Dream thief

23

…

RAMM STRODE PURPOSEFULLY INTO the room where his men were assembled and waiting. The talk in the room died as the chief of security glared coolly around him.

"All right," he said. "This won't take long. I have just received orders to proceed to phase two of Operation Clean Sweep. Therefore, the escapees must be apprehended at once. Squad leaders, you are to double your efforts. I want every sector double-checked. Work around the clock if you have to. I want them found now!-before they have a chance to stir up any trouble. Got it?"

There was a grumble of assent. "What are you waiting for? Move out!" said Ramm. The security force rose at once and proceeded to file out of the briefing room. In the guardroom beyond he could hear the squad leaders calling their groups together and organizing for a renewed search. He glanced around the empty room and then left by a side door.

When he arrived at AdSec he pushed his way past the receptionist and went directly into the director's office. Wermeyer's puzzled face glanced up from the wafer screen he had been gazing into.

"Well?" the former assistant asked, leaning back in his boss's chair.

"We haven't caught them yet, but we will. It's only a matter of time. After all, they can't go far."

"Yes, well… see that you take care of it."

"I can handle it, don't worry. How are things going on your end?"

"Running like clockwork. I was just looking over the projections for the completion of construction on the engine installation. We're right on schedule. Hocking thinks of everything."

"Let's hope so."

Wermeyer gave him a quick questioning look. "What's that Supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I'm just a little nervous about this, you know. Taking over an entire space station… I mean, it's never been done."

"Relax and do your job and everything will go as planned. Did you get your orders?"

"Right. Phase two is in operation; I've already told my men. Any word when the machine will arrive?"

"Not yet. Hocking said to stand by. That's what we're doing."

"How about the new master program?"

"Ready and waiting. MIRA won't know what hit her. All communication and operation functions will be under our control as soon as we are given the word. If anyone has any thoughts about signaling for help there won't be a thing they can do about it. As for resistance-"

"I'll handle any resistance. I don't expect there will be much. It's awful cold and lonely out there…" He nodded past Wermeyer toward the huge observation bubble and the stars glowing brightly beyond.

"Yes, well, let's hope it won't come to that."

Ramm turned to leave. Before he reached the door he stopped and said, "Let me know the minute Hocking checks in. We'll want to secure the docking bay in case Packer and his pilot friend have any ideas."

"You let me know the minute you find them," returned Wermeyer tartly. "This has gone on long enough." …

How LONG THE VISION lasted, Spence did not know. When he came to himself again the fire had died down to glowing embers and the moon had lowered in the treetops. Crickets chirped their trilling nightsong and the breeze down from the mountain slopes had freshened to a chill.

Gita lay curled near the remains of the campfire sound asleep, his turban resting on his outstretched arm. Adjani sat with his knees drawn up, head nodding on his chest. Kyr, his long thin legs crossed and his long arms wrapped around his narrow chest, sat gazing into the glowing coals which reflected in his great yellow eyes.

The effects of the Essila still tingled in Spence's limbs and pulsed in his brain; he still tasted a trace of sweetness on his lips. But the mingled rush of thoughts and emotions, of shared essences and spirits was gone.

"It is over," said Spence quietly. The Martian turned his head to regard him intently.

"Yes, Earthbrother. All that remains is to thank the One who gave us the Essila that we might know each other more perfectly."

"I will thank him the rest of my days," said Spence. The memory of all that had taken place still burned within him, and he knew he would carry it with him always. "Does it always have such power?"

"Sometimes more than others. The first time is the most overwhelming, but each time is different…" Kyr ran out of words to explain and fell silent. Spence understood that it was not a thing discussed and analyzed, only experienced and accepted. He wondered if the others had undergone the same thing he had.

The wind shifted then and Spence heard a sound that tripped a warning in his mind. "Did you hear that?"

The alien cocked his head to one side. The nightsong continued to ripple through the forest undisturbed. "I hear a great many things-all of which are new to me," replied Kyr at length.

"Perhaps it was nothing but the wind-" began Spence, but he heard the sound again, this time more distinctly: a faint whirring buzz like the rustle of dead leaves on a tree. He knew what it was; he had heard it before. "No! Not again!" he shouted, leaping up.

He stared up at the sky through the opening in the trees overhead and saw the outline of several black shapes sliding over them as the sound of those vibrating wings reached them with a dry hiss.

"We've got to get out of here!" cried Spence. "The Dream Thief has found us!"

"What is it? What's happened?" Adjani sprang up at once.

"The demon is back-the Dream Thief's demon. I think there's more than one this time… Let's get out of here!"

Spence turned to rouse Gita, but Kyr scooped him up in one effortless motion and began striding off into the clearing toward the spacecraft.

Spence and Adjani hurried after him through the tall grass, glancing skyward as the sound of the dreadful buzzing increased.

They reached the vehicle as the first of Ortu's disciples swooped down. A voice in Spence's head said, Stop! Don't run!

Spence stopped and turned to see a creature touching down a few meters away. It looked at him with glowing green eyes and he saw its horrid, manlike face grimacing in the moonlight. It had huge membraned wings like a bat's attached to a human-looking torso that sprouted four arms. The lower half of the body resembled a serpent's-the thing looked exactly like the small charm Adjani had found.

Immediately another dark form came down behind it and another just off to one side. All stared at him malevolently with their hideous luminous eyes.

"Get in quickly!" Spence felt a touch on his shoulder and felt himself jerked around. "Spence!" Adjani cried. "Move!"

Adjani appeared before him, shouting at him, it seemed, from a great distance. He felt himself drawn toward the gruesome creatures with the glowing eyes. He wheeled around and started walking toward them; he could feel a will outside his own directing his steps.

"What am I doing?" he wondered.

Come here, directed the voices.

"Spence!" shrieked Adjani. "Come back!"

Spence stopped and shook his head. He was almost upon the wicked creatures when he felt himself lifted off the ground and carried bodily back toward the waiting vimana, now glowing bright red-orange. He twisted in the steely grasp and saw Kyr looking over his shoulder at the demons.

They had almost reached the spacecraft when he saw a glimmer out of the corner of his eye. One of the demons held a glittering thing in his hands which he aimed at them. In the same instant a mighty sound ripped through him-a sound which seemed to melt his bones and turn his bowels to jelly. Kyr stumbled and fell and Spence, in his grasp, was thrown to the ground.

Before he could think or move he felt icy fingers on him. He saw a thin, stick-fingered hand reach out for him, and the cold touch of those hideous hands on his flesh sent ripples of revulsion through him. Spence struggled weakly, but his will had abandoned him and he could not break the grasp. At the same moment he sensed his consciousness leaving him. Dark clouds seemed to gather before his eyes and it was as if his skull was being opened and his brain plucked from its cavity. He was powerless to stop it.

He teetered on the edge of consciousness and saw Kyr laying next to him, eyes open and staring up at the star-spattered sky. Then a grotesque face was peering into his own and Spence looked into the cold green eyes of one of the creatures. In its hands it held a silver sphere which it lowered toward him.

Spence sensed that when the sphere touched his head he would be completely under their control.

The sphere came nearer, bare centimeters away from him now. He squirmed on the ground, but the effort was futile and absurd. He lay still and closed his eyes.

Even as he did so, a piercing, ruby light flashed out and struck the sphere; the object shattered in the creature's grasp, and disintegrated.

He was released from the spell. He jumped to his feet and tore the clutching hands of the awful creature from him, lashing out at it with his feet.

He heard a shout and saw Adjani rushing up beside him with a long rod in his hand-the thing flashed in the moonlight and Spence recognized it as the weapon Kyr had used to save them on the road earlier that afternoon. The air smelled of scorched metal and Spence's head throbbed with a booming ache. His ears roared with the sound of a distant ocean. But he was free.

Adjani took the end of the object in his hands and swung into the foremost of the creatures. They all lurched away out of range, and Adjani grabbed Spence by the sleeve of his jumpsuit and pulled him back toward the spacecraft.

"Wait! Kyr is hurt," said Spence. "We've got to get him on board. Gita! Lend a hand! Hurry!"

They bent over the alien's body and lifted it, slinging it between them as they made for the ship. Spence heard the air buzz above his head and saw one of the demons dart past him. N o more stood between them and the Martian spacecraft. "They've got us cut off!"

The airborne naga swooped at them from above. Adjani spun and raised the rod in his hand and once more the ruby beam split the night. The shot hit the monster in the chest as it swung down toward them, grotesque hands outstretched and grasping. There was a bright flash and Spence saw the being jerked back through the air as if it had been yanked by an attached wire. An agonizing scream gurgled from its inhuman throat and the thing fell to earth. But to everyone's surprise, the creature climbed back onto its legs and rejoined the others.

"We can't stay here. We've got to run for it." Spence looked at the still-unconscious body of the alien at his feet. "I'll carry him. You cover our retreat. Let's go! "

Gita, his whole frame shaking with fright, helped lift the stricken Kyr onto Spence's shoulders while Adjani kept the naga demons at bay, brandishing the rod. The jolt to the first demon seemed to have made them cautious, but they had regrouped and were closing in.

"Gita, you lead the way. We're right behind you. There!" shouted Spence, shoving Gita ahead toward the forest. "Get going!"

The demons saw what was happening and began shrieking in rage. They leapt into the air to pursue the chase.

Spence, with Kyr slung across his shoulders, stumbled on as fast as he could, slamming now and again into branches and trunks of trees as they gained the forest. Adjani stayed at his elbow, steadying him and guiding him through the thick tangle. Occasionally he turned to loose a shot at the beings darting after them.

They ran on a downward course that grew steeper as they went along. To Spence it seemed that they had traveled for hours, but it must have been only a few minutes before his lungs began to burn and his legs tired. But he kept moving.

The forest began to thin out and the undergrowth became sparse. He imagined he saw lights through the trees ahead. "I think I see something!" cried Gita. "Yes! It is the village! Rangpo is ahead."

"Can you make it?" asked Adjani. "Let me take him."

"No, I can make it. Let's keep going." Spence allowed him self a quick backward look. "Where are they?"

"They're right behind. But they seem to be keeping their distance."

"They're afraid of your weapon there-"

"Or they're waiting for us to run out into the open."

"I hadn't thought of that." The thought made Spence's heart sink once more.

The way became steeper and rocky. Spence fell several times over rocks and landed on his knees. Each time Adjani hauled him to his feet and they hurried on. Then they were standing at the edge of the forest looking down at the village on the hillside below They could hear the obscene buzzing of the demons' wings growing louder and more ominous as the creatures closed in.

Spence, his heart pounding wildly, his breath coming hard, leaned heavily on Gita's arm. "Well, it's now or never. Let's go!"

Gita muttered a prayer and dashed out from the shelter of the trees; Spence followed on his heels. Instantly there was a shriek above as one of the creatures streaked down upon them. "Down!" cried Adjani. Spence threw himself to the ground and heard a raking claw whisper by his head. He glanced up just in time to see Adjani running toward him.

"Look out!" he shouted. But it was too late.

Adjani, watching the sky behind, did not see the fallen tree trunk lying directly in his path and went down hard. The weapon in his hand was thrown out and sailed through the air to land midway between them. Adjani squirmed back onto his feet and dived for the alien weapon. There was a whir in the air and a dark shape swooped down and snatched the instrument away.

Spence, helpless under Kyr's weight, watched all this happen. "Oh, no!" he groaned.

"Look here!" exclaimed Gita. "The Lord be praised!"

Spence swiveled his head in the direction of Gita's voice and saw smooth high stone walls shining faintly in the moonlight. Adjani was instantly beside him lifting Kyr. They slung the Martian between them and made for the wall.

"This way! Hurry! The seminary! Run quickly!"

They reached the wall and ran alongside it, looking for an opening to duck inside. Gita disappeared around a corner and they heard his voice call back to them, "Here is a gate! Hurry, my friends! A gate!"

When they caught up with him he was hammering on the gate with his bare hands. A single lamp burned in a lantern over the entrance. They huddled in the pool of light, as if it might offer some protection against the terrors of the night.

Spence leaned Kyr against the archway. A moan came from the alien's throat. "I think he's coming out of it. Can you see them?"

Adjani, eyes to the sky, replied, "No, but I'm sure they're out there. Strange, I don't think they followed us. I don't know why."

"I don't care why, just as long as they leave us alone."

"I hear someone coming," said Gita, still pounding on the wooden gate with his hands.

In a moment they heard a voice from behind the door speaking rapid Hindi. Gita answered and then said, "Please, open up! We need help!"

There was a grating sound as of a bolt being drawn back and then the door creaked open and a face appeared in the crack.

"Who disturbs our rest at this late hour?" Black eyes glittering in the light glanced quickly at each of them in turn.

"Please, sir. We seek refuge behind your walls. Our friend is hurt. May we come in?"

There was a slight hesitation and then the door was thrown open wide, revealing a small man with a smooth bald head which gleamed in the moonlight. "You are welcome, friends. How can I help you?"

As soon as Kyr was moved inside Adjani whirled to the door and shut it, throwing the bolt. Their host narrowed his eyes and looked sharply at his guests.

Spence saw the look and said, "We mean you no harm, sir, We won't trouble you further."

"I am Devi, dean of the seminary. I was just on my way to my quarters when I heard you knocking on the gate. Are you in trouble?"

"We were traveling on the road earlier," said Adjani. "We camped in the forest."

"Wild animals found us and pursued us," said Gita, his eyes big with fright. "We came here, Your Eminence."

Devi laughed. "You have had a time of it, yes; I can see that. Now about your friend." He bent to examine the Martian.

Spence quickly turned to hide the alien's features. "He'll be all right. He fell. We had to carry him. I think he's coming out of it."

Devi nodded. "I won't pry. Your secrets are safe with me. Wild animals have been known to wander nearby in these forests, though it has been a long time since anyone saw a lion or tiger. But we'll let that keep for now." He smiled and Spence saw his bald head bob. "Now you'll want to lie down and rest, I think."

"We don't want to put you to any trouble, sir," said Adjani.

"Oh, no trouble. I am only sorry I do not have beds to offer you; they are all full. But follow me-I will find something."

He turned and led them across the courtyard toward the main building of the complex. Their steps echoed faintly on the stone walk. They moved cautiously, peering into the sky for the dreaded shapes. But the sky was clear and bright and the moon fair. Not a sign of the demons could be seen.