Dream thief

by Stephen R. Lawhead

"No, he hasn't." Her voice was a little stiff.

  "Too modest, I guess." Spence wondered himself what it was that Adjani had in mind-there were several things he had been contemplating but none of them were at all decided.

  Adjani finally sensed that he had walked into a touchy situation and endeavored to remove himself forthwith. "Excuse me, I promised Packer a word. I'm sorry I interrupted."

  Adjani left and a painful silence descended behind him. Spence felt the urge to walk away, but fought it and stayed, realizing Ari must have felt the same way.

  "What are your plans, Spence?"

  "I don't know, not really. I only know I can't continue my work here."

  That was a surprise. "Oh?" Her face remained calm, apparently unconcerned.

  He looked at her, trying desperately to recapture some of the intimacy they had once shared. "It's no use anymore," he said; he might have been pronouncing judgment on the state of their relationship. Her eyes slid away from his. He hurried to correct the impression he had given. "I mean, it doesn't matter anymore. Something changed for me out there, Ari. There's so much to be done… I just couldn't be happy in research again. Not after what I've seen." "Oh."

  "You can see that, can't you?"

  "I guess so. We've all been through a lot."

  Spence shook his head. "I didn't mean it that way. I've been changed, Ari." He fumbled for the words. "God called me-for the first time in my life I feel like I've been called to something higher than my own ambitions."

  "That's wonderful, Spence." Ari forced a smile. "I mean that. I'm glad for you."

  It was all wrong. Nothing was coming out like he hoped it would. The distance between them yawned wider by the second. There seemed to be no way to bridge it.

  "What will you do?" Ari's voice was tentative.

  Spence shrugged. "I think I should wait for a while before I decide anything."

  "I see."

  "I can't see getting into anything too hastily." "Of course."

  She was not making it any easier on him. Spence took a deep breath and crashed ahead.

  "I thought about going home for a few weeks. I'd like to see my family… there's a lot of loose ends I'd like to tie up, a lot of lost time to make up for…"

  He looked at her and she turned away, but Spence thought her chin quivered and the light glinted liquidity in her eye. "Actually, I was kind of wondering if you'd go with me." There, I've said it at last.

  She looked back at him and all at once her manner changed. Spence felt a warmth of feeling rush over him. "Oh, Spence, really?"

  "Sure, that is… I mean, there are some people I want you to meet. My family." For a moment they stood before one another; Spence felt the room shift slightly and then Ari was in his arms and his face was buried in her hair. The world seemed fresh once more and, peculiarly, lemon-scented.

  "Now that's more like it!" The reunited couple turned and met Adjani and Kyr gazing at them. "I was wondering how long it would take for you two to get reacquainted," Adjani said.

  Spence was aware that every eye in the room was now on him. He did not care.

  "Adjani and I have been talking," said Kyr. "There is something I must say to you in the presence of your friends." The Martian drew himself up to make his announcement. "I have decided that it is time to give the gifts of my people to the people of Earth."

  "Spence," Adjani chimed in, "he wants you to lead the team that will organize and catalog the treasures of Mars!"

  Spence did not respond; he could think of nothing to say.

  "Did you hear me? Nothing in the last ten thousand years compares with this!" Adjani quickly perceived the source of Spence's hesitation.

  "I know you want to do something about all the disease and poverty-you want to help those people you saw down there. Your eyes were opened to a world you never knew existed, and you have some vague notion of going back with food and bandages. But isn't it possible that God is putting in your hands the means of doing that on a far grander scale than you could ever dream of doing on your own? Think of it! As head of the discovery team you could choose how the gifts of Kyr's people could be best implemented on Earth."

  True to his calling, Adjani the Spark Plug had made the connection. It was several moments before Spence could speak. A lump the size of a potato had formed in his throat. He felt Ari slip her arm through his and give it a squeeze.

  "It is what I want," said Kyr. "You have proven to me that the men of Earth can be trusted. Ortu's wrongs must be redressed; his actions have left a heavy debt of suffering that must be repaid. It is time to give what has been saved for you. Dal Elna put this into my mind."

  "You honor me highly," said Spence. "Of course I will accept. But only under the condition that Adjani shares the responsibility with me and you, Kyr, remain with us to teach us and lend wisdom to our decisions."

  The Martian nodded. Adjani, fairly dancing with joy, cried, "Excellent! We will begin at once!"

  "Not so fast! You two can begin at once. I have some personal business to attend to first." He looked at Ari. "Don't we?"

  Just then Packer and Kalnikov came up with Gita in his blue turban bobbing between them. Director Zanderson followed close behind, beaming like a cherub.

  "Gentlemen, and lady," he said formally with a nod and a wink to his daughter. "Dr. Sundar Gita has agreed to remain with us for a while and take a refresher-tuition and instruments courtesy of GM, of course. And who knows, he may get to like it here and stay on. We're bringing up his wife and daughters on the next available shuttle."

  "Please, you are too kind. I am, however, much needed at home." He grinned. "Though my wife and children would never let me pass up the opportunity to let them come and see this place. It is a dream come true."

  "Welcome aboard!" they all said in unison.

  Director Zanderson glanced around the group. "By the way, I want to congratulate… That's funny-1 could have sworn Spence and Ari were just standing here." …

  THE GARDEN SEEMED COOL after the stuffy warmth of the party. The station was tilted away from the sun and the solar shields were open to the light of a spray of stars. Crickets trilled their evening song among the leaves and a fountain pattered gently nearby. The moist, perfume-laden air lay still and dark. They had exhausted themselves in talking and now Spence and Ari wandered aimlessly in green solitude, their steps lit by small lanterns set in among the foliage along the pathways.

  "We'd better be getting back," said Spence after a while. "Before they send out a search party."

  "Mmm," sighed Ari, raising her head from where it rested lightly on his shoulder. "I feel as if I'm in a dream. It's a shame it has to end." She turned to face him, looping her arms around his waist.

  "It doesn't have to end," he said, pulling her closer to him. "The dream is just beginning."

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