Becky's Gift

Secret Talk

Farley gasped. "Dear wife, such a talent! I thought nae but our emperor did such!"

"That's where it came from?" Ella looked as clueless as I had been about things I see occasionally! That memory made me feel faint! He gave Farley a necklace that reflected these—monsters'--telepathy back at them as he killed 'em. I wanted to un-see it! Tom pulled me harder against him.

"The memory is from Tanorsen, of our council. He represented those who worked in our weapons facility, and Science Council. He had injury as diplomat and became Leader of Science Council. O, he shall be missed!" Fa looked very sad.

Galarsmen, too. "Pirad tried to revive him, but he is damaged by Eriganh, and one of Earth must find time to revive him. Many asked of Ray, and she is yet on Earth with her husband, Asha, Trade Minister Of Elshar Zheiea. When she comes, perhaps she can."

"By Eriganh!" Farley paled to light yellow! "When did he see him?" I shuddered!

"I nae know! Surely, on D'gharr, but how did he escape? From what we are told, Eriganh stayed in his Fortress he built there. They study it now, to see what secrets he had. I think it unwise." Galarsmen trembled. "Pirad thinks Tanorsen went there, for he was clever with all manner of ways doors are hidden in buildings. He studied with many of the Weapons Council." I thought about that family who died on that bed. That's the family he studied with. But, I didn't see anything to add. Tom was listening to me very intently, in case I got any impressions. We're all scared.

Farley trembled. Tom and Fa, too. I held Fa's hand.

But, clicking stopped. Ella startled and put her hand down! The hull slid open. Tis smiled. "We're here!" That half-the-hull didn't just vanish, which scared a lot of us last time. I smiled at him. The lady who screamed wasn't with us.

Healers wanted us to wait, but Tom led me off the ship. "O, I see a ternimpan, Becky, they are a rare animal. Wish you to see?"

"Sure! Let's go!" I love animals!

We walked into a thick clump of bushes right beside the ship. Tom reluctantly admitted that he was one of the few in Esta Faho who could find one. Zheien are very modest. Scientists got all the animals and plants off Esta Faho, and they're here now. There wasn't much life on Esta Faho, just animals and plants they imported from Par Vu far away.

Tom leapt over one bush and another, and I just floated after him. Ah, love this light gravity! It's like flying!

Fa got up and smiled. "Ah, our air smells of home. This part of Elshar Zheiea was planted with many flowers of Calladia, that would grow in our gardens. Each prov has his scent, from his choices of flowers. Even in our home, we had a little of this, but smell that fragrance!" He took in a deep breath, not like I would sniff. Oh, it did smell nice! Fa was amused that my husband took me out here, and Tom was sharing it with him.

Esta Faho always had metallic smells, Tom shared with me. He's happy the air smells so good! Ella remembered trips there, and so did Tom, when he saw Farley here. But Farley spent a lot of time in Galarsmen's Chambers. He's not eager to sleep there. Lots of injuries that he did have to stay.

But on a branch was a ternimpan. He looked up at us and froze. Galarsmen wanted one for a pet, bad, so Tom gave him memories of our healer.

Galarsmen had yellow borders on his robes, kind of a greenish-yellow but like some plants on Earth. A bright, but not neon, color. It's the color of the leaves this little fella likes to eat.

Healers put everybody who had Konomai as their healer on one bed, like in Rainbow.

Galarsmen stood in the middle of the huge building. Each of his nine healers had a bed in the greenish-yellow. Other healers had colors of their ennead leader's color. There were nine enneads and 81 beds. Farley counted 'em for Ella. Why'm I hearing—oh, he's sharing it with Tom. All 400 people fit on 81 beds. They made some bigger if the families were larger. Not many couples had more than 2 kids and most had one. Older people seemed to have more brothers and sisters. Ella noticed that, and Tom worried that he hadn't.

Love, people notice diff things. You're okay.

Fa and I are unwell in our memories, and this is a shock!

I thought about how I was at 12 after my head injury. Losing a year's worth of memories sure was a shock to me! I sent him comfort, since I had to hold still.

The little creature came up Tom's arm, even though he trembled. Maybe, because he did. He was blue and scaly, but the scales turned into soft fur. They can do that?

O, they are—we must go to Galar! Tom ran! I struggled to keep up, and he slowed down. It was funny, but I didn't laugh, because he's scared!

"Friends, we had nae severe unwells in this past week. I think we nae must keep you long." Suddenly, one of Galarsmen's arms dropped.

Mican laughed! He's watching! I stumbled.

A healer jumped up and eased him to the bed. Laid him flat. Lanapah's worry rumbled in my ears!

Pas—the brown-curled one that came with us—jumped from sitting and landed sitting by him! "Ne try to heal him. Speak softly. Galarsmen, I am with you."

"What—noise--where we go?"

"We are in your chambers. Feel this softness?" He gently brushed the fingers of his right hand on the covers.

"I need nesfa! O, you gave umar seg. Had we—slaversss? Nnn." Breath hissed out of him. His eyes didn't close. Red-gold eyes like Konomai has, and Pas, and Fa. We saw through Pas' eyes, through Fa's eyes, through Lanapah's—I felt very disoriented, juggling that with my telepathy and what my eyes told me. I kept stumbling. But we finally got through leaping over bushes and ran to the yellow building. Remembered to hop, but it was slower.

Pas motioned to the members of his ennead, who sat watching. He put his hands on Galarsmen's red hair. Waited. Why're they waiting?

Galarsmen's body went limp, and he led healing. This wasn't loud singing like in emergencies in Rainbow. Everyone sang softly.

While they did this, Pas had Ella open her prog screen. Gave fast directions. Farley startled and helped her. Some people cried, but there were plenty of healers. More came to help the Esta Fahoan healers, who wept. We touched a lot of minds and gave our comfort. This was automatic, for Tom. Because we're linked, I had to do it, too, but I got with the program. It felt good to help people. A little sacrifice of my privacy, but I handled it.

More of them perked up after a while and sang comfort to people, or carried a few out to bathe. Our comfort helped a lot, Tom let me see.

Outside, there had been a festival. When Galarsmen's arm dropped, all of it came to a halt. Fa got up quietly and came to the opening and a crowd that gathered. "Friends, continue our festival. I dedicate this day to our friend Galar, who is—unwell." He sobbed, then got his composure. "Pas helps Esamie with him, and those who wish him well, please go to our temple and pray for him! I go there now. Tom? Where is my bae?"

We ran to him. "O, I am sorry! Becky wished to see a ternimpan, and I wished nae to frighten him with our leaving. He came with us?"

A tiny animal like a furry lizard climbed down from his diplomat's sash on Fa's arm and he froze.

"Fa, I showed him you. I think he is curious. Rest your arm and he climbs."

He slowly lowered it, and the animal did climb up, all the way to his shoulder. Then he chirped!

Tom guided Fa's hand to the lizard's head, and he rubbed against it like a cat! Chirped louder! "Fa, I do believe you charmed a ternimpan!"

Fa smiled, though his red-gold eyes wavered between dark and light. "Let us take him to Galar. He has interest, eae?" Slowly, the three of us went to his bed where Pas and his ennead still sang. When Fa reached for Galar's shoulder, the creature went down his arm and stayed on Galar's shoulder. Rubbed against his face.

Galar chuckled. "O. Soft."

Pas looked very surprised that he talked, and stroked his head. "Our healing helped you much, Galar, my friend. Sleep. Is safe."

Ella poked an icon on his prog. Pas had his screen open, making adjustments.

Galar shivered. "Pah~!"