A holo opened. Eanne~ held Ryonne~ and Adia against him, in the holo. “J~oie, are you safe?”


    “Ea, fa! What happens?”


    Healers checked Ryonne~ and Pas put his hands up there. Sighed. “O, I am sorry. I think he died too quickly to suffer.” Not a mark on them. They looked asleep, but deep gray. Their hands gripped each other’s.


    Another, older healer touched <mark>Adia’s</mark> head and ported both bodies away.


    I cried. “I shouldn’t have been talking about Danger Service—”


    Suma pulled at my arm. “You stopped most of them! Both of you did, despite the distraction.”


    “We didn’t need to lose them! Why were they out there?”


    Eanne~ sighed. “After the first attack, some ne came to our hiding place. Ryee went to find them, and Adia also. They ported to us, but ne Ryee and Adia.” He cried, arms still curled as if holding them.


    Pas looked around. “We found all. Only Ryee and Adia died.”


    “I must go to my people.” Eanne~‘s golden eyes filled.


    J~oie pulled at his father. “I will go—”


    “We come to you!” Pas pulled Eanne~ into a portal onto our bed. “Comfort your father. Ryee’s other clone comforts our people. He holds Remembrance now. I find him able.”


    “After Esteerr?” J~oie shivered.


    Pas waved blankets that steamed over both men. “He ne suffered as you and Ryee. Lyyyrah saw them before they would share foods, so he did ne. I found ne poisons with him, ne at all. When he finishes, they come to us. Is this well, Kia?”


    I nodded. My head pounded from all the reaching to make sure none of those creeps got to Ye~. Why, of all people, did it have to be them? I felt the grief of all those Yeff. People thought about all his missions and how they expected him to die sooner. What?


    J~oie tried to pull Eanne~ into his arms, but he put him on his lap. Clung to him. “O, such comfort you are to me, Bae!”


    “Fa, Ryee died as he wished to die. He saved 20.”


    “Eae.” The deep voice of Eanne~ broke, and waves of his sorrow shook us. “So many times, I held him, unwell, on missions on my schedule.”


    “Fa, ne! Ne this guilt—”


    “I named him my aide at 12 and <mark>Eas</mark> called me foolish! Little knew I that he took opportunities—”


    “Would we suffer without the treaties he signed? Or if you died trying to get them? I agreed with Ryee’s choice, which I made if I only had health!” J~oie cried.


    Eanne~ startled and placed a careful hand on his forehead. “My bae—”


    “I can bear, Fa.” He took his hand, kissed it, and pulled it down. Inhaled three bis <mark>tia</mark>. I never saw a Zheien take one. Ir stared. I saw them, rarely, take one, never three!


    “J~oie, I ne expected to lose one of you in my home! On missions, ea, but ne in my home! Promise me you stay here!”


    “I will stay, Fa. But if you need my help to comfort our people—”


    “I need to know that I find you here, in safety! My younger stands to lose his life this day! And, my daughter!” He sobbed.


    Today? Maybe he knows something I don’t. But if I blink, it might be another day. I’m so tired! I want this to be over. Maybe Dromie can do something. If only we could talk to Pirad! We’re in the dark ages without him.


    Well, I could use my Cube, but that’s what Rentappenen wants. He wants us to use our Cubes—


    Suma cried in Neal’s arms. “Oh, this is stupid!” She pulled back and looked in the middle of the room.


    Ryonne~ and Adia stood there. Eanne~ gasped! He leapt off the bed and hugged them. Gave a hop and gently laid them in a leiwege that appeared under them.


    He looked around. “Our people—”


    “They are safe, Bae! Pas—”


    The healer had his hands on Ryonne~‘s head already. “O, you are well! Ea <mark>yeo</mark>, Suma!”


    She had this expression of shock on her face. I felt it, too. We weren’t supposed to do that.


    “You died, Bae! Ne leave me!”


    “Fa, I must leave you! Many missions wait—”


    “Ne! Has our family ne suffered enough? I will ne sacrifice any of you! Ne any!” He sobbed. “Cevit Ion told us any who even had memories of such injuries must leave his work!”


    Ryonne~ held him and kissed his head.


    Cevit Ion held all of them, Adia, too. “I said it, and I mean it. Per <mark>Naha</mark> Of Kin Para, Elder King, Leader Of Alb Council now addresses the Alb Council concerning this. He feels strongly even clones whose skills we need should serve in Alb, ne on missions.


    “Many Earthans petitioned the Council to return to Earth, but they refuse to let any travel even among worlds of Alb until we can expect safety!


    “He asks of me. Ryee, how fared you and Adia on your journey to Esteerr? I need your honesty.”If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The other Ryonne~ got tears in his golden eyes. “I—functioned.”


    “You had injury, severe injury on your last mission there. After it, we had to travel among Elshar worlds to secure them and track Eriganh. Were you recovered from this?” Cevit Ion got the black eyes.


    “Minister, was my work well? Did you find fault with it?”


    “This is nae what I ask, my son. Your work was very well, as always. You had nae rest and your host had unwell with <mark>Vanaras</mark>.”


    He paled. “You know of that?” Those golden eyes went past wide!


    “Ry’nao shared with me. He has worries. Again, I ask of you, how fared you on the last journey to Esteerr?”


    He shook all over and Eanne~ held his head against his chest. “I—had fright, but when it was time to meet with Lyyyrah, I went. I lasted.”


    “How was your health on your return to your ship?”


    “<mark>Ay</mark> and I appeared on <mark>Adia’s</mark> Ship! My ship came with us in alt space, but <mark>Lyyyyrah</mark> and his entire Council appeared also, and we witnessed the Change of all Aryll!” His skin went from light orange to gray!


    Cevit Ion held onto his arm. “After this meeting, where went you?”


    He cried. “<mark>Ay</mark> and I went to our ship and I made him into a chamber for us. One of Pas’ clones attended me because <mark>Ay</mark> had worries.”


    “What found he?”


    “Ne poisons, but I was overexhausted, which—I should ne, on the first day of a mission! He gave gvesa and made me to sleep until late afternoon. I missed meetings! Is fortunate I had many bae to help in this.” His sobs rumbled on us. “Pas insisted that both of us return here.”


    Cevit Ion sighed, and that rumbled, too. All our Biehshah felt ill. “Per <mark>Naha</mark> feels that any injury to a <mark>Zheien’s</mark> head, and even to witness violence should be the rule for a diplomat to be released, and the Council assents. All of our clones are having difficulties, as well.”


    Eanne~ paled drastically. “Must my bae lose his position?”


    “Nae. A diplomat may work in his home, to meet with diplomats and sign treaties. This function nae requires change. But nae of you must travel. <mark>Ishmarel</mark> agreed, for all kings of Zheiea. Nae princes or council members may travel in their work. All planetary ministers will travel lightly, and they may have many clones to accomplish their work, that they have nae injuries.” Cevit Ion smiled at them.


    “And, our lieges agreed to this?” Eanne~ trembled.


    Cevit Ion reached over and stroked his dark curls. Frowned. “My friend, eae. Rest. We discuss later. The Alb Council finished.”


    “Can my bae, my younger bae, rest?” Eanne~ clung to Ryonne~.


    Who smiled. “Your embrace comforts him. Ne fear. He is well.”


    “You had <mark>unwells</mark> on Esteerr.” His voice broke.


    “O, Fa, trials are less, knowing missions ne wait. Ryee feels this release also. Adia is far happy, as my <mark>Ay</mark> is.” He smiled.


    Eanne~ didn’t and his upset rumbled on us.


    Pas looked worried and his red-gold eyes filled. “Can we ne bring our family here?”


    Ryonne~ looked at me. “Our family is large. Is it well?” Oh, my! They had hundreds! But Ir showed me how he could make room for all of them.”


    I smiled. “The more, the merrier! Bring ‘em all!”


    “My ba will remain with our people. Hear how they wish all of you to go to safety?”


    Eanne~ wept and clung to him. “I fear for you! Pirad died! His host stays on Alb Seer! If you have injury, how can you have healing, any of you?”


    “Ean, I have healing, and we have many healers! Be calm.” He still looked worried. Pas is Ye~‘s top healer.


    At least we have Ten. They need Pirad more than we do.


    You don’t know why Pirad is so vital to our survival. Ir’s awe of him tingled on me. Kirnonos made him to hold his library of minds. Taredias is just one of us. But, he studied Zbbat and Esteerrians to see how to make clones to join their hive minds, so he is brilliant.


    But Pirad holds tens of thousands of the brightest minds, not only of our level, but all levels we lived in! Councils saw his capacity and added minds to him for safekeeping. Kirnonos made the library, but he put all the minds he has in him. Councils used him to find solutions for slavery. They hoped he would convince Bisillipia to give it up! Garat was his adversary, who wanted to prove slavery is better.


    I tried to imagine centuries of listening to <mark>Garat’s</mark> arguments, and couldn’t! He kept slaves?


    Until he made an enemy of King Nonosuan and became a slave. Now he doesn’t, because no Biehshah can have them. He’s a little crazy from all the injuries he got in mines.


    Crazy? He’s— But, I saw him on Biehshah with his lady. He doesn’t seem as crazy now.


    He gives me hope for Leheren, Kia.


    I can see that.


    Ten is very important to us, but he is a clone of a great healer. He is only 209 years old.


    Oh, only! I laughed.


    Oops! All our weeping Zheien friends looked up. That was insensitive of me. But, they smiled. Ir let them hear what we talked about.


    Ryonne~—the one whom Suma brought back—smiled. “I knew Pirad was special, but ne knew this about him. I hope he is well.”


    “I think we’d feel it if he died. You felt it when our Pirad died, didn’t you? You have the red-violet Cube.”


    He sighed. “Ea, we all did!”


    “I’m happy Suma brought you back.” I smiled at him.


    Ryonne~ smiled back, but looked down. “I am only a copy of my host.”


    “Eja fe ne! Ryee, you are ne only a copy! You are as dear to me as my bae who is born of me!” Eanne~ held him and sobbed.


    “I have ne value that Pirad can bring in another—”


    “You’re wrong! Identical twins have differences. All of you have different skills that you absorbed from your host, and your memories can differ!” Suma frowned at him. “I helped Pirad take care of Ahstam 257. In the other future, he got hurt and remembered things his host couldn’t about his first recloning! Pirad needed what he knew. So he brought his wife, Anna, an Earthan, to the ship. Agreed for Pirad to reclone him to an injured clone so maybe he could remember where a Hub was. His first attempt was a disaster! Ahstam 257 lost his healing skills and a lot of memories. He asked Pirad to make another clone of him for Anna because he was so disabled. She refused! Pirad made 56 clones of Ahstam anyway, and a few of them tried to court her because Ahstam 257 begged them to, but none of them were like him.” She slashed her hand across her front. “Each of you is different, and you’re not replaceable. Ahstam told me he loves all of his brothers, and they all share his mindlink, except Ahstam 257. He can’t. But when he talked to his ba, he changed his mind. Ahstam convinced him he just hadn’t been alive long enough to make enough of his own memories. Once he had more experience, he realized it was true. You will, when you make more memories.”


    He looked at his wife and sighed. “I will ne ever suggest that you ask Pirad for a healthier clone.”


    “Thank you, Ryee.” Adia hugged him. He stroked her long red curls. Such a vibrant color! It set off her pretty blue eyes. But this Adia was Areonian, not Zheien.


    Her hair was the same color as a younger Zheien than the Elder King, who put Eanne~ holding Ryonne~ on his lap. “Bae, I offer you all my comfort also. I am your fae W~Via.”


    “Fae! O, I wished to see you! Will you help Fa?”


    Eanne~smiled. “He already does. Ryee, your host ne knew him, but perhaps you have memories of our other future where you did.”


    Ryonne~ smiled. “I have those memories. Are you more well now, Fae?”


    “Ea! I feel as I did during my Reign.” His red curls bobbed as he spoke, and those blue eyes were the same bright blue as <mark>Adia’s</mark>. Interesting coincidence. There aren’t many Yeff with that color eyes or hair. He had the wide shoulders that all of them but J~oie had. He got a serious look. “I am most sorry I ne came to you sooner, but Pirad wished me ne. But now, he wishes me to speak with all of you for him.”