Mike opens his mouth to answer, still standing at the pool room's holoscreen, when Corliss' synthesized voice rings through the cabin and the pool room alike.
"Yes, the ship's intruder defenses have been temporarily disabled," he says. "Welcome aboard, Ossanlin. Is the Andalite girl with you?"
"Hang on, you can find out for yourself. Illim's here, too," Mike calls, stepping away from the holoscreen and over to the metal edge of the raised pool. "Reckon you'll figure that out in half a moment, anyway," he mutters, leaning over the edge of the pool and gently touching his ear to the warm gray liquid.
Corliss disengages from the pool computer system. <<I suppose that's my cue,>> he says, a bit nervously, scrunch-thrusting away from the edge of the pool and towards Mike's familiar scent.
Mike winces as his Yeerk friend starts to slither back into his head.