Jamison squirmed near Nessa's hologram. She gave him a coaxing nod.
"I was 496," he explained. "It sounds old, but with elder race development and biochemistry, it's not. I'm still a kid. I can't take care of myself."
A movie program opened on Nessa's implant. It played as Jamison retold his past. A blond-haired, gray-eyed child watched as the sky swallowed the black ship. It was the white season on Earth, and his teeth chattered while he hugged himself. A woman with puffy lips passed by, chatting on her phone. He opened his translator application. Maybe she could help.
"Yes," she said. "The name is Kaelyn Jamison, and your new location is near Children, Youth, and Family Services? Got it. Thank you!"
He closed his eyes.
"That was easy enough," he said as he powered down his translator app. "I have their language now."
She walked toward a door that split open when she got near it. Maz eyed the white and gold structure before him. He chewed his fingernails. A woman emerged. She had coarse black hair, deathly pale skin, and warm brown eyes. Her figure was slim. Nessa hardly recognized her as Enya.
Maz moved forward and tugged on her shirt.
"Scuse me," he said. "Is that the Child, Youth, and Family Services building?"
She pointed to it, nodded, and then smiled down at him.
"It sure is, little one. What's your name?"
No one was going to believe the name Maz. He gazed into the building next door and, in a soft tone, muttered:
"Jamison."
"Good to meet you, Jamison," Enya said, kneeling to look into his eyes. "I'm Enya Conner. I work there."
"Can they help me find a home?" Jamison asked. "I got left here. My parents are somewhere else. I don't know where."
Emotion overwhelmed Enya's face. Her eyes were wet, and she choked out the words, "I'll tell you a secret: I just lost a baby. She went home to heaven. My husband and I really wanted kids. Why don't you come and stay with us?"
"Yes, I'm adopted." Jamison concluded the story. "Does that answer your question?"