Camila walked over and I braced for her to chew me out again. But she threw her arms around me and cried! “I treated you horribly, but you saved our people! You brought us help! All of us wanted to move someplace safer, but we could not afford this, so we just worked and prayed for help. You are the help God sent to us!”

I hugged her back. “I’m happy for you, but I didn’t bring anything! Ir and his diplomat buddies did that.” With a wave to Prince Theapet, I laughed. “I’m just glad we came to find y’all today! Ir and I got married—”

Daddy startled and glared at Ir. “Why didn’t she mention you when I called her yesterday, if you were planning to elope?”

“We saw our future, today.” Ir spread his hands out wide. They trembled. I worried!

“That’s impossible! Where are you from, anyway? Mexico? Or further south?”

Ir laughed and waved up a holo of Biehshah. “Here is where I came from. Biehshah is a planet in the Alb System. But we will live in our new colony on Ye~, near the Earthan Colony there.” The holo of Biehshah vanished and Ye~ came up.”

“You’re not going home?” Daddy frowned.

“I created a colony to save our people who are sick or Excluded. My people want Siotu to have automated mines and they are tired of paying for healers.” He looked pale.

Der stood beside him. “I would never Exclude anyone.”

Garat came over. “I am sorry I Excluded you, all of you. I will never Exclude anyone again! But Leader Suan is very happy to reclaim Siotu, since all of them went to Ye~. Their scientists want to create mines there for shipbuilding materials. My traders already found markets for the waste minerals.”

Ir paled more.

Now Eanne~ came over. He’s Ryonne~‘s father. “Gar, M’Naga already found markets for all of our output.”

“But, it is only fair that Biehshah has trade from their skills, as they give to us from Siotu.” Garat put a hand on his hip.

Eanne~ paled. “Surely you ne expect them to give an Alliance share to you, when your governance nearly killed them!”

“They are still Biehshah. Of course they will choose Biehshah for their 10%!”

Ir stood with his legs apart, like he did to give that lawyer his cards. “Surely you know, Unified worlds only require 9%. Ye~ is Unified.”

“Biehshah is still Alliance, and we require 10% of all our citizens!”

Ten ran up and poured 4 drinks down my husband. He glared at Garat.

But Eanne~ looked exasperated. “They are now citizen Ye~ and I ne require a share of them, at all!” He spread his twin-fingered hands wide.

All our Biehshah looked very happy! They raised both hands in the air! I guess that was kind of like Zheien wave to cheer, except they don’t do a frozen arms-up.

“No share of all that trade? How does your kingdom survive with only 2500 people? And a third of them are former slaves who cannot produce!” Garat stood the same way Ir did, but with his feet further apart with one in front. And, a sneer. “We have 8 decillion.”

Eanne~ waved with a jerk. Biehshah rotated. A graph in Biehshah totally lost me. “Here is Biehshah trade. Leheren takes 90% of your people’s trade, and Leader Suan is unhappy with it. Theaspaura, King Of Fhiah, is working to convince him to take equal shares from all provs—”

“But, if he does that, we will all starve, because Irdaktin’s colony will take most of my prov!”

Camila marched over to him. “So, you are rich and you do not care about poor people? You deserve to starve!” She turned on her heel and went back to Daddy, who shrugged at me.

Garat watched her go. He put his feet together. That’s like sagging shoulders on us.

“You are welcome to emigrate to my colony, Garat.” Ir smiled.

The Minister Of Leheren glared at Eanne~. “I will remember this, and my traders will.”

Another man I saw in Rainbow strode over to him. I almost didn’t recognize him. In Rainbow, he sweated all the time and his skin kept the light orange of a sick Zheien. This man had deep orange skin and brown eyes that had the wide look. “Garat, my traders will remember your words this day.”

Garat stared at him. “First Prince Goes? I did not know you were here!”

“I am here to represent MarKu to Earth. I thought Biehshah to be more civilized, perhaps. All of your people who visit me are polite as Irdaktin. Is this true, that you leave certain provs to starve while Leheren prospers?” His anger rumbled on me!

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“No one starves on Biehshah. Leader Suan is a good leader.” His voice didn’t have the confidence—

“You implied that Eanne~ does nae know how to govern his kingdom. Do you know how all Zheien kingdoms respect Ye~ because he comes from our king’s prov? Are you aware of how many Unified diplomats served from Ye~, from his founding? I have talented diplomats, and my fae before me, but Ye~ has more diplomatic talent, trading skill, and scientific discoveries than any Zheien world save S’ai! You lived many lifetimes and surely met some of these.” His anger rumbled louder.

Ryonne~ walked over, and diplomats gathered to listen. “Goe, have you a dispute with Minister Garat?”

“Minister Garat insulted your kingdom, and I would remind him that MarKuan trade is yet to be established with Biehshah because of Leheren’s insistence that he takes a share of trade and goods before they reach other provs. I will speak first with Irdaktin, Governor Of Biehshah Ye~, after we establish Earthan trade.” He bowed to Ir.

Ir paled and bowed low to him. I tried, and Ir got in my mind and urged me to go lower.

Goes startled and grabbed my shoulders! Oh, my back hurt! He pulled me gently up and that red-haired healer came over. Then he locked gazes with Garat again.

Garat bowed just as low as Ir did. “If it offends you for Leheren to take trade, I will no longer require trade to pass through Leheren first. But Leader Suan will need to approve this.”

“Theaspaura, King Of Fhiah, informs me he is in Leader Suan’s office now. I would like to bring this matter before him. Eae Biehshah Suan.”

Garat sat on the floor so hard he bounced! Then sat still.

A holo formed of two men and several Thordes diplomats. The purple men jumped up and bowed.

The Zheien had dark brown curls like Goes’ but red-gold eyes. He rose and gave a graceful bow, but lower than Goes bowed to him. “First Prince Goes! I am honored that you wish to speak with us! And Minister Garat Of Leheren! Leader Suan, is there something you wish to discuss together?” He rose.

Suan had green skin, a very bright color. And deep green eyes. He gave a dignified nod. “Garat, is there something I should know?”

Garat sprang up and bowed to him from the waist. “Yes. First Prince Goes is unhappy that Leheren takes a share before other provs. He wants to open trade with Irdaktin’s new colony before us!”

Suan frowned at Garat. “I see. This is why Theas wishes to negotiate trade with all our provs without going through Leheren first. I granted permission for this new colony and already many ships fly to Ye~ and houses move. It worries me, how Irdaktin expects to keep them all alive, but they are citizens of the Alliance and have rights. Some of us feel the Alliance is not important because we remember other councils and higher levels. But, Garat, we live on this level and must participate in this governance.” He sighed.

“There are higher purposes than what we know. Many other worlds make preparations to move here. You worry there will be lack of trade because a few Leheren wish to move. With many more trading partners coming, we of Biehshah have nothing to fear. Let any citizen of Biehshah who wishes to join Biehshah Ye~ go. I think there will not be too many. Even if half of Biehshah moved, trade will continue and Biehshah and Biehshah Ye~ can both prosper! Do not let fear rule you. King Nonosuan let me lead you to Biehshah, a new world with unproven properties, and we prospered. Now Irdaktin wishes to lead people to Ye~ and I know Eanne~ will care for them.

“We do not have a problem. Garat, I expect that you will cooperate with Zheiea. I will settle this matter now with a treaty to be prepared between all worlds of Alb. All provs of Biehshah will give equal shares of 10% to be put into the general Biehshah account. When we have needs, we shall draw from that account according to needs of individual provs. I will not require trade of any Biehshah citizen who emigrates.”

“But, Suan, I cannot provide services without trade—”

“You have traders. Leheren attracts skill. Other provs will always have those who want to move there, to have access to Leheren’s market. Let any who are unhappy emigrate. All provs, as of this day at sunset, will share trade equally and contribute the same percentage of their trade, those who choose to stay on Biehshah. Let any who are unhappy emigrate. Will you do this, Garat?” Suan’s deep green eyes stared at Garat.

Who bowed, keeping his eyes down. “I will, Leader Suan.”

“Good. We have an understanding. My diplomats will compose a fair treaty. We will continue to discuss trade in the Alb Council to consider this. Theas, any provisions you wish to add, I will hear them in the Biehshah Council when Garat returns.” He kept watching Garat.

Ir seemed surprised that Garat stayed put.

Suan looked at us. “Ir, bring your wife to meet me.”

Ir held out his arm and I put my hand on it. Like ice! I worried. Gracefully, he walked me over to the leader’s life-sized holo.

Suan took my hand. “It is—unusual that you had to marry quickly, but there is one other Biehshah who also had to do this. I also saw my future. We had prophecies of this time and I consulted with the Ancient Databases. The New Healing is unfolding. Theas founded Rainbow Colonies, and I agreed to one here on Biehshah. We require a clone for it. Lady Kia Chevrolet Garfield, I wish to ask you to clone yourself, so we have your healing skills. My diplomats tell me you have a Gift, and I wish to have it here where it is badly needed. Pirad and Kirnonos also agreed to clones for it.” One hand pulled at my long, light brown hair.

“Sir, Pirad could not clone me. They died, Sir.”

He nodded. “I think when the War ends, he will be able to do so. I give permission for Pirad to clone any of you who wish clones. Many had fears when Deesamor fell, but i never believed that cloning was the cause. It is time we leave our childish fears and enjoy the benefits of cloning and recloning.” With a wave, he looked at each Biehshah face. Only one was green like him. “Tak, will you reconsider? I am lonely here without you.”

That one bowed, keeping his eyes on him. “Father, these people need my skills. I will clone myself and send him home. Perhaps you and Mother would enjoy some younger clones as well.”

He smiled, for the first time during this whole discussion. “I would like that very much. Many of us wish children we cannot have. We have to marry Bisillips to reproduce more often than not. Pirad solved many problems, and I was foolish not to admit it. Today I will be a wiser leader and make changes we needed from the time I led you all here. Our children will see a brighter future and lead us into it.” He sat down.

Theaspaura smiled and took Goes’ hand. “Goe, it is very well to see you today. Is there anything you need? Or you, Ryee? Ean?”

Goes smiled and bowed again, then all of them did. They all bowed lower to Ryonne~. Ir told me that’s because he’s 2nd in command to Emperor Ry’nao. Holy cow!

Garat went to his room and several of Pirad’s clones went with him. Not one of the Biehshah moved.