I expected the building with every side a diff color, but here it was just a group of seven buildings, and each of those were a color. This one was yellow.

On the bed were Bedelia and Elsie and their new husbands. Everybody Zheien slept. A sea of beds, with a hall in back and an arch in front that let all the floral scents in. The walls were clear so I could see the other six buildings and even people on the beds. Ours was kind of in the middle.

Everybody Elshar moved to our bed and bowed!

Nitomahan stood on the floor next to the bed. “My people, nae bow. Rest. We had perils, and now we may all rest. I am sorry I nae came sooner, but I wish to tell you, all is well now. My Elshars, I wish to know. Wish you for Micansen to represent all traders, Elshar and Zheien, and for Keris Pon to represent all my artisans?”

All of them lifted their arms and waved them slowly from one side to the other, with smiles!

“Keris, will you speak briefly? They need rest soon, and so you do.” His blue eyes turned a bit lighter.

He got up with his wife and stood on the bed where their leiwege had been. “My artisans, I wish to know of all your concerns. We will all rest for five weeks, then resume work for our city. All of us must learn new habits. Now that Elshar Zheiea is one, all of us share a large work. I do not want to see anyone injured. King Challet wishes all of us to send our items to traders in our Local Trade Building together, with healers stationed there, so when they finish long trades, they have prompt healing. Do not trade your items. Let our friends trade for us. We are nae trained for vigorous trading, as they were in Sigan Mas. Now we shall sit on the commons and make and perform, and have much more time for this, and nae long, tedious hours of trading!”

Hands went up and people looked very happy!

I heard someone. That slopfah! I will have him for my slave! I looked around. One Elshar in trader’s robes frowned when I noticed him. I froze.

Nathan sat up and zapped him! “I need a TS Inspector!

Tom gasped. “My friend, you are unwell to bring—”

That Ishah stepped out of a portal. Nathan struggled to look straight. His head wobbled a little.

He frowned. “I agree. He is unwell—”

“I will stand and show you my complaint. My friend's wife heard him.” He got off the bed a bit slowly, but stood tall. Didn’t waver. Yellow sparkles shone on his skin.

The inspector frowned at him. “Wave up your trades.”

“I did not trade tod—”

“I will see them. Now.” He waved a tri-fingered hand and records scrolled. “Oh, you helped Oparnen, did you? Another traitor. Your slaves will come to Alb.”

That man in white came and I looked at another bed. And found another one!

Tom showed the Inspector. He wasn’t happy that I wasn’t standing, so I started to move over and Pas gently set me on my feet. Took his hands away.

“I am sorry you are unwell, but you can see what I cannot! Please, do you see others?”

I looked around. My body shook, and it must’ve been obvious! But I overheard people who showed things to TS Inspectors in Rainbow, and they were always afraid of collapsing before they got finished. You fall and the bad guy goes free! And no healer can touch you until you finish. I kept going. One Elshar was outside, and they brought him in! I could find ‘em far away. Is it telepathy? I wasn’t hearing anything like a crowd shouting. This was very quiet. And one at a time.

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After 14 more, I didn’t think I could stand up any longer, but I felt something. “Alb Seer. There’s—a trader.”

The Inspector put a hand on my head, and suddenly, he looked at me! That Elshar trader! A soldier grabbed him, and it all stopped.

“Thank you, Lady Becky! May I call on you again?”

“Yes. I am happy to help.” I was seeing spots dance in front of my eyes!

“We are finished here. I find in your favor.” A cloud of terminals floated all around my face.

Pas took me off my feet. “Rest, Lady Becky. Sleep. I care for you.”

Tom shook all over as he held me. Wept. Couldn’t look.

“Yllis heals, Tom.” He gave me leaves, and I tasted that sweet taste as he hummed.

I startled awake.

Tom gasped. “Pas!”

“Ne move, Becky. Let me see you.” His hands felt cold! I just felt sleepy.

Nathan and Yelena held my arm. On my other side, I felt Bedelia and Elsie, and they weren’t happy. How do I know?

Those terminals still floated. Tom got a nod from Pas and I felt his mind again. Love, may I assign one to free your slaves?

Yes! How long have they been waiting?

Nae fear. Those nae in stasis have been on ships, or here in another building with healers.

Please, take care of ‘em now!

I will. He waved, and all the terminals went to a diplomat standing near that front arch. He waved up menus.

Pirad leaned over me. “You have a Gift that I can improve. Antomias’ fear prevented me from coming to you, but I need you to share memories to a biome. I can give you clones. If you wish, I can make an Elshar clone of Antomias and perhaps they will live your Earthan life.”

“I wouldn’t wish my Earthan life on my worst enemy! I never finished my degree and ended up—” Don’t say it! Just don’t! Tom’ll never live it down! If our people knew I was a homeless bum that never made anything of myself--

Pirad let me see that people like me made exceptionally good operatives. He can give them super telepathy, resistance to most slaver herbs, and they can protect my relatives foolish enough to stay on Earth! Couldn’t argue with that. We had lots of relatives. In my awful future, every time I thought of contacting someone, they were already missing—or dead.

I got hurt by that Elshar. He wasn’t Elshar, but something called Dosilian. Even his tech can’t find ‘em, but I can, like some surreal bloodhound! And Esta Faho needs to feel safe! That incident with Oparnen scared everybody, and Pas had to sedate them. He didn’t sedate Tom or Nathan, because I need Tom, and Yelena needs Nathan. She was too scared of Pirad to get recloning. Whatever it is.

Pirad explained it. “I grew clone forms for you. Once I have your memories, I can put them in five. One, I will not give memories. I will blend it with your body to create a new person with your memories. It will be you, but I can add greater telepathy, and add memory capacity to Antomias. Now that I revived Antomias’ mother, I can reclone both of them younger. They can have more children. While your people are here, Antomias, I can wake them and reclone them, to help them with memory problems. All of you are affected, but you and Farleikon, Nathanhai, Jos Keil, Nespa and especially your father, have more memory problems than others. I will have to study once I have your memories.”

He led us to a green room in back of this yellow building. Tom was worried about his friend Farley. He was already recloned and was pretty sick. His wife had scared blue eyes that followed us. I’m glad he got his mother back! But what did Pirad mean, memory problems?

Pas carried me. Poor Yelena also had to be carried, and Nathan.

They laid us on tables. I was scared, but Yelena cried. “I don’t want to remember my life! All of it was horrible!”

Pirad shared a memory of a clone whose host was like that. The poor man was scared of everything! He said all memories are valuable and have things to teach a person.

I had good parents, so my life wasn’t horrible. Daddy fusses because he wants me to succeed and not play around like he did during his college years. I never played around, though. I had my associate’s degree in business by the time I graduated. I studied hard, not just during exam week. But calculus. Couldn’t pass it. I lost my scholarship.

Pirad had a nice man to help me. Tom held my hand until he put that cylinder against my forehead and oh! It burned!