I was mostly worried about my MarKuans and he brought 'em. When I saw Goes, healthy and orange, I ran to him and hugged him!
“You act as if you know me—ejis!” Cev shared memories with him. Oh, he cried, too! I pulled his head down and kissed his forehead. Gowans got him addicted to drugs, and he was in slavery for years, then in Questalod—when we got him he wasn't in good shape.
But, I felt his arms and rubbed the back of his head. He's healthy. “Do you still have those horrible mind pains?” He also smelled like licorice.
Cev noticed how he paled. “Dear friend, did you see Pie, as I asked?”
“Pas knows more.” I flinched, ‘cause Pie came, too, but he smiled and nodded, red hair waving. Many master healers of major Zheien worlds know each other.
Goe's brown eyes opened very wide, as only Zheien can do. “He does? How know you this, Molly?”
“Because poor Ryee has headaches like yours, and Pas learned from Ahstam when he was young. They healed a lot of slaves together. MarKu didn't have the sheer numbers of returned slaves that Ahstam and his enneads rescued. Slaves in mines get a lot of head injuries.” His heart skipped a beat every once in a while. That worried me!
Indoe took my hand. “You should see him, too, Doe. Where's Liz?”
He looked a lot like his brother Goe, the same huge brown eyes and short brown curls. The poor man trembled. “Liz?”
“She became a healer and learned Esteerrian and saved the Yeff by talking to King Lyyyrah. No, it was Lyyyrah's friend, he was Zbbat. He thought she gave victory squeals so he listened to her. You helped her so his telepathy didn't fry her!” I trembled, to think of that. The Yeff lost two-thirds of their colony—
“Don't go see that healer in Ishah any more. Let Pas and no, Pirad needs to see you! He trained you with an herb of Leiea that's misused by slavers of higher tech levels like Bi Keras!”
“I only saw Via, Molly. We convinced Mehai to come with us by threat of Ih Esta, and we brought him to Leiea of Elshar Zheiea, in hopes that he is only trained by evil ones.” I shuddered, but Pirad can keep them safe. Maybe they forced poor Mehai--
“Didja find Verach and Pata Fie? They know how to untrain people.”
They all listened to my memories of the Elshar and Gowan friends from Seshon Deisha. Cev sent a ship! I told ‘em about my Homerean healer but they didn’t know how to find a slave. Maybe they got clues.
And, Nat came close. “How do you know this?”
I let go of the other two and hugged him. “Nat, are you okay? You weren't taken by the Esteerrians, were you?”
“Nae! Adia saw how I was taken, and warned me.” Goe held Doe on his lap, on the bed and brought Pas. I hugged him and he picked me up. Looked me over and hummed. Frowned. “What is this sorrow, young one?”
I clung to him. “I don't want you to die, Pas!” In that memory, in my colony, he died of old age.
“O, ne this upset. I will tell you my secret. I am a clone of my ba, Pas, who is on Ye~, recloned to be 20 years, and his family lives. I am ne as old as I appear, but I chose my old appearance because he adds comfort for those who know me. Healing has dangers, ea, but I care for myself well. Pirad can reclone me many times to give me a younger body.”
“Oh, I’m glad! I wish I knew somebody—but Pie, you can marry Adelle! And, her daughter Rosalind can marry Randy!”
Pie went pale! He’s also a cloned ba, but they woke up his host’s wife and he misses her. His red-gold eyes found his future son-in-law.
Through the red-violet wall, I saw healers run to Randy—oh, he’s Rish Hai, Diplomat Of Thorde, and Jirris, Cev’s brother paled. Jirris is thin, and no hint of the sunny yellow an Elshar Zheien should have! His eyes are black, and so are Cev’s. Both of them are seeing memories, and Pie. I did that? But, they’re both still diplomats. They haven’t seen Heden yet. They came here instead! Both of them had been slaves, and became healers, when I knew ‘em.
I felt better. This ship has enough healers for every person. Adelle and Rose can help Jirris a lot. So many memories kept coming! And, Cev’s listening. He can do something about most of my worries! “Then, will you take a look at Goe, Pas?” He stood up.
“Ea! Feel you unwell, Prince Goes?”
He laughed. “I am well enough. For Molly's comfort, I let you see me.”
Pas touched his forehead and lost his smile. “How long did you stand in such pain? Sit here, my son.” He waved up a deep blue padded bench. Goe’s family color. Helped him sit. Doe sat next to him and held onto him. He didn’t need it. To see him strong like this made me feel wonderful! But, diplomats hide.
“Mind pain nae ever leaves me, but I function.”
“I wish you ne to hide from me. Here in Cevit Ion’s chamber is ne a mission, ea?”
He gave a weary sigh, and relaxed. His skin was light orange, not medium like a MarKuan should have. And, it sagged a bit. He's older than he looks, but a Zheien his age should look 20, if he's 40 or 50. Now I felt the moisture on his cold hand. The yellow sparkles just fall off. Doe, Pag and Her paled! They can’t tell?
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“Let me bring Pirad to you. He can reclone you to help this suffering—”
“Pas, only Elders are recloned—”
“Then I shall name you Elder, for I am, and can name others.”
“But, what do Elders?” His brown eyes opened past wide.
Pirad came through the portal laughing. He clicked like castanets! Bisillips are thinner than we are, but very strong. Like a green skeleton. “Now you may share the confusion all we Elders have about what they do!
“I do as I please, because no one tells me I cannot. It pleases me to help slaves. Adia showed me all that she showed Molly, and much more. I declare all of you Elders! Here is what I can do for you.” He touched Goe's forehead, and his shoulders went down about three notches. They stared at each other for a few secs. Goe smiled.
“I have enough materials to reclone everyone on this ship, and those who will come. And, I can make an army of clones! But you must marry first, and I can give them traits to help you.”
“Can you make me older?” This man did so many miracles in Rainbow!
He sighed, and his jointed lips fanned in a circle. “Briahh taught me. He knows much to improve my work, and Greg also. However, I cannot make you older. There are limits to my process. I cannot make you 18 because I have no pattern, even when I record your memories.”
“Can you give me a sister who looks older?”
“No. Your clones will have the same limits.”
I sighed.
“I am very sorry, Molly. I wish I could do more.”
I hugged him and shivered. “What don't you do? My friend, you're what will make Rainbow a miracle place!”
He laughed. “Oh, I am not what will make Rainbow special! My brother Taredias Gupa wanted to do this on Samar Thaae. Their healer colony did not succeed as yours did. You have Gifts from higher levels than I know. You are the reason Rainbow Unwell Colony will surpass any healer colony in the Thirteen! I will merely help you to achieve it.”
I let go of him because my arms froze. “Can I do it, at twelve?” I sighed. They'll probably say no!
Cev hummed and put a blanket around me. “Molly, you may hold the charter when enough choose you to lead them. I think a hundred shall be enough. We know there is a slaver colony near us. He probably has enough for you to heal, if this young body can bear. Pas, do you think she can?”
He smiled. “When her telepathy comes, she will be strong. I was nine when Fa died and I led his ennead.”
“But, Pas, I am just a stupid Earthan. Zheien are geniuses!”
His red-gold eyes opened wide. “Think you that one must have high intelligence to heal? Ne. I ne need to find new ways to heal, in most, even difficult healings. When I need to solve a difficult problem, I ask of my brothers and sisters in the healing, through my links. All master healers have a unique gift.
“But, the age of a healer limits his or her capacity to heal without harming the self. I had unusual capacity at nine. Fa saw my capacity and allowed me to join his ennead. I am ne more intelligent than most Zheien.
“I saw this unusual capacity in you in the other future. I think you will have it, even at 12. I must test you when your telepathy wakes. You have memories of great skills, but you must yet give yourself experience before you are as you were.”
“How do you know?”
He showed me how confused he was when he woke up on Pirad's table. Sleepy. Pas was with him. He woke up pretty fast, and he took him around Rainbow—all those Zheien worlds in the Alb System have little Rainbow colonies! Wow! I saw ‘em all through his eyes. All the worlds are beautiful. Zheien cities have buildings like jewels in rainbow colors, in a circle.
That first day, he got up to speed, but not before he saw a couple hundred healthy Yeff, then slaves with gradually worse injuries. They got a shipful of slaves, so he followed Pas and learned until he caught up. As if those memories of the skills were asleep and he had to practice to wake 'em up!
Pie went through about the same thing. He’s younger with red waves. Pas is bald.
“I can ne predict how long this process takes, in a young one! We must take great care that you ne injure yourself. Earthans can have injury without pains.”
“Sunasch was great! She taught me fast—”
“In your memory of her teaching, I think she ne realized how much danger you had! She was ne a master healer, and lacked much skill. I will lead you slowly, and we discover together, how well your abilities.”
I thought about how worried Mia was when I got to Fhiah. I should've lost any skill I had, learning from former slaves who had injuries. Yep, I'll have to be very careful. “Pirad, can you reclone me now?”
He shook his head. “Molly, I cannot until you marry.
“Goes and Natamian, please find your wives, and I will reclone all of you.” I showed them all what their ladies liked in flowers and candy. Adia didn’t show them that! I also showed them a lot of MarKuans who found wives while in Rainbow. A lot of ‘em found Earthan wives. Nat’s wife had four roommates and they all married! Three were MarKuans, one Thordes, and one Zheien from K’hasa Zha, Jonamias. Nat and Jonamias, Jop, Diplomat Of Thorde, Jonnev, Kenneph’s ba, and Sanderdin, another diplomat working on the Treaty. So many J names almost made me laugh! SETI’s all over the news by now and all these ladies might’ve heard.
“Is Kenneph okay?”
Cev got that faraway stare. Smiled. “O, one in our link tells us that Pirad’s clone on MarKu healed his wife! She will nae die now! Ulukai on Rhaech noticed his worry and today one asked to visit him. My operatives tried to confront Moeh and Dachsah, who were nae in Council Chambers of Rhaech this morning, but brought cases against them and many other slavers to a TS Inspector on Elshar Mashai. He is safer now, but he has many enemies. Hope shall help him endure. One of Jonnev’s clones learned healing, and ports to Rhaech now to help him.”
All this new tech, but diplomatic work won’t be much safer. I worried about Ben. Will he get sick trying to wait, now that we love each other?
Cev sighed. “O, I am sorry. Binneas must try to wait until our legal proceedings are over. If he sees peril, you must marry, and we abide the consequences. Ryee shared his conversation with King Theaspaura, who gave his permission.
“Many on this ship already seek wives they married in memories. Once you marry, by Alliance rules, you may be recloned and assume your duties as Elder. I fear our Earthan legal battle may be long. Wish you for me to accompany you to your parents'?”
I hugged him. Sighed. Waved up the time. “It’s 5:55 am. Mom went back to sleep. I have time before I have to go to school. If Adia and Ryee are going with me, I’ll be fine. Ooh, maybe I can get my homework done faster, with tech! Research takes most of my time!”
He laughed. “Ah, I am happy we have help for you. Perhaps Binneas would enjoy going with you to your classes.”
“He's probably wondering where I am! See ya, Cev!” I ported out.