
In 2432, the interplanetary vessel Goddard launches on a daring trek toward Pluto, slipping past the scarred moon Phobos and the asteroid belt. Captain “Steel‑Wall” McCausland, famed for his steadiness, commands a crew that includes outspoken reporter Paulette de Vries and nervous air‑mate Adam Longworth. Their mission promises scientific breakthroughs, but the journey already tests their endurance.
Tensions rise when Paulette’s live broadcast reveals the captain’s uncharacteristic melancholy, sparking fears that morale could crumble in the void. Longworth tries to shield the crew from panic, while Paulette insists on honest reporting, leading to sharp clashes with both him and the ship’s hierarchy. Meanwhile, an unseen menace drifts through the ship, a threat that could endanger a billion lives.
As the Goddard barrels toward the distant ice world, listeners are drawn into a blend of high‑stakes navigation and personal conflict, all under the eerie sense that something beyond the crew’s control is stirring. The story balances hard‑science details with human drama, making the early stages of the expedition a compelling listen.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (110K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2020-03-29
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1897–1956
A lively man of letters who moved easily between military history and imaginative fiction, he wrote with equal energy about naval warfare, the American Civil War, and fantastical adventures. He is still especially remembered for his collaborations with L. Sprague de Camp and for the breadth of his curiosity.
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1899–1972
A pioneering early science fiction writer, he helped imagine space travel and far-future societies years before those ideas became common in the genre. His stories are remembered for their bold scope, inventive speculation, and lively pulp-era energy.
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