
Part 1
A weary survivor drifts alone onto a strange, pristine shore after his world collapses in fire and war. The sand glitters white, the sky burns blue, and alien trees whisper faintly, offering a fragile sense of peace. He is rescued by a small crew from a battered space‑cruiser, each still wearing the faded uniforms of the Galactic Guard, and they guide him to a dilapidated radar shack that will become his temporary refuge.
Inside the shack, the man confronts the lingering tension between duty and desperation as his former comrades grapple with the end of a conflict that has ripped the solar system apart. With the war officially over yet danger still lurking, he must decide whether to trust the few loyal fools who know his whereabouts or risk venturing into an uncertain future. The story balances stark survival with the lingering echo of past hierarchies, inviting listeners to wonder how humanity endures when the world it once knew has vanished.
Language
en
Duration
~31 minutes (30K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Jun 22, 2009
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1906–1972
A master of sharp twists and sly humor, this pulp-era storyteller could pack a startling idea into just a few pages. His science fiction and mystery tales still feel brisk, clever, and unexpectedly modern.
View all books
1917–1983
A prolific American science fiction writer, Mack Reynolds became known for sharp stories about politics, economics, social change, and imagined futures. He also wrote Mission to Horatius, the first original novel based on the Star Trek television series.
View all books
by Mack Reynolds

by Mack Reynolds

by Fredric Brown

by Mack Reynolds

by Mack Reynolds

by Fredric Brown

by Mack Reynolds

by Mack Reynolds