More people got married. We all watched. Ir kept an arm around me and I kept my hand on his. That felt so good, that his hand stayed there except to stroke my fingers or give a squeeze. When I was goin’ with Randy, his hands constantly annoyed me, wanderin’. I enjoyed my husband’s arm across my back. Not heavy. He smells good, not sweaty and insisting on a hug before he hit the shower. I shouldn’t be doin’ comparisons, but I couldn’t help it.

In Rainbow I could always cry on Ir’s shoulder when things didn’t go right. Best listener ever! He always said what I need to hear, even if it was something I needed to change. Mostly, he saw my talents and reassured me they were enough. That’s all I ever wanted.

Daddy never had much time at home, so he felt like he had to find all the things I did wrong and correct ‘em all at once.

Mama was patient and kind, and let a lot of things go. If she got upset, it was big. My mother was an expert at knowing when I was beating myself up and getting me to ease up. Concentrate on next time, she told me. You can’t change this time, but you can make it better next time.

It dawned on me that our colony is all next time. We can change some things to make it work better because it’s our next time.

But what about Adia, what about Ray and Rentappenen, is there anything I can do about that? I wasn’t there, so I didn’t see it. They are the ones who have to tackle those next times.

Pirad brought a bunch of Bisillips to meet that girl with the two red braids. Why her?

Molly found a friend and talked to her. A bunch of young people ported in together.

Ir said, “Kia, soon we will get on the ship. Is there something you want from Earth? Our Yeff friends will buy anything you want.”

I shook my head and held his hand up. “You’re all I need. In Rainbow they had things from Earth in the market. I never once traded with ‘em.” Sometimes I did that, once I learned not to hurt people with my telepathy. I did learn, didn’t I?

Molly fell and Binneas caught her! What’s wrong with Molly? Something just happened. I felt it! People are staring at ‘em. But I noticed that Ray startled in her room as she’s trading with her husband, Asha. He’s Elshar Zheien and yellow like my husband. In Pirad’s Lab, Deb, Greg and Briahh startled. They work in there now. Deb delivered babies in Rainbow. When I killed Opseh Wenh Cet, she was in there with me. His clone’s trying to get in my head, right now!

Suma ran out of her room to Molly.

But Goes came with Penny and Molly ran over there, so she must be okay. They got married and every eye on the ship was on ‘em.

I looked over at Ray. She looked scared, and so did her husband. They’re trading with an Aryllan, they are gray-skinned. Scary! But his fingernails weren’t long. That’s all people talked about—

Those beady black eyes fixed on me.

I heard a voice that chilled me. Where is she?! I will find her! A male scream startled me!

I looked up and saw the red-braided girl. Thin. Sweating so much, like rain on the red-violet floor. She smiled at Ray and vanished. No portal?

Adia is crying on Ryonne~’s chest. He’s unconscious. Pas, their healer—he’s crying, too! What just happened? Ry’nao picked Ryonne~ up and Pas carried Adia. Binneas helped Molly up. Our eyes met. She’s scared.

Ray and Asha finished their trades and Pirad ran in there. I shouldn’t be staring. Am I thinking too loud?

Another Adia and Ryee went to Laura and they ported. I saw them appear on the porch of that house.

Ir and I looked at each other. “What is wrong, Cesearae?”

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“Something is, but we can’t talk about it.” I felt jittery.

Ir just hugged me.

Molly went to Ry’nao, our emperor. He turned white and Ket pulled him into his room. Whatever it is, it’s bad.

Molly showed everyone her wedding and we all listened. People on the ship waved their arms. Good distraction. But she’s on Ry’nao’s bed holding his hand. Others see her out in the middle of the ship. Am I supposed to be able to see—

Pirad’s still busy in his lab. Lots of people sharing memories to those purple cylinders.

Lots of Zheien helping Earthans do that. I had it easy because it was quick.

Suma has that white walrus with her. Who’s he? And hundreds of Thordes who are not in DS uniforms just ported on the ship!

Ryonne~—or one of his clones, explained the 25 worlds of Alb to that bunch of Earthans.

What am I looking for? I watched one group and another, nothing weird or dangerous. Lots of people had clones who ported.

Theapet met with Suma and the white walrus and Theapet waved up an official document. Molly nodded at him so it might be her Rainbow charter. But they said they already created Rainbow on all those worlds, didn’t they?

It is to make Molly queen. She must have 100 followers, so this is the document for her names.

Oh.

What are we watching to see?

I wish I knew! It’s driving me crazy!

Kirnonos and the walrus argued and the walrus ported away. What’s that about? A bigger walrus stood by Suma now. Ry’nao was with ‘em and it wasn’t a pleasant discussion. Pirad, Kirnonos and Taredias with some other Bisillips. They went back in Pirad’s Lab. Ry’nao went back in his room and Ket walked with him. That’s not good.

Laura came back with some upset family. I didn’t want to watch that.

Someone got arrested outside Laura’s house. Who?

A Zbbat grabbed an Earthan’s hand across the ship. Everyone said they could kill without meaning to, but this one drooped. Molly had a Zbbat healer who did that when people were scared so they’d know he was friendly.

In our room, Lisen sat up and his healer made him lie down. He wouldn’t take his eyes off the Zbbat. I’d seen that terrorized stare on Zheien, but never on a Biehshah. Maybe that’s why he’s not a diplomat, because a Zbbat hurt him.

You are right, dear wife. That one was a slaver, and hurt him. Many of us, Biehshah and Bisillips, become slaves because of Zbbat, but today we have a treaty stating Zbbat and Esteerrians will not take slaves now. That is Liz, who convinced Tch’Lantserah that slavery is wrong, and now he wishes to speak with her. He is king of all Zbbat, and with them is Lyyyrah, King Of Esteerr. I spoke with both of them, on many missions. And their fathers. Today is a historic day! Earlier Aryllans gave up slavery also.

Really? Where was I?

In the shower.

I startled and looked at him.

I didn’t see you! The server said there was high humidity in the room with you and suggested that you took a shower.

I laughed.

But I still had that creepy feeling. Not about this, but about whatever has Ry’nao worried.

Liz was hugging Zbbat and Esteerrians. Wow!

Another Earthan ported in and one Zheien carried another, and Pas, that bald healer, ran to ‘em. Pas came to get a lot of Zheien who wandered into our colony when I sang mass healings. Some got scared because they didn’t remember coming. Pas looks a lot younger now, that’s why I didn’t recognize him. I remember a lot more stuff than I did even an hour ago.

Outside, the full moon began to shine through trees.

Ah, romance is near, the moon that shines the yellow light of love, the rabbit that watches over Earth, the—

Rabbit? I blinked at my husband.

Koreans see a rabbit in the moon.

Oh. We usually say the man in the moon here.

I felt Ir’s embarrassment. Oops. But a rabbit’s more interesting than a man’s face. I did like rabbits a lot.

Ir smiled. Good. I have lots of them in the pet room. His mind guided me to a huge room with cows, horses, dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and smaller pets! I smiled.

But that uneasy feeling stayed.

“My love, people are boarding the ship.”

“I—can’t.” Ir pulled at my arm but I planted my feet down.

I heard the whoosh of a dimportal and traced it to my Diplomatic Link. But someone else heard that—through me!

“I have to warn Ry’nao!” I bolted towards his room.