28 STARTLING STORIES to destroy them. Some spooky equilibrium, maybe, like Einstein said. This happened before, 40 years ago, on Giselle. Mass self-replication, then ‘hail’…” “…and farewell. So, you’re saying all this is just some natural phenomenon, an act of God? I don’t buy that at all. You didn’t see Knott’s face back there on Nimbus. I’m sure she’s up to her flash-fried neck in it.” Yerzuk shrugged. “Well, who do you think was responsi-ble?” Durante asked. “I don’t know yet. That’s what we’re in-vestigating” “So, what happened on Giselle all those years ago?” “A consignment of 50 tonnes was landed on Giselle—a short-term measure while the transport carrying them was repaired. Two days later the stones began replicating, and then it hailed. Continuous hail for 6 weeks. Very fe

