Building Harlequin’s Moon by Larry Niven, Brenda Cooper Read Free Book Online Page B

for her mother: “Kristin,” then louder, “Kristin!” and the door closing and Frank shoving her hand into a neighbor’s, and looking hard at her, commanding her to stay. His back as he turned and struggled for the door, now closed. His fists pounding on the door as he looked back at the crowd, at Rachel, and finally stood still, an angry lost look on his face. After what she remembered as a long time, he had come back and held Rachel tightly to him, his arms quivering.
    She had not seen her mother since. Her father’s face was empty when he told her Kristin had gone to
John Glenn
.Within a few weeks he stopped talking about her. Sometimes Rachel noticed him stroking the violet and rose embroidered curtains her mother had made, and staring out the window.
    It was as if she’d died.
    The flier banked, the change in angle drawing her back into the present.
    Gabriel flew with purpose, driving the little plane near the top of its abilities. He was totally focused. He and Ali spoke too low and fast for Rachel to make out the words. Half an hour passed before Gabriel throttled the plane back and brought the nose up, clearly meaning to land.
    Rachel couldn’t see anything. No people, no vehicles, certainly no shelter.
    No one spoke as Gabriel landed the flier. She looked at her wrist pad. Almost an hour had passed. They wouldn’t see radiation. Would the sunlight be brighter? What if the timing was wrong?
    Gabriel pulled a pack from under his seat, climbed out, and stood by the door, helping them down one by one. “We had to land a little ways from the shelter. This was the closest stretch of road long enough to take the plane safely. We have time. Follow me, stay close.”
    “But where—” Ursula started to ask.
    “They built shelters along the Sea Road,” Harry whispered. “That must be where he’s taking us.”
    The sunlight didn’t look any different.
    None of them wore wings. Rachel, in a chaotic bouncing run, quickly ran out of breath. Gabriel ran with one hand in Ursula’s and one in Harry’s, pulling them into bigger strides than they’d have managed on their own. Ali grabbed Rachel’s hand and pulled. Rachel’s longer legs barely let her keep up with the help of the smaller woman, and Rachel wondered where Ali got her strength.
    They ran until Rachel’s breath came in small desperate gulps.
    Rachel felt the pull of Ali’s hand change suddenly, pushing her back. Gabriel had stopped where a tall metal rod poked up out of the ground, bright yellow streamers and green bands decorating the top. He dug in the dirt below it. “Harry, Rachel, help me,” he said.
    The five of them frantically pushed sand and small stones away until they uncovered a handle on a slab of metal set into the ground. Gabriel leaned down and pulled, his whole body straining against the weight. It didn’t give.
    Harry walked over to the metal stake, began pulling on it. No give there either. Rachel saw what he was doing, stepped over, and began to pull as well. They worked the stake in a circle, loosening it, tugging upward. Nothing, then a slight movement, and then nothing again. “Ursula!” Rachel called.
    Ursula turned, and then Ali said “Good idea!” and came to help. With four sets of hands pulling, the rigid pole finally slid from the ground. They carried it over to Gabriel, and he threaded it through the metal door handle, making a lever. Ali said, “Twenty minutes.”
    Gabriel grunted. They pulled up together on the rod, and puffs of dust rose from two spots on the long edge. “Now, more,” Gabriel said through gritted teeth, pushing the sound out so it was barely intelligible.
    They pulled. The door didn’t budge.

C HAPTER 4
T HE C ONTROLLER
    O N BOARD THE
John Glenn
, Ma Liren stalked into the galley. Two gardeners stared at a video wall, watching something on Selene’s surface. Liren stopped, frowning, watching the women, Mary and Helga.
    Liren stepped forward to look. She recognized Gabriel and Ali and