
Part 1
A solitary genius lives on the stark, wind‑blown world of Azair, where he tends a modest outpost that supplies artificial atmosphere to the barren rock. When a hulking, heavily armed stranger named Caddo Velexis forces a landing, the hermit greets him with calm hospitality, offering coffee instead of conflict. Their uneasy exchange reveals a high‑stakes pursuit: Caddo believes a hidden equation, “Oridin’s Formula,” could grant control over the entire universe.
As tension builds, the recluse’s quiet confidence hints at deeper capabilities hidden beneath his unassuming demeanor. While Caddo threatens force, Oridin seems more intrigued by the challenge of a worthy opponent than by outright violence. Listeners are drawn into a tense standoff where intellect, bravado, and the promise of ultimate power clash on a remote asteroid, setting the stage for a battle of wits that could reshape the cosmos.
Language
en
Duration
~15 minutes (14K 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
2020-06-02
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1904–1971
A prolific pulp-era storyteller, he wrote science fiction, westerns, mysteries, and books for younger readers, building a career that stretched from magazine adventures to novels. His work appeared under both R. R. Winterbotham and Russ Winterbotham, and it reflects the fast-moving imagination of mid-20th-century popular fiction.
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by R. R. (Russell Robert) Winterbotham

by R. R. (Russell Robert) Winterbotham

by R. R. (Russell Robert) Winterbotham

by R. R. (Russell Robert) Winterbotham

by R. R. (Russell Robert) Winterbotham