:Huh! That's two from practically the same time period, then - and the two Golarions can't be more than a few years apart -:

:Not very far apart, no, the you seems a little younger but she was already third circle when Mhalir found her - fifth circle now, though, she did some impressively fast levelling after she was caught up in - things - with him: 

:I guess invading Hell and participating in resolving an alien war and finding a Velgarth and intervening in their war does seem like the kind of thing that'd do that. She must be - it seems like it'd be hard to have someone in your head controlling your movements if you had significant disagreements with them.:

:I think they were getting along fine before? But - no, neither of them is very okay right now. I am not sure what to do about it - Mhalir cannot really communicate or participate in any planning unless he has a host, and I was not ready to let him have one of us, although I expect I would be willing later. ...He mentioned that he was in Aroden's head, at one point. Although it made him ill or something afterward, because of the godmemories: 

:I guess that would do it. Why aren't you ready to let him have one of us? Are you worried he's - off, like we worried with Tadessë?:

:- Not really? Mostly I am just - I am very overwhelmed and still trying to orient, and it would be distracting. It is much easier to appear calm to him than it would be to take the situation perfectly matter-of-factly at all times in my thoughts, and - I think he needs my calm. He - seems very traumatized, to be honest: 

:Is he more like Tadessë or Ma'ar than you and Aroden - not having figured out yet, how to cope with what he keeps getting himself into -:

:...Yes, I think so. He is not very old, chronologically, less than a century - and his Urtho died, early on, and then he spent decades in total war with the Andalites, and then everything else happened very fast. I think his time in Nirvana helped, but he still reads to me like he is - only half complete, in terms of becoming a me? The same way that Tadesse is. Was, anyway, he seems to be doing better lately: 

:I wonder if being in your head would help with figuring out the rest of it. But there's no rush, I don't think, if you're going to be not upset in a week and you're very upset now.:

:I would much rather do it in a week. Or even forty-eight hours. Just - I do think that he and Carissa badly need space from each other. Maybe one of the other Yeerks will be willing to trade hosts with him once we rejoin them...: 

: - bet she'd hate that. I can take him, if we're not relying on the Yeerk thing as supervision for her.:

:...I would want to confirm with him, but - I think she is not planning anything, now, she made her attempt and failed and is just - expecting us to destroy Hell now. And that she will have to watch: Shrug. :I could place a compulsion on her not to cast any spells, if we wanted to be especially paranoid, but it would make her so miserable: 

:I think usually the penalty for attempted murder is, uh, more than that.:

:I mean, I do not think she would resent it or anything, or - feel unfairly treated by us - but, just. I love you, and she is a you, and she may not be my Carissa but I still do not wish to cause her unnecessary pain: 

Sigh. :I ought probably do the paranoid thing, though, if - you are sure about this?: 

:I think she'd almost definitely prefer it to having a different Yeerk, and we can relax it as you get more sure, probably.:

:That makes sense. And - I think it might help Mhalir, as well, to - : He's not sure how to finish that sentence, so he doesn't, just takes a deep breath. :Are you ready to go. We will be gone at least two days - I already passed it on to Tadesse and Vanyel, they will take care of things...: 

:We should let Pexa know, I was going to take her to the beach tomorrow. But then we can go.:

:Right, yes, of course. ...Can you kiss her goodbye for me. I - am not sure I can manage to put on my comforting daddy face, right now, on top of - everything else: 

:Yes.: Squeeze.

And she ducks out to do that.

Leareth waits. 

She's only gone a few minutes. :All right, ready to go.:

He Gates them back to the Void-ship. 

Mhalir jumps, startled, and then forcibly calms himself. "Leareth," he says. "And - Carissa -" It's uncanny seeing another of her. 

"Yes." The other one is five years younger, and fifth circle. Somehow she's not jealous. "Did Leareth explain how we know each other?"

"Yes. You were chosen as a cleric by Iomedae after Aroden won the war in Cheliax?" 

Mhalir is maintaining tight control over Carissa's body, meaning that her expression and body language are a lot more reminiscent of Leareth or Ma'ar than they are of Carissa herself.