Ella's Saga

Farley's Panic

The limo interior came back. I felt in utter shock! So many bad things happened to us in my Diplomatic Service life, and before that, when I got accepted to Sigan Mas, a planet that's a school, in a galaxy of education planets--

I looked up and I hugged him. "Oh, I shouldn't do this--"

Farley shuddered. "I nae saw this! Wh-what shall I do, if I can nae work? And, my w-work harmed you, my Ella, O, I can nae do this!"

That fella leapt from the passenger side and landed on Farley's other side. Put both his hands on Farley's head. He's purple—a Thordes. His dearest friend Ley Patfar, who always swore they were secretly brothers because of their names. Their joke. He died on Riyhupur III. Oh, names, faces, how they died, you get used to constant death in Diplomatic Service, 'cause the work's so dangerous. We all went to school together, far away in the 14th Galaxy. Farley posed as a student. I was in the first group chosen for school there on a scholarship program and almost made diplomat. "Farley, you have to be calm. Want some bis tia?"

He cried, loudly! "I want healing, for my maiden!"

I put my arms around both of 'em. Thumping in Patfar's neck startled me. "Doctor, see my friend, Ley Patfar, he is Thordes!" A red, faceted ball rose from Ley's pocket and shot a dot on his neck. He was darker purple before Farley got upset!

Doors sprang open and white-robed healers ran for all three of us! "Eja fe ne, what happened to these men?"

"Healer, they got too upset--"

"Healer, save my maiden! Ejis faea naea!" Farley hugged us both against him. I felt his mind too close in mine. No telepathy to block him, as I'd done so many times. I just opened up and let him link. I can hurt both of us if I fight.

But, I enjoyed the gentle touch. Then, felt how his head pounded, how dim his sight was, how his body ached with each triple beat of his heart!

"Young son, release the maiden! I need help, here!"

I held the wrinkled hand. "Healer, it's too late! We're linked! I saw our future, and I'm ready to get married to him, right now! I love Farley." Am I brave enough to go to Ronsara with him?

Another man came, and pushed his twin-fingered hands through the tangle of healers. Grabbed Ley's head, first. "Ley Patfar, my son, I release you from diplomatic work. Keep your team near you. I release all of you tonight. Patamir, take him, my son. Let him sleep. This excitement! Tell him I am very pleased with his work." He stroked his blond curls, lighter than Farley's.

"Minister, I will!" His brother carried him to a bed near us, right in the main room of this giant ship. They looked almost like twins, but his brother's a lot younger. Red-violet. Not Molly's—but there's no Rainbow Unwell Colony yet, is there?

Now Cevit Ion moved his huge, twin-fingered hands to Farley's head. He's also yellow-skinned. "Farleikon, my son, look on me. Nae this upset. Take of bis tia." Five tiny green leaves floated near Farley's mouth.

He saw them and inhaled. "Ej-is. Min-ister."

"My son, I bring your fa. Be calm. Nae think to bow. You saw memories from Queen Adia?" His father's still alive!

"El-la."

"Eae. Nae open so to me. This is nae your report, but thank you for showing me this. We shall withdraw trade from Ronsara, now that I know of their council's evil. I will nae lose any more of my brave ones there. You did excellent work.

"My son, your team is released from DS. You shall have Decision again, in your home. Did you know all of Esta Faho is safe on Elshar Zheiea, a new world for our peoples? Mines now orbit on a moon with automation for them. People shall nae have poisons in winds, or in foods. Even now, King Nitomahan's traders, all of them, found markets for all the mineral your people can nae use, but these are valued by many species. His trade bal rises and all are fed. You need nae worry for work now, my son. Fhiah gave many diplomats to Esta Faho, that all of you may rest."

"I nae rest! Must pro-tect m-my El-la."

"We can protect all of you. Ella, please tell my son of your well."

I startled. "I'm all right! Farley, I feel fine, honest."

"Show him your feet, that he believes."

I ran hygiene and waved my socks off. That old healer lifted me so I could put my feet in his hands.

He wept. "O, she is harmed!"

"Farleikon, I am Pas, and I know healing for Earthans. Their feet are ne like ours. Know you an Elshar's foot, or a Thordes'? They are same." He had red-gold eyes, like Konomai's, but orange skin. They won't change shades.

"Are they?" He felt my feet. Kissed them. "They nae pain you, Ella?" He sobbed.

"No, they don't hurt at all. I'm tired, but I walked a lot, and I ran some, for exercise. I couldn't run if I had foot problems, could I?" Well, my surgeon warned me not to run because of my knee, but I don't do that much running. I need to lose weight.

"O, Ella, let me die if you have harms!"

"She will nae, my son. Will you recite your Petition to her? Here is your fa, to help you."

"Fa died, on--"

"I shall nae send him! Konaris, take your bae. He nae listens--"

"Ejis faea naea! I listen, Minister, a diplomat must--"

"My son, you are very unwell! Rest with your fa. Is nae time for work."

Konaris took him. Another large man, like Farley, but he dripped sweat, and both of them were smaller than Farley's memories. Oh, it scared me! Zheien shouldn't sweat at all!

Pas lifted both of them and put them on that bed by Ley and Patamir, on a leiwege. Bent the mattress to hold him comfortably. "Dear bae, I help you marry your Ella. Be happy. Think only of this--"

"Fa, I failed as diplomat! I let my Ella be harmed, because I offended--"

"Elshar slavers can nae be pleased! I saw all and find nae fault with your treaty plan. Think nae. Ella is well. Pas, see her, that my bae knows you are well, please?" Poor Konaris wept, too. Held Farley's head against his chest so he saw me.