Feisty Sara looks for trouble, but SETI's found aliens. Seventh Galaxy Minister Cevit Ion finds her...and slavers who want to kill them both.

SETI At Krispy Kreme

I was the latest in a chain of revolving-door secretaries at Madison Steamatic Catastrophe, a struggling disaster recovery business. Five of my predecessors in the last two years got fed up and quit because of our grouchy boss. Made plans to quit.

Took martial arts two years ago in high school and took out my anger on men. Not innocent ones. I roamed Atlanta looking for robberies in progress, rapes, drug deals. Vanished before the police got there. I took out all my frustrations for a couple of hours at Gold's Gym. Took a shower. Nobody knows I live in my beat-up car that quit running. I could go crawling back to my foster parents', but they'd just ask why I'm not in college, again. Put some makeup over a fresh bruise on my cheek before going to Krispy Kreme for a doughnut.

Took the MARTA train to North Avenue, and walked down Ponce De Leon. Thought maybe dinner at Mary Mac's Tea Room, but it's not open this early. Forget it. Eating at Mary Mac's is stupid but a doughnut doesn't cost much. I'm still overweight. Soup kitchens don't serve diet food. I waited and got off at Krispy Kreme.

A glass storefront showed me: Straggly brown hair that used to have an auburn tint to it around an overweight face. My purple frilly dress belied my interest in martial arts. I hurt 3 men this week who tried to prey on women.

Noticed a lady's shoe by the dumpster.

I ignored fear and marched behind it. Caught a man holding a hand over a lady's mouth. Her terrified eyes looked up at me.

He startled, and I missed the back of his head. Grabbed that ski mask. "Leave her alone!"

"You gonna be next! He came up with his fist and I moved. Clang! He grabbed it. I kicked out holding the dumpster and got his ear. Yes!

He ran.

The lady tried to get up and I caught her. "What happened?"

"Uh, we had an argument. I'm leaving!" She looked around. "Did you see my shoe?"

I led her to the front of the dumpster. She slipped it on. "Thanks!" I watched her go. She seemed okay.

A gentle hand touched my shoulder. "You are very brave, Sara Ionic."

I shivered as I turned around. "How do you know my name?"

I froze. Short, blond hair. A very pleasant smile. "I am Cevit Ion. Perhaps it is fate, that our names are similar. Do you know of SETI?"

And a man reached for the back of his neck. I grabbed his wrist. He easily jerked it away. Huh?

But Cevit Ion decked him! "I suggest we go to the Embassy." He sighed. "I would have enjoyed having a doughnut with you."

Two other men ran at us and I got ready to fight!

Felt foolish when a green swirl left us on a space ship! I came out of my lunge and pulled my hands to my sides. Tried to look innocent. Most of these people looked human—with differences. Some were purple! A lot of 'em had twin fingers.

A kid with red ringlets came running to me. "Hi, Sara!"

"Do I know you?" I studied her.

"Well, we had nursing together at GSU last year!"

My face burned. "Oh, Molly! Yes, I remember you. I failed the first test."

She hugged me. "That really doesn't matter. You're a good person, Sara!"

Then Cevit Ion looked to the side. "I am most sorry, but my ba needs me. Asha, would you answer this lady's questions for a few minutes? I will return for you, Miss Ionic."

"Okay." He went into a room. My back's probably got rust--

Molly waved and white light flashed! Then she gave me a green cube. "Now you can run hygiene whenever you need it! Oh, my, you hurt all over! Sit here." Another wave, and a padded lavender bench the color of my dress sat there! I joined her on it.

The outside edge of my hand had blood from the rust scraping it. She hummed, and warmth, and my hand wasn't scraped. Achy muscles weren't. "How'd you do that?"

"Zheien healing! Asha, here, is a Zheien, but he's a diplomat. He can help you with paying your bills."

"Bills?" I looked up at him.

Yellow skin like a school bus! Huge blue eyes that turned dark. "Do you need help to pay your bills? Wish you to stay here, on this ship?"

Do they know I'm homeless? I just turned 18 and left.

Molly turned my head towards her. "Let me put my fingers across your forehead. Don't worry, I won't read your mind. Didn't Cev tell you anything?"

"There wasn't time! That guy was gonna hurt this lady, so I hit him!"

Asha gasped. "You had perils! Molly, see her quickly!"

But, the feel of Molly's fingertips cold on my forehead vanished, as did the redviolet hull of the ship.

By that same Krispy Kreme, we fought off a lot more Elshars--

My companion tried to push the door open for me, and his skinny arm slipped between glass and bar, and he leaned on it without raising up. In the light, I noticed orange blood at the back of his head, almost hidden by his light, straight hair. Quickly, I touched it and healed the cut so it wouldn't show. A dangerous move, if he's got a head injury. But, if he looks injured, we're in more danger.

I helped him straighten up and we moved to a booth in the crowded place. Slid in beside him. "So, you in the mood for echtu? Maybe chocolate on top and cream-filled? Or, are you more of a custard-filled person?"

He tried to sit up straight and propped his head on a twin-fingered hand. "O, I love the cream-filled." The right hand groped at his pocket. Came up with a dark green stem.

I took it in my hand as the holomenu came up. Quickly punched up four echtu cream-filled with chocolate icing for both of us, 2 chocolate milks and waved my credit. Plates slid out of the wall beside him. I used my right hand to reach across him and felt for the lump that would be a pyramid. Came up with a yellow one. Carefully, in his lap, I popped it open and got three leaves of nesfa, broad green leaves. Stuffed the green stem in and closed it. Put the nesfa in his hand. "Would you like to sing a blessing?"

"Eae." He very quietly sang with twin fingers spanning all eight doughnuts.

When I looked up, his hands were both on the table, empty. One propped his head again, as if he were merely bored, and the other brought a doughnut up to his mouth.

We ate in silence, and I watched traffic on Ponce De Leon. My friend leaned on me, so I pulled his head onto my shoulder. Kept watch for threats. He fell asleep. Nesfa heals brain injuries, and it works better when a Zheien sleeps. I kept very still. A telepath can feel very good at a Zheien's expense if he touches the Zheien the right way. Often, the poor Zheien dies of shame when he wakes up. Three isn't enough, but we're not in a safe place.

His hands rolled up, and he shivered.

A waitress came. "Is your friend sick? Should I call Grady?"

"He's not feeling good, but we'll rest a bit and I think he'll be able to get home with me, thanks. Ba has seizures."

Her brown eyes stared at him shaking. "Okay, but if you sig me, I'll call you some help. Sit there as long as you like. We're open 24/7."

"Thanks." I kept an arm around 'Ba' to keep him from sliding off the padded green bench. They started padding them again when they knew they'd have a lot of Zheien for clients.

Occasionally, I sent a little silent healing into him from my telepathy, to help his regen. Glad I stopped him from taking ceefesa! That stuff makes regen, a state of self-healing, impossible. Nesfa helps a regen heal more damage. He might wake up okay.

I kept listening, and trouble walked in. Two big fellas, not too tall, sat at the counter near us. I didn't look, but their reflections were clear where I'd been looking out the window. They got doughnuts and coffee. I drank my chocolate milk. The other one was a just-in-case, but he wouldn't need it after regen. I waved it to my alt storage.

The fellas guarded their thoughts, but occasionally something slipped. He's here somewhere, and that might be him.

Yeah, if we wait until his regen's through, we got two new slaves. She's not even lookin'. Maybe he likes her.

They know I called 911. Maybe they're putting out false sigs. I waved up my fake menu. Pretended to look at Hub sites for ships. But, I had telepathic menus. I queried diplomats. We need help.

One of them watched me. She has expensive taste. Maybe she's his slaver, hah?

She's mine. I get something for my trouble, ha! They won't get through us tonight. Then, he projected what he'd do to my friend, what he'd do to me to make him crack. I pretended not to hear it. After all, none of the Earthans around me noticed.

I told you she hasn't got telepathy. Save it for him!

I'm not risking getting hurt. The Zbbat can handle him. Heden learned from last time.

They let their guard down more. I listened.

My friend went limp. Slept. As I held his head up, I looked over his points. No damage. He's exhausted, but healthy. Very gently, I went into his mind and woke him up. We have trouble. Two Elshars at the counter. More waiting to trap us.

His hand waved, and a green portal dropped on us! That twin-fingered hand held a containment at the top lip of the portal, and steered expertly. He steered over a portal that tried to intercept us, then across two others, and one slammed into us.

I shoved on the man's head, and he clipped a building, and stayed. We shot past.

"Ejis nae! Are you harmed, Maiden?" He pulled me against his chest. Didn't lose place with our convoluted course.

"I'm fine! You okay?"

We swerved sharply, and my feet floated up. I started to force 'em down, holding onto his huge shoulders, but a portal came, and I bent my knees. When it slammed into us, I kicked, and two Elshars fell out of the portal and high above Atlanta.

Our portal took us to the top floor of the Peachtree Plaza Hotel, where the Atlanta Zheien Embassy is. We landed, with a twist of the portal that sent it back out the window. Our feet gently rested on the white marble floor. My companion held my arm. "Thank you for your help, Sara Ionic." His blue eyes turned very light. School bus yellow skin almost glowed, and his straight, light brown hair just accented it. A handsome fella.

I gave my most formal, most polite Zheien bow, and fell on the floor. My back gave out. "I am most happy to help."

He set me on my feet as if I didn't weigh anything. Hummed. "Did you injure yourself? Ejis!"

I studied his face, then felt stupid that I didn't recognize— "My emperor! I—"

Those strong hands held my arms. "Nae think to bow! I wish nae to injure herself—have you a bed?" Without a pause, he swept me up in his arms.

"The third door, Sir." I waved, and it slid open. "I am well enough." I'd get one of the diplomats to find a healer in the Diplomatic Link—

But, the most powerful man in 13 galaxies put me on my bed, rested his large hands delicately on my head, and sang healing. I heard echoes of a healer in his links. He carries the Diplomatic Link for all the diplomats! The awe of that fact carried down into my sleep.

I'd only seen the Emperor in his formal uniform of gray, with a pin-filled vest and horizontally-layered pants. Because he was in a jogging suit like all the other Atlanta Zheien, my mind just ignored that his face was the same. I dreamed that we went back to that Krispy Kreme and shared another meal of doughnuts, without static from slavers.

I felt confused! Memories—my memories—kept coming! I was never a secretary for Atlanta Zheien Embassy! I had been porting all over Atlanta in those memories trying to see his speeches!

Pas sang and I felt sleepy. "I can't sleep now! Cevit Ion's coming back—"

"O, I shall ne do more. I take you to him."

There's Cevit Ion. We went over there.

He turned and another him stood there! One smiled. The other one saw me and paled. In his arms was a trembling man with dark curls. He saw me, and his dark eyes turned light blue. "Come, Rish and Rose. After I give my ba my links, we shall all be recloned." I felt confused. One of these men married me! The one who became Emperor! He had scary missions. Can I be that good?

Another man, orange-skinned, got up from sitting on the floor, but the minister held a hand out. "Pie, stay here. This will nae be an easy task, and Ahstam's ba came to help me." His fingers quivered.

Rose looked scared. A purple man who must be Rish escorted her to a room with Cevit Ion alone on a tapestry. Cevit Ion paused, and I looked from him to the other him, but that him spoke. "Sara? Why are you here?"

His ba put our hands together. "I found her at Krispy Kreme while you worked. You need her for this!"

"Ba, nae! I will be unwell, and frighten her!" His blue eyes turned black.

I added my other hand. "You're sick? And he's sick, too? What can I do to help?" I took the man's hand in his arms. In those memories I got training to help sick Zheien. Enjoyed it.

"Are you well to sit by me? My ba shall continue my work as Seventh Galaxy Minister, but I shall be—without occupation. If you wish to stay with my ba--"

"Both of you are very nice, but I'll stay with you. He says you need me." I went in with him. What's going on? The purple man took the trembling Zheien out of his arms. His brother, Jirris.

An old orange man in white robes—must be a healer—took Cevit Ion off his feet, and the other one got on a nine-posted bed and held him. Then he held out a twin-fingered hand to me. "Please, Maiden, sit here by Cevit Ion."

Cevit Ion and his little brother, Jirris. Thanks to Artempod on Pexels for the original photo, which I altered in GIMP. I love to make Zheien out of Earthans!

The original photo had the lady in a gi, but Sara fights in a dress! So, I gave her one in GIMP. This photo was also on Pexels, which is a great source of public domain photos and video. Y'all take care!