Metafire

"No you won't, and that's a direct order." Ferguson was firm. The situation had changed and the explosion of the bomb was sure. There was no need to have Edenfield remain aboard. Jim knew he didn't have time to argue and didn't. As Jim was closing the hatches, he looked at Steven's body and said, "Goodbye Steven. I'm sure you'd want it this way."

By the time Greg got to his controls, he had NSP vectoring orders. He let the program play. Both he and Jim were driven to the back of the capsule as it accelerated toward the Earth with the Bluebird capsule stuck to the front. After only a twenty second burn, the rockets stopped. Greg released the Bluebird and turned his rocket 180 degrees. Then, manually, he initiated a second burn for about the same time but also for open space. He established contact with the NSP command center and asked, "How's that?"

"Good. We are issuing orders for all colonists on all colonies. Do not look out your windows. There is going to be a nuclear blast. We will issue an all-clear when it is safe."

As Greg was fiddling with the navigational controls to vector back to New Boston, the cabin lit up. A few seconds later, on the Metafire colony, George and Angela were looking out of the tugs large windows and saw the flash on the dark side of the Earth. "Los Angeles," said George as he smiled.