“He died because you disabled progs that protected him, a slaver! Micansen showed me what he planned for us, to destroy us and replace all of us with slavers. Our mines nearly became a slaver’s haven, with riches he nae found on our other worlds. Rahn Estar depleted his Tessite long ago when we first came and had so many needs. So did Kin Para, who turned to farming and his other mines of bluemetal and memorystones.”
Galarsmen and Ella and Farley got the memory-sharing stare. I felt nervous. Mican’s angry. But, he tried to zap him and it didn’t work. Something’s going on.
“Will they land near here, like we did? Elsie looked around. “Where did we land?”
Tom smiled. “O, this side of the yellow is near our Spaceport. There.”
His mind pointed it out, but I just saw yellow sand that didn’t look any different.
“What a Spaceport look like? It don’t look any different.”
“When you look on a map with political divisions, such as state lines, you nae see them, on the ground, but boundaries are there.”
“Yeah, but on Earth, there’s usually a sign sayin’ somepin’. Like Atlanta Airport has a big sign when ya go in da gate!”
With a wave, Tom brought up a design screen. “What kind of sign would you wish, for our spaceport, Elsie?”
“I don’ know nuttin’ about dat!”
“If you wish a sign, perhaps so do others.” His blue eyes turned lighter.
“Oh, I don’ know. ‘Welcome To Esta Faho Spaceport’ or sompin’. What’s Esta Faho’s motto?”
Then, we had to try to explain what a motto is. “Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s motto is ‘Two men, one vision.’ Why can’t they just call it ‘Atlanta Airport’ like most people do?”
Elsie frowned at me. “Because Maynard Jackson fought for funding to expand it! He did more for Atlanta than any other mayor, if ya ask me! Atlanta’s mostly white, an’ dey do everything they can to deny funding, if Black people like me use it.”
Bless her heart. “Oh, I didn’t realize it was like that! Most things with a name on ‘em are that way because some spoiled rich person wants to be remembered. I agree with you, Maynard Jackson was a good mayor. My grandparents met because they came to hear him speak about funding the airport better.”
“Dey did? An’ dey was white?”
“Sure! Atlanta’s airport is part of what makes Atlanta great! My grandparents were always carrying on about how if people weren’t so stupid about transportation, it’d be like New York’s transit system, and interstate traffic wouldn’t be so bad. People fought every move to expand MARTA because white people in the suburbs thought Black people were the only ones who took MARTA. Look at housing and the ‘one-strike rule’. That punishes single parents.
“Mama’s best friend got evicted from public housing when Atlanta got the 1996 Olympics, and they never replaced all the low-income housing that was lost. They built mixed-income housing, but not enough of it for all the low-income people. She was bused to Gainesville, Georgia, and her social worker couldn’t get her on even food stamps. She was homeless up there with 3 kids and barely made it because Mama got Daddy to give her a job. He owned our old house and was going to sell it, but he sold it to her with nothing down, just a monthly payment until she saved enough to get a loan. She still lives in Chamblee.”
Her record came up. She’s on that ship with the kids! Her clone still works at Daddy’s company. My clone changed her major back to computer science. Re-enrolled in my calculus class and she’ making A’s! Got a job designing code for games!
But, then we got a look at her record. “Wow, Elsie she looks like an older you!”
Another screen came up. It only showed to Elsie. She cried. I waited. Her healer came and encouraged her to take some of the white stuff. She had to sniff that vial ten times!
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Tom wanted to cheer her up, so he made holos of Maynard Jackson giving speeches about Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and named our airport Jackson Spaceport. The sign had his name on it.
She saw that and stopped crying. “Oh, Tom, that’s wonderful! I wonder how long dat’ll last? But, Becky, you won’t believe this! Mama was alive, all these years, in Grady Hospital! Her sista refused to cut off da life support. She died last Saturday an’ dey cut off her life support, but Molly saved her! Healers fixed her, Becky, an’ she’s comin’! An’ my aunt, too! Molly saved my family!”
Galarsmen gave a lot of examples of how Ella’s progs saved people, but she just looked uncomfortable. She’s really got a low self-esteem, like Elise. I made a mental note to talk to her later.
Then, Galarsmen made his announcement. “Today, my friends of Esta Faho, we travel to our city—”
People’s excitement tingled on me! I was excited until I heard the rest of it.
“—to my chambers. I wish you to stay there just for a time longer. I know you are weary of healers’ chambers, but I think even this small change may uncover unwells.”
Tom got upset, but he just hugged me. At least we’ll be in Galarsmen’s Chambers, in our city! I can see it from here, just across Piedmont Park.
Right behind that holo of Maynard Jackson, the yellow ship appeared with its side open.
Elsie laughed. “Oh, everybody gets on the ship’ll see him! He was de 1st Black mayor in the United States when he got elected in 1973, an’ my grandparents were on de committee to get him elected!”
Ella’s parents frowned at it, but just walked past. The holo even shook hands with Elsie! “Oh, it’s an honor to meet you, Sir!”
He laughed and said, “I’m here to work hard!”
Stacy shook his hand, too. He gave each kid a toy that had something to do with the airport workers, or the civil rights movement in Atlanta. Karl got a baseball autographed by Hank Aaron and an action figure of him.
“Wow! Thanks! Is this for real?”
“It’s an exact replica of the baseball he hit during his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. It’s on display at Truist Park right now.”
“Awesome! I can give copies to Jason, Brian, my Brian, and Steven! I bet Jason’ll put his on display at his park! I wish I could have one!”
Fa waved, and there was one! Piedmont Park moved over, so the ball park was between Esta Faho and the Beltline. “I think many of our Earthans will enjoy this! Many of their colonies in Alb already have the Beltline and a baseball park! Is easy to accommodate them.”
“Oh, boy! I’ll have to set up my first away game! When we get teams.”
“I know Science Service Of Adia’s Ship scanned every person on Earth. Pirad could make clones your age of famous baseball players, for your teams.”
“He could! Awesome! I could have 8 more brothers!” He, Brian, and his shorter brother, Kerr, high-fived!
His dad smiled, big. “I could have 8 more sons to practice with! Please, Dominique, could we?”
She laughed! “The more, the merrier!”
We boarded Fa’s ship. Our about 400 Esta Fahoans and 20 Earthans sat in the floor with nervous looks. A beautiful, sunny day for travel. But, Mican’s up to something. Ella looked tense, too.
Via came to the opening. “My bae and sae, be well! I am happy to know you. Galarsmen, if you need help, call on me. Porting is easy.” He smiled and spread his arms wide. Those white healer’s robes fluttered in the slight breeze. He didn’t look quite as old.
All of the Zheien were a little pale now. We’ll be closer to home. Tom had both arms around me and the triple beats of his heart shook me. I wished I could just stop time! In a week, things will be very different.
A Thordes stood at the bulge in the smooth console that marked the navs. Tom told me this is Tis, pilot of Farley’s Team. He gave worried glances at Farley, who just smiled. Watched Fa as he stood in the middle. “My bae and sae, I will speak longer when we arrive in our city. Tismaran, please, pilot us.”
He waved for the ship to close up and people paled more. “Sir, I am Tis. My name is short, but it’s not a shortname.”
Fa oranged. “I am sorry. Names—are difficult at times.” He sat down and Galarsmen’s red-gold eyes filled.
“Galar, your measures saved us. Nae—”
“Mican trained me to ignore Via, Master Healer Of All Ishah! And, I did.”
“You learned well of him and healers of Leiea.”
“Mican nearly had my herbs! I heard his loud thought that he had a prog to port them to his ship, and my databases with notes of their use I had from many healers of Leiea! I thought to attack him—then I was on my ship. Did he get them? All appear to be in my chamber, but how can I be sure?” He trembled.
Farley showed him that memory that Ella pulled out of someplace, and he watched it in awe. “You can access the Diplomatic Link?” I felt Galarsmen hiding our convo from the rest of the ship.