Derees was not far behind with two boys in his arms and his eldest on his back. A cry behind him got his attention. A young healer ran a baby to him. “Oh, Cah, I am here! My daughter, I love you.” The boys jumped down fast. He took her and she calmed. All of them smiled and walked with their father.

“I’m leaving!” He whirled and Cah startled. Derees stumbled and Ryee grabbed his arm.

A thin woman with dark hair and eyes stood in front of him. Music stopped. “I will not stay here. Come, Puret. You wanted that baby, you keep her and Wisper. Donn cries too much. I want Puret, he is old enough to trade.”

Tears streamed down Derees’ face. “Please, Tasia, do not do this! I love you—”

Her eyes turned darker. “Puret!” He cowered. Wisper clung to his father’s leg and Derees picked him up. Donn helped lift him.

Derees grabbed Puret’s arm and pulled him close with deliberate care, as if she might snatch him. The boy clung to him. “You cannot take him. I will keep all of our children. If you must go, I will not stop you. By Areon’s Law, they are mine.”

She turned and waved for a blue portal, an interstellar one. Light blue shot into the sky. Derees sobbed in a way to break the heart. All of his children cried and clung to him. The last time he saw her port, she injured herself on landing!

Ryee alerted someone who would make sure she landed safely if she landed in the Alb System. My husband let Derees see that an operative waited for her on Areon with a question about a trade of hers.

Vonn embraced all of them. E~Janne took the youngest boy, Wisper. Aronna hugged Donn. They returned the hugs. “My friend, Ryee invited us to join his Science Council. Let us stay with the Yeff.”

I touched their shoulders. “My friends, I need you to come with us. Vonn, you shall marry Sara Lee, sister of Laura Martin, whom we seek.”

He startled. “Sara Lee? Do Earthans have arranged marriages?”

I laughed. “You have choices, as we do! I wish merely to introduce you to her.”

Derees shook his head. “How can I leave my children?”

All three boys clamored to go with us. I showed Sara’s three children and they were more eager to go.

Derees wept as he held Cah. But the young healer smiled. “I shall care for her well, until you return.”

“Will you come also, Sanatina?”

I nodded to them. “They will be safe on our ship.” I regretted saying ‘our’, but I meant our people’s ship and Ryee’s comfort lay over my mind like a blanket. He did have worries about children coming with us. Diplomatic missions are dangerous. But I was very sure they would be safe. Children will return with us. Sanatina liked the idea.

A diplomat stood by a display of types of flowers. I rushed to him. “Aubus, we shall need your skills. Your DS Team was a Contact Team.”

He startled. “O, Madame Rayaline! My king wishes to thank you for your discovery!” He bowed, and we returned it.

“Your colony needs to come here.”

“I nae think my king wishes—”

“Slavers will target your colony. You will write many important provisions of the Alliance Treaty for Earth. Vandiver Conglomerate will try to sway your opinion, and when you refuse, they will send slavers.”

“Earth? I nae know of it—” Someone in his Link told him this would be his next mission.

His friend ran to him. He wore healers’ robes. When Aubus looked to him, he sighed. “I must leave now. My mission is changed, and I can nae take you home—”

“I can wait here for you. O, I wish I could go with you! Must you eat poison again? I worry for you.”

I held his hand. “Come with us, Latam. We will have many healers with us.”

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Ryee chuckled. “Dear wife, you shall fill our ship!” My husband enjoyed scenes of our crowded ship. Many of his friends will travel with us.

“It is important that I find Aubus’ wife. Her shortname is Bets.”

“Important, that I marry? On a diplomatic mission?” At the mention of her name, he trembled. Latam sent silent healing and he had strength.

Vonn laughed. “My friend sees futures. She says I will meet my wife also.”

Derees sobbed. “My wife left me, and our marriage is severed! Oh, Adia, will she change her mind?”

I sighed. “She will marry an Areonian slaver named Harry Melon, who will pose as an Earthan. I cannot see everything. I am very sorry. Because you refused to let her take your children, they will be safe." The man treated all of them like slaves! I felt sorry for Patasia. I showed Derees all of it. Nothing gave any hint as to a wife for him. This Gift is so frustrating! I saw other futures, not his.

Derees watched the memory and I felt his frustration that he could not see Harry Melon, even on Areon. He already left Areon? Melon did not sound like an Areonian name.

“Ay, we must leave. Everyone, enjoy the festival!”

As we walked to the ship, I asked many to join us. Why? Ry’nao was very amused. “I see you bring many friends. You plan to do much trading?”

I laughed. “Ea, we shall! Laura knows much of trade. I shall bring you many flowers!”

Ry’nao laughed! “Everyone knows, an Xchou loves his flowers!” He reached down and picked one at his bare feet. “Ah, oisonoos!” This poor flower had ragged petals and had been stepped on. But, he rubbed it on his shoulder. “The scent lasts days for Xchou noses.” He wiggled his gray eyebrows and we roared. I enjoyed the sweet, spicy fragrance. He waved the rest to his alt storage with a graceful flourish. He used his telepathy to hide himself so most were not aware that the Emperor walked among them.

We hugged everyone and said our goodbyes. Ryee startled when Pas led his brother onto the ship. “J~oie comes also?” This was one of his clones with his older appearance. Despite the appearance he was much younger and healthier at 150, like Ahstam’s many clones.

I giggled. “He shall marry Laura Martin.”

Poor J~oie startled. Ryee grabbed him! “Mar-ry? Ryee, you know why—I can-not!” He wheezed and Pas took him off his feet.

“You need rest, my son. This is too much excitement.”

I followed Pas. “Laura will save him, and many of us. This is how Pirad woke An Nia, Ahstam’s wife, and your ba’s family, because I showed Pirad Laura’s innovations on Zheien healing.”

Ryee held J~oie. “She is a healer?”

“She will learn healing from you, Pas, once she has an—” I stopped. There is no polite way to speak of this, unless the subject is trading. “She lacks telepathy, but shall gain it. You weave beautiful tapestries, J~oie. Laura does this.”

We sat with Laura as she threaded a needle. The thread was very thick. On cloth with squares, she used an instrument with a tip that left marks. Her design had cute animals running. For it, she laid out ten colors. As she had free time over weeks, she filled in parts until she had a square picture. A dog and a cat ran together after a rabbit. Different trees had green leaves, but shorter ones had pink and white flowers. A long cloud across a blue sky completed it.

J~oie smiled. Her work pleased him much. His golden eyes and dark curls much resembled Ryee’s but his oval face was longer. He was also taller like their father. I felt sad that he was ill.

The many people who filled the main chamber of this ship wished to speak, but Pas warned them away. The First Prince is very shy. By the time Pas reached his room, he leaned his head on the healer’s shoulder. Hope is powerful.

Cevit Ion sighed, and his eyes turned dark. “Will he suffer, in this travel?”

Ryee put a hand on his shoulder. “Cev, my ba came with me on a few missions, in secret. He loves travel and has great skills, if he had health. Excitement wearies him, yet he is very happy to travel again! Perhaps it is better that I am king and ne he. I love many about me, but J~oie is shy.”

“I think when he has healing, he will have less discomfort around many. Hiding his unwells takes much energy.” I squeezed Ryee’s hand, and he blinked tears away.

Ry’nao stood with us. “Ah, we have much talent here! We have enough diplomats to visit every country of Earth. Berto came, and will coordinate 30 DS Teams. I am happy not to send them to die! All want to be ready for a signed Alliance treaty. If only we knew more, I could have Aubus write a preliminary treaty. All can help.” He smiled.

“Oh, show him these memories. We can avoid many problems—” A flood of memories surprised us! Aubus saw and compared these new memories with the ones I gave him. Yes, now he knows enough to write the basic provisions that Earth will discuss! I felt badly to interfere—but Ry’nao gave me his gratitude!

Earth’s fifty colonies in the other future gave slavers more of a foothold in the First! We can prevent much of it. Slavery fueled by forbidden tech from higher levels!

We ported to our new ship and enjoyed pastries. Clicking began underneath us. I expected pain much like porting, but none came.

Ryee startled. “What technology is this? I have ne mind pain?”

Ry’nao laughed. “ScSv of Fhiah found a way to improve Kirnonos’ ideas. We shall see Earth today. All of these fine DS men with us are all giving manual calcs! Eriganh shall not know we are there. Perhaps he is unaware that Earth will be his battleground.”

I shuddered. “How can he not know? He can feel the Cube’s energy.”

“He cannot feel it through Kirnonos’ shielding. I cannot see him, therefore he cannot see me. We both hold Cubes.”

Knowing this gave me peace. We are safe!