Settling down in Port, learning psy power…
Spacer was not thrilled with the arrangements Mandy had made, but a quick conversation with the sickbay staff changed his mind. They were very willing to have the woman come help if she was willing to work. A group of seaweed workers had tangled with some stinging swimmers, and they needed all the help they could get. After he got a promise of good behavior from Rita, he sent her with Mandy to the sickbay.
He eyed Sarita. “Now, what am I going to do with you?”
“I taught in primary school back home,” she suggested.
“Nah, we have more than enough mothers and quiet brains for that job. I need to find something that uses your talents, and I can tell you’ve got a lot. I owe you for what you did to me, even if you didn’t understand about getting your freedom. Mandy has some screening to do over at the care center this morning, so why don’t you go with her since you have experience with littles?” Sarita agreed and spent an enjoyable afternoon helping Mandy evaluate the young children of Port. Many showed signs of developing excellent skills, much to the surprise of the men and women caring for them.
“We have seen this in our nurseries also,” Sarita said to one of the head teachers. “The longer we are on this planet, the more common these psy skills become.”
The teacher shook her head. “Things are gonna change around here, if more people can hear thoughts and do things with their minds.” She turned to calm an upset child. It was obvious to Sarita that Port had some very strict divisions among its people. If you didn’t have psy skills, you were not as valuable. You got the low status jobs, especially the ones no one else wanted.
Contrary to Spacer’s comment, the care center needed help, so Sarita was assigned there and Rita to the infirmary. The days passed quickly as they began working in the community and in spite of the threat of being “owned” by Spacer, they enjoyed the freedom of this tropical settlement.
***
The evening meal was underway in the main shelter when Rita joined the girls with her bowl of fish stew. “Mandy, this is the third day in a row we have had this stew. Is that all there is to eat?” She poked at the mixture of fish and pasty white liquid.
“Well, yes, in fact that is all there is,” Mandy said a bit louder than necessary. “If the boats have any luck, the collectors will bring baking meal, and we’ll have some bread. Harvests will happen soon on the other islands.”
“Is it like this every year or just this year?” Sarita asked. She too was tired of the daily fish soup. The meal she was given on her fateful first night had never been repeated.
“Look, we eat what we have, and this is all we’ve got right now. We get some fruits from the other islands, but this year, the volcano fumes wiped out most of it. Things don’t grow when it’s too hot. Be glad we have the swamp root. At least it will keep you alive.”
“Alive is what I want to stay,” Rita said with a laugh. “Mandy, you are a sensor, and I think we need to work on Sarita’s psy controls. Her emotions are bleeding all over the place.”
“I am not,” Sarita snapped.
“Yes, you are.” Mandy joined in the laughter. “Okay, Rita, we can use the drying yard. It’s quiet and we won’t be bothered.” The three women finished their meal and walked to the main house. Mandy and Rita scanned Sarita and then worked with her to help her understand her many psy talents.
“Rita, have you ever seen anyone with this many latent powers?” Mandy was shaken by the extent of Sarita’s powers. “I’ve sorted dozens of people but never seen anyone with so many, and any one of them could be dominant.”
“Which one do you want to be strongest, precocious child?” Rita asked Sarita. “It will be up to you to decide which you want to suppress and which to work on controlling. We can help you, but you have to do the control yourself.”
“You have to give me more than that mother,” Sarita snapped. “I remember building the wall in Spacer’s brain, but I don’t think that will work here.”
“Actually, that is exactly what you need,” Mandy said with a smile. “That was what Spacer never could manage. You need to establish what emotions and thoughts get shared, and which are yours alone. It will take work, but if I can do it, so can you — and I don’t have half the power you do.” The women worked until the flying biters drove them into the main house and sleep.
Should you want to read the whole story…
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