Kia's Biehshah Gift

Chapter 19 Tensions Rise

We went out in the festival. Gen and Noka learned to play a Zheien stringed instrument—badly. And sang along with it. Badly. Ir was too polite to laugh, and I almost did, but everyone has to start someplace.

Mama and Daddy came over. "They sound like a couple of kindergarten kids! I—Kia, you're pink!" Her blue eyes studied me.

I saw myself through her. Silver hair the color of Ir's, bright blue eyes, and mauve skin lighter than VW's. I thought I looked sort of the same.

Daddy frowned. "I thought something was up when they wouldn't let us come to your wedding thing last night. You got Pirad to change your species? He offered to make us Elshar when he did that recloning thing."

Ir put his arms around me. "Kia is special, Father. I cannot explain how this happened, but Pirad did not change her."

"Kia's a lot of things, but she's not special! Why, I never knew anybody who tried so many jobs—but singing suits her." Mama was always nice about my failures.

"When she sings, she heals our entire colony." Der and Inana stopped plucking at an instrument and stood by Ir. "She is now Biehshah Healer." He waved up my record.

Mama looked up and smiled. "Leader Of Biehshah Ye~ and Biehshah Healer. Wow! You got two titles, one for government and one for medical? You sure took care of me when I was sick. Are you going to learn other kinds of healing like the other healers do?"

"Uh, no, Mama. I'm just a Biehshah healer. My telepathy used to give other people headaches. Ir taught me to control it."

Camila tugged at my arm. "Kia, you have to talk to Mexico City! All the men think the server is wrong. Our women traders make more trade than them and they are jealous!" Then she looked at my arm and snatched her hand away. "What happened to you? Irdaktin looks like us, but you look like an alien!"

The festival stopped. Eanne~ startled and walked to us. "Friends, what is wrong?" Zheien are sensitive.

I still wasn't feeling too good and all this commotion wasn't helping. My Biehshah body is a lot more affected by emotion, and now Zheien got upset, too.

Mama glared at Camila. "You can't talk about my daughter that way!"

"She's my daughter, too! She brought help for my village after a mudslide killed people!"

"You stole my husband—"

"And, I fixed it!" Uncle Chase laughed. "Now, Kia has an uncle and aunt who love her, and her parents. We can still love her as a Biehshah. She's still Kia."

Mama looked flustered. I felt worse by the minute. "Of course, I still love my daughter, but this is more'n changing her hair color to match her fella's. She changed her species!"

Daddy got Mama's attention. "Kia's old enough to make her own decision about this—"

"Did she think about how it would affect us? I don't want to learn 20 gestures to say hello!"

Eanne~ shook his head and his brown curls waved. "Mrs. Garfield, we ne must learn many gestures to speak with Biehshah friends. As a diplomat, I know many for official speech, but only a diplomat must learn them."

"That's just it! Every time I try to talk to my daughter, somebody—" she glared at Camila, "—just has to come up with a problem for her to solve! Doesn't anyone else work in their government?"

Der smiled at Camila. "I will go speak to Mexico City Council. Excuse us, please." He offered an arm to my now-aunt and they went with him and Inana.

Ir made me sit in the sand and put his forearm on my forehead. That helped a lot. Guess I have Biehshah needs, now.