Corliss glances at Elayne, but Trey continues explaining himself. By the time Trey is finished, Corliss has to force his words out of Mike's gritted teeth.
"I refuse to believe that," he hisses, looking away. He swallows, forcing the muscles in his neck to relax. "The humans I know, they may not be the ones in power, and believe me, I know what power does to people--human or otherwise. But they wouldn't allow..." He shakes his head, looking back up at Trey. "If I survive this war, and that's a bloody great 'if', I really don't want or expect a parade or a medal or even a 'thank you'. I just don't want my people, my human and Yeerk friends, murdered and outcast for trying to help this ****ing planet."
<Let me talk, mate,> Mike says softly. Corliss relinquishes control, and Mike rubs the back of his neck, gazing at Trey. His northern English lilt becomes less tense with anger, and much more pronounced. "Oy, little bloke, this is Mike. I understand you can't reckon for sure, you'll 'ave to trust me, yeah? It's like Corliss said. There must 'ave been resistance, somewhere out in space. Do you reckon the bloody U.N., or the Andalite Electorate, went after the organized bases of militant Imperial resistance flung across the galaxy? Or the pockets of Empire supporters that must've escaped, in true Yeerk form? And I don't ken what people are like in your timeline, but in mine, there are these earthy-crunchy types who would've lobbied to no end that the destruction of the Yeerk race, especially the Yeerks who helped humanity, was nothing short of a civil rights disaster. And the humans who worked with them, sure, they worked with Yeerks, but there are men and women who have sacrificed their lives to save Earth from Yeerk dominion. That's not a bloody crime worthy of execution, it's our reality and if it's for nothing, then what are we fighting for? What about the Nazis who tried to kill Hitler, then? If they'd survived the war, yes, they'd still 'ave been Nazis...high ranking ones, at that...but I doubt they'd be murdered for trying to topple an evil regime." He sighs. "Maybe your dad, rest 'im, just didn't know the whole story?"