Ryonne~ looked at Dromie’s miserable face. “My friend, I am sure Father Of All forgives all who repent, whether made persons of men or persons born to others. But there are the demands of judgment and we must obey Wslarc and his Council.”

Dromie nodded. “Then, I will obey. I will leave and lead my people against Rentappenen.”

Pamela ran to him! “Wait! What about all of us who didn’t get our relatives back? Are you going to get all of them?”

“I need people who look like them.”

Greg and all of the people of Ry Pethe stood. “We are willing to go—”

“No! Greg, you can’t!” Deb grabbed his arm.

I frowned. “Deb, I agree. Greg, you and Briahh help Pirad. You can’t—”

“But, Pirad didn’t take us with him to Alb Seer! He has clones of us—” His green eyes opened wide, but he shuddered.

Leticia ran over to them. “He didn’t take me, either. But he told me he wants all of you safe, too!”

A man looked at Greg. “I agree! You suffered enough when we were sent to Earth. Many of us talked about this. I was leader of our best fighters. There are 50 of us who are well-trained for this. You are a scientist, and most of us are scientists who don’t know how to fight. Let me take our fighters. We know how to convince others to fight. All of you can work here.”

They all watched Greg, who looked at them, and all of the larger ones nodded. Greg sighed and his shoulders sagged. “My dear friends. Yes, I will let you do the fighting, this time. Perhaps I am too injured to lead you.”

A man with brown eyes and hair hugged him. “Brother, you are able to lead us. I will help you all I can, and do some of what you did. Let us go inside, those who are not leaving. There is much work for us.” He led most of them out of the garden and back into the building.

The ones left went to Dromie. “We are ready. I warn all of you, we may not return. Any who are frightened to see fighting again, you may go inside.”

Not one left. Brave men and women watched Dromie.

He hugged Ryonne~. “Thank you for your friendship. We will leave now. My people can hide ourselves and give you healing. Let’s go save people!”

All of them just vanished.

Ryonne~ wept and we hugged him.

People gathered around. “What will they do? Where are they going? Do they know where our people are?”

With a weary sigh that rumbled on us, Ryonne~ held up both hands. “Friends, Dromie did ne share his plans with me. I think he knows where Rentappenen keeps his enemies. People of Ry Pethe who went with him, they fought much in this war of 300 years. Some were trained by Rentappenen to fight and know his weapons. Myenhharrh went with him. Surely he thinks to gather other Esteerrians to join them. A trader knows much, from people of all occupations, to items useful in battle such as weapons or substances to disable or kill.”

A woman came close. “Ry’nao doesn’t trust that goblin, and you said you couldn’t. How do we know he’ll do anything? He might be taking those poor people to be slaves, too!”

Rumbles startled all of us. “Friends, I ne know. Dromie seems to regret his acts. He is a species I ne know. His people were created of inanimate objects that were biological weapons. Such beings would be very different from any we know! I can ne predict how Dromie and his people think, or if they truly repent. That is for Father Of All to decide, ne me.”

“All of this religious nonsense! I don’t believe any of it! How can such an advanced species as you believe fairy tales?” She stomped a foot in the sand.

Ryonne~‘s rumbles shook the ground beneath us. I never felt such anguish from a Zheien, but neither did Ir, who grabbed his arm! “I can ne explain, except to share what I feel when I pray.”

Feelings of sadness, but also calm, radiated from him. I knew the feeling because I’m a religious person, but the lady looked shocked. Most people with us smiled and had a lot of questions. Some of them shook their heads, like that lady, and walked away.

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Some of them started to walk after them, but Ryonne~ held up a hand. “Ne, let them go.”

That lady whirled and stared at him, blue eyes wide! “What, you don’t want them to argue that it’s all true?”

“Ne. It makes me sad that you ne believe, but all in Alb may believe as they wish, as long as their beliefs ne harm others. The Alb Council believes in this way, and so I do.” He smiled.

“The government doesn’t prevent you from trying to convince us. That’s an individual thing.”

“O, I ne feel prevented. But our religion teaches that we should ne interfere in a person’s beliefs. We teach all who come to us, who wish to know of our religion, but we ne ever force our beliefs on others. Dromie asked of me, and I taught him. Whether he listened, we know ne. If you wish to know more, you will ask of us, ea?”

“I just want my family back! They won’t be the same after slavery, will they? I saw people come back like zombies!” The anguish on her face brought tears in Ryonne~‘s golden eyes.

“In my other future, I had injury and became a healer. Ea, those who see slavery are changed. But, their relations welcomed them and healers offered healing, and they had as much healing as we could give them. Know this, that our healers wait, and if any do return, we care for them well. Have hope, Lady. Hope is well.”

She nodded and walked away.

People enjoyed the garden and gradually mingled again.

Ir and I talked with Ryonne~ a bit, then he had to leave. “Ir, Kia, please stay here with other Councillors. I have ne authority to ask, but Ry’nao thought it best to bring you here until our conflict ends. I shall explain to all missing your group.”

We nodded.

Deb, Greg, Briahh and a dark-skinned lady holding a cute baby walked with us. Greg smiled. “Kia, here is my brother Briahh, his wife Cadence, and their baby Lizzie. Our baby is Enora—”

“You have a baby?” I stared at Deb!

A lady walked around the festival carrying a baby with orange curls and blue eyes.

“That’s my mother, carrying Enora. Ty’nirrhan babies grow fast! She can drink anything Greg and Briahh can. We all share a huge mind link so Enora knows where we are, but we warned her not to tell.”

Cadence smiled at us. “I wish Lizzie could talk to us! But I am grateful we both live. Because Nat’s wife Genevieve remembered me to Briahh, he saved me. I had AIDS and believed I should kill myself, so I was on a bridge in New Orleans. Briahh ported me to the ship. I was very sick for a couple of days, but healers saved us.” She smiled and hugged Lizzie, who slept.

“She’s beautiful. I’m so glad you and her are okay!” I couldn’t imagine being preggie and having AIDS, too! She didn’t mention Lizzie’s father and I didn’t ask.

Briahh looked very happy. “Cadence was my student, but she got a scholarship in New Orleans and I was—embarrassed to try to contact her. I was dying until Pirad healed me.” He looked down.

Deb rubbed the back of his head like Zheien do, which made him smile. “You’re going to make us Zheien! Or maybe Ryee will. He was so nice to host our colony! Or did his father do that?” He frowned.

“Ryee did that. Maybe you and Greg should lie down for a bit. It’s been an exciting day!” With a push of his shoulder, she got him to look at her husband, who also had the dazed look. They’re not healthy?

Cadence smiled and winked at Deb. “Oh, I’m tired. Briahh, Greg, could we lay in the flowers and take a nap? We did that earlier today—”

“We did? But, I—have work, don’t I, Deb? Oh, Pirad died in our lab!” He got this anguished look.

Deb rubbed his temples. “You worked, and now you have to rest, Love. Go with Briahh and Cadence. You can rest now.”

His green eyes got teary. “I can? It’s been so many years since someone told me I can rest.”

Deb reassured him, then the trio laid down on a big flower on the ground. Lizzie had a Biehshah toy in her hand that made soft music.

Then our friend came back, with a long sigh. Greg and Briahh were slaves, for centuries. They act pretty normal until they get tired. All of Ry Pethe is this way.

We looked where Deb did and saw that all the Ty’nirrhans laid down. But the Areonian ones stayed in a group, and the Ry Pethe ones gathered around Greg and Briahh. I wish I could get the Areonian half-Ty’nirrhans to join us. They don’t talk to us. All of them live in the Areonian Colony, and you know none of them will ask for healing, and they all need it!

They do? Did any of my healings help ‘em?

I think so, but how will we know if they won’t let a healer touch them? So frustrating! She sighed again. Her blue eyes filled. I miss my baby! How long do we have to stay here? Mama must be worried.

Ry’nao said until we finish. I think it’ll be soon. I sure hope Dromie’s people can get our people back!

Do you trust him?

Ryonne~ does, and he’s a diplomat, so he knows people of all kinds. I think he does trust him now. All we can do is wait. At least we can talk to each other now!

I’m not sure we should. Rentappenen is listening.

I think he’s been listening. It hasn’t helped him much.

He sure is mad!

He’s always mad! I laughed.