
A tense showdown erupts when a charismatic but ruthless dictator declares his intention to build a secret plutonium‑producing uranium pile, defying the authority of the United Nations. The UN’s calm emissary, Greg Hammond, confronts the ruler, arguing that the will of the people—expressed through the global body—cannot be overridden by a single man’s ambition. Their heated exchange lays bare a clash of philosophies: the state’s claim to protect its citizens versus the collective power of nations acting together.
As the dictator tightens his grip, deploying an extensive network of spies and surveillance, the stakes rise dramatically. Hammond’s quiet confidence that the world’s unified voice will prevail fuels a dangerous game of cat‑and‑mouse, hinting at covert resistance and the moral cost of unchecked scientific power. Listeners are drawn into a world where political ideals and the raw drive for dominance collide, setting the stage for a high‑tension struggle that questions who truly holds the answer to humanity’s future.
Language
en
Duration
~19 minutes (18K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: Street & Smith Publications, Incorporated,1947.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net.
Release date
2022-05-31
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1911–1981
A mid-century science fiction writer with a knack for engineering-minded ideas, he became known for stories that mixed radio, electronics, and speculative science. His work appeared widely in the pulp magazine era and helped shape the feel of classic American SF.
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