3. Why, Daddy?

"Aliens!"
"Monsters!" People scream and panic forgetting to hold their breath against the unclean outside air.

"Daddy!" I scream and rush forward.
Mr. Dalery swoops me up into a bear hug and Mother comes to welcome him too. We push through the chaotic crowd (it is always, ALWAYS like this when the gates open). He sets me down when we are in front of the shop, kneels down in front of me, and looks cautiously around. He reaches for his pocket and pulls out an object wrapped in a worn cloth. It is against the rules for anyone to bring things from the outlands of Mars, but Daddy always brings me little gifts. This one, however, makes Daddy look like I have never seen him before. His eyes glow with joy and anticipation, but they also show worry.

Maybe he is just anxious about my assignment. I think, trying to not let my observation ruin this moment. He places the object in my hand and lays his hand on top of it.

"I found this on our way to the other ecosystem. I was going to present it to the expedition leader so he could keep it safe until we brought it back here for study, but... As I held it in my hand..." he looks at his gloved palm, apparently trying to sort his thoughts. "It seemed to..." he looks back into my eyes "Speak to me. To tell me, not to reveal it, but to keep it hidden." He looks up to mom "To keep it secret..." He looks back into my eyes as he finishes. "Kayla... On the way back in spoke to me again. I was worried about what to do with it, when it told me to give it to you. I don't know what it is or why it is special or why I even bothered to pick it up, but..." his deep gaze vanished into a giddy smile. "It is yours."

He stands up and I know I can open it now. He walks a few paces away with mom and I hear the beginning of their whispered conversation.

"Kyle, why fill her head with nonsense about the outlands? You already know she wants to be out there with you. Why make her dissatisfied with her place here, in the Zermedine, where she belongs?"

"I'm sorry, Kara, but it really did happen that way! I didn't elaborate anything! That was the absolute truth!"

I tune out their voices and stare at this wrapped gift. I gently lift away the corners of the cloth to reveal the treasure.

A rock? I stare, dumbfounded. Why would Daddy just give me a rock? I examine it and try to find wonder in it, but it is just a plain red Mars rock. It has some unique, blue streaks in it, but that is all. Other than that it is just a plain, dirty, red rock. I close my eyes and touch the rock with my bare hand and try to feel it speak to me like Daddy said it had to him, but nothing comes. Finally I open my eyes and I hear Dad and Mom come up behind me.

"Well? What do you think?" Daddy asks, smiling. Mom is smiling too, and I open my mouth to speak, but I can't think of anything worth saying. Mom gives me a helpful look and I quickly thank Daddy and give him a hug.

"I am glad you like it." he says. "Now, we better go to the dinning hall or there will be no food left for us. It is almost brink. (13:00 am. On mars there are 25 hours in a day) Oh, Kayla, keep it hidden, at all costs, keep it hidden." His face was serious when he said those words, but he quickly smiles again and he lays his arm around mom's shoulder. They turn and begin walking. I stare at the rock for a little while longer, then I wrap it up and rush to catch up to them.

All through lunch I could think of nothing, but the rock. Why would dad bring me a rock? He usually brings a shiny piece of metal from a spaceship that took a trip back to earth for repairs and supplies. Or a mechanical mechanism from a ship that got so broken during the journey to Mars it had to self destruct. Or, one time, he brought a journal of a girl that was 20 earth years old (that's the same as 10 mars years). It was so neat to read all of the things that she did every day on earth. She could go "outside". I asked Kevin what that meant and he said it was the same as going out into the outlands.

Kevin!  I suddenly realize that he isn't here.

"Kevin!"  I accidentally shout it allowed. The entertainer stops his story, everyone except the youngest children like 1 and 2 year olds stop eating and everyone stares at me. I just want to sink back into my chair right now. I hate all this awkward chastising attention. Dad finally rescues me by standing up and taking me out into the hallway.

"Kayla, what's wrong?" he asks and I can't contain myself.

"Where is Kevin, Daddy? Why isn't he here? Where is he? Daddy!" Dad's countenance falls and his eyes stare at the ground, he doesn't move.

"He disappeared on the journey back. I'm not even sure when, but some how, when we were about half way we noticed he was missing." His eyes still  stare at the ground.

"You didn't look for him? You didn't search for Kevin?"

"Yes, of course we did! But we were running out of oxygen tanks so we had to keep moving or we all would be gone. Kayla, you know that one expeditioner  is lost every 2 mars years. Well... this time... it was Kevin."

He barely says the words.  I slide my back down the wall and hug my knees. "Where? Why, Daddy? Why?" I murmur. It's no use, when a man is lost in the outlands... he never... comes back.