel asks as they do so. :When I checked in they were stuck but wanted to keep trying: 

<Not yet. I think that - it looks like Gifts aren't entirely on this plane? And the morph technology is accustomed to a construct that is. It might be possible to modify it so it works but I think it'll take some time if so.> It seems very very high priority but probably not quite as urgent as getting back into orbit so he hasn't put Cayaldwin on it yet.

:Right, of course, that makes sense. Mage-channels are...elsewhere, though they link up to us. Let me know if you think one of us using mage-sight would help them study it, I guess. Er, after we deal with this: 

And they can get in the shuttle and head for Haven. Vanyel is trying not to fidget and failing. 

<It has been a pleasure working with you. I am sorry to have placed such an extraordinary burden on your back.>

Shrug. :It's only a fraction of the one you're already carrying, right?: Vanyel isn't sure what else to say so he stares out the window at the ground flying by. 

It is seventeen percent of a candlemark to Haven. They land in the same place as last time.

Yfandes has been in contact ahead of them, and so a Herald is waiting there to take them to the Heralds' temple, which seems like the simplest indoor meeting place that has shields on it and also fits an Andalite. 

Randi is there, sitting at one of the pews; the temple is usually quite empty at this time of day and it's been cleared of other people. "Van, give us a privacy-barrier?" 

He does so. 

"War-Prince Matirin-Ashal-Nelinfir." Randi rises, bows to him. "Thank you for coming. Van says you would like our help in - opening talks of some kind with Leareth? I'll get his explanation in a minute but I would like to hear your side of this first, and why you think this is a good idea." 

(He's so dubious but he's mostly managing not to show it.)

<He has offered us several hundred mages who could help us in our war effort. I think he is reasonably likely to betray us and nearly certain to try to conquer this world after the war if he survives it. However, if there were any way to ensure he would not betray us during the war against the Yeerks, I would be tempted by this offer, because it might well be decisive in the fight for Earth. Should we refuse his offer I expect him to attack us and try to learn our technology anyway, if he does have the resources he claims to.>

"From what we know of the man, he does sound inclined to world-conquering." Glance at Vanyel. "Though until recently, most of our knowledge was very incomplete." 

<Yes. I know even less than you, and I do not like the idea of any plan that involves trusting him even slightly. However I think a conversation is worth exploring. If he did have some way to demonstrate his trustworthiness, it seems to me that with a few hundred mages we could win the war for Earth, which may otherwise not be winnable at all.>

Nod. 

Vanyel takes a deep breath. "We don't know for sure what Leareth's goals or intentions are, here. What he's told me, and been very consistent on, is that he's trying to save as many people as possible - but that includes future people, and he's willing to be very ruthless in the present to get there. I also think there's a lot he's not telling me about his plans." 

He looks down. "It's remotely possible he can fool a Truth Spell, but - I think the chance is low enough that it's pretty strong evidence, and maybe worth gambling on. And - one thing I know absolutely for sure is that he's competent and knows what he's doing, and he makes rational decisions given his goals. If it's in his selfish interest to ally with the Andalites rather than the Yeerks, he'll do that. I...just don't know what all his considerations there would be, and what if anything would get him to switch sides. Maybe if they offered to share their technology, though we could just ask him that under Truth Spell." 

<Or offered him some conquered planets. I don't know that they wouldn't do that.>

"Well, we can straight-up ask him if he'd switch sides for that too." 

Tail-flick. <Or if he decides Andalites are likely to oppose him in trying to conquer the galaxy, which we would. But again, asking seems worthwhile; if all we determine is that he cannot be trusted, we have lost very little.>

"Except we give him an opportunity to put a compulsion on our Herald." Randi grimaces. "I suppose we could plan to check for that afterward. Van, we're absolutely not sending you." 

Vanyel gives him a startled look. "No, of course not, that would be stupid." 

Randi thinks silently for a minute, then turns back to Matirin. "All right. We'll help you with this, since - finding out what Leareth is really aiming for will be valuable to Valdemar's decision-making too, and having your people's help makes it safer to send a Herald than it would be otherwise."