It gets a smile from Leareth, if not a very convincing one. :Or if Nayoki urgently needs to pet a quadruped: Sigh. :I wish things would stop happening so much. I will manage fine, I am - not unused to things going very wrong in my vicinity - but I am tired: 

<I think there are a lot of things-happening still ahead of us unfortunately.>

:I know: With some reluctance, he pulls away from the hug. :Thank you. I think we should start preparing to depart: 

<I will give my people their assignments.>

And Leareth heads off to acquire Mhalir, while updating him in Mindspeech on the plan, and then acquire Amanda too and also obtain her memories of the Pool ship's interior. 

Amanda looks very tired but is cooperative enough with this and remembers the Pool ship vividly because it was her first time on an ALIEN SPACESHIP. "I should put him back, so you guys can talk -"

"I can Mindspeak with him, but yes, that would be easier if you are willing, he has less ability to think when not in your head." Leareth smiles a little at her, wearily. "And now is your second time on an alien spaceship! I am curious which of them you prefer." The Yeerk one seems a lot more claustrophobic to him, but maybe just because he's gotten used to the nice spacious Dome with its field. 

"This one's fancier but Andalites are kinda scary." She reaches for Mhalir's fishbowl, makes a face, pulls him out to hold up to her head. She is thinking that she'd kind of like a week off but this is clearly an emergency and it'd really suck if more cities get exploded because she wanted a vacation. Also when you fall off a horse you're supposed to get right back on, so you don't get in the habit of being scared.

Mhalir slips into her head. 

<I am sorry> he sends, right away. <I wish you could have a week off right now, but - I think you are correct, the situation is quite dire and - you are in an unusually good position to help me make a large difference to the outcomes. Would it help to obtain a pint of ice cream for you that you can eat while I answer messages, once we are back on Earth? I think you have more than earned that.> 

She would super go for a pint of ice cream and also she's gonna try just, like, chilling, and imagining the TV show of this, and not paying any attention to what he's doing, and see if she can kind of take a vacation that way. 

<It would make a much better TV show than real life> Visser 3 agrees. 

He settles in to talk to Leareth about the Pool ship and the staff on it - who he would guess might be in on the coup, what systems they could be headed for, their resources, his predictions of their likely responses to pursuit if they notice it... 

Leareth listens calmly and takes notes and sometimes pauses for Mindspeech coordination with his staff. 

And Matirin delegates some people to remain to fly the ship and asks Cayaldwin about staying to work on morphing Gifts - <It's only worthwhile if you think an additional week of research might really matter ->

<A week of research with Leareth morph-capable. I bet we can crack it.>

<Then I think you should stay. You do not have permission to do anything that is even incidentally suicidal, I still need you.>

<I know you do.>

Leareth selects the people he wants to stay and orders everyone else to Gate back to Earth and help Matirin set up a shielded base. Somewhere far away from any cities. If they do come under attack again, he doesn't want any innocent humans dead this time. 

Vanyel is awake now, unable to sleep through all the commotion; besides, he's been sleeping since late afternoon. "Leareth, I want to come with you." 

"No. Absolutely not. Stay with Matirin. Keep him safe." 

Vanyel glances over at Matirin, then back to Leareth. :You care about him a lot, don't you: he sends privately. 

:He is extremely necessary to our peace effort here: 

:And also he gives you hugs: 

Leareth says nothing. 

:I'll keep him safe for you, I promise: 

:Thank you:

And once everyone not staying on the ship has been Gated out, they can depart.