Perisnah wiped a tear. “Will she be well, Yea Becky?”

“I think you know she won’t be like a kid who’s never been abused. But she can move past it and enjoy life! All she needs, is hope. She’ll heal much better here than anyplace on Earth!

“My sister was kidnapped and held prisoner for three years! She was 13. Pirad made her 13 again and took a lot of the memories away. She still has problems, but she’s married now, and I think her husband’s probably helping her a lot. She hasn’t wanted to tell me anything yet. She has two kids, and Pirad had to make them Elshar and a year younger, to help them. Healing just takes time, and love. We’re lucky we have good parents!” I also told him about Elsie. She might want to reach out to some of these kids, too.

I watched faces as we moved through the crowd. I worried about some of these foster parents that came with kids. Most of ‘em are probably really nice people, but it only takes one--

And I spotted one. On the surface, he was all, “Here, Claudee, want a pastry? Don’t cry, people will see you and be unhappy. You don’t want them to be--”

But he had telepathy and he was showing her just what he’d do when they got home if she didn’t shut up!

I zapped him. He staggered. “What the—”

I put an arm around the little girl and he tried to hit me!

I showed Perisnah exactly what he was doing to her. Again, he exiled him!

This poor girl was Vega’s age. Only 9, maybe. “Oh, no! Now I’m stranded! Please, don’t send me back! I’ll be good!” I held her.

Knelt down. “Listen, Honey, I won’t let anybody send you back to Earth, but look at King Perisnah. Doesn’t he look worried? He’s not mad at you. He’s mad that that sorry excuse for a foster father treated you like that!”

“He—offered me—a pastry—”

“He was showing you in graphic detail what he planned to do to you—”

“You—you heard it, too?” She sobbed.

I hugged her. “Yes, anybody with telepathy can—”

“Fa and Mea didn’t.”

“Well, I saw the expression on his face, and I knew he wasn’t being nice! I listened, and it’s rude, but you needed help. I saw that!”

“Mama’ll be mad. She loves him.”

And, her mother came running. Rolled her eyes. “What’s she cryin’ about now? We have everthing a body could want, and she’s always—”

I gave her a look that could have frozen water. Too much makeup, fancy nails, and a dress that’s a size too tight, and very low-cut for daylight. “Do you care that he was terrorizing this child? What kind of parent are you?”

“Oh, she’s just spoiled. Spare the rod an’ spoil the child!”

Perisnah’s eyes went black. Rumbles startled her. “Lady, I am Perisnah, King Of Kin Para. I will nae allow such mistreatment of a child! If you wish to stay, you must run the progs that nae allow hitting or rudeness!”

She shrugged. “They run anyway. I didn’t do nothin’.”

“Are you the child’s mother?”

“Yeah, but they took her away. Now she got Zheien parents. But how do aliens know how to raise human kids? You want to let her eat like a pig, an’ she’ll get fat!”

I waved up the nutrition prog, and read the explanation to her. “‘Calories are adjusted for a person. No matter how much or as little is eaten, weight will gradually become the most healthy weight’. Look at this child and tell me she doesn’t need to eat!” A screen came up showing that she was at 10% for both weight and height, compared to kids in the US of her age.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“So what? She’ll be healthier if she learns—”

“It’s not okay to starve her!”

Suma ported in. I let her see all of this. “Okay. Mama, you get a time out. My twin will talk with you.” She waved, and Mama ported. Then, she squatted down there with the kid and I. “Hi, I’m Suma. What’s your name?”

“I’m—my name is Claudia. I am eleven.”

Eleven! And I wasn’t sure she was 9!

“Sweetie, let’s go do something fun in the festival. You can eat all you want.”

“I can? But Mama’ll get mad if I gain weight. She isn’t allowed to gain.”

Mama was about 10% on her weight and height for an adult.

Suma let me know that Mama’s got a lot of problems. Progs will keep her from saying bad things, now. Pirad is sending 20 more of her here.

“Suma, should I nae have ported the other parents?”

She sighed. “From what I see, when the progs put a yellow or red mark, it’s not a fixable problem. I want to work with Claudia’s mother. She has definite mental problems, and I think I can help her. The other two had evidence that they intended harm and had no remorse. Claudia’s mother believes she’s helping Claudia. My job is to convince her that what she’s doing is not healthy for either of them.” Claudia didn’t hear this part.

They went into the festival, and a lot of things scared Claudia, and she froze. So Suma took time to get down to her level and comfort her.

But, I watched all the other Earthans, and didn’t see any misbehavior like that. Or any bad Elshars. We went in all the buildings. We went in the market. We had fun in the artisan area.

Vega’s Zheien parents did an art demonstration where they jumped into and out of basins of paint in bright colors and onto a big square of sand behind their table. Each jump, they mixed the last color or mixed this one with sand, using their feet. Slowly, a picture formed. It was them, with smiling Vega between them.

When Vega realized it was her, she stared at it with tears streaming as they finished up. Suma had her on her lap. “Aww, isn’t that sweet? They did you, Vega.”

“Nobody ever did something that nice for me.” She sobbed.

Did you know they tried for years to have a baby? Piersah and Ilanah are really happy you came to live here with them. They want to help you be happy. But, it’s okay if you can’t be happy yet. Just tell them how you feel, when you’re ready.”

“What’s okay to tell them?”

Suma thought a minute. “If you want to talk about what happened to you, you’ll need a healer with you.”

“Do I have to have a healer?” She sniffled.

“Did you see a healer in white robes on the ship?”

She nodded.

“Did it hurt?”

She nodded again.

“Your legs were really skint. I’m sorry it hurt. But, did you feel better after he sang?”

“He didn’t sing. He waved a coin that sprayed stuff. It stung!”

She brought a lady healer, who felt her head and sang her to sleep! This one was Ishah. Apparently some of the healers on the ship were Elshars who just ran a doctor altered to give herbs for Earthans. The few healers had to heal some kids who had severe orthopedic problems and intellectual disabilities! Poor Vega got unlucky.

Her parents needed their healers to come back, when they saw Vega sleeping in a healer’s lap!

I didn’t want to leave, but I didn’t see anyone else who needed to be stopped. Such a beautiful place! No bothersome insects much. That shocked me, with all these flowers. But then I noticed people by the Spaceport on our border staring. Clouds of insects didn’t get past them. They wore Science Service purple uniforms.

Feronoras took our hands. “Friends, you are wanted in Esta Faho! Shall we plan for Sara Kia tomorrow, then?”

“Eae! Eae yeo for hosting us.” Tom bowed and I did.

The three of us stepped through.

Farley just finished his mud bath and sprang to his feet, and spotted Pas with Galar. “O! Galar!”

He smiled. “Farley. How is your well today?” His red-gold eyes turned lighter.

Farley smiled, big. “I feel very well! Are you well?”

He frowned, and Pas looked worried. “I think I am. I should check progs—”

“You should rest, Brother! I will check progs for you. Let me carry you to a bed.” He took him off his feet. Asked us mentally not to follow.

Farley sighed. “I should nae expect miracles, but we have them so oft, here.” His lips trembled.

“Don’t worry. He can stand up and he can talk, which is a lot more than I expected!” Ella smiled.

“Eae, we are all grateful nae to lose our Galarsmen yet!”

“Tom!” Farley hugged him and wept. I just stood there. You just don’t see men cry in the US!