Tears fell from my eyes, and the vaporizer ran. It is shame to cry. We are emotional, we use our children’s nitrogen.

This is ne so. Ryee shook with anger. They punish you for showing emotion? He thought of the last time an ED took his arm. In the Eicken Library, and one of my research holos played.

He laughed at the sight of me casually throwing a cylinder of ANW over my shoulder, which exploded in blue and green flames. Holos of all my coworkers scattered with panicked looks! Then they looked back at me, standing there neat in my lab coat, and laughed.

The explosion was real, but I put together holos and the faces did not quite match. Ossy and Citsa were quite offended, but Tanda, Derees and Vonn laughed. Why should reports be solemn and boring?

He walked with the sim to Otherworlder Authorities, and it whispered the rules that we all heard when DF came for us. I shuddered. “Strong emotion is bad. You use your children’s nitrogen because you lack emotional control—” His arm swelled terribly, even though he did not struggle as it clamped onto him. How is it Areon thinks to control minds? I shall report this. Perhaps I can ask of Areonians and bring their testimony to Cevit Ion. Merely to laugh brings one?

Any emotion. Love. Jealousy. Anger. Excitement. Was the pain terrible?

Ne. After I spoke with Mr. Koch, I went to my ship and put ea fae on it.

Ea fae?

A foam that heals. He showed me spreading much on his poor arm and swelling vanished.

I held a handful of it and put on his face. Horrible swelling, dark red on pallor, and ea fae healed. O, my husband, we are married eleven days. Can you wake and let me see your golden eyes? I sobbed as I put more on him. Bruises, everywhere! Eyes barely open showed jittering orange and huge pupils. Eyelids swollen, but wrinkled after ea fae. The sorrow I felt suggested that he was dying. My body shuddered.

We both gasped. How did this happen?

Another of my nightmares opened. A black place with shiny walls. I leaned over him. Eriganh laughed. I stood hidden in that room. His shiny red boots. Reflections in them showed my terrified blue eyes, my face pale and thin. Ryee struggled to raise his head, to make his shuddering arms push. His face hit the polished black floor and left a streak of orange and deep green sparkles. O, if rage were a weapon, it would be Eriganh on that floor and not my—

That place, it is the fortress Kajarians built on D’gharr!

I hugged him tightly. You can’t go there, you can’t send your people there, they will all die and your mission will fail! I sobbed, and my body shuddered again. I did not hold the strong, muscular man who thrilled me so. I held a thin, quivering body that shocked me in its frailness, soft and hot with bruises that Eriganh put there to take all of my hopes!

Eja fae ne! Lead her mind from this harm! I need my ennead!

Ryee hummed and I tried to calm myself, but I could not let go of him. His gentle fingers quivered on my forehead. Moved back in a line.

Pas wept. Evil ones, to do such damage, to a maiden!

I could not stop.

What happened? Vonn held one of my arms.

Adia, can you tell us? Ryee, she is shaking! Are you healing her?

Pas—he heals. Ryee’s voice shook.

Are you all right? Derees put his arms around both of us. Ryee wept.

Pas urged him to move his fingers back. Areonians have nine sets of points from the front of the head to the back, as do Zheien. You have damage on every point. How are you able to work in this condition?

I sobbed. My emotions are a big problem.

Maiden, emotion rises because you have unwells. You can ne control it. But, I can sing healing and try to help you. His voice rose and the voices I heard, with him.

Ryee, ne hide from an old healer. Do you love her?

Ea, and from first sight of her. O, Pas, what shall we do? She runs a chaperon.

She is useless, for your telepathy is more well than most minds in seven galaxies. Do you know why our protocols are so strict? One stray thought, and she carries your child.

Ryee gasped. Ry’nao, I beg, help us!

Even Pas’ healing could not stop my emotion. My body shuddered. Felt wetness.

Eja fae ne! Pas, did you see Zheien sweat on an Areonian? Ever?

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Ne! How is this possible? I shall ask of Ahstam.

I can answer it, but not now. Madame Rayaline, I want to help. You must calm. Ryee shared with me what you saw. Your body cannot withstand much of this. I will touch your mind, and you will feel calm, if you believe that I can.

If I believe? Peri spoke of faith, is it that? Tried to breathe, but it was a scream.

“What was that?”

“Miss Wilnes, go back to your work—”

“What are you people doing? Who screamed? Where did Adia and that Zheien—”

Let me handle this. Touch her between her eyes.

Vonn poked Citsa between the eyes. Her expression, eyebrows all the way up, mouth wide, was comical.

You must turn around and go to your seat or I shall bring Ih Esta to take you.

She trembled.“Who are you?”

Do you feel me in your mind? I can see all of your thoughts.

Citsa rushed to her seat, chest heaving. A tray of cylinders bounced on the floor!

Ossy frowned. “What are you doing?”

“That monster is—”

Do I sound like a monster? I am Xchou.

Get out of my head!

As you wish. But do not bother my friends.

My body shuddered again, and Pas wept.

Believe I can help you, and I can.

I reached my hand, and Ry’nao put it on Ryee’s chest.

Pas gasped. You must ne—

If you wish to save this woman, let her feel Ryee’s heartbeat. I apologize, Ryee—

He pressed my hand against him. Thrumm-thrumm-thrumm. Steady, missing beats but mostly, steady. Listen to this. Ryee is strong. He is upset, but strong. Do not think about D’gharr. Think of this moment, in your lab, and your work. Breathe, Child.

I did. Sound of Pas’ singing helped me feel calmer.

Ryee hugged me and helped me sit up. His golden eyes studied me. Tears streamed from my eyes, but—yellow sparkles. I startled.

Ryee wiped some from his cheek, then mine, and mixed them where I could see. Warmth soothed my chest and I breathed easier. He rubbed the back of my head and my shoulders went down.

Pas watched through his eyes. Ea, healers’ sense is with you this day.

I pulled my hand off his chest, and he smiled.

Ea oea so oeo, so oeo yae, oeo so oeo ea oea—I kept on. Prostitutes on Elshar Mashai do what I did, to embarrass Zheien diplomats and traders! Oh, I felt shame—

But Ryee held up a quivering hand. Ne these apologies. You ne touched to embarrass me. You worried for my health! Are you more well?

This Gift is a curse! All I do is upset everyone—

Child, you showed us Eriganh. I heard his thoughts, what he plans, in great detail. Hundreds of thousands of my operatives tried to find just one of his secrets. You showed me all.

Who are you? I feared the answer.

Ryee, hold her—

He cannot, when there is love, or you risk him—

Pas, I know why you are upset. Ahstam explained this to me long ago. But I can be present in Ryee’s mind and I shall protect him. I can prevent any accidents to fill her womb. She needs his comfort so I can give her answers. Ea?

He sighed, and it rumbled on us. Ea.

Ryee trembled as he put me on his lap. His heart skipped beats. I felt it, in his arms.

My son, ne these fears. Hold her. Madame Rayaline, I am Ry’nao, Emperor of the Seven.

I gasped. The Emperor?

Pas hummed, and I felt strength. Ne fear. He shall ne harm you—

A laugh escaped my lips! In his speeches to us, he never raised his voice or made a threatening gesture. To me his talk of trade sounded logical and fair. But what shall I say that is intelligent enough or polite enough? People think all Kleideu are cattle farmers or worse—aandat farmers! Then I realized my comment to Ryee was not private. Worse, mention of the word aandat caused Ryee embarrassment. What else will I say—

Oh, Daughter, do not worry. Scientists have no need to know protocols. You are very intelligent, but I speak with many who lack it or lost it in injury. I value their words, even if they are not polite. I govern seven galaxies filled with people of all kinds. All are important to me. Especially aandat farmers, without whom, those who travel do not live long.

Ryee, if she is to relax, you must. I have your mind. Think that you hold E~Janne or J~oie.

He sighed, and hugged me. I see your way, my liege.

The old Emperor sat on a ship in a plain gray tunic to his knees. Deep red skin. Gray wispy hair. Many wrinkles, but those around his eyes spoke of a man who laughed much. His bare feet lacked big toes. His hands lacked thumbs. What species is he, I often wondered.

I am Xchou. Our race intermarried with Elshars millennia past.

Oh, my face burned, but his comfort lay over my mind like a blanket, and I felt better. Clung to Ryee and tried not to remember how thin he felt! He is warm. I can hear his heartbeats, feel them on my cheek. His body is muscular, but gives as mine does not.

I felt stronger, and released him. Sat in my chair. Derees sat beside me and hummed to heal my puffy eyes, from all my crying.

Many sets finished. Based on their results, I chose compounds for the next array.

One by one, my companions put up their materials as the simulants cleaned their workstations. The others walked to the room in back of the lab where the sleeping quarters were.

My mind smiled, but I struggled to complete the set. There is an answer, to connect where I am to where I wish to be. What is it?

A whisper came to me from the Link. When you need it, the answer will come. Have faith, Daughter. Peri. Warmth filled me.

Ryee led me to a cot and helped me lay on it. I had little awareness of my body at all. He fed me a FFbah, those wonderful pastries I enjoyed.

Ry’nao took me by the hand, and we walked on Ye~. Ryee walked with us.

People bowed low as we passed, eyes on the Emperor. He smiled. Rise and be comfortable! We are here to visit with you.