Matirin gets a ride to the Dome ship in orbit. Talks to Nerefir for a couple of hours. Nerefir seems to almost notice that something is off about him; he gives him one quizzical look.

Then he finds Finleran.

<Congratulations. What's wrong.>

<Nothing is wrong. Everything went very smoothly. Can you - take some leave, do you think. We could wander around in Canada.>

<Probably. Are you sure nothing is wrong.>

<Yes. I have been very responsible about -> tail-wave. <Everything is going well. But I want to go wander around in Canada for a while. And it would - I know we haven't really had time to talk about ->

<I can take leave.>

He walks up beside him. Leans into him. Twines tails. <I don't know what I am going to do with myself next.>

<Isn't there lots to do?>

<Yes. Lots and lots and lots. And yet -

- there was something wrong with me, briefly, during the war, and then I mostly got on top of it. Just so you know. The day that Leareth was captured and Merefin died and D.C. - after the Yeerks broadcast their surrender and we fled to Velgarth it was like I couldn't think.>

<This is not very surprising.>

<Hasn't happened to you, though.>

<Does that seem important?>

<Well, it shows that that is not a thing that inevitably happens in wars or anything.>

<I agree that it is not that. Just - unsurprising, and not - not very much new information, I don't think.>

<Huh. I think it was a lot of new information, for me, at the time.>

<About what?>

<Well, since then I have tried imagining what my body would be doing if I were morphed human and it is a good guide to how I feel. It's very useful.>

<...useful for what?>

<For knowing how I feel.>

<Is that not something you have - direct introspective access to, like the location of your tail.>

<...no, it isn't. Is it for you?>

<Yes.>

<Well. You can imagine how inconvenient it would be to not have that ability, then.>

<I guess! Uh, using your workaround, how are you ....doing.>

<I want to go run around in Canada because I have been on a ship for too long and - grieving and thinking one battle ahead - for longer than that. And I missed you a lot, and I can't have you here.>