Garat came in. “I need that lawyer. Why is he sleeping? How long do Areonians sleep, anyway? Pirad, you may reclone any of us you wish. I will give you materials. I just spoke with Minister Suan and he will allow us to have clones. I showed him the memories Eanne~ shared with me. In the New Healing, we may do a lot of things we feared to do—”
“Eriganh and Rentappenen are still a threat—”
“But, if the New Healing is begun—”
“We are not supposed to be discussing this!” Pirad clicked his face into frozen dismay, but he planted his foot on Garat’s left knee, with a pop!
“But, how are we to make any decisions regarding this New Healing, if we cannot discuss it?” He stomped his left foot so hard, he bounced off the ceiling, then the floor, and Pirad yanked him down.
“We cannot!” He put his elbow on Garat’s right ear.
“I say we must!” Garat pushed Pirad’s neck down. The scuffle brought them into the main area of the ship. Ir and I followed.
An Elshar laughed. “Must you wrestle? An Elshar can argue without those ridiculous—”
Garat snapped into standing with one arm at his side and the other pointing at the man. “I need a TS Inspector!”
An Elshar in black robes strode to them. Glared at Garat. “I am a busy man—”
“He interrupted my trade!”
The blond-curled Elshar glared at the other Elshar, whose eyes turned black. “Are you mad, to dispute with a Biehshah? Do you know how many lawyers this man, Garat, Minister Of Leheren, has at his call? Do you know he is a minister of Biehshah Council? Wave up your trades!”
The man did. Inspector looked at his screens of trades, a lot of them. “I do not see a trade with Garat.”
“I do not trade with Biehshah!”
“A master trader would.” He sniffed.
But, I recognized the man from when Ir got hurt on Columbia, one of the Earthan Colonies Earth’ll have later. “He intoxicated Nirpam, Diplomat Of—” Where was he from?”
The Inspector glared at me. “Pah, an Earthan! If you are to address me about a dispute, do you know who is involved? Do not bother—”
“Andrisch, I am Nirpam, Diplomat Of Escet Vu.” By him was his Thordes buddy, Rishan, who was also with him that day. His blue skin paled to white, and his blond curls jiggled by his ears. He’s even younger than he was when this happened. “He intoxicated me in Prov 41. I sat with my healer 4 months. See my memories. TS could nae find him when we filed our case.”
Andrisch waved and studied a screen. “Your healer told me you could not remember who attacked you. Injuries can confuse a man, he said.”
“See my memories.” Rishan stared at the Elshar. I wanted to show him, too, but Pirad blocked me. I might injure him, and even Ry’nao couldn’t save me from Ih Esta if that happened! Elshar trader police!
But, Andrisch waved up another Elshar’s hologram.
They stared at each other, then this older Elshar glared at this one. “Dirisch, you are a slopfah! I dismissed you from the Council Of Prov 9 when you tried to take slaves. Inspector, see my memories! I will not have this man leave where he stands.” You know it’s bad when an Elshar compares someone to a living toilet.
They stared at one another a long time.
Poor Nirpam dripped green sweat stars on the red-violet floor. If he collapses before they finish, they lose this case! Ir trembled and got cold. The Zheien’s affecting him. He sweated, too.
Finally, Andrisch nodded. Pointed at Nirpam. A shower of terminals made a cloud around his hands, rolled up in front of his chest. He didn’t wave to put them in his holdings. His blue eyes stared in front of him.
“I find in your favor. And, you, Dirisch, will not see your home.”
A man dressed in white went to him. Dirisch stood in a puddle. That shocked me. The man stuffed a handful of leaves in his mouth. He simpered. Gasped. Went stiff and fell. A vaporizer ran. I thought he just ran hygiene, but when the light faded, there were—his trader robes and peasant clothes they wear under ‘em. Clean floor. I felt sick! Ir put his arms around me, but he’s cold, too.
Andrisch and the white robe went into a room.
Rishan grabbed Nirpam. “I need a healer!”
“I will see him, DS. Be calm.” A blue healer put him on his lap.
“He gave him fostok, hyssdia, and overdoses of yllis and vek ea.” I named off herbs I never heard of, and the healer carefully noted each one.
“Novas! When was this? He was with me! Healer, he was always with me!”
“He put lu sig on you. Heden had both of you, but Dirin stole you. He used you to steal slaves.” I saw more, but I couldn’t speak it, in the Diplomatic Link, that’s like shouting it to an auditorium filled with people. Who’s telling me about this? And who’s blocking me?
Pirad put a hand on my forehead and an expression of shock and dismay clicked onto his face. “Opseh Wenh Cet. You should be more careful, in an Earthan-Ty’nirrhan body. Teach him a lesson, Kia.”
He showed me what to do. I sent a surge down to him. I killed him?
Ry’nao, Emperor Of The Seven Galaxies came out and put his hands on my head. “Kia, stop now. Keep your telepathy here, on our ship. Pirad?” He had fire-engine red skin and no thumbs, because he’s Xchou. A very pristine gray uniform with drapes for a belt. Ir said I should bow, but everyone looked at Pirad.
“We are safe. Garat, I cannot protect us if you do that again!” He had the frozen dismay on his face.
Garat was really angry, but turned and strode to his room. Waved a cloud of terminals to his staff, who got busy sending slaves to Alb. To a lot of Rainbow colonies. Wow.
I felt shaken, but Ir kept his arms around me. I killed a man!
Ry’nao hugged me. “Kia, we are at war. You saved many lives with this one act. Later, I wish to discuss this with you. Ryee, we are due at the UN.” He walked to a couple and they ported away. Wow! I met him in Rainbow—and that couple, too.
An Earth lady ran to another one. “Oh, Regina, I’m so glad you came!”
“I’m so sorry! I was stupid! Can you ever forgive me, Adelle?”
“Yes! Regina, meet my new husband, Pie!” Oh, that red-haired healer. I saw him in Rainbow, and her, too.
She hugged him, too. “I’m staying. When you go offplanet, I’m coming! Is there a Biehshah Colony? Will Lisen be there?”
Just then, a purplish-pink skinned man ran over. “Regina!” He knelt and pulled out a ring! Ir got a shocked, but happy expression.
She smiled really big. Pulled at her dark curls.
“Serena Regina Marston, Programmer Of Earth, I love you with undying love, with love that shakes me, that I wish with all my heart that you would accept my Petition Of Courtship, by the Ancient Protocols of Zhea~, Ye~, and Atlanta! I, Lisen, Diplomat Of Biehshah, Kehnaren, will you marry me, Regina?”
“Yes! I, Serena Regina Marston, will marry you, Lisen, Diplomat Of Biehshah!”
Another Biehshah with yellow skin—oh, that’s Tenadu—gasped and ran over to him just as he fainted! He poured several drinks down him.
Regina cried. “Is he dying?”
“Do not touch him! I have to heal him!”
“What is going on here? What is this?” Garat picked up the fallen ring with a scowl.
“Lisen recited courtship to this woman.”
“Did he consult a lawyer first? A lawyer in Kehnaren?”
A Thordes fella kneeled by him. “He said he’d have to correspond with her for a year by poetry first, then court her for seven years. So he moved his house to Ye~ this morning, to the Biehshah Colony there.”
“What? Another Biehshah marriage! What foolishness is this? Any sensible man will court a lady, not rush her into marriage!”
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Regina sobbed. “But, I love him! I don’t think it’s fair, to have to court for seven years! We remember corresponding and sharing poetry for a year before I met him. Doesn’t that count?”
Pirad came back out. Frowned at the man. “Garat, this is none of your concern! Lisen moved! He is now a citizen of Ye~. If you have a problem, go see Eanne~ or Ryonne~. Ten, how is he?”
“Maybe you should look at him. If Garat does not stop, he will die!”
Pirad put a hand on his head. Frowned.
Regina cried, loudly, and Zheien gathered around. Rumbles shook us.
An orange Zheien, sash bursting with pins, came. He had long, silver curls. “Garat, may we discuss in my office?” He held out a twin-fingered hand.
Garat put the ring in it. The official handed it to sobbing Regina. “Lady, I shall do all in my power to help you and Lisen. I am Eanne~, Elder King Of Ye~.”
“Thank you.” She took the ring and put it on. Perfect fit.
Lisen groaned.
A man brought a large group of men and women to sit against him. His purplish-pink skin got more purple in it.
Tenadu put his hand in hers.
“Regina. Did I finish?”
“Yes! We’re engaged!”
A voice came from his pocket. “Petition Of Marriage recorded on Zhea~.”
“M-Marriage? But I recited Courtship!”
Eanne~ gasped and held him up. “My son, you meant Courtship? O, I am sorry! Even I can ne change this.”
“See this foolishness? His prov would not even accept Courtship, and now he has a marriage he does not want!” Garat plopped both hands on his hips and turned sideways.
Lisen stared up at him, blue eyes wide. “I did not say that! I want to have Regina as my wife, if she is not unhappy—”
“Lisen, I love you! I want to be married! I do!”
He smiled, big, and sat up.
Tenadu held his shoulders. “Do not exert! Let me carry you to your room. All of you, come with us!”
All the huge group got up.
Garat frowned at them all. “You are all foolish!”
One came up to him and slapped his elbow on his shoulder. “You are foolish to leave your lady crying. You know she still loves you, do you?”
Garat’s yellow skin paled to white! “She does?”
“She waited six months for you to answer her Petition Of Apology—”
He frantically waved through pages of documents. The man smiled at Ir and ran after Regina and Lisen.
Adelle put a hand on Garat’s shoulder. “Maybe you should write her a love poem. And give her some roses, or whatever kind of flower you fellas give a lady.” She had pretty blue eyes.
“What does this gesture mean?” Garat looked from his shoulder to Adelle.
“Well, you seem to really like your lady, and I’m rooting for you. I hope she listens. I wish you good luck in your romance. Here on Earth, next month, on February 14, it’s Valentine’s Day. It’s a holiday a lot of countries on Earth celebrate, for people in love to give each other Valentines, cards to show they care. Or just to give to a friend to show you care.”
“Really? You, here in the United States, have a special day devoted to love?” He smiled.
“Yes! So, Happy Valentine’s Day early, Garat! The world loves lovers.”
He found that document and wrote something. A very long document. Adelle walked away and left him to it. They lived in MarKu, Rainbow’s largest sub-colony. Yeah.
We went to Pirad’s Lab. I just tried not to think. Rentappenen knows. He saw me kill Opseh Wenh Cet. In the other future, Ray killed him. I didn’t look towards her room. She’s there, and she felt this, too.
Lun Wenh Cet and Rahn Wenh Cet are waiting for that to happen again. Deb, Greg and Briahh trembled as we passed into Pirad’s Lab. How many other diplomats are in that outer room there, with someone watching through them?
Ry’nao, Emperor Of The Thirteen—no, the Seven. Adia didn’t fight Eriganh yet. He hugged me. “Kia, don’t worry about that. Let me worry about that. Once Pirad reclones you, you’ll be able to control your new abilities better. Do you have a Cube? A Collective?” His red-violet eyes studied me. That red skin of his is pale. I felt his four-fingered hands on my shoulders, tapping. He’s Xchou and they tap. Wait, didn’t he have gray curls? This man’s young with brown curls!
I looked, then laughed. “No, it’s just me. Deesamor rogues. I’m glad Pirad knows how to make ‘em work for us!”
Pirad’s mouth dropped open, with a pop! “I cannot control Deesamor rogues! We thought Deesamor was destroyed!”
“No. Deesamor, Fereshah, and Elshar Hubs are hidden, with all of their worlds. You just need to find Sophie so she can heal Elshar Hub on Utus. Find Anna and make Ahstam 257, so he remembers where Fereshah Hub is and you need Sybil to wake it up. Torie knows how to unlock Deesamor and it’s on Gowa. Flora knows about Lidara and she revived the irhae so 10 Hubs there, copies of Elshar, Deesamor, Fereshah, but they won’t have the worlds. The others, Jain, Chor, Dosilian, Xchou, Aryllan, Lerk and Laruu, they have worlds! Then, you’ll have enough armies so Ray can defeat Rentappenen. And, oh, yeah, we need Pinda. He’s on an Areonian ship and he’s just pretending to help Rentappenen. Deb knows where the half-Ty’nirrhans are, but there’s one that’s Areonian-Ty’nirrhan. Find her and you have a lot of ‘em that Pinda gathered.” Who are all these people, and how do I know this?
Ry’nao paled to white, bluish-white! Ket caught him. He’s Elshar, but knows Xchou healing. Surely I’m not hurting him, am I?
Pirad clicked his face into a dismayed expression. “How do you see this?”
“You need Sara for Cevit Ion. He needs to find her now!”
He ran in. “They are all on the ship!”
That white walrus fella popped in. “Good ideas! You better hurry!” He vanished. I still felt his huge, purple eyes on me.
Pirad pulled me with him and plopped me on a hard table. “Ir, lie on that one. Briahh, Greg, help me!”
They came running, and we shared memories. Some of the people were already sharing memories. I watched my entire life.
While I did, Pirad offered me choices. Clones of me appeared. But, he couldn’t make them live. I shuddered. Every choice Pirad gave me, there was a reason it wouldn’t work. Rentappenen is watching me! He wants me to flub and hurt someone. He’s using me as his weapon!
But, that works both ways. I messed up some of what he was doing. Pirad begged me to stop! But, someone else taught me fine control over this new telepathy. I shuddered. My human body shouldn’t be able to have this powerful telepathy. My cloned sisters died of brain damage. Whoever’s helping me can’t save them. Only me. I saw him. Green, and small like goblins in Halloween flicks. I shuddered.
People argued that I shouldn’t let him help me. His people destroyed entire civilizations. Like I have a choice about this? He’s almost as powerful as Rentappenen.
“Granny taught me how to love. She says I should ask first. So, I’m asking. I can make you into a weapon to stop Rentappenen. When he made me do that, I didn’t have choices like you do. I’m not a slaver like him. Do you want to fight him?”
“Of course, I want to fight him!” But, Ray’s supposed to do it!
Ir sat on a cube beside me. I looked down at it. “No cushion? How long you been sitting on that thing, Ir?”
He giggled. “Only two hours! It’s only 11:20 am. The day is young! Oh, my beautiful love! Let us go find your relatives!”
I sat up and hugged my handsome husband. His bronze skin had rich color. And, his brown eyes looked good against it. His silver hair—maybe platinum blond. Yeah. He looks young.
Ir took me off the table. “Did you have a bad dream, Kia?”
“No, I’m talking to someone. He’s going to help me—” I saw the dismayed expression on Pirad’s face and shut up!
“Tell him no!” Pirad had all three sets of his pupils spread to the edges of his green irises! I never saw a Bisillip so upset! Ten ran to him and poured lots of drinks down him. I don’t think he felt it.
But the goblin wasn’t there now. I shuddered. Rentappenen is scared. I felt that before I shut him off. I can do that? Dromie taught me how to hide from him. He can still kill me, with a thought, if he can find me. He knows where this ship is—
Pirad t0ld me don’t think. That’s how he can find me. He stared at me.
Ir stared at me. Twenty pairs of eyes also stared at me.
Zheien ran for Pirad’s Lab. I felt their rumbles before they got near us. What’s scaring them?
Mama used to say, when we had a bad thunderstorm, sing and it won’t be scary.
I sang Amazing Grace. Normally, I wouldn’t sing a religious song unless it was for a church group because people are so polarized these days. But, I sang, and Zheien got this blank look. They smiled and started dancing. That’s just natural for them, to dance when they feel happy.
Ir put me on my feet and waltzed with me. Amazing Grace is not a waltz, but we made it into one. Harmonies laced with the taste of ice cream in a thousand flavors. Every Bisillip and Biehshah on the ship listened, and even Pirad clicked his face into his smug expression.
Somewhere between the notes, Pinda came into the lab. Black fur and prick ears like a surreal cat. Laruu. He’s Laruu. With an expression of shock, he walked towards me. “Dromie did that? Maybe I misjudged him. Will his people help us if he brings them back?”
Ir and I danced, and he danced along with us, and Ir didn’t see him. No one else saw or heard us. “He said Granny taught him to love.”
“Hm. An Earthan. I guess my Gifts are doing some good, after all! They found you. But I didn’t think an Earthan could be improved. Let me see what he did, will you?” He planted a soft paw on my forehead. I stumbled, but Ir held me up.
“Are you tired? Oh, I’m inconsiderate!” Ir stopped dancing. But I couldn’t walk with him because Pinda stood between us.
Ir frowned. “Is something wrong, Kia? Cesearae?”
“I’m sorry, I’m doing something.” Rather, Pinda has this look of concentration and I don’t want to interrupt.
He vanished. Not the roar of a dimportal or a swirl of green light, just—like gone!
Pirad came over. “You should not talk to him!”
Garat ran in. “Who? Will you tell me what is happening?”
“No! You are going to kill us all! Stop it!” Pirad stuck an elbow on the side of his neck, like a karate chop on a statue.
Garat looked shocked. “Me? I am not doing anything that could possibly—”
“If you talk to the wrong faction—”
“I am not talking to anyone but my ministers!” He looked indignant.
Pirad took his elbow off and stared at me. “Who did you talk with?”
“Pinda.” My lip quivered.
Ir looked very confused. “Pinda was here? I would very much like to speak with one of—”
“Think like an Elder, for once in your life! This is not a diplomatic mission! It is the life or death of the Padrisa!”
My husband gasped and put a hand over his mouth. Of all the hundreds of gestures Biehshah and Bisillips use, that’s not one of them!
Pirad jerked his hand out and put a milkshake in it.
“The Padrisa?” He had an expression of utter shock!
“Drink this.” Pirad upended the glass. His spindly fingers pointed out.
Ir took my hand and led me out. I didn’t think. What’s the Padrisa? I whispered it telepathically.
You know it as the Virgo Supercluster of Galaxies. We only have contact with thirteen. Pinda’s people—
Stop it! Pirad’s voice made us both jump.
I wanted to ask more questions, but no. Zheien rumbles followed us to our room. Normally, Ir would apologize to ‘em as we walked past, but he almost ran to our room.