
Transcriber’s note:
[p 8]THE WEAKLING - ByEVERETT B. COLE
A desperate caravan master turns to a distant relative for help after his brother vanishes inside a treacherous stretch of space known as the “null.” Traders speak of swirling psionic storms that can erase whole convoys, and of a mysterious estate lord who seems both harmless and oddly powerful. The conversation reveals a world where crystal‑worn nobles guard vast mountain holdings, while ruthless beasts roam the dead zones, waiting for any unwary traveler.
As the search begins, the protagonist must navigate competing rumors and the unsettling possibility that the missing brother isn’t simply lost but caught in something far more lethal than a simple ambush. With the trade route at stake and the null’s arm‑like turbulence threatening to devour any ship that dares close, the stakes quickly become personal, drawing the listener into a tense, far‑future mystery where strength isn’t measured by muscle but by an unsettling, hidden psionic edge.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (94K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, David Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2009-04-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1910–2001
A pulp-era science fiction writer with a soldier’s background, he brought military experience and a practical streak to many of his stories. His work appeared in major genre magazines and later in novels built from that short fiction.
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