Intro..                                                                                 ...Back
Draw...                                                                                 ..Along
Poems..                                                                                 ...More

       I laid down on the bed in my old cabin and immediately fell asleep.
       I dreamed of Lyra: I was walking in the north park:  I was watching the dusty surface of
the moon from my window: I was cutting the shadows of the vine with soft Dali's scissors: I was
swimming in an indigo pool and suddenly I was floating among the stars:   and Peter was kissing
me from behind on neck. "Where did you go?" :I asked turning to face him:  but he wasn't there:
I looked around and kicked my feet in the warm night: "where did you go?!"  :I swam up and then
down again to the dark bottom   - which tore and Blanca's face appeared in the crack whispering
my name: "Alia."
       "Alia! They are attacking us. Wake up!"
       I sat on the bed and scratched the scab on my shoulder.
       "How much did I sleep?"
       "About an hour."
       "Excellent."
       I waited three breaths before the floor stopped undulating: I put on my shoes and we ran
out into the corridor.
       On the bridge: Robert sat behind the pilot's desk:  and exploding missile torpedoes flew
around his head.
       "What's going on? Where are the others?"
       "Everyone is sleeping in the infirmary. We were attacked by a squadron of army thrushes.
Our anti-asteroid laser system is on full alert. But we have a weak spot: one of the lower hull
cannons is not firing.
       "Whoresons: they're flying really close. Maybe we could tell the ship they're a threat."
       "I tried that too: that's why you're here Aloopie: only captain can order something like
that."
       "Hydron: Captain extends term 'flying threat' to military-marked fighter thrushes."
       "Repeat: there are people on board the fighters."
       "You also have people on board!   Hydron:  ordering you:  the term 'flying threat' to be
extended to fighter thrushes with military markings."
       "Extended:" Hydron said and the four close flying fighters immediately exploded.
       "Surprise!" laughed Robert.
       I leaned over to the counter and started another reboot of the stuck cannon.
       "It was probably hit by some debris. Twenty four meters from the small hangar door. See:
but it is not damaged. It will be enough: if I hard reset it manually."
       "Are you crazy? No!"
       "Do you have a better plan?"
       "I go."
       "You're chemist: sweetheart." I smiled at him and returned the gentle touch of his hand:
"my chances are better. Hydron: slow down and stop the engines."
       Butterfly frowned and watched the fire on the holo screens with insulted silence: gentle
flame appeared in Blanca's eyes.
       "We'll say goodbye: when I get back."  I recited the old space marine incantation    and
quickly left.