Originally, this chapter and the next one were going to be one chapter, but since I'm sure some of you are starved for an update, I decided that it was good enough to stand on it own.

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Andalite High Command, Andalite Homeworld January 2152

Senator Duria-Filorac-Vineel did her best not to say "I told you so" to the gathered senators and commanders. Her best, however, wasn't good enough.

I tried to warn you of the danger of engaging the humans, she addressed the Command. Now you realize they are far from backward and play to win. She aimed that last remark at Senator Rasgan, who was standing next to her.

Rasgan sneered at her. So far he had escaped official condemnation for the disastrous foot the war had started on, even though he had essentially started it, but there was noticeably more animosity directed toward him than there had been.

So far the war had not been going in the Andalites' favor. Even though the Andalites had made the first move, the humans seemed far better prepared. Duria knew why: the humans had millennia of practice with war. The last actual war among human nations was the Pacific War in 2024 between China and the USA. It had started when China invaded Taiwan. It had been in all honesty an insignificant little conflict; both sides decided the little island of Formosa wasn't worth the struggle and pulled out after four months. Even if that was the last conflict to wear the moniker of "war," though, there was always an armed conflict or insurrection going on somewhere on Earth or her territories. Colonies periodically went up in arms, and several Earth nations faced perennial attacks from within their borders. Duria's people, on the other hand, had only fought amongst themselves in the far distant past, and fought the Yeerks, with some skirmishes with races like the Skrit-Na in between.

The Battle of Harvest had been a disastrous blow. Five Dome ships destroyed, six others heavily damaged. The humans had suffered slightly greater losses, but they had more resources to draw upon. The Andalites' greatest victory in that battle had been the damaging of the prism cannon guarding Harvest from its moon. Even that, though, wasn't enough. Almost an entire fighter squadron had been destroyed doing that, and the damage could be repaired in a few months.

In the weeks after managing to hold Harvest, the humans had seized or destroyed several Andalite installations and outposts. Slowly they were making there way to the Home System.

As much as some of my colleagues may hate to admit it, we find that we have to agree with you, Senator, said War-prince Shareen-Domdor-Calora, a member of the High Command. Several of his peers shot him murderous looks; Andalites didn't like to admit weakness. Duria nodded. Shareen had been the only member of the High Command to share her fear of the humans and the only one to vote against the blockade. And even though he was an advocate of peace, Shareen himself was strong individual. Larger than the average Andalite, he had a commanding presence. He also had intimate knowledge of the humans, not as much as Duria, but enough. He had been a commandant with Andalite military intelligence on the human world of Aurora. Before that he had been a tactical officer on a Dome ship and had seen his share of scrapes and skirmishes. Now that Shareen and the senator had been proven correct, maybe Shareen's colleagues would listen to them. Now the question is what to do now that we are engaged, Shareen said.

Simple, we wipe Earth and all her territories out of the galaxy! exclaimed one war-prince.

We do not resort to genocide. Shareen shot back. Beside Duria, Rasgan snickered privately. She thought she knew why. Genocide would have been a solution he would resort to. Besides, her own people had come within a few hours of blasting both Yeerks and humans to extinction in the Yeerk War and had almost wiped out the Hork-Bajir in the battle on their homeworld. How times and politics changed.

Shareen went on. Besides, Earth is too well defended. The humans must never have completely trusted us because their world is perhaps the most fortified planet in the galaxy. Some of the assembled snorted, Rasgan among them. Shareen ignored them. In addition to the standard defensive fleets, they have orbiting prism cannon emplacements and missile batteries, weapons on the moon, weapons on the ground, Z-space rift inducers, and those are just the defenses that we know about. Shareen sighed. For the time being at least, we cannot take Earth. More snorts.

But we also cannot win a prolonged war of attrition with them, Duria said. Everyone flinched at the words we can't win. With six worlds under their belt, she said, using a metaphor she picked up on Earth, the human nations have more resources at their disposal than we do.

Surely a strong enough strike on Earth can cripple the defenses and let us take the planet? questioned one overeager junior senator.

Perhaps, said Shareen. But at what cost? A battle at Earth would surely incur greater losses than the battle at Harvest. And from what I've read of human history, the humans are not ones to just quit. He looked at Duria, who took her cue.

He's right. If they feel they are fighting for a just cause, the humans will not give up. There are many instances in human history of people fighting to the point of destroying themselves and their territories rather than give in to their enemy.

Rasgan had been glaring at Duria as she was talking, and now was struck with an idea. Not only could he redeem himself and his standing, but he could also get rid of that annoying little girl.

If I may offer a suggestion to the High Command? he said. The princes grudgingly nodded, a human gesture the Andalite people had acquired over the 150 years of the two races' contact.

Why not send a team to infiltrate the Earth military infrastructure? Rasgan said, his voice silky smooth. Send a team that could ultimately sabotage the defenses and supply us with vital intelligence at the same time.

An interesting suggestion, Senator, said Prince Glomdeel, one of the more war-hawkish members of the High Command. Who would you suggest lead such a team? he asked, his voice getting a sinister edge.

Someone with intimate knowledge of humans and their customs. Someone with knowledge of Earth's political climate, the senator said icily. Someone like Senator Duria.

What?! the female senator burst out. That's outrageous. I'm a senator, Rasgan, not a spy.

But you know the humans and their world, Senator, Rasgan said, his voice dripping with malicious sweetness. You grew up with them, were educated by them, you have an understanding of humans deeper than that of most other Andalites.

Perhaps, said Duria, brushing off Rasgan's flattery, but I was raised in the European Union, one nation among many. There are vast cultural differences between the human nations. The Europeans and-

Even so, Glomdeel cut in. Your knowledge is unparalleled and your experience is invaluable. I, for one, support the organization of such an infiltration team. This brought mutterings of assent from several other members of the High Command.

But this is not a decision to be made lightly, Shareen broke in. While we have crews on the human colony worlds, intelligence operations on Earth have always been spotty, even with the morphing technology. The humans are adept at the art of espionage and how to defend against it. We must discuss the provisions of the organization of such an infiltration team, and if it is formed, who it will consist of.

Eventually the senators were dismissed. Outside of the hall of the High Command, none noticed as a junior aide to one of the senators slipped away from the group and toward a grove of trees on the far side of the hall. And none noticed as a kafit bird flew out of the grove.