The Wind From a Burning Woman: Six Stories of Science Fiction Read Online Free PDF

ship, she said. I went outside and looked around in the direction where I thought it would be. There it wastreachery all around. Goddamned hypocrites! Talk friendly to the little girl, but shiv her in the back! Public face cool, private face snarl! Well, just remember, before he can kill me, I can destroy all controls to the positioning engines. It would take a week to rewire them. You dont have the time! The beep followed.
    Giani, we have only one option left, and thats to do as you say. Well admit we played a part in the sabotage of Psyche. Its confession under pressure, but well do it. Kollert pressed his button and waited, holding his full chin with one hand.
    No way its so simple, Kollert. No public admission and then public denial after the danger is overyoud all come across as heroes. No. There has to be some records-keeping, payrolls if nothing else. I want full disclosure of all records, and I want them transmitted around the worldfacsimile, authenticated. I want uninvolved government officials to see them and sign that theyve seen them. And I want the actual documents put on display where anyone can look at themmemos, plans, letters, whatever. All of it thats still available.
    That would take weeks, Kollert said, if they existed.
    Not in this age of electronic wizardry. I want you to take a lie-detector test, authenticated by half a dozen experts with their careers on the lineand while youre at it, have the other officials take tests, too.
    Thats not only impractical, it wont hold up in a court of law.
    Im not interested in formal courts. Im not a vengeful person, no matter what I may seem now. I just want the truth. And if I still see that goddamn ship up there in an hour, Im going to stop negotiations right now and blow myself to pieces.
    Kollert looked at the team leader, but the mans face was blank.
    * * * *
    Let me talk to her, then, Porter suggested. Direct person-to-person. Let me explain the plans. She really cant change them any, can she? She has no way of making them worse. If she fires her engines or does any positive action, she simply stops the threat. So Im the one who holds the key to the situation.
    Were not sure thats advisable, Bill, Lunar Guidance said.
    I can transmit to her without permission, you know, he said testily.
    Against direct orders, thats not like you.
    Like me, hell, he said, chuckling. Listen, just get me permission. Nobody else seems to be doing anything effective. There was a few minutes silence, then Lunar Guidance returned.
    Okay, Bill. You have permission. But be very careful what you say. Terrorist team officers on Earth think shes close to the pit.
    With that obstacle cleared away, he wondered how wise the idea was in the first place. Still, they were both Geshelsthey had something in common compared to the elite Naderites running things on Earth.
    Far away, Earth concurred and transmissions were cleared. They couldnt censor his direct signal, so Baja Station was unwillingly cut from the circuit.
    Whos talking to me now? Turco asked when the link was made.
    This is Lieutenant William Porter, from the Moon. Im a pilotnot a defense pilot usually, either. I understand youve had pilots training.
    Just enough to get by. The lag was less than a hundredth of a second, not noticeable.
    You know Im up here to stop you, one way or another. Ive got two options. The one I think more highly of is to get in line-of-sight of your boreholes and relay the proper coded signals to the charges in your interior.
    Killing me wont do you any good.
    Thats not the plan. The fore end of your rock is bored with a smaller hole by thirty meters. Itll release the blast wastes more slowly than the aft end. The total explosive force should give the rock enough added velocity to get it clear of the Earth by at least sixty kilometers. The damage would be negligible. Spectacular view from Greenland, too, I understand. But if weve miscalculated, or if one or more charges doesnt go, then Ill have to impact with