<We can drop them off and remain nearby. And I suppose retaliate if he murders them though that seems unlikely.>

Randi's expression hints that he wouldn't at all put it past Leareth to murder their envoy. "All right. You can arrange that, and I suppose send Masha, since she's already up north and - less valuable as a hostage than a more strongly Gifted Herald would be. She won't be able to manage a coercive Truth Spell, but if he's actually trying to cooperate, first-level should be enough." 

<Thank you. Would you want to watch the conversation with Leareth?>

Randi looks at Vanyel. "I think it's unwise for me to go anywhere close to him, right now. If you have a way of taking notes on it and independently verifying what he says, I would appreciate hearing about it afterward." 

<I can put the conversation as viewed and heard from our shuttle into a piece of glass and then bring it here so you can watch and listen to it as if you were there.>

"Wow!" Randi looks very impressed. "Yes, I would appreciate that." 

He attempts a human sort of nod, even though his neck is not ideally designed for it. <In that case I think we will contact Leareth to suggest a time and meeting place.>

"Thank you. - Vanyel, you really think he might be sincere about wanting to improve the world?" 

"Yes. I do." Vanyel's voice is firm. "I've been talking to him for ten years, and - I don't know how anyone could be a good enough actor to fake it. I'm just not putting it past him because he's thousands of years old. And - he could be sincere and also wrong and someone we have to fight. Just... It'd be better if we could not do that, right." 

<It is rarely a good idea to pick up a new war on a second front> he says dryly; it would be this for both of them, conveniently enough. 

Randi exchanges a long, narrow-eyed look with Vanyel. 

"...All right, I think that's everything we needed to cover now? I'll let Vanyel get back to guarding your ship." 

<We are grateful for his aid.> Pause. <We cannot repay it in the form of shared weaponry or technology; it requires an infrastructure base for maintenance that you do not have, and Leareth would be highly motivated to steal it, and so might the Yeerks if they learned of this place. If you would like concealed rides around the world or something similar, though, we are happy to offer that.>

Randi goes still. He seems to be thinking hard. 

"...We have the very early beginnings of a plan," he says. "For Karse. That you might be able to help with, without giving us any weapons Leareth can steal. How well shielded is your shuttle, particularly against our magic?" 

<Vanyel was able to detect our arrival. I do not know what he detected specifically.> He looks at Vanyel.

"It doesn't shield against Thoughtsensing. But I could add that sort of shield. Randi, what...?" 

"Karse recently underwent a coup by their priesthood. A surviving princess of the royal family, now the legitimate heir to the throne, escaped and came to us. She wants Valdemar's help to retake her country." 

"Oh!" Vanyel's eyes widen. "Matirin, the war was complicated because Valdemar has a policy against invading other countries. Even when they started the war with us." It's noticeable in his voice that he thinks this is kind of dumb. "So we couldn't just go conquer their capital city and give them terms, even though we probably have the resources to pull it off. But - if we can instead be supporting an ally... It's kind of pushing it, she's not the ruler right now, but the priesthood is horrible and keep summoning demons and I don't at all mind trying to depose them. Randi, you were thinking they, what, help us take Sunhame?" 

"This is still just an idea," Randi clarifies, "but - if we can get a strong mage and people to guard them over there, we can Gate troops in ourselves. The difficulty is infiltrating the capital of an enemy kingdom, when it's hundreds of miles in from the border. Sounds like you could get a small party there and just drop them off for us, and that wouldn't count as too much interference?" 

<We can do that.> He's not sure it's legal but it is technically not giving them any technology.

Randi nods.

"I know it's a lot to ask when you have so many troubles of your own, but - right now we absolutely can't afford to send Vanyel to help with the war on Earth. Even though he's vastly powerful and I'm sure would be an asset to you, and - gods, five billion people... If we can just get this war over with, it'll be a lot less risky to offer you some of our people." 

He nods. <Vanyel told me that Karse started the war. Over what? What were they hoping to achieve?>

"We don't really know. Conquest, I guess, they want some of our southern land, it's good farmland. Probably some internal politics, the King was unpopular with the priesthood and trying to curry favour with them. The pretext was that they want everyone to worship their god, Vkandis, but - who knows if that really has much to do with it." 

<...is that a god more like a legend people tell or more like a powerful entity from another world who does apparently magical things.>

Randi blinks, as though not quite parsing the question.

"Not a legend," Vanyel offers, "Vkandis definitely does things. Like, er, the shield-wall around Iftel, and there were some miracles around Karse's founding, and according to the book I read on their doctrine, He communicates prophecies to their high priest. I don't think He's from another world, not the way your world is a different world, although obviously gods don't live in this plane."