<The ship is an Andalite ship. It is an Andalite - splinter faction that was under my father's command, before he - before he died. We weren't expecting them. To my knowledge they didn't have coordinates for Earth, because my father didn't share them, he didn't trust them. But they're here, and - arrested Matirin.>

:What. Why: 

<Probably because they're all traitors.> Cayaldwin's mind-voice suggests that this claim may be primarily motivated by feelings about his father and not by feelings about the situation. 

:Do we know where they are now: 

<Presumably their Dome ship. In this system somewhere, not in orbit.>

Leareth takes a deep breath. Lets it out. Asks himself, again, if this plan is actually a good idea. Unclear!

:I am going to Gate to Matirin and find out what is going on: he says, very calmly. :I can anchor a Gate that way, it is a very rare skill. Probably you should go down to Earth and see what is happening with the Andalites under Matirin's command - is it only him that they took...?: 

<Yes. They met in a field on Earth, to verify that nobody was Yeerked. We verified that they weren't, and they had to take Matirin back to verify, they can do it in the medical bay but didn't have a mobile way to do it.>

:And then - did they send a message or did he?: 

<They did.> His tail is lashing violently.

Leareth is furious and he's - trying to check that he's not making all of his decisions out of rage rather than strategic considerations. 

He takes a slow breath. :Is Vanyel safe: 

<Yes. At their request he went alone.>

:Good. I...: Calm. Focus. :Can you tell me any other context about this splinter faction. I should probably not Gate in knowing nothing: 

<They wanted to intervene on Earth - Andalite command was divided about that, they were with us - but they hated my father, wouldn't work for him. He did not think highly of them in return either. Matirin always got on with them, though, Matirin tries to make everyone like him. Some people aren't worth trying to make like you.>

:I see. Sounds complicated: That must be the Andalite politics that Matirin had promised to tell him in a month or so. Well, apparently they've run out of time. :Anyway. I - am worried and I do not trust what is going on here. I want to speak to Matirin directly. Who is currently in command on Earth?: 

<Ashul.>

Nod. :I will prepare a message to send to him. It will take me some time to figure out this Gate, since they could be very far away in straight-line distance and likely out of my usual range. I - will try to figure out what is happening and return or send a message immediately. Did their communications contain anything about why they arrested Matirin - was it for the tech sharing with Velgarth, or for giving me morph...?: 

<For treason, they said, tech-sharing would be a different charge. I assume it's about the circumstances of our departure for Earth. They were messy but - I would not have expected them to go after it now, if they showed up and we'd won, and Matirin didn't even have the command then - and Matirin must not have expected it either or I can't imagine he'd have agreed to go with them ->

Leareth takes another deep breath. Lets it out. He's not sure if that's less or more concerning. :I see. They have not otherwise interfered with our operations on Earth?: 

<They have not.>

Nod. Leareth looks Cayaldwin in the eye. :I am going to get Matirin back safely. - I will try not to set things too much on fire in the process, politically speaking, but...: Shrug. :I need to go talk to Nayoki and work on the Gate. You can have all of my mages to Gate back to Earth: He frowns slightly. :...Possibly you should Yeerk morph and infest someone so that you can skip to being able to Gate. I know that is very unpleasant but - I dislike the idea of you needing to rely on others for that: 

<I think you're right. I will ask if anyone is comfortable with it.>

The mage who volunteered multiple times for Yeerk tests is on the ship and is totally fine with this!

Leareth goes to Nayoki. :Can I morph Yeerk and get your Mindhealing procedural-knowledge. I may need it: He can handle Farsight and Fetching, control is similar enough to mage-gift, but Mindhealing is really complicated and Nayoki is, at this point, possibly one of the best in the world. 

Nayoki blinks at him for a moment. :Er, yes, of course: 

He's tested the Mhalir morph before once just to make sure he could do it, but not infested anyone, and he's so curious what it's like from that side.