Dejected Gierdre feels dumb until Emperor Ry'nao asks her for help. Her clone will help save 13 galaxies.

FailedTest

Another failing grade. I shoved the test back into my notebook as the bus screeked to a halt. I can't pass algebra? I should be working, not wallowing in self-pity. My future depends on getting on with my life.

I got off the bus. Should be studying my other subjects. Mama went to GSU when you just had three for a full load, when it was quarter system. Lucky. I'm drowning!

Cold didn't help. Even the full moon didn't cheer me up. It's 7:30 pm. I spent 4 hours in the library trying to study and fell asleep. Don't dare mention that to my family.

My backpack felt heavy with my gaming laptop in it. And, my notebook with all my other notebooks. Why don't I just keep my notes in my laptop? My sub to Word 365 ran out and I lost all of it. Friends tell me my files are still there. I keep losing my passwords. I can't lose notebooks. If I just don't lose my backpack. Dad's still fussing about having to replace my screen on this laptop.

Such an old neighborhood. I walked forever until I got to Elizabeth Street. At least there's sidewalks. I wished for that future they promised us in the 50s. A robot to carry me--

But Dad's talking about my grades and saying, 'How will you measure up, Gierdre? Quit playing around with school, or life'll leave you behind!'

Mama fussed for years that Dad saved every paper he wrote in college and all his old textbooks. He says they'll be valuable someday. He looks in my room and harps on me throwing out things. I want to keep my art projects and my musical instruments. He sees all that as useless junk.

I looked up and didn't see anything but houses. Moved so a lady walking her poodle could get past. Sidewalks with roots breaking through. That white two-story with the bay window. Why do I feel funny when I see it? Well, there's light from the streetlight above me.

My leg itched. I looked down and froze. I'm standing in a fire ant nest! My shoe's covered! If I move, will they sting me? Didn't expect--

I moved anyway and shook my leg. It's cold! They aren't getting off! But, I put my backpack far away and jumped. The cold finally made most of 'em fall off. I brushed the rest away. Kept telling myself, they're too cold to sting me. Are they?

I finally got finished and got my backpack. Dragged myself home.

Dad met me at the door. I got out my test and let him see.

"Tomorrow, you're going to GSU to withdraw from everything—"

"But, Dad, I'm doing fine in the other—"

"I'm not paying for you to change majors. Quit school. You can find a job."

I wheezed all the way up the stairs.

When I took my clothes off I found a lot of ant stings. Used some anti-itch cream. Took a bath.

I felt horrible when I got out, and ants swarmed my shoes and pile of dirty clothes! I found the bottle of pre-wash and sprayed until they all died. In January?

Took forever to get dressed. My room and the hall smelled like Daisy Fresh.

And my little brother noticed. "Eww, what's that smell?"

I showed him the dead ants. He promptly went downstairs. "Dad! We have fire ants!"

"We do not! I killed 'em all!"

So, Dad came up to have a look. "Now, I'll have to get an exterminator out here tomorrow! Why are there fire ants in January?" He looked up at the ceiling.

Mama was really upset. "Are you sure they are dead? Where are they coming in?"

I had to explain my mishap. Dad fussed. "Why didn't you look before putting your foot in a nest like that?"

Well, would anyone think they'd be alive in January? Only in Georgia!

I'm wheezing and no one noticed. When everybody was satisfied the ants were really dead and Mama insisted that I wash a load with my anty clothes, I stayed in the TV room until they got washed and dried. My legs itched and I scratched until I bled. Finally, I folded and carried my basket up to my room.

Checked again for ants. None.

I was very sleepy and it's only ten, but I went to bed anyway.

My alarm went off at six. Grabbed my phone.

SETI Found Aliens, And A Treaty was the headline. What?

I played a news report as I got dressed. "...they sent a little Morse code, but after only a few pages, they gave us an Internet site. It had the entire over 500 page treaty covering everything from pollution to famines to epidemics! They have solutions—"

"Wait. What?"

"They are offering us membership in a giant trade alliance that covers 13 galaxies! Emperor Ry'nao says this is an offer, not a demand, but he is worried that slavers are coming here. They want us to be ready with tech to know who's a slaver and who's not."

Slavers? But, solutions to Earth's most pressing problems!

By 6:15 am I was dressed and on my way out of the door. I thought about leaving my laptop at home, but not where my brother can hack it. He's always poking through my stuff if I'm not home yet. He's 18 and would love to find something to make fun of me about.

My legs still itched miserably, but I wasn't wheezing. I wore jeans today. Aliens? I wish one would offer for me to board a spaceship going anywhere. As long as he isn't a slaver!

I kept watching my feet as I walked. My head hurt. My sinuses were stuffy. Hoped I wasn't sick again. Had my Aurora Borealis mask on. It's my prettiest one. But it makes my face itch, too. So hard to keep my hands off it--

"Hello, can you tell me where MARTA is?"

I looked up into green eyes. His mask was an aurora, too, but blue, not green. I liked the blue one better.

"I'm walking to the Inman Park station. I can show you, if you like." I looked down, and there was that fire ant nest! I froze.

He pulled me away from it. "That frightens you?"

"They stung me last night!" My voice broke.

"Ejis nae! Our embassy has a free clinic. Would you like them to see you?"

A free clinic? Maybe they have allergy meds. "Where is it?"

"This house, here. I work here." He pointed, and there was a white house with a huge, round porch. Magnolias and rose bushes. Beautiful yard. Dad wanted to cut down our magnolia, but our house is on the Register Of Historic Places. Unless it's diseased, he can't, and I was secretly happy. I love magnolias. No blooms in January, though. I sighed.

I looked at my phone. What's my hurry? I'm just going to school to drop all my classes. I have all day. "It's free? What about meds? And, a clinic, in an embassy? Wouldn't that only be for people who work there?"

"Maiden, it is free for anyone who needs to see a healer. If herbs are needed, there is no cost for them. Please. You seem unwell. You tremble."

It touched me so much for him to notice, I almost let tears get away. I blinked a few times. "Thank you. Should you call them? My nose is a little stuffy. I don't want to give your staff anything."

"O, we are fully vaccinated, and upgraded our ventilation system to HEPA standards. You can nae give us any illnesses. The clinic has state of the art equipment."

I smiled. "Okay."

We were right in front of it. He opened the iron gate and led me up the walk.

A robot walked towards us. It was white and looked soft. When it got here, it bowed with one leg behind it. "I am the Embassy MedRobot. Would you like me to carry you? Your temperature is elevated."

I startled. "You can tell?"

"I am equipped with infrared sensors! We wish all to have comfort."

"Okay."

He bent and I sat on his arm. Heated! Oh, it felt nice! A lady walking her dog stared. "Is that a robot?"

"Hello, Madam! I work at the Atlanta Alliance Embassy. We just occupied this building today." Behind him, workmen removed a For Sale sign. "Please spread the word. We have a free clinic."

"Free? But that'll attract homeless people! I don't want them hanging around my yard! I'll complain to the Inman Park Association!"

"Ma'am, we plan to solve homelessness. Did you hear the news about SETI? Every person who needs a home who comes to our clinic will have one by the time their appointment is finished. There will be no crowds. If you wish to know more, please take this terminal with you." He held my hand as I sat on the robot's arm, and gave her a green cube.

She frowned, but took it. "I am a terminal of Atlanta Alliance Embassy, and can answer all of your concerns. You are Mrs. Richard Zimmer. Your dog, Fifi, has hip dysplasia. I can contact a healer who can cure this condition with Zheien healing. She will sleep, and wake up able to play without limping." The white poodle favored his right rear leg.

The gray-curled lady was speechless!

The robot carried me beside my new friend. Who gave me one of the green cubes. "Thanks!"

"Maiden, I am Koper, Diplomat Of Lisbaar. This terminal is yours to keep."

We got to the door and inside quickly. People stepped aside. One door said Atlanta Embassy Clinic in gold letters, but it was open. One room? It had a giant bed and he put me on it.

A display had my blood pressure, respiration, and other figures. I didn't know what was supposed to be normal. The robot bent a round, flat mattress to hold me up. So soft! And warm. He put a white blanket on me. Smoothed every wrinkle out.

Then a doctor in a white coat came. He had blond curls with dark streaks. "Hi! I'm Dr. Ket, and I'll be your doctor today. Koper, you can sit beside her, if she doesn't mind."

I smiled at him. "Oh, I would like that! This is a very unusual clinic." I watched the robot bend his white mattress, too. Then realized I forgot to pay attention to the doctor! My face burned.

"This clinic is new, and I don't have any patients waiting, so relax. I can hear that you have some nasal congestion. Is your throat sore?"

"A little. That just started today. A lot of people at school don't wear their masks, or wear 'em weird." My brother did a lot of that. Dad ridiculed the CDC. Just made me mad. Mom wears hers.

"People did that in 1918 in that pandemic, too. When they get scared, they get emotional, and people argue. Feel that breeze? We put bigger fans in our ventilation system, and more HEPA filters. That's why I'm not wearing a mask. It's like being outside, but much warmer. You can take yours off, too, if you like, or if you are more comfortable wearing it, I don't mind."

But, I did feel that warm breeze. It smelled a bit like a hospital, so I took my mask off. "If you're sure I don't need it." I tucked it in the front of my backpack.

I also put my cube in and expected to have to work it in. I had room in there!

"Oh, you've got some irritation on your face. Does it itch?"

"Yeah, but I just put up with it."

"Sumara, would you bring a bowl of varas?"

"Esta ay! I will be right back!" A lady walked away.

"Varas is an herb we use that is very helpful with skin irritation or arthritis. It feels warm and soothes. It doesn't cure conditions, but can reduce minor pain and itching, which is a lower degree of pain."

She brought a bowl of green foam.

"Mmmm! It smells wonderful!" Kind of a sweet smell, not menthol as I expected.

"Have some." He set the bowl beside me on the bed. I got a handful and dropped a bit on the colorful spread. Frowned. "Don't worry, it doesn't stain. Go ahead."

I rubbed a bit on my chin. It stopped itching. "Wow! It works well!" I put it all over where the mask touched, and all of it felt fine now!"

"Any other itches?"

"My legs do, but my jeans are in the way."

The lady pulled my shoes off, and my socks. "Oh!"

I had bleeding sores from rubbing my shoes on my ankles. She pulled a white cloth from a drawer and rubbed my feet with it. All the blood just vanished, but it stung a little. Then she took some varas and put it on and it stopped itching, and the sting went away.

"That stuff's awesome!"

She also put handfuls of it over my jeans. It even worked through the cloth. She hummed as she worked. I relaxed a lot.

The robot held hands with me over Koper and numbers scrolled.

Dr. Ket frowned. "I'm afraid you have COVID. I can start you on antivirals, but it'll take a few days for you to feel better. We can do more for you, but Koper needs to explain our tech to you first."

I swallowed. "Are you—with the aliens?" My mouth went dry.

Dr. Ket's eyes turned dark blue. "Would you be afraid if we were? I don't want to scare anyone. We're just here to help. Koper can escort you home if you want to leave."

Leave? But this bed is so soft. Maybe it's an alien bed. That treaty is full of solutions to Earth's problems. I wanted so bad to believe that it's true! I wanted to ask Koper.

I looked at him. His eyes didn't change. But, if I don't ask, I'll never know. "Are you from Earth?" My heart beat really fast.

"No, I am not, Maiden. I would like to show you—one of our team sees futures for some persons. She saw one for you, and it is very important to us and many in the Alliance and Unified. I have telepathy, but I fear to see this might frighten you. We knew one another well in this future that we share, and I was frightened." His hand trembled as it held mine.

"My future's important?" I laughed. "But, I'm a nobody! I can't even—" my voice broke, "pass remedial algebra!" I looked down.

His hands rubbed mine. "I wish you to know, your life is very important, Gierdre. I cried much—"

He held my hands as warmth drained out of 'em. As stasis snapped on. Koper and Sirkle cried, and my parents cried, and even my brother cried. They couldn't save me.

I gasped. "I'm going to die?" But, I was older. Koper wasn't that old—his hands are red, like blood-red. All of him. Twin, flat fingers. Not five. He's Zheien. They don't hurt anyone.

He cried. "I meant nae to show you this! We hope you will nae die, if we take you from Earth. Berto shall nae send you to—"

My Future

The biome chamber had a red glow under this rock ledge. I stood there trying to figure out where it came from and traced it to the lower level. Time to get out the ropes and rappel down there. "Sirkle, I'm going down!"

He waved from up top where he carried two more ceramic biomes as big as my head. He'd follow me. I could barely handle a roped one and myself. Earthans aren't as strong as Thordes. When I first met Sirkle I asked him where his sash was. He laughed at me. A Team Leader isn't always a diplomat! His good sense of humor carried us through some rough biome maints. Didn't seem fair to me that even though I was his biome tech, he had to do most of the lifting. A Biome Engineer usually solves the technical problems while the tech just does the horse work. But, with Sirkle, I'd learned a lot of things I'd missed in class. Wasn't good in school. My Academie Praetoria education got me a lot of looks like 'What're you doing on a DS Team?' Sirkle's Thordes. They're smart enough for Sigan Mas. Purple skin but they have five fingers like me.

I shouldered the ropes and lowered my first biome. Wouldn't be replacing a thing till Sirkle looked over the installation. Prelim reports didn't say anything about this red glow. Sirkle's analysis showed nothing hazardous. Carefully, I let the thing sit on the bottom, then I started to go down.

The rope slipped! I fumbled with my other rope and caught, with a jerk. Fell.

Slowly, I felt warmth at my neck. At first I thought it must be blood. Then, my gloved hand found a crack in my helmet big enough for a gloved finger to poke through. "Novas!" I moved slowly. Time to go to the Safe Area. But, I couldn't get up. The red ceiling looked like glass, with rainbows in it. Pretty, not like most buildings that held the servers.

"Girdre!" Sirkle slid down the rope fast and I flinched. He missed me and my biome, put the two on his shoulders smoothly into the dust, and put his hands on my helmet. "Novas! You're hurt! Don't move. I see blood in your hair."

"My helmet—"

"I see—novas! Move your feet for me."

I did, then he felt my mind with his telepathy to see how bad it was. I tried not to let any tears show, but the concern on his purple face, his wide purple eyes, did me in. The tears went.

"Girdre, let me carry you up. Something went in your helmet with you. I need to detox you, fast!"

Breath didn't come. Koper let go of my left, and I knew how to keep my telepathy in. He'd worked with me for weeks when they picked me up from Academie Praetoria. Mostly Areonians in my classes, but they weren't anything like people on Earth. He had to retrain me.

Sirkle, my Thordes boss on Sirkle's Team, sat by Koper. Younger, than he was--

I laughed. "I wouldn't make it as a Chouha! Gedda Dier would throw her sienma at me if I tried to walk in her court. Gedda Dier has hair of gold, and it reflects different hues of the flowers: ansi, meran, fu tucaas, lisbaaransi, vertuu, jic, and brilliant red lasord! She passes, and these scents announce her coming, those and the hues in her skin! All rise, for the passing of Gedda Dier, Queen of Lisbaar!"

I sat up, and my hand glowed in the colors. First, a brilliant blue, with a sweet, spicy scent. Then, a hot pink, and a subtle honey-like smell. I stared at my hand, but Gedda Dier's hand does this, easily. Every color change and scent made me tired, but I couldn't stop.

Jisch stared at me. "Girdre!"

I stood up in my DS blue, which felt—alien. "You dare to address a queen in this manner? Outsiders! Bow to the Queen of Lisbaar! Where is my Council?"

Jisch's Elshar eyes turned dark blue, nearly black. He answered me in Lisbaar Kataan, the Dialect of the Council. "Pardons, but you inherit the body of my biome tech! I fear for her—"

"I have important business! Take me to my paarsifir, that I might dress properly! What can the Alliance possibly have to say to C'tral? Let me call my Council and—"

Men ran down the ramps from the street. I wanted to think, but this lady took over. I watched from behind my eyes. Koper, our Zheien Diplomat-In-Aid to Jisch, gasped. He grew up here, but on the other side of Lisbaar in the Zheien Colony. His twin-fingered hands quivered as he looked at me, and his light red skin paled to deep orange.

Several brightly-robed members of Council came, too.

"How dare you wear the robes of Shanantur! What gives an Elshar the right—"

"I am Rasch Lir, fourth generation Council from the Elshar Colony of Lisbaar! Why is a DS man speaking this ancient dialect, when only we of Council are privileged—"

"Privileged! I am Gedda Dier, Queen of Lisbaar from my 20thyear, wife of King Wenhcet Rahn, of C'tral Ty'nirrh! Shan ahn forsuusbee meach'nerr tersisfahhn kasissharrh!" My body threw out colors, lights, and scents like fireworks.

One man came forward and bowed so low his nose dug in the dust! "Gedda Dier, hachach man sieterrh mach'snanferris tuucaansish fernarrh! I gladly give my reign, that of merely a governor, to our rightful heir! I merely took governance because you are absent fifty years, and my grandfather told me you would wish me to reign in your place—"

Another man shoved his way beside him, in the dust. "Tererdaungsah, does she know Ty'nirrh lost her place on the Council? Does she know of the destruction of C'tral?"

I nearly fainted. "Tell me of this! Rise, and tell me, quickly!"

"Lisbaar was colonized by Xchou who intermarried with Ty'nirrhans who disagreed in slavery. There was War in the Thirteen. King Wenhcet Rahn was frightened, and signed a treaty with Kajar to exterminate Aryllans, and we destroyed all Aryllan colonies in the 4th.

"The Council exiled him to Ctral and destroyed C'tral. Rentappenen lost his place there. Ctral is the colonial world of the groups remaining, and the Wenh Cet family embraced slavery. They are all that is left of the Ty'nirrhan.

"Other groups are on Ctral, the colony, and in other colonies. Kieta sent the Red Cube to punish Rentappenen, and he is defeated. We are not punished, because none of us allow slavery. The Elshar here, and the Thordes, and the Zheien, coexist peacefully with our people. None have or ever will have slaves! I am Urong, grandson of Wenhcet Rahn. After your death, he tried to bring Aryllan slaves here, and was exiled to Ctral." The man came up. Tererdaungsah stayed in the dust.

"My beloved did this?" I fell to my knees. "Then, what place have the Chouha? Am I the only one of us left?"

Ket hugged me. "I fear for her, if we cannot stop!"

Ry'nao, Emperor Of The Unified sighed. His red-violet eyes fixed on me. "I fear for everything we know, if anyone hears these memories. If Rentappenen heard."

Another alien came in and stood by the bed, thin chest heaving. In that other future, I taught him what Queen Gedda Dier knew. I clung to Koper, but that me, in the blue DS uniform, she would—did--

"Emperor Ry'nao, I am loyal to you. If what I know will help, Pirad can do what he needs to do." I got ready to die. In that other future, I had to.