<I think he should be here for a few days just to reacclimate to being among Andalites but then he can be on the next ship over.>

<That makes sense.> 

Leareth leans a little against Matirin. <I am glad you spoke to him, even though it must have been stressful and awkward.> 

<I think I had a duty to say it to him even though I do not think his mind can be changed on this topic. Maybe - in a thousand years ->

<Maybe.> Sigh. It doesn't make any of this the wrong choice, just - an inconvenient one. <Anyway, this is a good opportunity to think more about Mhalir's precautions while he is on the base, even though it should not actually become relevant. I am probably putting too much weight on my personal skill and paranoia when I am there for the transfers, and I should additionally think about setting up a shielded room for it or something.> 

<Are you worried someone could sneak onto the base? I am confident in my people; they may not like Mhalir but they are not a threat to him.>

<I am not concerned about your people. I am worried about - unknown unknowns, I suppose. All the unlikely scenarios I could be failing to think of. And shielding a room for it is not too costly anyway.> 

<That makes sense. Yes, seems like a good idea.> Tail-swish. <I don't know that I would feel differently about it than Alloran does, if he'd had me.>

<I understand. It makes sense to me, how he feels about it. I think Mhalir would agree, even.> 

<I keep thinking that I want to kill him but not forever. Which is of course a stupid - it's not the thing we discussed, it's imagining that the Andalites might in a thousand years decide that was enough of him being dead, if that were how being dead worked.>

<...I suppose it might be convenient if being dead worked that way. Though I would still prefer he have those thousand years to spend maturing and learning to make fewer mistakes. In any case, that is not how being dead works, at least not now.> 

<I know. And I think probably the best thing for the world is if we see our way to - some lighter sentence. But -> Tail-swish. <I keep thinking there's some way to make everybody happy here and actually there is not.>

Which, for Matirin, must be one of the most frustrating situations he can be in. <I am sorry.> 

Tail-shrug. <Did you decide which classes you want to take? I am sure Cayaldwin will have opinions if you have not already solicited them.>

<I have been considering it! I had thought perhaps...> and he can go through the list of classes in engineering and planar mathematics that he's been mulling over. 

Melody makes her next trip to Velgarth a couple of days after Matirin's conversation with Alloran; she would have preferred to time it to the same day, but people on Earth keep inviting her to speak at conferences or do research with them and she's also accumulated an impressive caseload of patients who've been especially hard for Earth's various specialties of mind-doctors to help, she's very busy lately. Mostly the fun interesting kind of busy, at least. 

She gets her Gate over and checks in at Healers', assures Shavri that Vanyel is fine, and then looks for Alloran. 

Grazing. He trots over to her. <Melody.>

<Alloran. How is everything?> 

<I think I should go home soon.>

She's been thinking that for a while, even though Matirin kept saying it was very important that he be able to move normally all the time first. <Mmm. You're feeling pretty ready, then?>

<Yes, I think so.

Have you reported on my recovery to Matirin or Leareth?>

<Some, in generalities. I don't share any specific personal details that you tell me when we meet, that's private, but I have been keeping Matirin updated that you're improving.> 

<I would not expect him to ask for specific details. Andalites consider that private too.>

<He hasn't asked any pushy questions, no. Er, any particular reason you're asking?> She doesn't recall that he has before. 

Tail-lash. <I worry that people will - read something into my having taken time to recover. Worry that I am concealing flaws in my person. I don't think that I am.>

Ugh. Andalites. <I shouldn't think so? I certainly don't have the impression that either Leareth or Matirin are making that judgement. Leareth said that he finds you rather impressive, actually. I suppose I can't speak to what all the other Andalites think, since I don't go around reading their minds, but it would certainly be unreasonable of them to judge you for taking six months out here.>