
Part 1
Part 2
In the cold reaches between Mars and Jupiter, a small service ship drifts from one beacon to the next, keeping the dangerous spaceway lit for the countless freighters that rely on it. The crew consists of Joe Berne, a restless young technician, and Sam Hervey, a cautious veteran who has turned the lonely job into a careful routine. When a sudden flash of radiation on an uncharted asteroid sparks talk of a massive deposit, the pair begin to plot a risky mining venture that could change their futures.
As they juggle the demanding maintenance duties with the lure of quick wealth, tension builds between the two men, and Berne’s thoughts turn dark, contemplating a way to make the accident look genuine. The isolated environment of the asteroid base becomes a cold chessboard where every maneuver could mean life or death. Listeners are drawn into the claustrophobic corridors of the battered ship and the psychological game that threatens to turn a routine mission into a deadly gamble.
Language
en
Duration
~32 minutes (31K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Feb 8, 2021
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

Best known for the spooky, funny, and unforgettable stories set in Coven Tree, this American writer won lasting readers with a gift for mixing ordinary small-town life with a touch of magic. He also wrote mystery short stories for adult readers, showing the same knack for clever twists and strong atmosphere.
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