Leareth gets up and paces, silently, staring vaguely out at the ocean without really seeing it. Thinks about death camps and gas chambers and - what would even be going through someone's mind, who would sit down and plan the logistics for that when there was so, obviously, unavoidably no point. 

He watches him thoughtfully.

The sun starts to set. It'd be cold, if not for the weather-barrier. 

He pretends to read his biography of President Clinton. Keeps watching Leareth, and thinking. 

Cayaldwin finds a National Geographic article about the history of the steam engine and bookmarks it for Leareth. For later.

Leareth slips outside the weather-barrier and stands by the water. The tide is coming in and he halfheartedly steps back, not enough to avoid getting his feet damp. 

Eventually, when it's almost fully dark, he heads back in. Probably he should put some more wards up, or something, if they're going to stay here tonight...

:I am sorry for being unhelpful tonight: he says to Matirin and Cayaldwin, a little stiffly. He starts casting wards. :It - is not pointful being upset about something that ended fifty years ago, so I will try to stop now: 

<For me, at least - I might speak so broadly as to claim 'for Andalites' - some things are meant to hurt, and if a soldier finds that they have ceased to hurt from them I would be worried about them.>

Leareth gives him a mildly surprised look. 

:...It always hurts: he says after a moment. :I am not ever going to forget that. And - I am making an update, and that hurts especially...: 

(- a flicker of stars, closer to the surface than usual - ) 

:More people than the entire population of my world died in a single war fifty years ago. And - nothing was even won, nothing was bought for that price: He's so angry. :But - the stakes are even higher than that, for the people we are here to try to save: 

<Yes. 

I think -

- I think this time we are not too late.>

And he sent one of his brothers off earlier, on the shuttle, in the form of a beetle, with the weapons to do it himself, if Matirin is wrong and it is too late.

Leareth nods. He feels vaguely comforted, which isn't at all what he expected to come of that interaction. 

He finishes putting up wards and then looks around for a good spot to sleep. 

The Andalites have as usual cuddled up in a herd. Would Donni's Companion like to join?

Awww, yes, Rasha would really like that. It's lonely being the only Companion in an entire world. She's started Mindspeaking other people just to break the silence in her head. 

It sounds really miserable! Andalites don't do well alone at all. Why do Companions usually not Mindspeak people?

Oh, they Mindspeak each other constantly and they've got long range, they never shut up. Most humans on Velgarth can't do Mindspeech on their own and get really freaked out by a voice in their head, though, and - there's probably some sort of cultural thing there, on reflection Rasha doesn't really get it. Usually there's no need to Mindspeak someone else's Herald directly, Companions' attention is better at handling and relaying lots of Mindspeech so it doesn't distract them in the same way. 

Oh, that makes a lot of sense. The symbiotic human-Companion thing seems pretty neat! Andalites think it's the cleverest arrangement they have ever seen though it seems like neither part got the sharp tail, which is too bad, it's important.

That's what swords are for! Donni's really good with her daggers (Rasha is bragging a little, one day and she's already missing the chance to brag about her Chosen). 

She snuggles up and is already much more cheerful. 

In the morning there's a spectacular sunrise. The Andalites, who haven't been able to sleep outdoors for a while, wake up to it and prance about delightedly and go down to the water's edge to taste the ocean (salty) and then gather again for morning prayers.

Leareth, still withdrawn but no longer actively upset, watches curiously, though half of his attention is on skimming the area with mage-senses. 

 The words go <From the water that gave birth to us. From the grass that feeds us. For the freedom that unites us. We rise to the stars. Freedom is my only cause. Duty to the people, my only guide. Obedience to my prince, my only glory. The destruction of my enemies, my most solemn vow. I, Andalite warrior, offer my life.> They end it with their tail-blades at their throats. 

It's slightly concerning, objectively speaking, though their minds are mostly relieved and joyous and determined and at peace.

Matirin selects a group of people for the next city expedition. He is inclined to hop between small towns making the kinds of minor mistakes they will be unable to avoid except by making them, and collecting more books and clothing, and then they can start trying to piece together where the Yeerks are and what they're doing. And set up the underground base in the meantime; there are a few promising sites and perhaps the mages want to check them out and figure out which is most viable.

Nayoki wants to go on the expedition again! She can learn lots in a short period of time by mindreading humans while they think various things the Andalites are doing are weird, and also seeing new cities is one of her favourite things, and she finished her romance book last night and wants to get more. Today she's wearing a long flowy synthetic-fabric dress with enormous orange and yellow flowers printed on it. 

Leareth would opt for underground-base-scoping, unless Matirin prefers he join the expedition again. 

Donni has been practicing English a lot and would really like to come on an expedition at some point but it doesn't have to be today. She can leave Rasha on the edge of town for it, Companions are surprisingly good at staying out of sight considering that they're enormous white horses. 

Sure, why doesn't Nayoki come on the first city mission and Donni on the second one (does Mardic want to come too?). Their objectives are to use the electronics printer to make "debit cards" and figure out from there how to use an ATM, and then to acquire books and clothes. And also food, for recreational purposes.

Uh, it should be noted that humans need food for more than recreational purposes, they packed enough for a few days but at some point should purchase food that isn't candy. Not that Donni is complaining about jellybeans for dinner but still. 

Mardic will go with Donni. (He seems to have no particular feelings about this.) 

Matirin has gathered by now that this is because his horse is dead and their horses are where the symbiotes store their - motivation systems? Something like that. Matirin if he somehow survived losing his horse parts would be about that fucked up about it so it makes sense. 

They hit up small Alaskan towns for their libraries and ATM machines and clothing stores and food (ATM stands for automatic transaction machines, but 'ATM machines' is not only a licit construction but the one everybody uses.)

Nayoki is just as delighted about the second town and collects more romances and picks out books for Leareth and spies on lots of strangers in nearby stores so she can give them more information on how this particular human society runs, though they should keep in mind that small towns in Velgarth are often a bit idiosyncratic and they'll maybe want to get the lay of the land with Farsight before they first venture into any major cities that might have a Yeerk presence.