The Wind From a Burning Woman: Six Stories of Science Fiction by Greg Bear Read Free Book Online

into space. The remaining six met at the assigned point and were hit by beams from the Beckmann drive nodes. Their matter was stripped down to pure energy.
    All of this, in its lopsided incomplete way, bounced against the crater floor and drove the asteroid slightly faster.
    When the shaking subsided, Turco let go of a grip bar and asked the computers questions. No answers came back. Everything except minimum life support was out of commission. She thought briefly of returning to her tug, if it was still in position, but there was nowhere to go. So she walked and crawled and floated to a broad view-window in the bubbles dining room. Earth was rising over the Vlasseg pole again, filling half her view, knots of storm and streaks of brown continent twisting slowly before her. She wondered if it had been enoughit hadnt felt right. There was no way of knowing for sure, but the Earth looked much too close.
    * * * *
    Its too close to judge, the president said, deliberately standing with his back to Kollert. Shell pass over Greenland, maybe just hit the upper atmosphere.
    The terrorist team officers were packing their valises and talking to each other in subdued whispers. Three of the presidents security men looked at the screen with dazed expressions. The screen was blank except for a display of seconds until accession of picture. Gestina was asleep in the chair next to Kollert, her face peaceful, hands wrapped together in her lap.
    Well have relay pictures from Iceland in a few minutes, the president said. Should be quite a sight. Kollert frowned. The man was almost cocky, knowing he would come through it untouched. Even with survival uncertain, his government would be preparing explanations. Kollert could predict the story: a band of lunar terrorists, loosely tied with Giani Turcos father and his rabid spacefarers, was responsible for the whole thing. It would mean a few months of ill-feeling on the Moon, but at least the Nexus would have found its scapegoats.
    A communicator beeped in the room, and Kollert looked around for its source. One of the security men reached into a pocket and pulled out a small earplug, which he inserted. He listened for a few seconds, frowned, then nodded. The other two gathered close, and they whispered.
    Then, quietly, they left the room. The president didnt notice they were gone, but to Kollert their absence spoke volumes.
    Six Nexus police entered a minute later. One stood by Kollerts chair, not looking at him. Four waited by the door. Another approached the president and tapped him on the shoulder. The president turned.
    Sir, fourteen desks have requested your impeachment. Were instructed to put you under custody, for your own safety.
    Kollert started to rise, but the officer beside him put a hand on his shoulder.
    May we stay to watch? the president asked. No one objected.
    Before the screen was switched on, Kollert asked, Is anyone going to get Turco, if it misses?
    The terrorist team leader shrugged when no one else answered. She may not even be alive.
    Then, like a crowd of children looking at a horror movie, the men and women in the communications center grouped around the large screen and watched the dark shadow of Psyche blotting out stars.
    * * * *
    From the bubble window, Turco saw the sudden aurorae, the spray of ionized gases from the Earths atmosphere, the awesomely rapid passage of the ocean below, and the blur of white as Greenland flashed past. The structure rocked and jerked as the Earth exerted enormous tidal strains on Psyche.
    Sitting in the plastic chair, numb, tightly gripping the arms, Giani looked updownat the bright stars, feeling Psyche die beneath her.
    Inside, the still-molten hollows formed by the charges began to collapse. Cracks shot outward to the surface, where they became gaping chasms. Sparks and rays of smoke jumped from the chasms. In minutes the passage was over. Looking closely, she saw roiling storms forming over Earths seas and the spreading shock waves of the