NIGHT CAME SLOWER WHEN IT EMERGED.  THE DARKNESS, WEIGHTED BY A NEW PRESENCE.  THE DIM LIGHT OF THE MOON, STAINED BY AN INTRUDER - SOME INCOMPREHENSIBLE FORM.  A MIRAGE WITH COUNTLESS HUNGERING EYES.  A TANGLE OF SPRAWLING, GRASPING LIMBS, REACHING DOWNWARDS, NEARLY INVISIBLE.  A MESSAGE FROM SPACE, THE LURE, REPEATING IN THREES.

-- CREATURE, DO YOU DREAM?
-- CREATURE, DO YOU DREAM?
-- CREATURE, DO YOU DREAM?

ARGOS NIGHT SHIFT RESEARCHERS PAUSE FOR A MOMENT, HANDS HOVERING OVER TERMINALS AND SURVEYING HARDWARE, COLD BLOOD FROZEN IN FRIGID VEINS.  MENTAL BLADES HELD TIGHT ABOVE THREADS OF SANITY, THE RESEARCHERS CHECK THEIR RADIOS, PULL OUT AND RE-SEAT EARPIECES.  A COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT, UNSPOKEN: "IGNORE IT."  THEIR MOVEMENTS RESTART, PRIMING EQUIMENT FOR THE NIGHT'S SURVEYING, LOGGING INTO ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNTS, COLLECTING REPORT FROM DAY SHIFT.  TOO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.

EVERYONE RETURNS TO THEIR TASKS - EXCEPT FOR ONE, WHO REMAINS FROZEN IN PLACE.  THE RADIO, CLUTCHED TIGHTLY IN HER WHITE-KNUCKLED HAND, CRACKLES IDLY.  A MOMENT PASSES AND IT BEEPS, SHOCKING HER OUT OF HER DAZE.  SHE RELEASES THE BUTTON AS HER PARTNER'S VOICE COMES THROUGH: "YOU GOOD, ASPEN?  YOU RADIOED AND HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING IN A WHILE.  OVER."
 
ASPEN COLLECTS HERSELF, SWALLOWING THE LUMP IN HER THROAT AND RESPONDING QUICKLY: "ACCIDENT.  OVER."  HOW COULD SHE TELL HIM THAT SHE JUST HEARD HER MOTHER'S VOICE, CLEAR AND EXACT, DIRECTLY BEHIND HER?  SPEAKING IN A DARK, UNFAMILIAR TONE.  CALLING HER "CREATURE".  THE FEAR THAT GRIPPED HER AS THE PHRASE REPEATED WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING SHE'D EVER FELT, AND CERTAINLY UNLIKE THE ENERGY HER MOTHER CARRIED.  EACH TIME IT REPEATED - "CREATURE, DO YOU DREAM?" - IT SOUNDED MORE LIKE HER.  THE LAST REPETITION WAS THE CLOSEST SHE'D BEEN TO HEARING HER MOTHER'S VOICE SINCE THE HOSPITAL ROOM, SIX YEARS AGO.

EVERY TIME ASPEN VISITED HER GRAVESTONE, SHE BEGGED FOR SOMETHING - ANY FORCE, ANY DEITY - TO BRING HER BACK.  NEVER TO ANY AVAIL; SHE KNEW IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.  IT JUST MADE THINGS HURT A LITTLE LESS TO IMAGINE IT WORKING, SOMEDAY.  SOMEHOW.  BUT HEARING THE VOICE, NOW, THAT SHE BEGGED TO HEAR AGAIN FOR SO LONG - IT FELT WRONG.

THE INTRUDER FELT THE LURE GAIN PURCHASE, AND SENT ANOTHER MESSAGE.  THIS TIME, MORE FORCEFUL, DIRECT.

-- DO YOU DREAM OF FEAR AND ITS CESSATION?

THE VOICE DISTORTED AGAIN, BECOMING MORE FEMININE, MORE MATERNAL.  AN EXACT MATCH TO THE MEMORY ASPEN HAD OF HER MOTHER.

-- DO YOU DREAM OF DEATH AND REBIRTH?
-- DO YOU DREAM OF POWER?
-- DO YOU DREAM OF RICHES?
-- DO YOU DREAM OF IMMORTALITY?
-- DO YOU DREAM OF THE UNKNOWABLE?
-- CREATURE, DO YOU DREAM OF ME?

ASPEN FALLS TO HER KNEES, CLUTCHING HER HEAD, BLOCKING HER EARS.  TEARS STREAM DOWN HER CHEEKS, STAINING HER EYES, FALLING TO THE UNEVEN GROUND.  "STOP. YOU AREN'T HER. STOP. STOP. STOP. STOP. STOP."  HER MOTHER'S VOICE ECHOES AROUND HER - LOUDER, EMBOLDENED, DEMANDING.  THE LURE SINKS DEEPER.

-- LOOK INTO THE NIGHT SKY
-- BEHOLD YOUR TIDAL ANCHOR
-- GREAT GREY GRAVITY LEECH
-- FROM YOUR SATELLITE I AM REBORN
-- LOOK AT ME, CREATURE
-- I HAVE COME TO FREE YOU
-- DO YOU DREAM OF DELIVERANCE?
-- DO YOU DREAM OF SALVATION?
-- CREATURE, I AM HERE
 
EYES REDDENED FROM CRYING, HEAD POUNDING, ASPEN UNBLOCKS HER EARS.  SHE LOOKS, DEFEATED, AT THE SKY.  THE MOON STARES BACK.  THE LURE CONCLUDES, REPEATING THREE TIMES.

-- DREAM NO LONGER
-- DREAM NO LONGER
-- DREAM NO LONGER

ASPEN, WITH THE LAST OF HER BREATH, SCREAMS INTO THE NIGHT, THEN DISAPPEARS.  HER RADIO BEEPS AND A FRANTIC VOICE BLASTS THROUGH THE SPEAKER. "ASPEN?  I JUST HEARD A SCREAM, WAS THAT YOU?"

A FEW MOMENTS PASS.

"YOU BETTER NOT BE FUCKING WITH ME.  I'M GETTING WORRIED."

SILENCE.

"ASPEN?"