Ryee and I ported to a street in Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia. This is northwest of our location in Atlanta, on Elizabeth Street. Large houses on this street, all in a row, surprised me. I grew up in a deciplex, what Earthans would call an apartment. These were two-story houses like Laura’s.


    We found the location of Greg Wenh Cet, behind the house across the street. Ryee and I crossed it. The full moon above us in a black sky filled with stars took my attention. My husband smiled and pulled me against him.


    A noise behind me startled us. “Oh, hi!” A young girl on shoes with wheels nearly hit Ryee! He caught her. Feared both would need Pas!


    “Are you well?” His golden eyes opened past wide!


    Her green eyes looked up at my husband, a head taller than she. “Depends on your definition of ‘well’. I hope I didn’t bruise your arm. Have you got a fever?”


    “O, I am well, thank you. My doctor tells me it is not an illness. Some people have higher temperatures than others.”


    She leaned forwards and Ryee held her up. “Oh, I’m not falling, I just have to lean so my stops on my skates keep me from rolling.” She whispered. “I saw that light. You two just appeared in my neighborhood. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody. We should move over to the sidewalk in case a car comes.”


    We walked, and she skated to the side. Ryee smiled. “You are ne afraid?” His orange eyes watched her.


    “I’ve always wanted to meet someone from another planet! Can I go with you? I’m not very happy at home.” She sighed. When she looked at her skates, an expression of fear on her face startled me. The wheels were not round.


    “How old are you, Child?”


    “I’m 12. When I’m 13 I might be able to convince a judge — but I don’t want to go into foster care. My parents are going to all these parties all of a sudden. They leave me at home. Dad gets mad at me if I have any friends outside the neighborhood. Toni and Mark said they’d try to adopt me, but they’re scared I would get put in foster care anyway. Social workers can decide stuff, and nobody can do anything.” She pulled at a red ringlet. Her curls bounced as she shook her head.


    I realized that this was Molly Brown, who will start Rainbow Unwell Colony. “Do you want to learn healing?”


    “Healing? I want to be a doctor. Mom got the local high school to put me in an accelerated program, since I was taking college classes. I just started the FasTrack Program at Marietta High School last fall. It’s a lot of work, but I don’t mind. At 16 I’ll have my high school diploma and a four-year college degree in pre-med.


    “Because of the COVID epidemic, I’m staying at home. But, Dad and Mom go to so many parties because he’s into real estate now, they bring everything home. We all had Alpha, then Omicron. I won’t have any intelligence left —”


    “We can give you an aandat. You will get immunity and telepathy and be able to learn Zheien Healing.” I showed her, then had to slow my telepathy twice! “We need permission from your parents.”


    She looked down and poked at grass by the sidewalk with her shoe. “They’ll never give me permission. Mom always bugs me to dress like she does, ‘cause she’s into fashion. But I guess if you gave me an aandat, I could make sure I never wear a tank top or short shorts and they wouldn’t know.


    “I want to dress like my friend Angel. I think she’ll look like Sarah Brightman when she grows up, with that long, black hair and striking light blue eyes. You know, Sarah Brightman, who sang in Phantom of the Opera? ‘Forget these wide-eyed fears,’” she sang. “I can’t sing like her, but Angel can. She’s been giving me singing lessons.”


    “Many will enjoy your voice. Healers sing as they heal.” I took her hand and let her listen to my memories.


    She smiled. “I still sound like a little kid singing. People think I’m like, eight until they hear me yak. My parents will get home late tonight. I never know when. But, I could introduce you to Angel’s parents. Mark and Toni are great people. Will —”


    She saw her future. I had to slow the memories several times. Pas sent healing into her with my Link. Quickly, I took her into my arms. Wept.


    But, Molly recovered and looked up. “I still sound like a little kid singing. People think I’m like, eight until they hear me yak, ‘cause I’m so short. My parents will get home late tonight. I never know when. But, I could introduce you to Angel’s parents. Mark and Toni are great people. Will—” She had strength, and Pas offered to teach her. She answered him using my telepathy! Such skill in a young one! Her green eyes opened wide as Yeff do when listening. She learns fast!You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Ryee shook his head. “By Alliance or Unified rules, we must have her parents’ permission. Even though Earth is neither, we are bound by them.”


    “My parents will never give permission! You saw all my memories, too, didn’t you?” Tears came.


    I shook my head. “I would not invade your privacy so!”


    “But, I want you to see! That’s not invasion of privacy because I’m asking for help.”


    Ryee smiled. “If I put my hands on your head, you may think of whatever you wish us to see, and I can share these memories. In this way we collect telepathic evidence for TS Inspectors, to keep our trade honest.” He showed her how this is done, and she agreed.


    I was not prepared for what I saw. Mom throws away my stuff, things she knows I want bad, to hurt me. Criticizes me constantly. Dad doesn''t try very hard to get her to stop. My best friend Angel keeps whatever she wants in her room, and her parents do not mind if she has stuff in other rooms. They display her school projects everywhere. My mom ruins them or they vanish. Her father did not interfere though he tried to convince her mother to stop. For comparison, she shared how her best friend Angel kept items in her room, and her parents did not mind if she had her items in other rooms in their home. They displayed her school projects prominently. Molly’s mother ruined them or they vanished.


    Ryee ran progs to trace Molly’s DNA and found all of her discarded items. Repaired and cleaned them. Put them in a terminal for her. She wept when she saw how much there was!


    Our lawyer friend ported to us. He offered his hand and she shook it. “Hallo, I am Tan Links. I saw all your memories, and I have been studying Earthan laws of the United States, Georgia and and all counties of metro Atlanta. You still have a bank account from your summer job last summer with most of your earnings. You are in a very accelerated school program with college credits and high grades. Our problem is your young age. Georgia stipulates that a minor must be 16 to be emancipated.


    “Your father worries that you will become pregnant, being around older boys. What if we used his fear to our advantage? You will marry Binneas. If they offered for you to live with them, that fear might sway them. Your parents might agree to your marriage, and we must ask a juvenile court judge to allow it. Then you will be an emancipated minor, with most rights of a US Citizen of legal age. Mississippi needs a form signed by a parent, in the presence of a notary.” He paused to let her think about that. Studied her, blue eyes wide. He and his brother Vonn look much alike, tall with wide shoulders.


    Molly paled. “Oh, I dread what my father will say! If he saw me with Greg Wenh Cet, he would be accusing him of things. He teaches chemistry at GSU and helps me with my college chemistry homework. Lets me take his lab and do marathon sessions on teacher workdays. He comes to the Bruces often, they’re right there, and I ask him things then.” With a bright smile, she pointed behind us. The front door opened. A lady walked to a black box on a post. Ryee kept us hidden. This is Deb’s mother.


    “But, I could get on with my life. That might work. Mom would never get over the shame of it and she might agree. Do you think Binneas would want to pose as my naughty ‘boyfriend’? Especially if he was rich. All Mom thinks about is the next expensive item she wants. Oh, my.” She smiled. Pulled at a red ringlet by her ear.


    “Let us ask him.” Ryee touched Binneas’ mind and he ported to us.


    He bowed to Molly. His appearance in a formal white suit pleased her much! When I shared the future with Molly, he heard it also. “I shall be happy to pose as your ‘naughty’ boyfriend!”


    They both giggled. “You’re going to be my husband IRL! Now that I know Zheien don’t get naughty, I’ll let you be romantic.”


    His happiness tingled on us and we laughed harder! “This pleases you that I am nae naughty, then?”


    “Very much! I don’t approve of what my parents do. They embarrass me by how they carry on in front of me! Love Angel’s religion and the Zheien Religion is very much like it, because you have temples to get married forever!” She is different in this future than I remembered her! Religion did not interest her much in Rainbow.


    Binneas gracefully dropped to one knee. Took her right hand. “Molly Bradford Brown, Student of Earth, I love you already! I, Binneas, Diplomat of Fhiah, wish to ask you to join with me in this Petition of Courtship, a time of hardship and delight, to test our love. By the Ancient Protocols of Fhiah and Zhea~, Will you agree to court me, Molly?”


    “Yes! I, Molly Bradford Brown, Student of Earth, do wish to court you, Binneas, Diplomat of Fhiah, by the Ancient Protocols of Fhiah and Zhea~! I am very happy today, my love!” She looked away and blushed. Held his hand very lightly as Mia, a master healer, coached her in those memories.


    Binneas let go of her hand. Ryee steadied him. Molly lost her happy smile. “Ben, you okay?”


    “O, I am happiness! I am much more than okay!” His skin barely held orange! Ryee sent discreet healing. From my husband’s memories, most marry in their 20s and faint during the Petition! Binneas is very strong, and he is only 15! Ryee’s worry rumbled on me, but Molly was too excited to notice! She is also pale.


    She smiled a huge smile! “I am, too! I never knew falling in love could be so much fun! Ben, love the jewelry! I’ll think about Rainbow and us every time I see it!” All of the stones were circles in rainbow colors as most Zheien cities, seven-sided pyramids that sparkled around a central diamond. Beautiful!


    Across the street, Deb and Greg rushed to us.