"Extremely high empathy, very prosocial, and they're amazing swimmers.  Don't get in a breath-holding contest with one, either.  Also, they bioluminesce a little."

"But why does any of that require fewer fingers or being blue? - okay, the bioluminescence might require being blue -"

"No idea.  Not like I designed it.  But I'm afraid we didn't come on a purely social call.  Your neighbours down the road, Pev and Nemba, mentioned that Cherng had injured himself recently?"

"Yes, he's getting on a bit."

"Is it alright if we come see him for a few minutes?  Jera here is one of the best healers in his field.  Another of the benefits of Keleni, although not all of them are as good as he is."

"We did set the bone," says the man, now looking slightly offended.

"That's what we heard.  But you haven't seen anything like Jera.  I swear it."

(She doesn't like swearing oaths like this.  It leaves her open.  But nobody here seems to have ever heard of psychic powers or Communion.  So either she has a unique advantage or there's an extremely competent Cult suppressing all occult knowledge.  And if she doesn't manage to leverage her advantages, she's going to starve.)

"What does he do?"

"He heals with a touch.  It's pretty comprehensive.  And I know, I sound like I'm insane.  But it'll take five minutes, and either Cherng will be dancing or you'll know for sure we're crazy and you can throw us out."

"Look, if this is possible at all why wouldn't people from the round where it was discovered spread the word in some more official way?"

"We're from a long way away.  I don't know how to get back to Patience from here."  She pauses, considering her words and her options.  "Five minutes, okay?"

"You seem very nice and your friend sure does seem really strange but your story does not add up, miss."

"It's the best one I've got."  She reaches again for her little utility knife - 

- and Tora's hand grips her wrist and takes it from her.  He pops his glove off, tucks it into an armpit and performs the same trick as Carol did previously.  Yup, it's definitely a wound, see the red blood?  See the broken epidermis?

The guy actually is going to slam the door in their faces as soon as the knife comes out thanks.

Well, shit.

"Carol..."  He reaches for her hand again.

He can have it.  She's kicking herself, but honestly, what the fuck can you do?  Break into the place and heal the poor schmuck at gunpoint?  Their story is insane, because the situation is insane!  There's absolutely nothing to be done except her best, over and over again until they starve or manage to convince someone that psychic healing is real!

This whole situation sucks and she wants to keep herself and her people in good shape!

"Let's go into town.  Maybe someone will be walking around with a sling."

Another man is peering down at them from the second floor window.

In the local language, she speaks out.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to scare you.  I had planned on showing you that our healing is real, by injuring myself.  I regret it."

Sad headshake.

Well then.  She'll give 'em thirty seconds to reconsider.  She does fantasize about blasting down the door, stunning the occupants, and forcibly healing Cherng.  But she doesn't do that, because that would be wrong wouldn't achieve any of her goals.

"It takes less than thirty seconds for the upstairs guy to tell her in so many words to clear out.

Yeah, she's out.  She'll head to town.