Rose and I ran from the men’s quarters together the next day. We bolted to our rooms and made it before anyone saw us. Our hearts were both pounding as we stoked our own small fire and congratted one another on our victory.


    “Basin and his Brothers are so different!” Rose marveled. “I knew they’d changed, but we never had time to experience it before. We talked together. I’ve cared for them for a long time and they really appreciate me…”


    “Best feeling ever,” I agreed with her as our rooms warmed up.


    We were both wonderfully keyed up and talked to one another about how our respective families had been. The sound of talons hitting the floor outside stopped us both.


    “Mama?” Kennedy called out softly.


    “In here,” I said smoothing my dress out and looking frantically at Rose.


    The p for our door was lifted to reveal Kennedy’s face. She smiled as she entered with her Sisters andmented how early it was. The girls had thought we might still be asleep.


    I could not lie and I could absolutely not look frantic.


    “We try to be up early every day,” I said nomittally.


    Rose seconded the statement and said she had always been an early riser.


    “The men you saved yesterday,” Dara said, “Abram’s family, they have been asking for you. Their Brother is recovering slowly. The Healers, as well as other men, have spent all night in their rooms. He is not dying, which is what they expected. He lifted a finger this morning and has been taking several breaths himself. They want to thank you.”


    “You are a hero, Mama,” Kennedy said stoically and eyed me critically. “The other men wonder what you said that made Abram feel you could approach his Brother. They think you must have amazing sway. The men from the tunnel yesterday refuse to say how you convinced Abram’s family. They say you spoke too softly for them to hear.”


    I didn’t agree or disagree. I just stared at the girls and knew they must have assumed at least part of the truth. Kennedy and her sisters were smart girls. It would not have escaped them that something strange was going on.


    Lucky for me they didn’t force the issue and only walked us quietly to the rooms Abram shared with his Brothers.


    Abram’s rooms were a good walk from ours. They were closer to the kitchens, since that’s where they spent most of their time. Outside their door was a mass of men sitting and lounging around a lit fire pit. Several dozed in the chairs, but woke as we approached. They greeted us politely and with some reverence. Kennedy told me many of these families had assisted with the breathing during the night.


    “Instructions for rescue breathing,” Dara said in Paterian, “have been sent to every other camp. No man must die from the attack of a scar. We are all very grateful, Mama. Your name is known across the world now. You are quite well respected.”N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    As we drew closer Kennedy dropped her voice and spoke in English.


    “There are many things you could ask for now, Mama. If it were me I would not ask for what you want most. Let the Administrators see the change themselves, don’t force the issue… We know how the men really feel, but the others will not be so forgiving. It will take time, you must be patient and not rush things.”


    I wondered how many times Kennedy and her sisters hade to our roomsst night. They knew where we’d been most likely, but kept it a secret.


    “Thank you,” I said softly and received a knowing nod from Kennedy and both of her Sisters.


    Abram’s Brother, Ruse,y on their bed unmoving. Another man knelt beside him and blew breath into him at each count of seven. When someone announced our arrival Ruse’s hand lifting off the bed and then flopped back down.


    The room cheered at the small gesture.


    “You were right,” Abram said from the side rising stiffly from a chair, “we feel our Brother’s weakness, but it is improving. He can take some breaths by himself and he is moving more and more.”


    “We expect,” Kennedy said politely acknowledging Abram, but addressing me, “he will regain his full motion in a day or so. The men here are taking turns to help him. Our Healers are studying it all diligently. We have discussed with them the intubation equipment you saw on Earth. Rue and his Brothers think they could build it.”


    Rose and I stood with the men for a few more moments, but not long. They were obviously tired and needed to rest. Kennedy assured me the other men with them were watching the whole family for illness. The health of Abram’s family had be amunal effort.


    Kennedy and her Sisters went to breakfast with Rose and me in the dining room. They didn’t eat, but just sat with us. Much likest night Mund’s family walked in with our families. There was less argument this morning as the men settled on the far side of the room.


    All around us men were talking about the horror of “vers”. I saw steel in Rose’s eyes as she spoke loudly to me.


    “It’s hardly fair don’t you think,” she asked harshly, “to judge someone without really knowing them? Remember how we looked on all these men when we got here? How evil did we think they might be? We forced ourselves to speak to them until we understood them!”


    Kennedy’s sister Dara grinned and spoke next, “That is the Great Harmonious Spirit,” she said clearly. “The Spirit seeks to connect us and bring peace to all of us. We must learn about one another and live in harmony as The Spirit asks.”


    The talk interested the other men and they had a grand time discussing The Spirit with my daughter and her Sisters. They loved to talk about their beliefs. Kennedy reminded them that staying divided from Damien, Basin, and Stayne just because they’d made a mistake was not in keeping with The Great Harmonious Spirit. The men fussed about that, butter I saw several groups go introduce themselves to the ostracized families.


    “So it begins…” I said quietly smiling.


    “Yes,” Kennedy said quietly, “so you don’t need to force anything. It will happen on its own.”


    Rose and I ate quietly as Kennedy talked to her Sisters. Suddenly Eve’s face drew into a frown. She looked at me and then at her Sisters. I saw the unspoken concern pass between them.


    “You know you have to do things that won’t get you pregnant,” Kennedy bluntly told me. “You are very fertile, Mama, and so are they.”


    I nearly choked on my food when Kennedy said that. I’d forgotten.


    “Come on, Mama!” Kennedy eximed. “You have to take precautions. Do you even know what time in your cycle you are at?”


    I shook my head dumbly and just looked up at her. I’d forgotten to think about protection. It had been a long time since I’d needed it. I wasn’t even sure what I’d use.


    “We’ll teach you to time your cycle,” Eve said quietly. “That’s the way it used to be done on Earth. There are days in your natural cycle you should not have sex.”


    “Didn’t Daddy check?” Kennedy asked incredulously. “He knew this could happen. Didn’t he ask you before they started?”


    Oh, how I hated, hated, hated that the girls had all my memories. They knew exactly how I used to interact with Damien and his Brothers. This was so humiliating.


    “No,” I said straightening my shoulders, “I asked them to show me the bed… and they did.”