Molly's Miracle Colonies

Slaver Horrors

 "Ba, Adia showed me how foolish Fa was, and all of us, to avoid you. This memory proves it. We thought we could keep you safe if you went to another prov, and nae knew you are my ba! O, I am sorry, Jir!" Cevit Ion, 7th Galaxy Minister, cried. Rumbles of his sorrow shook me up!

I hugged 'em. "You couldn't have known this would happen! Heden knows because he has help from the Third Level!"

Cev gasped. There's a crowd in this big room!

"When will I learn to keep my mouth--"

"Molly, what you show us, what you tell us, saves men! Let them see. Nae in this chamber hears whom I nae trust to hear it. Healers are with us, and I bring Nofos De to Pie, so Rish can have healing. Ket, can you help Molly?" Nofos De! Best healer for anyone from Ka! He's in Alb with the other Elders!

"Habis ha! Can't I block some of this? Earthans are more fragile than Elshars!"

He sighed, and it rumbled on me. "Is impossible. Help her as much as you can. I fear to see this, and I took reports of many whom Heden destroyed."

I touched their clasped hands and let the memories come. They were in Prov Nine of Elshar Mashai, the night this prov attacked Elshar Mashai Zheien Colony and killed two-thirds of it. I felt sick! Part of Eriganh's war! Lots of things I witnessed were part of Rentappenen's war, too. How much did I miss when I was trying to ignore all the higher-level stuff, because I thought it didn't apply to Rainbow? To me?

"Jir, if anything happens to us, you will always be my friend." I touched the back of his head. Hot. Swollen. Blood matted his dark hair. How can we get back to the ship in this condition? My mind reached for Ry'nao, but I lacked strength to send much. I touched that of a healer. He taught me how to use my telepathy to ease Jir's pain.

His blue eyes stared at me. "You are a healer! Mind pain leaves me."

The healer warned me that Zheien act funny when they hit their heads in back. "Find a place to rest and make him lie flat. Let him regen."

Regen, in this place? I kept him against the column's inside corner. Useless place to hide! Hyssdia smoke from the tents made me stiffen. It's cold, and the stone against Jir is making him stiff. I can't move. I can't get rid of our diplomats' sashes. I got Jir away from Councilman Fors and the Prov Nine Council, but I can't get to his ship, only a few steps past the tents.

Another voice in my mind. I listened. A wise Thordes healer. "My son, I fear for you. If you are captured, try to touch my mind, and I will help if I can. I am Randy."

An Elshar staggered into the column that hid us, and his hand found me. "Ah, what is this? Two diplomats. Asha! Sehem! Quickly, help me with them. Hold that Zheien."

Two men grabbed Jir. He didn't fight. Barely stumbled between them without falling. The first easily dragged me. My body felt numb. Moving was exhausting.

They led us down the alley by the tents. To a rock building, an ancient building. Dark. A light in a room. My neck thumped. Inside, low tables, blood-stained tables with chains, stood beside torture devices. They put us on one table. Jir groaned.

I looked up, and Heden stood over us. "My son, I am a healer. Your neck is thumping—"

It was horrible, but I made it through. I saw a lot of traumatic reports. Not at this age! We saw months of Heden's training. He wanted them to sign false treaties. He pretended to be kind, then showed extreme cruelty when they didn't obey him. I shook all over. So did all of them, including Cev! Didn't see my friends.