
In a stark, isolated capsule orbiting Earth, astronaut Whit Clayborne endures a half‑year of cold, darkness and endless duty, his only lifeline a steady voice beamed from the ground. That voice belongs to Suzy, a warm‑hearted communicator stationed at Point Magu, whose daily greetings and gentle chatter keep the men afloat against creeping madness. As the clock ticks toward the long‑awaited return, Whit’s growing affection for Suzy becomes both a source of hope and a painful reminder of the rules that bind her.
Suzy’s job is to remain a constant, never‑changing presence—she can listen, smile, and soothe, but she’s forbidden to return any love until the crew is safely home. This delicate balance of professional devotion and personal longing creates a quiet tension that underscores every transmission, turning routine check‑ins into moments of profound intimacy. Listeners will be drawn into the fragile dance between isolation and connection, feeling the quiet heroism of a voice that steadies humanity’s reach for the stars.
Language
en
Duration
~13 minutes (13K 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
2010-10-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1924–2013
Best remembered as one of the great chroniclers of the Black Hills, he turned local history into vivid storytelling about gold rush towns, mining camps, and the people who shaped the region. His work grew out of a lifelong connection to western South Dakota and a deep love of place.
View all books
by Maria Edgeworth

by Abraham Cahan

by Hugo Gernsback

by Edward Bellamy

by J. P. (Jens Peter) Jacobsen

by Jakob Wassermann

by Juliana Horatia Ewing

by Freiherr von Ludwig Achim Arnim