I heard their shock and fright, that I did this! Someone from a higher level has got to be helping me do this. I kept on.
Slowly, they added people to both Collectives. Pirad helped me a lot. He had an army of clones of everyone on Ye~ and many of the Areonian Colony there. Lots of Areonians still on Areon decided to donate memories, and gave permission for clones. On Ye~ a new building of cubes rose, and they filled it.
Here on Earth, in Antarctica hidden from Earth. It’s underground! Clones filled that one, too. But, it’s under attack! Again?!
Azure Futura, an Earthan, is the new host of this cube. In the other future, she dove into timelines to try to find a better future for us, but it didn’t work. Now she will be a Host to a Councillor on our Council, the tech level above us. Why do I know about this? She will have the Cube Of Many Colors. Her Cube is fighting for control of it and that goblin fella is helping! Shifted her Collective to the 31st!
Rentappenen's brother Seranappenen was her Councillor, but he died two weeks ago. Right now, she’s directing Ray, Suma, Deb, and Kia. Ry’nao’s using the Gray Cube to fight Rentappenen! I can’t help with that. All I can do is heal Adia.
J~oie, Ryee’s brother, gasped as a red-violet Cube appeared in his hand. Wslarc is his Councillor, and he’s already on the Council. That’s the Collective on Ye~. But every one of the 25 worlds with Rainbow Colonies has one! I won’t be getting a Cube. Thank goodness! I wouldn’t want the responsibility of 2500 super-clones.
I kept pouring energy into Adia. She’s controlling this! The White Cube is the most powerful of the Cubes. She’s the only one who can do this. I’m just healing her so she can! Kia’s finding slavers and killing them! She’s healing Biehshah and Bisillips. Pirad made a whole lot of Cubes, and all of them are attacking Rentappenen.
Slowly, she woke up. Realized what was happening! I helped her reach into Ryee. Healing flowed. Once he felt her mind again, he was able to help her. I sang loudly. Those shapes rounded. Finally, I finished. Control went fully to Ay, who paled. I’d hate to be her!
All my clones and selves tried to work down the Diplomatic Link in all their time periods. Couldn’t follow that many minds!
And, one of me, the now me, is sitting with friends in a meeting on MarKu while all this crazy stuff is going on! People on the ship aren’t aware of this. Except for all the Biehshah, led by Kia. And, all the half-Ty’nirrhans like Greg, led by Deb!
I reached, and kept reaching. Ray knew places I could reach. So did Suma. Kia. Sara. Adia! And, Azure directed us all! Rentappenen is using all his strength up. And I saw kids joining the battle! Why? The Parsons startled as a baby crawled to them, growing until I recognized 13-year-old Melinda! Two other kids grew for them. I comforted Ellie after ScSv missions in which she lost two!
But four others looked familiar. Is that W~Via? Ryee and Adia’s son! And their daughter Vadia! Couldn’t miss that red hair! The other two must be W’Vie, Laura and J~oie’s son, but another one?
Suddenly the time bubble collapsed! On Rhaech, Ray’s Collective ported to Elshar Zheiea! On Lisbaar, Rentappenen tried to take a white portal, and it didn’t work. He screamed!
Gierdre’s stupid father reached his chamber first and tried to shove a spear in him. Rentappenen easily parried it, but it sliced his shoulder, and a few drops of his blood smeared him as he tried again. Now neither of ‘em can port!
Pirad sent white portals for everyone. This planet’s going to blow up!
Rentappenen took out his anger on Gierdre’s father—he’s a clone, but still--
Jonnev and Kenneph were almost to the chamber. A white portal took them and their ship. Ronda, too. Gierdre’s Xchou-Ty’nirrhan clone—the one that woke Gedda Dier—stormed the chamber.
“You who corrupted my husband! Betrayer of our people! Now, I shall have my revenge!” She lunged and shoved Gierdre’s father away. Her weapon plunged into his chest. Ty’nirrhans have features that are a blur of colors and features of a human body. His light slowed. Dimmed! All of it faded to show pink skin that quickly turned gray.
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“You? No! I will not die by your—” He gave a choked cry. Fell on the red floor.
“We are victorious! Send my troops home!”
All over Lisbaar, panicked people rioted. Stopped to cheer! Rentappenen’s followers ran! No ships that could fly. Earthquakes leveled cities! Three star systems novaed! Ships with white portals escaped. Even deep blue portals weren’t fast enough.
I blinked. Ben caught me. “Molly! Pas!”
Pas sang healing on me! I should have been dead, channeling all that energy, but I felt fine. Sleepy.
I had links with every person on Adia’s Ship. Like a laser pointer, I focused on Mom, on MarKu. Suma had progs for her to even out her neurotransmitters. I knew more than Pas, Pie, Be~saech and Jog Sa did about how to modify it.
Mom’s manic-depressive. The prog ran and as long as it did, she was cured!
She was crying. It startled her, to suddenly be here on Adia’s Ship! How?! I had Pas carry me to her room.
“Oh, no! Is she all right, Pas?” He put me in her arms.
I gave a weak laugh. “I just need a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be fine! Are you okay—” But, she’s not. I’m not. We just saw all of each other’s memories! I expected her to say something mean.
But, she sobbed. “How can I make up for all those years—I did everything my mother did to me, to you! I’m so sorry, but that’s not ever going to be enough!”
I held her. We clung to each other and just cried.
Ben put his arms around both of us.
She looked up at him. “How can you touch me after what I did?!”
“Mom—”
“I don’t deserve to be called that! I never did anything right!” She grabbed a handful of hair—
Ben stopped her and hummed. “Mom, you were very unwell. Sometimes we make wrong choices, but Father Of All forgives all.”
She hugged him. “He does? Can He forgive me?”
Gently, Ben stroked her long, black hair. No dye or perm in it, now. “He already has. Believe you me? As King of Rainbow, I am your religious leader. I can pray with you. I know that Father Of All forgives you, and so I do. But you must begin work to forgive yourself. Wish you a blessing, Daughter?”
After it, she sighed and hugged us both. “I’ll be your helper, Molly, if you want me there.”
“I do, Mom. I really do.”
We moved to our bedroom and Mom laid down with us. Ben healed our puffy eyes and faces, and I healed his grief bruising.
Mom watched. “Does it hurt a lot when you cry?”
His yellow-green eyes filled again. “Eae, but relief is very much. Mom, I am delighted that you join our family!”
“I’m happy to have a Zheien son!”
On a rocky world far away, Dromie went home. I touched Wslarc’s mind. Can’t you let them come here?
They are too dangerous. Dromie gave them abilities too powerful for Earthans. But, you may visit them.
I woke up and Mom was still asleep. But, I got up and saw the red-violet walls of Adia’s Ship. What’s real?
I ran to Adia’s and Ryee’s room. They were sleeping. So was Pas. Kas looked tired. I felt old. Too tired to do any healing. Group in the next room. Gave Laura and Suma a smile, which they didn’t keep long. Then I went in the next room.
Deb’s upset. “Deb, what’s wrong?” Her green eyes poured tears.
“Gedda Dier!”
“I know.” My voice broke. “Gierdre. But Ronda, Jonnev, Cornelia and Marc’s clones brought Kenneph back! Salla has him back, safe on MarKu.”
“Azure?”
Pirad sighed, a moan like fingernails on a blackboard. “I tried, Kirnonos tried, and Taredias. We cannot reclone her. We saved her intelligence in a biome. It was in my lab in Antarctica. My lab is destroyed, and all of Azure’s family! Rentappenen gave her too much power, for an Earthan, but we knew she could not live.”
I really wanted to get to know her. Maybe they took her to Council level.
We talked. Such a relief that we can, now! Kia helped Greg so he can remember things, and he has nice parents in Areon Ye~, not his fake slaver father! I had a ton of questions!