Ella's Saga

Panic On Elshar Mashai

 Ley went on sharing the memory of the Panic:

Suddenly, we knew Eriganh headed to D'gharr. None of the council members were interested in what Farley said. They got drunk, and we left. When we reached the Diplomats House, it was empty. We went to the ship.

The spaceport had only a few ships and hordes of slavers trying to steal them! Pat, Tis and Han were writing progs to hide all the biomes from slavers. Han fabbed a jeweled terminal like tenters use to run the progs. Pat looked up. "Ley, I saw an Esteerrian ship here, in this spaceport! We need to leave!"

Farley shook all over. "We can nae. Diplomats can nae. Half the Council left! By Alliance rules, the moment they lifted, they are nae longer Council. Those without ships already take dorna from the corrals, if they have trade, and soon there are nae dorna left. They go to lower-numbered provs. Eriganh has five world destroyers with him."

"Farley, take some bis tia." I waved up his leiwege and he let me put him there.

"I—use too much!" His herb terminal had one left. It didn't help him.

"My brother says a little marsa could help. Other teams used that, even when Zheien didn't have nesfa—"

He turned gray, and I made my doctor give me a vial. I put just a little on his neck. At least he stopped sweating, but fear kills Zheien. He's sick, every respite now. Marsa makes a Zheien stare. The moment I gave it, I couldn't feel his thoughts! But people in his Diplomatic Link kept asking if he was all right. I answered a few, then got them to help him with others. Novas! How can a man rest with that going on in his mind?

I made Han hold Farley, and Pat and I went trading. We found Zheien terminals, herbs and slaves, as well as food in large supplies! Riding animals! Tessite! Valuable items! People were trading everything they had for a few ships that weren't spaceworthy! I let Berto know, and he gave me trade for larger quantities, for Elshar Zheiea!

Every trader in Elshar Zheiea brought every ship available and filled 'em! Their normal items wouldn't trade if they weren't ships. They needed every ship. So, they used up their trade. Somehow, friends gave more trade. Areon gave ships from their five shipbuilding facilities, so people could get away! Berto told us to trade the small ones for slaves and food, and items Elshar Zheiea could trade later. There were mostly large ones, but the small ones were extremely fast.

D'gharr also sent ships with council members and pilots, who were supposed to bring them back with food and healing herbs. We saw them trading them for slaves! DS trace progs we ran told us later, none of those ships went back to D'gharr.

And, he let me know all the worlds of Rahn Estar, Par Vu, and all of Elshar Mashai Zheien Colony was moving! We were to go to Council the next day, and if they weren't meeting, we'd be helping the Elshar Zheien move homes, farms, and every animal we could get! Ferrimos coordinated everything. They hid stores in dorna corrals and people's stone homes. Even underground in Burial Chambers!

The rest of the day until sunset, we traded and loaded our ship. Farley had shock on his face when I told him. Didn't he know? All diplomats have the Diplomatic Link and know things from it.

He asked me where we went, and that's when I knew he resorted to umar seg. Han slept beside him. Ran the ship's doctor to see what Farley had, and it was umar seg and not another dose of marsa. I took it out of his herb terminal. I'd seen him use it multiple times when upset, and Elshar Mashai is enough to keep any man upset! My brother was furious when he knew how often I saw healers using it on Esta Faho last respite! His best friend's a healer in the Diplomats House in our jeia. When Han saw him reach for it, he didn't let him put much.