It was a beautiful day. The sun sparkled off the sea, and the sand on the beach was pleasantly warm even through a towel. Kalran tried to focus on only these sensory pleasures as she lay down, stretching her limbs out and letting them soak up the sun, but it was difficult. She'd had a lot on her mind over the last week, and the similarity of sunbathing to absorbing Kandrona was hard to ignore.

"You cheering up a bit now?" Sara asked from beside her. Her words might be casual, but Kalran could hear an undercurrent of worry in them.

"Yes. It's a lovely day, and it's so kind of Kelly and Elsa to invite us." Kalran felt Sara shift beside her at those words.

"You don't sound that enthusiastic. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Kalran repeated, not wanting to worry her host further. "How are you, anyway? Any news on the dating front?" She turned her head to look at Sara, lifting a hand to shield her eyes from the dazzling sun. The question was sure to distract her, Kalran had chosen it for that reason, and was proved right when Sara flushed a deep scarlet.

"You know, one of the many advantages of being free now is that I can keep secrets from you. Not that I would have wanted to be dating with you in my head, anyway. Eww."

"I'm very flattered," Kalran said sarcastically. "Anyway, something must be happening, unless you've just got amazingly rapid sunburn."

Sara went still redder. "I… um… I sort of… there is someone."

"Oh?" Kalran lifted her head, propping it up in the palm of her hand. "Am I going to get any more information than that?"

Sara smiled, looking down at the sand. "He's called Lee."

Kalran waited for a few moments. When nothing more was forthcoming, she asked: "how long have you been seeing each other?"

"About two months," Sara muttered, still bright red but smiling. "You'd like him. He's studying for a Chemistry PhD."

Kalran nodded. "Sounds good. Obviously it would be better if it was Biology, clearly a superior subject, but I can accept Chemistry."

Sara grinned at her. "Because of course I'm famous for needing your approval."

Kalran smiled back. "I'm happy for you, Sara."

Her host nodded. "I know. I wouldn't be able to do this if it weren't for you."

Kalran frowned, puzzled. "How do you mean? If anything, I've got in the way. All those dates I turned down."

"All two of them, you mean. I wouldn't be free to do this without you, that's what I mean. There'd still be…"

Sara trailed off, clearly unable to suppress the shudder that ran through her body at the thought of infestation. Kalran felt her insides squeeze with guilt.

"I'm so sorry, Sara."

Sara shook her head firmly. "I've told you, you don't need to keep saying that. It wasn't your fault, not really, and you more than made up for it by the end. Anyway, it'll be different when it doesn't mean being part of the Empire. I hope so, anyway."

"Do you mean if you took Oglud?" At Sara's nod, Kalran continued determinedly. "We've had this conversation. I know how much you hate it, and I won't let you hurt yourself. Even if it ever were to be allowed."

"I couldn't just leave them there," Sara responded. "Oglud's done a lot for all of us."

"You wouldn't be leaving them there. There's someone else who's offered to take her, you know. Someone who doesn't hate being Controlled."

The two of them had had this conversation many times, so Sara's responses had seemed automatic, almost rehearsed, until now. "Who?" she said, fixing her eyes on Kalran, evidently surprised.

Kalran hesitated for a few moments before replying. "Carla."

Her host snorted, rolling her eyes with a sneer. "I should have guessed."

"Sara, do you think you could try to…"

"No."

Kalran sighed, recognising from the set of Sara's jaw that it was useless to pursue the topic. Not that the two humans were ever likely to meet again, anyway. Carla had accepted Alniss' ultimatum almost without question, and while she was still going to write anonymously to anyone she could, she'd point-blank refused to see Illim again when Kalran had asked her privately whether she'd consider it. That wasn't a problem, not really- Kalran had little hope that anything anyone did would ever get infestation made legal, but she was very worried about this week's visit to the Pool. Alniss would be accompanying them, and once she saw what things were like Kalran was afraid she'd ban Carla from visiting. Oglud would be distraught…

Kalran's worrying was interrupted by the return of Elsa and Kelly, their hair dripping from the water. Elsa flopped down onto her purple towel, which was next to Kalran's. "You guys should come in, the water's lovely. Lots of very colourful fish, Kal. Just remember to lift your head up occasionally and breathe while you're staring at them."

"You have to breathe?" Kalran joked, widening her eyes in mock shock. "So that's what I've been doing wrong all this time."

Elsa laughed. "What can I say? Us humans are tricky creatures."

Kalran smiled at her. "You're certainly very kind creatures. It was lovely of you to invite me today."

"Our pleasure. Funny Yeerks are my favourite, anyway."

"I'm not that funny. I've a flatmate who's much funnier. He's, er, not peace movement, though."

Thankfully, as Kalran was worried she'd said too much, that information didn't seem to bother Elsa.

"Talking of flatmates," she said in a quieter voice, glancing across at Sara and Kelly, who were deep in conversation, "how did it go the other day with Carla?"

There was a silence as Kalran struggled to decide how under the Kandrona to start with that. "Erm," she said eloquently.

"That well, huh?" Elsa turned her head towards Kalran, propping it up in one hand. Her ponytail, darkened with the water, hung down below her arm, almost brushing the towel.

"It was a bit awkward with Illim," Kalran told her slowly, unsure how much to say. "But Carla did want to help. She even said she might be willing to meet with a politician or someone who would want to see evidence there were willing hosts, even if you guys were there. But… well, something made her change her mind. She's going to write anonymously, though."

Elsa frowned. "What made her change her mind? Do you know?"

Kalran nodded. "Don't get mad, please."

"Why? Was it my letter? It was so hard to get right, but I thought…"

"No. She hasn't even read it… it was Alniss."

Kalran pushed herself up into a sitting position, and Elsa followed suit, the two turning to face each other.

"Alniss…" Elsa murmured, her eyes looking up towards the sky as though trying to search inside her own mind for a half-forgotten memory. "Why does that name ring a bell?"

"She's Silrin's sister," Kalran said gently, watching her companion's face carefully. She wasn't sure what effect the reminder of the war would have on Elsa. Elsa's expression stayed relaxed, however.

"Oh, yes, I remember. Is that how Carla ended up with you guys, then? Because of Alniss?"

Kalran nodded, and Elsa's face shifted into an amused expression.

"Aww. That's almost sweet."

"Yeah, well, it's about to get a lot less sweet," Kalran muttered. "Alniss found out where we'd been, and she's forbidden Carla from doing anything to help except write letters anonymously. Oh, and she can visit the Pool with us, but only if Alniss comes too, and Alniss has never been there before, when she sees what it's like she'll probably say no to that, too, and that would hurt Oglud and I don't know how to prevent it-"

"Whoa," Elsa said gently, laying her hand on Kalran's shoulder. "You don't know that's what will happen. Do you even know whether Carla's going to listen to Alniss?"

"She's told me herself."

Elsa looked discomforted for the first time. "You're right, it's not so sweet anymore. Didn't she even try…" she stopped, shaking her head. "Sorry, I'm slipping into judgement there. Is there any way we can get Alniss to change her mind? You'd think she'd want to help her fellow Yeerks… why did she even say no in the first place?"

"She's terrified for Carla's safety," Kalran replied. "I can understand that, at least. Alniss lost half the people who she was close to at the end of the war. Silrin, of course, but both her mates, too."

The calm expression Elsa had been wearing throughout the conversation evaporated suddenly, and her face drained of colour. Kalran began to search through her mind for what she could possibly have said that would produce that level of reaction: surely Elsa couldn't be that upset about Alniss losing her mates. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when Elsa spoke.

"Silrin's dead?"

Her voice caught as she asked the question, and Kalran immediately felt awful. "Kandrona, I thought you knew," she whispered. "I'm sorry, I'd never have said it so casually if I'd known."

Elsa said nothing in response for a few seconds, staring at the sand between her toes in a way that suggested she was seeing something quite different. Just as Kalran was becoming worried enough to open her mouth, Elsa muttered: "I don't even know how to react to that."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise," Elsa managed, slowly dragging her eyes up to look at Kalran. "You didn't realise." She paused for a while, opening her mouth and then closing it a couple of times as though unsure what to say next. Eventually she whispered: "how did it happen?"

"When they flushed the Pool ship," Kalran said quietly.

Elsa looked sickened. "God. If you'd said I'd ever say this about her I'd have been sure you were insane, but poor, poor Silrin. She never deserved that."

Kalran wasn't sure what to say. Was Elsa grieving in some way, or was she just shocked? It was hard to tell, and Kalran had no idea how an ex-involuntary would usually react to news of their Yeerk's death.

"And poor Alniss. They were really close, and to lose her mates as well… and Carla. She must be devastated."

"She is," Kalran replied, feeling she was on safer territory here. "I… I think that's part of the reason why she won't try harder to persuade Alniss, or go behind her back. They've become very close."

"Yeah, of course. And this must turn Alniss' annoying Yeerk over-protective thing up to eleven, losing so many other people."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, a slight smile crept onto Kalran's face. "Annoying Yeerk over-protective thing?"

"Oh, you know what I mean, right? Whenever one of the guards had injured me most of my Yeerks went nuts in a manner completely out of proportion to the inconvenience it caused them. Even the ones that were horrible to me got angry about it, I could feel it. I'm sure it must be some sort of Yeerk instinct."

Kalran raised her eyebrows, surprised by Elsa's insight. "Yes, I think it is. Not that the Empire would ever acknowledge it."

"Right," Elsa said slowly, absently twirling her fingers in the sand beside her, watching the little eddies she was creating. "So, we have to convince Alniss it's safe. Any ideas on how?"

Sighing, Kalran shook her head. "Don't you ever give up?"

"Nope. I'm a stubborn little laklat." She looked up at Kalran, grinning. "I got called that a lot."

That was not something it was comfortable to hear. Laklat was the most disrespectful way Kalran knew to refer to a host, a word that literally meant a dumb animal, and to hear Elsa use it on herself was deeply disturbing. "You shouldn't call yourself that."

"I'm reclaiming the word," Elsa responded. "I don't care, anyway. Idiotic Yeerks calling me names was the least of my problems. And don't you dare say sorry," she added quickly, for Kalran's mouth had begun to open guiltily. "It wasn't you."

"What's she apologising for this time?" Sara cut in from behind them.

Kalran turned her head to see Sara and Kelly both looking at them, and anxiously hoped they hadn't overheard any more of the conversation.

"Yeerks insulting me," Elsa answered, reaching across to rummage in the beach bag she'd brought with her. "Anyone want a soda?"

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blaze of sunlight and childish fun. Kalran did swim, finally managing to forget her worries as she gloried in the sparkling clear water and the rainbow of fish darting below her. Elsa had a spare snorkel and they swum out a little to some rocks where the marine life was excellent, starfish and sea urchins joining the fish and seaweed they'd already seen further in. When they returned to shore, Kalran further exhausted herself with a spirited game of volleyball, she and Sara easily beating Elsa and Kelly, mainly because of Elsa's lack of hand-eye co-ordination.

"I could do this before I was infested," Elsa groused when she missed the ball for the fifth time.

Kelly pushed her playfully on the shoulder. "That's not gonna work on me. I knew you beforehand, remember?"

"How about 'they're too good a team because they're Yeerk and host'?" Elsa pointed across at Kalran and Sara. "Can I blame the slugs if I do it that way?"

"Don't call Kal a slug," Sara interjeted. "Only I'm allowed to do that."

"How cute." Elsa smirked as she tossed the ball back towards them.

As the sun began to set, they packed up their things and made their way back across the dunes towards Kelly's car. Kalran sneaked a glance at Elsa. She'd been lively enough for most of the afternoon, but she'd suddenly gone unusually quiet, looking out towards the sea as she walked as though in a world of her own.

Kelly'd evidently noticed, too. "You OK?"

There was no answer, nor any indication that she'd heard.

"Elsa!" Kelly called, louder this time.

Elsa turned her head towards them.

"Sorry," she murmured. Her voice sounded strange. "I was just thinking."

"I'll get you a card," Kelly joked, but her smile soon faded when Elsa failed to laugh. "What's wrong?"

Elsa looked down at the sand beneath her feet. "I… I found something out today. It's just a little unsettling, that's all. Kal, can I call you later?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Kalran sensed Kelly and Sara's puzzlement, but they said nothing, and Kalran kept her eyes fixed on Elsa.

"Of course," Kalran said instantly, concern and guilt edging their way into her voice. "Can't I do anything now?"

Elsa shook her head. "I'm fine." With what seemed like some effort, she lifted her head and smiled at the other two. "Who's up for calling at Pizza Hut on the way home?"

Kelly and Sara glanced concernedly at each other, but seemed to decide to leave it for now. "Sure."