day the word came that his ship was repaired. As though the
word were a catalyst the terrible fear overwhelmed him, drowning out
every other thought, and he knew he had to leave. When he had no means
of leaving the planet he could partially close off his dread and wait
resignedly. But now that the ship was ready, every moment he remained
was an agony.

He led Lara to their favorite spot by a quiet pool. She looked radiant,
and smiled to herself, as though at a secret. He steeled himself and
finally blurted out, "Lara, I'm leaving tomorrow." He hesitated and bit
his lip. "And ... thanks for everything."

"Thanks?" She choked on the words.

"I'm sorry--" he trailed off, lamely.

"But ... but I thought--" She looked down.

He reached out and gently touched her cheek. "Can't you see I _want_ to
stay?" he pleaded.

"Then why? Why?" She was crying now.

"I ... I just can't. It's no good." He stood up.

She reached out and caught his hand. "Then take me with you. I've heard
you at night pacing in your room. I don't know what it is that drives
you on and on, but if space is what you want, let me go with you. I can
help you, darling. You'll see. And some day when you grow tired of
space, we can come back to Elysia." She was babbling now.

He pulled roughly away. "No! It's no good. I'm--If only I _could_
stay." He brushed her hair softly with his palm and as she reached out
toward him he turned and walked swiftly toward the house, pitying and
hating himself by turn, while Lara sat forlornly by the pool looking
after him.

He began to sweat before he reached the house and his knees began to
tremble so, he had to stop for a moment, to keep his balance.
Determinedly he started forward again and continued on past the house to
the highway that wound by half a kilometer away. There he hailed a
passing ground car and rode to the spaceport, where a few judiciously
distributed credits facilitated his immediate clearance. Before the ship
had even left the atmosphere he rammed in the subspace control.

* * * * *

MAY 4, 437th Year GALACTIC ERA

Tantalus lay far out on a spiral arm, well away from the main stream of
traffic that flowed through the galaxy. It was a fair planet boasting an
equable climate, at least in the tropic zone. But as yet the population
was small, consisting mostly of administrative officials who served
their alloted time and thankfully returned to their home planets closer