<That was really stupid> he says. <You should always use robots for hyperspace experiments. I don't know what he was thinking. The problem was that planar distances are different in a gravity well -> and he can get into maybe slightly more detail than last time before he falls asleep.

It does sound really stupid, honestly, though everyone keeps saying Leareth is very smart and careful. Also she follows it more on the repeat, if she can get this explanation out of him another couple of times maybe she'll understand all of it. 

And before the painkillers have quite kicked in enough for Cayaldwin to fall asleep, there are footsteps by the door, then a tap at her mind. :May I come in now: 

Marian is getting more used to voices in her head but it still makes her jump. "- Uh, Cayaldwin, Leareth wants to know if he can come in, I think to see you, is that all right?" 

<Yes.>

Marian tries to think very loudly back at him that he can come in. It was a bit before she found out, by someone mentioning it very offhandedly, that he reads people's minds a lot, and inferred he was reading hers during the interview, and she spent six hours being SO EMBARRASSED and then decided it's kind of his own fault if he gets weird thoughts, also it must be super boring to him. 

Leareth is barely paying enough attention to notice the loud surface thought. He comes in. 

:Cayaldwin: He doesn't actually know what else to say. 'I am incredibly grateful you are alive, I would have been very upset if you died' feels - inappropriately claiming-intimacy, or something?

Some of that is in his mindvoice, though. 

Wow he looks kind of terrible. Obviously less so than Cayaldwin (now that she can tell at all a healthy-looking Andalite from a sick-looking one), but exhausted and pale with shadows under his eyes. 

Leareth never met his father so Leareth thinks he is impressive and valuable. It's sort of - affirming, that even this tiny ghost of what there is supposed to be is sufficient to impress people who have never seen the world by the light of the sun. 

<Hear you talked Yeerks into surrendering.>

:I suppose 'talked' is one way to put it. I had Visser Three in my head and apparently my thoughts are very convincing or something: 

<Rare thing, a military commander who can admit he lost. Almost respect him for it.>

:His staff were worried I was mind-controlling him. Despite being the one who was Yeerked. Which I thought was very funny, but everyone seems to think it was a plausible fear on their part: 

<Well if you could have you would have I assume>

:Well, yes: Sigh. 

Marian doesn't interrupt them. 

And then there's yet another tap on her mind. :Marian, you busy?: 

Not really? Why? She tries to think loudly back. 

:Just, I've had SUCH a day and I need a hug. From someone who isn't my patient: 

Uh, sure, she can come in? 

Melody comes in, as usual with her Thoughtsensing and Empathy just a little open and her Mindhealing Sight folded away - does a very slight double-take at Cayaldwin - hesitates and then opens all of her Sight all the way. 

Andalites haven't mentioned having lifebonds or Companion-bonds and the thing that's wrong with his tapestry isn't quite that but it's - closer to that than it makes any sense for it to be? Like he has torn out an enormous hole in the center of everything, and he's reaching into the hole constantly, threads and threads of thought that all end there. Almost everything else in his mind is laid out so that it ends there. It's a startlingly intricate and detailed tapestry, everywhere else - fogged over, but that's evidently temporary, and beneath the fog strikingly well done. 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah why is this her life right now. 

Melody's expression doesn't change at all. She greets Leareth and nods politely to him, introduces herself to Cayaldwin in a courteous, slightly apologetic way - 'just came here to see my new colleague' - and collects her hug from Marian. 

Hug. 

Hug. Oh, gods, she needed that. Needs it even more. She's not looking at the tapestry anymore, a couple of seconds was more than enough. 

Eventually she lets go, apologizes again for interrupting, and lets herself out. 

:I will let you rest now: Leareth tells Cayaldwin, and slips out again.