Andalites again explain that they can make noninvasive physical contact and acquire genetic and morphological information for the shapeshifting.

Would they like to stop having red hair? They can stop having red hair. That would be great. It's not customary in Anitam to have red hair.

What sort of information is associated with hair color in Anitam?

Caste! Not everyone has the natural hair color of their caste, but those who don't usually dye it so they'll be presenting informatively to onlookers. Blues are government and landholding types, greens artists and intellectuals, yellows technical and office sorts of jobs, greys military, orange caretaking, purple labor.

...when they are about to arrive Andalites go Amentan again. All grey, except for Matirin, who goes for steel blue.

Conveniently the genetics work out so he can do that with a combination of the greys and the one blue in the helicopter with them. ...Somebody squints at Matirin. Somebody else squints at Macarath.

<Hmmm?>

"You just look familiar, sorry, probably an effect from blending people."

<It is possible to do more distinctive features but it defaults to fairly conventional ones and I am not versed in the use of morphing for more detail work.>

And here is lovely Anitam! A farmy part! They put the dome down on some clover. There is already a military perimeter set up in case anyone gets any ideas.

The Andalites so appreciate the thoughtful reception. <I regret that we cannot give you the information that Miolee was so hopeful for. We are not ourselves starship engineers.>

"We understand. But our greens would love a look at the mechanism, maybe they'll figure it out and you'll be able to go home."

<The ships are not designed to be straightforwardly reverse-engineered, because of the war, but of course you are welcome to look and learn as much as you can.> He can defend that to Andalite High Command on the grounds he can't stop them and they definitely wouldn't accept a polite request.

Greens are soon swarming the place.

Greens are so excited. 

" - do we have anything on the war other than 'don't worry, we're not at war with you' -"

The Mioleen ambassador shakes his head.

"Perhaps someone could ask." - he squints at the latest set of pictures. "- well isn't that -"

"They're blending a bunch of forms," says the military liaison blue who's colleague to the one who went in the helicopter, "but yeah that one's a little spot on."

"Uncanny. I assume it can also be used for impersonation - are we sure we picked up all the aliens -"

"They had a while to disappear into the jungle if they wanted."

"Do we know how telepathic they are."

"No."

...nod. "Please do ask about the war, then."

So the liaison's counterpart asks, "What can you tell us about the war?"