
In the cold void of hyperspace, a lone cruiser drifts back toward Earth, guided only by ancient energy traces left decades earlier. Captain Lenk and his small, weary crew must decide whether to obey orders and revisit each habitable world they skimmed, or to press onward into the unknown. Their debates are as tense as the blackness outside, revealing deep divisions over faith, science, and survival.
As the ship resurfaces near a familiar solar system, the crew detects faint signatures of alien life—remnants of civilizations that vanished without a trace. The possibility that these worlds hold the key to a looming threat forces the explorers to confront their own prejudices and the terrifying prospect that humanity’s future may hinge on understanding a culture long gone. The story balances claustrophobic shipboard dynamics with the wider question of what hidden dangers might await Earth’s return.
Language
en
Duration
~27 minutes (26K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
New York, NY: King-Size Publications, Inc., 1954.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2024-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1915–1993
A major figure in American science fiction, this writer helped shape the genre both on the page and behind the scenes as an editor. He is especially remembered for early classic stories, popular books for younger readers, and his role in building the Del Rey Books imprint.
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by Lester Del Rey

by Lester Del Rey

by Lester Del Rey

by Lester Del Rey

by Lester Del Rey

by Lester Del Rey

by Lester Del Rey

by Lester Del Rey