A white walrus appeared, in a white vest and top hat! “Hi, I’m Wally, and I represent the Imwa.” He tipped his hat, using a containment. Ryee’s shock came to me. He changed his appearance to suit us? “We decided to move our Collective to Ye~, if King Ryonne~ is agreeable.” His purple eye fixed on Ryee, and he bowed low, so I followed, a lower bow than to Ry’nao. He bent as much as a walrus body can, and his huge tusks went under him, but the eye on that side still watched us. “We thought the Soskannans could help us, but they do not take strength from their diversity. We saw in the other future that the Yeff let Esteerrians, Zbbat, Areonians, Elshar, Thordes and many other species live with them, peacefully. I want to stay as observer. We also want colonies of some of our ethnic groups to live there. If you can find ways to agree among all groups who colonize there, we will keep our support for Zheien and help you rise.” Oh, I felt faint again!
Ryee paled. “I will provide colony space. I am sure my people will support me in this decision.” Suma trembled. Neal’s arm around her tightened. Imwa are very unpredictable! We kept the bow. This person represents levels above ours.
Nothing in my memories of that other future helped me to understand this! The walrus hugged him. He was symmetrical and had flippers like an Earthan walrus. “Ships are landing on Ye~. I will stay with you until after the Final Battle. Where is W~Via?” The Final Battle was never explained to Earth, except that it ended a 300 year war. I shuddered as those purple eyes watched me.
Ryee paled even more. “He is not yet born.”
I felt scared. Suma stared at me. To her, I came from our room. The server helps me hide, so I must look ill, for her to notice.
He put out his hand and I took it. Stumbled. The flipper was impossibly soft and warm.
The walrus pointed at me with a flipper, then held a baby out to me. I took him. Oh, I smiled! “Here is your son. I grew him for you.”
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome.” I knew his face. Viad, Our baby I miscarried in Rainbow. Even Molly could not save him! I held him and enjoyed his warmth. Pas saw him through me. He is healthy! I stroked his dark curls.
Then the walrus frowned. “He is not W~Via? He is Viad?”
Will he die as he did? Oh, I lost sight!
Pirad took him to his lab, in a rush. It took all the self-control in me not to run after him!
“How do I find him?” Wally kept staring at me and I felt his mind searching--
Neal took his other flipper. “Wally, we cannot just grow children for them. W~Via will be born later.”
“W~Via did things I liked, Ni’olmai. How long must I wait? We need the treaty now.” His purple eye on that side stared at me. What should I do? Ryee’s fear for me rumbled on me!
Neal is brave, to talk to Wally!
Pirad came out with a purple cylinder. “Share memories to this. I can use one of Ryonne~’s clones.”
The walrus touched the cylinder. “How long must I wait?”
“I have forms. Two hours.”
He nodded. “I suppose we can wait this long for our treaty.”
All the diplomats working on it looked nervous! Treaties usually take years of work and discussion. Ryee paled! Ay, what an opportunity! We see the leaders of the two largest slaver nets, here on our ship! His fear also rumbled on me. An observer, from many levels above ours!
Ry’nao smiled. “We can have a framework ready for discussion by the time he can come.”
Perretau hugged Bess. “Are you all right, Bess?”
“I want to marry you.” Her brown eyes studied him. His, no longer as small and now deep blue, met hers in a gaze of love.
Apparently, her dad pulled at her arm. “You can’t marry an alien! I have to stay and run our business—”
Wtensau got mad. “I will buy your business and as many plants as you have! I remember all our learning of Earth and how to accomplish this!” He frowned at him, and her father looked angry.
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Ry’nao looked uncomfortable. “Earth is not a member of the Alliance, Wtensau.”
“Surely we have something valuable to these people! My daughter wishes to marry my son!”
“I am her father, and she can’t marry you!” Her father tried to grab her. Perretau blocked him, but gently.
“Dad, he’ll die! I’m 18. I’d rather have your permission, but I’m getting married. Right now!” She waved a silent containment around her father. “Perr, I’m ready. I’m not losing you!”
She sang the Aryll Song. He sang harmony. Perretau added a bass line. The other Aryllans on the ship added complicated rounds to it. King Wtensau sang a ballad about the importance of flowers that made a descant in tenor. I felt calm. Peaceful. All the Zheien smiled, though many were unaware of what just happened. Their happiness tingled on us, not as intense as Zheien happiness, but pleasant. Ao~ and Huih came in with animals they collected, but they heard the singing and smiled. Tried to see where it came from, but could not!
Biome media underneath the floor sprouted and flowers bloomed between the people lying on it! Flower scents smelled wonderful together. Pas gasped and touched a flower near him. His delight tingled on me! Many of these flowers were rare ones from Zhea~ that Ahstam grew for healing. Pas carefully harvested leaves and made cuttings to grow. Wtensau smiled and waved one of his diplomats to help Pas!
King Wtensau showed us how this would be Bess’ healing, all over Aryll. Children would learn her healing and spread it to all the loyal colonies, tens of thousands of them!
Bess trembled after they raised plants all over Aryllan worlds.
Pas stopped and ran to her. Looked over her points. Then, held her head against his chest. "King Wtensau, she is Earthan. Her body cannot withstand this strain! Gravity on Aryll is higher than Earth. Her mind nearly spilled."
He hit the floor and wept! "She has a Gift, Healer, a Gift that can keep Aryll alive! Look what she did. My son wishes to marry her, today! She told him she wishes to help him keep the Aryll alive, our Aryll, the old Aryll." They stared at each other, and I noticed that the old king sweated puddles. So did Perretau, who took her hand as if he were poisonous.
She held his hand against her cheek.
Pas sighed, and it rumbled on me. "Child, you wish to marry Perretau?"
"Yes. I love him. I love Aryll." She gave him a panicked look. "Can I last long enough to teach the children, Pas?"
He shook his head. "I think you shall die on the journey, Daughter. Once you marry, you feel too much pain. An Aryllan, she survived and drew strength! Your strength is ne enough. Wtensau, did you ever reclone one?"
Wtensau shuddered. "Satauuver did this, and because of his savage experiments, I had to agree by treaty that no Aryllan would ever reclone, in the other future. We could not have children during the plague. Our ages stayed our ages. I thought the loss of Deesamor was the end of Aryll also, and I blamed Ty'nirr, and I took nearly all of Ty'nirr as my slaves! Now, they are released, and went home. Aryll is nearly empty, Ahstam. Every colony lost many.” Ahstam? Pas appeared as him, so his healer’s links brought the master healer of Zheiea.
“Our people were hunted, and I feel we are blamed for savagery done to us. We all carry the guilt of blood on us, because of the plague that the Wenh Cet planned. But, I did not take revenge. Opseh Wenh Cet was in my hands, and I let him return to Ctral, because my wife pled with me.” Behind him, Deb, Suma and Ray frowned.
“We are no longer savages. All I wish for my people, is that we live in peace, as your people live in peace. We have no tech to help an Earthan! I beg, will other Elders help us? Some Gifts cannot be Taken, and Perr gave his Bess a wondrous Gift." Wtensau held a hand on Bess’ forehead, and she smiled.
Pas shuddered. His voice whispered. "Some Earthans have Gifts that are too much, and die in them. I speak to Pirad, then I return to you." Gently, he put her in Perretau's arms. "Marry your love, Perretau. You both may die in it, but if you ne, she dies, and I can ne save her. Try to share strength, while I see what we can do, to help. Preparation takes time, if my brothers agree, and she has ne time." He turned away weeping, and Mehrna helped him walk into a side room. Wally shook his head at Suma. Oh, no!
Wtensau held their hands together. "My children, you are now married. I speak to all of Aryll—my son Perratau, Keeper Of The Aryll, marries Bess Of Earth, who has a great Gift. Their lives are in danger. Sing the songs of Aryll, to give them strength, and begin a great festival, to honor Bess, who grew Aryll, who gave seeds with love, and her children blossom before you! Because of her, we have Aryll.
“Now, we pray to Father of All that our repentance is enough, that we may keep it, and live in peace with our brethren, our sisters! I am willing to go to the United Nations of Earth, and I will sign our Treaty with Earth and the Earthan Colonies. We shall have live plants, but they need much love that they will grow in love in our homes!
“Sing of love, my people! Let all of us sing our love to Father of All for preserving us from the Plague, and for my blessed son, my only child to learn how to keep the Aryll."
From the other side of the holo, people sang, and I listened to the harmonies. Such a huge change for the Alliance! Lyyyrah and Tch’lanterserah swayed to the music.
Pas spoke with Pirad. Bisillipians and Aryllans hate each other! Ry’nao also spoke with them.
All three came. Pas. Pirad. Perretau feared him. And, Ry’nao. Red-skinned, four-fingered, aged. His face was kind, thought Bess. He put a hand on their shoulders. His wispy gray hair waved with every breath.
Sighed. “I do not know what to do. Kieta, Rainbow’s Councillor, forbade any recloning of Aryllans, even after their healing. I—”
But Wally waddled over. “Surely you will not let this couple die! I will reclone them. I do not fear Kieta, she fears me!” His flippers touched them. They looked the same, but Perretau gasped. His beady black eyes turned medium blue and were bigger. He stopped sweating.
Bess sat up, easily. Perretau held onto her shoulders. Her family looked at her as if she were an alien. Her father is quiet now. Her family is all crying with her.
They sat down and ate. Bess ported a little boy here. He had five empty plates in front of him. His father frowned, but did not say anything. A very thin boy.
Pas sang, and he looked at one of the menus. His father frowned, but Pas gave it to him. Kept feeding him and he gained to healthy weight. Then his father smiled.
Ryee’s awe came to me. We see the end of large-network slavery today! Now we wait while Alliance government considers the treaty with them. There will be much change today in the Alliance, and so with the Unified.