Tan, Adia and Ryee waited when we ported to the ship. “Are you ready, Molly?”

I swallowed. “Now?”

Tan put an arm around me. “It is better to do this quickly. I can file papers in court, and the earlier for this, the faster. Legal business is even slower here than on Areon!” He gave a look upwards and I laughed. Areon wasn’t fun. I didn’t know Tan in Rainbow, but I knew his brother, Vonn. Oh. He died in Eicken Hospital! I noticed how his arm trembled. Later, I’d want to try to heal him. I knew all the horror stories from that place!

“Let’s go!” Ryee said I won’t have to stay. Sure hope this works!

We appeared down the driveway by a purple limo. “It’s purple?”

Lineas chuckled. “Thordes volunteered to drive it if we made it purple. All Thordes like purple. Zheien alternate family colors. Elshars wish for blue, so theirs are.”

“Oh, blue like DS!”

He nodded. The Alliance and the Unified, both major trade networks, share Diplomatic Service, and it’s the medium blue color of their uniforms. Diplomats wear white when working on important treaties. Blue is for more routine work. Facts just kept coming.

We passed Dad’s red Porsche 992 in the driveway. Parked sideways. He hasn’t put it in the garage in months.

We walked up on the porch and I used my key. They all watched as if that was something special. Well, Zheien don’t need locks.

Dad had fast food wrappers on the counter. Mom looked sleepy. “Molly, who’s this?”

Tan stepped forward. Dad noticed the expensive blue pinstripe suits and paled. He’s in a brown sports coat and tan sweater vest, as usual. “Mr. Brown, I am Tan Links, lawyer for Alliance Embassy. How do you do?” He offered his hand and Dad shook it.

“Lawyer? Why are you here this early?”

“I represent Molly Brown, and Binneas and his parents. Binneas opened a formal courtship with Miss Brown this morning.”

Both my parents went white! I put my arm around Ben. He smiled.

Lineas stepped forward. “We wish you to allow Molly to move into our house. I think you know why.” He frowned at Ben. Poor Ben went pale!

Dad waved towards the living room. “Let’s sit down and discuss this. Fern?”

She gave a look towards the liquor cabinet and he pulled at her arm. She went. They led us inside to our pristine living room. Many plants hung all around it, that if I ever watered too much, that satiny white leather would be ruined.

Ben helped me to the loveseat. I wore a modest dress, in the same cobalt blue as their ties. Mine was mid-calf and Mea’s was an ankle-length, very satiny dress in cobalt blue, their family color. I also had matching pumps. Quite a change from my jeans and T-shirts! He and his father Lineas wore three-piece suits with white shirts and cobalt blue ties. They also wore their diplomats’ sashes. Tan Links and all of the men had diamond cuff links, large ones, and matching tie tacs. I had diamond and semi-precious stone jewelry in a rainbow of colors. My parents stared at that, too.

Binneas kept an arm around me as we sat on the white couch. Dad glared at him. At me.

Ryee and Adia took the sofa next to us.

Mom picked a few hairs off the arm of the other love seat, where she and Dad sat. “Molly, we need to get rid of that animal! I can’t stand all of this cat hair messing up my beautiful sofa!” And, she’s safe on the ship.

“Mom, I have something to tell you. It’s important.” I sighed and tears streamed down my face, which burned. “I want to move in with his parents.”

Mom gasped loudly. “How could you? Of all things! I’ll never be able to show my face at a party again! Do you ever think about anyone but yourself?” She cried. Pulled the hair claw out in back. Threw it on the white marble coffee table. Everything's gotta be dramatic. All about her.

“I knew it! So I’m assuming that you did it?” Dad glared at Binneas, who turned a striking orange. “What country are you from?”

Binneas stood. “We come from the colony of Fhiah. I am very sorry I dishonored your daughter. We want to marry as soon as possible. I love Molly, and I can support her. My parents and I are diplomats. She will have the best medical care. She can continue to attend school in any college of her choice.”

“How dare you talk about love? You just wanted one thing, didn’t you? Now you’ve ruined our lives! Who knows about this?” Her mother shook her finger at Binneas. “What kind of pervert are you, to have sex with a 12-year old kid?”

Poor Binneas looked sick! He paled to white. All the Zheien looked sick. Rumbles shook the floor.

Both my parents startled and looked around! “What’s that?”

Lineas stood and made Binneas sit closer to me. I hugged him. “Who are you to accuse my son, when you live in sin? Molly tells us you both are unfaithful, and expect her to lie about this to the other!

“My son loves your daughter, and he is very willing to marry her. She wishes to marry him. I encourage both of you to repent. Father of All is very displeased with you!”

“Why shouldn’t I cheat on Jeffrey, when he looks at everything in skirts? Then he accuses Molly of being promiscuous! No wonder she turned out like this. Self-fulfilling prophecy!” Mom sneered at Dad.

Rumbles increased, and my parents looked scared.

“Repent ye, repent ye, o sinners!” Lineas frowned at both of them.

Dad stood up. Glared at Mom. “This is your fault! I never asked Molly to lie for me, but I know you wanted her to lie for you! I’m sick of you, and I’m leaving, right now! You can clean up this mess yourself!” He stormed upstairs.

Lineas waved to Tan. “Here is my lawyer. If you will sign these papers, we can let these young ones go before a Juvenile Court Judge for permission to marry. My wife and I wish for Molly to live with us.” He gave the address. Mom paled. So did Dad, at the top of the stairs! Lineas gave Mom his card with all of their phone numbers. She stared at his card case, gold with diamonds that sparkled before he closed it. Binneas had one, too, and gave her his card. His had a veris embossed on it, a holographic design. Theirs had a red flower. The holograms shone as Mom laid ‘em on the table.

“Where do I sign? And, do you do divorces? I want a good lawyer.”

Tan handed her papers marked with yellow highlighter. On a gold clipboard. Mom almost dropped it, so it must have been heavy! “I am very sorry, but it would be a conflict of interest for me to represent you. Sign here, please.” He gave her a very expensive pen.

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

She signed, and kept it. He let her.

Then, I stood and looked upstairs.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I need to pack my things—”

“You don’t get anything. Get out!”

Adia stood up. “Mrs. Brown, you cannot keep her things. Mr. Links, please explain Georgia Law to her.”

He did, but she smiled a wicked smile. “See ya in court!”

Dad came down the steps with his bags. Put them by the door. “Molly, I have a few things to give you, Hon.” Dad smiled at me. He reached up on top of the entertainment center and got a clear box with several items. As I saw what was inside, I smiled big. “This is for you. The bracelet you wore home from the hospital when you were born, your first blanket, your ballerina —”

“Thanks for keeping these for me!” I thought Mom threw all of that stuff away when I didn't see it in the curio cabinet.

“Now that I’m leaving, I have nothing to fear from her.” He glared at Mom. She was still crying.

From the large kitchen, on top of their cabinets, he brought a cloth cat carrier. Then, another box from the garage. “I almost forgot. I got a new cat box for Sylvania. This one’s electric. I was going to wait until your birthday, but you need it now. Here’s your other presents. Will you wait to open ‘em until next month?”

“Sure, Dad! Wow, did you buy out the store?” There were a lot of wrapped packages. Lineas and Keea took all of them for me. I already had the other stuff in my green cube. Mom's already lost.

I held the glass ballerina in trembling hands.

“We had a lot of fun that day, didn’t we? Your 8th birthday.”

“Yeah. Those were happy times.” I sighed. At least, with Dad.

“Call me anytime, Hon. I won’t be going to those parties any more.”

I nodded.

Mom held out a reminder from Dr. Ashley's office about Sylvania's shots. Oops. “I'm not paying for these—”

“I can pay Sylvania's vet bills!”

“You never had any money —”

“I worked for Dr. Ashley last summer. Dad signed the papers.”

“I thought that was just a volunteer position.” Dad leaned against the doorway.

“I opened a bank account and still have $500 in it.”

Tan smiled. “Well, such a responsible young lady! I think this will help when we go before the judge. He will have to allow your marriage.” He took a large cardboard box. His portfolio stayed under his arm, even when his arm moved.

“Oh, Ben, I can’t wait!” I smiled at him. What an ordeal! He smiled back. So sweet.

“Don't expect me to come.” Mom reached into the liquor cabinet, black like her soul. “I need a drink.”

“No, you don’t. Have some vek ea!” I crushed a handful in her face. She gasped, and froze like that. “You used to be a nice person before you started drinking. Now you won't ever want that stuff again!”

I forgot that Dad was still standing there. His blue eyes got big as dinner plates! “What did you do? I'm calling the police!”

I put a hand on his phone. “She's not dead. When she wakes up, she won't crave alcohol any more. My new friends aren't from Earth. They are Zheien, and they're better than us. They brought new tech for Earth, if Earth wants it.

“See this?” I gave him a green cube. “You can ask it any question you want. In this thing is an aandat.” I pulled up my short sleeve on my dress and let him see. Explained it. While I did, I waved up another one for Mom and put hers on her ankle.

Ryee and Adia left. Tan said they had important business on the ship. I nodded.

He frowned. “That thing prevents you from getting sick ever, gives you telepathy, and you never need a bathroom again? Amazing! And that stuff you gave your mom—what's to keep her from just drinking again?”

Just then, Mom startled. Looked at me. “What just happened? Never mind.” She lifted the bottle, got a shot glass, and filled it halfway. “Why're you still here? Maybe I need more than that.” She downed it. Made a face. Ran for the bathroom. Dad followed her and I heard him running water.

The others looked very worried.

“She'll be okay in a min.” Those memories never showed me what happened--

Mom came out leaning against Dad.

Binneas went to her. “Mea, I can buy all of your houses. Would you like to learn new work?”

She slapped the counter. “No! All of you, get out! I'll see every one of you in court!”

Dad quietly got his bags and walked out.

I put the other green cube on the counter. “Tell her what vek ea does.”

Her voice spoke from it. “Vek ea is an herb to stop the effect of slaver herbs, many intoxicants and poisons....”

She backed away. “What is that thing?”

“I am a Unified terminal, a gift from Emperor Ry'nao to all people of planet Earth.”

Mom stared at me. “I heard something about that SETI stuff, and I didn't believe it. It's true?”

“Yes. Emperor Ry'nao wishes all to know he comes in peace, with many diplomats to negotiate treaties—” With a savage swipe, she threw it at the front door. It floated there. “I hate you! How can I drink with my friends? They won't be my friends any more!”

She ran upstairs, screaming! I felt bad, but we can't help her. Progs in the cube will stop her if she tries to commit suicide. Ben wept. So did all of 'em.

“I hope Dad listened. Fa, let’s go home. Today starts my new career as a healer!” I hugged Lineas. “You should’a been a Baptist preacher instead of a diplomat!” I giggled. Too loud. Mom's bedroom door slammed!

He laughed and hugged me. “O, I am happy as a diplomat. But, I am serious about repentance. Your father’s thoughts were loud that he returns to church soon! I worry for your mother. Her thoughts are in a very unhappy place. Perhaps you influence her for her well.”

“I can try. I’ll pray about it tonight. You’ll help me, won’t you, Ben?”

He nodded. “I am happy you wish to discuss religion with me!” But, in that other future, Dad got involved with a teenaged girl. She got pregnant and he married her. Then she had affairs till he divorced her. Will that still happen? I thought about all the things Angel kept for me at her parents’ house, and I mentally saw them in my account. Satisfying, to have all my stuff where Mom can’t get to it.

She went in my room and utterly destroyed it! I couldn’t watch.

We ported to the ship. Sylvania perched on Ben’s shoulder and he giggled. Several diplomats found stray cats and dogs, and several escaped pet birds to take with ‘em. Owners just left ‘em. Animals’ memories don’t lie. They also took several lost ones back home.

Lineas and Keea ported. Ben startled. Something’s going on. First Ryee and Adia, then Ben’s parents?

I petted Sylvania and cried. Mark and Toni took us to their living room. Mark frowned. “Did it go okay?”

Tan showed him the signed papers. “I can file a request with the juvenile court today when they open. Cases cannot tell me how much of a chance of success this gives us, but I will do my best.”

“Thanks, Mr. Links!”

“Call me Tan. We will work together for a long time, to resolve this. I am happy that you do not have to return there! I think Pas will wish you to stay home from school today.”

I shook my head. “No. I need to help people at school. I know a lot of ‘em that need help, and I can give ‘em terminals.” Time to go. I waved hygiene and dressed in my Earth Day yellow T-shirt I had on this morning. And my jeans. I wanted to try out those new roller blades Ryee gave me!

Ben waved on jeans and a T-shirt. Frowned.

I waved ‘em a lot softer! Remembered how I worked with these screens for Zheien trained to be Earthan by slavers. Ben paled. One of ‘em was Asha, in the main room, and his yellow skin paled to white! “Ben, am I broadcasting?”