I spent most of our 8th day mixing. Ryee waved up a menu. “Friends, let us eat.” A huge platter with diff foods appeared. “Fa declared a festival today! These foods have rare ingredients and ne keep in stasis.
“Mr. Koch and Miss Wilnes, you are welcome to share.”
When they did not look up, Vonn walked to their area. And through their holos! “Where are they?” He trembled.
Ryee led Vonn back to our area after he stopped their mixing. “Eat first. You need strength. I asked my bakers to give us special foods.”
Cevit Ion’s anger rumbled on me. My operatives search for them now. But, I gave much evidence to Limar Nir. He sends a trader to inspect their progs.
A man in cobalt blue robes appeared between their seats. Bowed to us. “Where is Vonn Links?”
Vonn put his platter aside and walked to him. The inspector waved a privacy screen.
We ate many delightful foods. Derees showed me several new isotopes for me to try.
I waved up my results. “This is so frustrating! Amiritkaln-16 did nothing!”
But three symbols glowed on Derees’ display. He laughed. “No research is wasted! My array just added three derivatives of it. I—”
The privacy screen came down and Ossy and Citsa stood with the inspector. Vonn pointed at Citsa. “I warned you. Both of you, leave and go home!”
Papa’s holo appeared. “Vonn, you cannot fire them. TS is investigating, and none of us can do anything. Oh, if I was Director, I would have Security put both of you in prison.”
The inspector nodded furiously. “Your laws are ridiculous. Cevit Ion will have much to say. There is evidence that these two collaborate with the enemy. It is a matter of time, you see Ih Esta. See these progs. Where could you get these, if not from Kajarians?” He pointed and code scrolled. Vonn paled.
Ossy gripped his seat. But Citsa just looked at the code. “Those are not my progs. I think Ossy put them there. He does all my coding.”
“Open your mind to me and I shall see the truth.” His eyes turned black, and he leaned towards her. Shoved her forehead and left his hand. Auburn hair draped it.
“You can’t probe me! I’m an Areonian Cit—” Her face paled drastically.
“Your world is Alliance. I am an expert witness to our TS Inspector Of Areon.” He frowned, and she flinched. A symbol blinked on her display. “None of that!” Her display vanished. Both her feet squeaked on the floor. She fell out of her chair! He let her.
“Pah! Koch, to prison with you!” Ossy panicked, but vanished in a swirl of green. “You, stay and work. If my men see you outside, I will see you again, in prison.” Another green portal opened for him.
Citsa shook all over. Wailed.
Vonn knelt by her. “Miss Wilnes, go to your cot. Do you need help?”
She let him help her up. He gave her a vial of rongahi, and she used a lot of it. Ryee tried to take her other arm, but she jerked it away. Staggered to the back room.
Vonn took Ryee’s arm and pulled at him. She is too angry. Let her be. At least we are rid of Koch, though I pity him.
She needs healing, Vonn.
I know, but she will not allow it. The vial I gave her looks like rongahi, but it is yllis. Pas sent each of us a yellow pyramid with yllis and vek ea. He pressed one into each of our hands.
Ryee smiled and we enjoyed peace while we ate.
Vonn and Derees had many new discoveries that helped my research, and I made slow progress.
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Late in the evening, after they went to sleep, Ryee and I finished the last mix and I ran the results. Oh, I had such hope for this set, but look. The new catalysts reduced the reaction when I expected a sharp increase. I sighed and rubbed my eyes.
Ryee leaned over me. He wiped my arms with a wet cloth, and I gasped. “You will poison yourself—”
“I am careful, Ay!” Then I saw the plastic grocery bags on his hands and arms. “Your temperature is far too high.” Grocery bags? Laura’s house, on Earth again.
Then, I felt a telepathic sensation. My baby! Our baby!
Time passed. I lay on the sofa, weak. Ryee held him. Still. Born too soon! We wept, oh, we wept!
I gasped and Ryee caught me. Ay, what is it?
At first, I clung to him, but his father’s fear— I let go and sat up. Held onto the counter with both hands. Yellow sparkles dripped onto the floor before the vaporizer ran.
Ay? Eja fae ne! You must rest—
How can I? Our son died!
Derees came running and picked me up. Oh, I’m sorry! How did it happen?
We danced, and I thought his telepathy could not function. My husband was injured when— I had not shared any of the memories with them of my marriage to Ryee! Oh, my face burned. Just the touch of his hands and a thought about wanting a baby—
You saw yourself married? He chuckled as he put me on my cot. I was predicting that future days ago. But I am very sorry. We lost two children and I still cry when I remember. Both were little girls. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
I clung to him and we cried. Ryee also sobbed. Vonn startled awake and got up.
Citsa sat up and her cot went over. She sprang to her feet. “Koch’s father will see you all in prison! You are all insane, and I will prove it!” Two more cots fell over in her rush out the door. Then, a shriek. “My terminal is blank! Ossy’s terminal is blank!”
Derees made me lie down. He sang a song about peonies, edelweiss and rainbows after a rain. Vonn harmonized.
Ryee showed that memory of our son to his parents, and they all wept.
Pas saw me through Derees. I am not pregnant. My body shuddered. He warned Ryee not to touch me at all, for fear that it would happen. My body shuddered again, and it hurt! Pas sang, and I realized he gathered his entire ennead to sing for me.
I got up, and Derees escorted me to my area. “Work helps.”
I nodded. As I mixed, I sobbed. Ryee talked about Ye~ to distract me. No telepathy. I felt as sorrowful as I had in those memories when his telepathy did not work!
Vonn hugged him and Citsa jeered.
Citsa insulted all of us in every way possible. Vonn and Derees spent all of our 9th day writing new progs for her. She would no longer mix for Derees. Instead, her work was to search the Hubs for new research.
Vonn seethed that she did none of it. Every time he checked, she simply moved symbols around on her workspace.
I dived into my work as if my life depended. Maybe it did.
Memories kept me upset, so I concentrated on showing Earth to Ao~.
I entered a vehicle. Used a card in a machine by the driver, who smiled at me. “Going to work?”
“Yes, I work at Georgia University Library as a Library Assistant.”
“Oh, I went to school there before I decided to get a part-time job as a school bus driver. Now, I’m in love with buses and trains!” He clasped his hands by his craggy face and blinked his eyes. I laughed.
I found an empty seat by a window and enjoyed watching houses as we passed. Many had the large porches that Laura wished. Her house had one, but too small for a swing.
It looked much like the house she grew up in, with her mother. She died?
A horse kicked her as she helped her husband load her in a vehicle. They wanted to win a ribbon with her at a rodeo. There was a snake in it that startled her.
I warned her that the snake was under the straw. “Larry, there’s a rattler under that straw in the corner! Come out, Nellie. Back!” Is it happening now? Questions, but no answers.
What made Ossy’s cot turn over when I felt angry? Someone in my Link can do these things. But, why, when my emotion seemingly brought actions?
Ao~ enjoyed my memory of a larger vehicle called a train. It went faster, and I saw many houses like Laura’s, but in a different part of town. Tall apartment buildings, and offices. One building was shaped like a large cylinder with a smaller one. I rode in the elevator. A moving room? As it rose, I saw Atlanta from above. Buildings, new and old, but many trees.
Ao~ shared memories of sandskimmers. Vehicles they use to transport goods between Oshfah and Noh~La.
M’Naga often had to use them—no, loved to use them—he went with other traders who would handle items. He met with Bekshay to discuss trade with Areon. He leads the Noh colony, a people who look Elshar, but they are Aurelonan. Hairy ears and comical gestures. Sometimes he listens to M’Naga, but more often he offends traders who in turn refuse to trade with Ye~. M’Naga usually convinces the offended traders to forgive him.