
Arthur Lanceford stalks a rain‑soaked jungle on the alien world Niobe, where the endless drizzle turns the ground to sticky mud and every step could summon a lethal eight‑legged insect. Clad in a sweltering protective suit, he battles a relentless, buzzing sith that can paralyze a human in minutes, while his native guide Kron moves effortlessly through the torrent, a reminder of how far survival can differ across species. The narrative captures the oppressive humidity, the constant threat of deadly bites, and the gritty determination of a man who knows his field work is a brief, brutal prelude to a safer desk job far behind.
The story blends hard‑science detail with vivid, almost lyrical descriptions of a world that feels both beautiful and hostile. As Lanceford navigates the mire, readers get a taste of the Bureau of Extraterrestrial Exploration’s ruthless assignments and the personal stakes of a lone scout fighting nature’s most patient predators. The opening sets a tense, immersive tone that promises a gripping tale of endurance and adaptation.
Language
en
Duration
~50 minutes (48K 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
2016-03-08
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1916–2006
A veterinarian by training and a science-fiction writer by passion, he brought a practical eye and a sharp sense of irony to mid-20th-century speculative fiction. His stories often mix big ideas with brisk adventure, and "Triggerman" earned a Hugo nomination in 1959.
View all books
by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone

by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone

by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone

by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone

by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone

by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone

by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone

by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone