Dream thief

8

… THAT WAS A STUPID, foolish thing to do! What were you I thinking of? You imbeciles! Do you think this is some kind of game? We're not dealing with peasants this time, gentlemen. Reston is a very intelligent, sensitive man. Another mistake like the last one and he will smell the rat. Oh yes, he will. Reston is smart, and he is strong-willed. We must handle him very carefully." Hocking glared at the two quaking before him.

"Maybe it would be better to get someone else," suggested the younger of the two men.

"Are you questioning my decision? Do you doubt me? Look at me, you two!" Hocking's eyes started from his skull and veins stood out on his forehead. His lips drew back in a savage sneer.

"It was only a suggestion," muttered the offender. "Anyway, you said he wouldn't remember a thing."

"Shut up!" Hocking's chair rose in the air with a faint whir of its internal mechanism. It swiveled away momentarily and when he turned again to face his henchmen his features had relaxed somewhat.

"Do either of you have any idea how close we are to our goal? We are on the very threshold of a new epoch in human history. Think of it, gentlemen! The wealth of the universe will soon be ours-and that is only the beginning. Our power will be limitless. All mankind will bow before us. We'll be gods, gentlemen. We will control the minds of the entire human race." Hocking's voice was a whisper. His eyes shone like hard, black beads as the chair inched closer.

A sudden flash arced across the gap from Hocking's chair to his assistants and a tremendous cracking sound filled the room. Hocking opened his mouth and laughed as his helpers lay writhing on the floor beneath him. "Just a taste of the agony awaiting those who disappoint me. Do not disappoint me again, gentlemen.

"Now, then. Pick yourselves up off the floor and listen to me. We have work to do." …

HE HAD JUST REACHED the main access tube and was still pondering Dr. Williams's question about possible enemies when he heard a voice behind him.

"They let you go, Spence?"

He turned to see Ari hurrying up behind him. "It was nothing."

"It must have been something-you're blushing, Dr. Reston."

He felt the crimson flush rise to his cheeks. "How did you find out about it?" He tried to sound unconcerned.

"The director gets a list of all sick bay admissions. I saw your name on the list. I wanted to see how you were."

"You came to see me?"

"Yes, but they said you had already been dismissed. I must have missed you by only a few seconds. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine. Really. Just a little tired. If you'll excuse me…" He turned to leave, but Ari fell into step beside him, linking her arm in his. Spence felt his skin tingle under her touch.

"I'm on my way to my quarters. I'll walk with you." She smiled her sunny smile at him. "You don't mind, do you, Spencer?"

"No, not at all." They walked off together arm in arm.

Spence imagined that everyone they passed stopped to gawk at them. He tried to shrug off the feeling that this was anything but an innocent promenade, a guy walking a girl to her door. But to his shrunken sense of social etiquette, the occasion loomed much larger.

They made their way along the tube to a main axial and then toward the AdSec cluster where Ari and her father had their quarters. She kept up a running monologue the whole way, relieving Spence of the obligation to provide anything more than a perfunctory nod or grunt.

He paid little attention to what she said, wondering instead how he might gracefully excuse himself and make his getaway. He told himself he had more important things to do than escort aggressive young women around the space station. He wanted to free himself to think about what was happening to him.

"Well, here we are," said Ari. They stood before a buffcolored panel. "Would you like to come in? I'll make some tea."

"Tea? Well, I don't think…"

"Please, do. I'd like it very much if you would." She had already punched her access code into the digits of the glowing plate and the panel slid open. She kept her hold on his arm and tugged him gently inside.

He stepped hesitantly through the portal and looked around. The Zandersons' quarters were quite plush; much more luxurious than his own Spartan accommodations.

"It's shocking, I know. But it can't be helped, I'm afraid." She followed his gaze around the large, spacious rooms. "The director does live well-too well, perhaps."

"Oh, I don't know," said Spence. "It's a tough job. He needs a place like this to unwind. You can't do that in a cubbyhole."

"Still, I feel guilty sometimes. Look at this-carpet on the floors yet! It must have cost a fortune to lug that up here. And leather furniture!"

"I like it. It's beautiful."

"Sure, it's beautiful. Go ahead and take a seat. I won't be a minute."

Spence settled himself into the soft leather cushions at one end of a long handsome couch. He rubbed his hand absently over the dark, polished grain of the leather and wondered how long it had been since he had felt anything so fine, so natural.

Next to him on a low teak table sat a star globe with an Earth the size of a grapefruit surrounded by a transparent shell upon which were painted the major stars of the galaxy. It was an exquisite antique.

Next to the globe was a picture in a walnut frame. A striking, dark-haired woman smiled out from the picture and Spence realized at once where Ari had come by her good looks. But there was an unsettling quality about the picture. The woman's eyes were not focused on the camera. They held a distant, aloof look almost a vacant stare. Though the woman smiled warmly, her smile did not light up those cold, empty eyes. It was as if two separate pictures had been somehow overlapped. Two very different moods had been captured in that single photographic moment, and the effect was chilling.

Ari returned and saw him studying the picture. She placed the tray of tea things on the table, and began to pour.

"Your mother?" he asked, still looking at the photograph. "Yes," said Ari. She did not look up.

"I don't think I've ever met her. Is she here?" "No, she's not-"

"Prefers the Earth beneath her feet, is that it?"

"Mother…" Ari started, and then hesitated. She glanced at Spence and then looked away. "Mother isn't with us anymore." "I'm sorry… I didn't know." He raised his mug to his lips and sipped. "Ow!"

"Oh, careful! It's hot. I should have warned you. Did you burn yourself?"

"I'll live."

An uneasy silence settled over the room. Spence shifted nervously in his seat.

"I wanted to come up here in the worst way," said Ari after a while. "I thought it would be an adventure."

"Disappointed?" "A little."

"I know what you mean-it's like an enormous office building, only you can never go outside."

"You're right. If not for the garden, I don't know what I'd do.

Well, I'd go berserk; I know I would."

"You could leave any time you wanted, couldn't you? Why do you stay?"

"Daddy. He needs me. Besides, this being my first jump, I could never let it be said that the director's daughter couldn't even endure one tour of duty."

"You'll get used to it. Everyone does."

"Not everyone. I've already seen several who haven't. It's a frightening thing."

Spence found the conversation had wandered too close to a topic he did not wish to explore. He changed the subject. "Good tea."

"Thank you." She bent her head and sipped from her steaming mug. He watched the delicate curve of her neck and the way the light reflecting off the table filled the hollow of her throat. Her blond curls swung down as she drank and she tossed them back with an easy, practiced flip. Their eyes met. Spence looked away.

"I should be going. I have to get back to work. I sat around in sick bay a little longer than I should have, I think."

"Very well, but you must promise to come again. Soon."

"I will." He rose to his feet and headed for the door.

Ari followed him and said as the panel slid open, "Spence, I almost forgot. We're having a function here tomorrow evening- I mean, second shift. You're invited."

"I am? Since when?"

"Since right now. I'm inviting you. It's just a few of the faculty and research people. Daddy thinks it's a good idea for the two groups to mix. You'll fit right in."

"I don't know. I'll think about it." He stepped through the portal.

"Please come. I'll expect you-" The sliding panel cut her short and Spence headed back to the lab.

He thrust his hands deep into the side pockets of his jumpsuit and ambled along with his head down. Soon he was lost in thought over his inexplicable behavior in the cargo bay. Assuming that the physician was right-and there was no reason to doubt him-what had he been doing down there? Why couldn't he remember?

I'm cracking up. I am losing my mind.