
A seasoned captain faces a desperate race against time as a deadly plague ravages a distant colony. When a sudden spatial storm forces his ship off course, he must convince a skeptical crew—led by a hard‑bitten veteran who resents his authority—to follow a risky, physics‑driven maneuver rather than the old‑school instincts that have kept them alive so far. The tension builds as the vessel fights the charged drift, rockets scream, and every decision could mean life or death for thousands awaiting the cure.
Set against a vivid, retro‑futuristic backdrop, the story blends hard‑science explanations with the gritty camaraderie of a space‑faring crew. The clash of reason and tradition fuels a gripping early conflict, letting listeners feel the pulse of a ship teetering on the edge of catastrophe while the urgency of the mission looms ever larger.
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
Nov 8, 2020
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1913–2011
Best known to science fiction readers for the novel Mutiny, he also wrote widely outside fiction and lived a long, eventful life that stretched from Austria-Hungary to Minnesota. His work reflects a practical, curious mind shaped by journalism, advertising, and a lifelong love of storytelling.
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