
Part 1
A quiet farm on the outskirts of a thriving space age becomes the backdrop for a restless teenager’s longing to break free. When a sleek, new starship—dubbed the Star King—touches down unexpectedly, the boy rushes home, eyes bright with stories of zero‑gravity lounges and hydroponic marvels. His excitement ignites a flicker of wonder that spreads through the household.
His father, a practical man tied to the land, feels an uneasy knot in his chest as the promise of interplanetary travel collides with the day‑to‑day grind of tractor bolts and harvest deadlines. The mother, equally grounded, brushes off the spectacle, wary of the distraction it could bring. Their differing reactions highlight the generational tug‑of‑war between duty and the seductive call of the cosmos.
As the family gathers around dinner, the teen’s animated recounting of the ship’s comforts and the daring exploits of his friend Len hints at a world far beyond the farm’s fence. The scene sets the stage for a choice: stay rooted in familiar soil or chase the horizon that now seems within reach.
Language
en
Duration
~18 minutes (17K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Jul 28, 2021
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1928–1992
A physician as well as a science-fiction writer, Alan E. Nourse brought medical expertise and human concerns to stories about medicine, science, and the future. Writing for both young and adult readers, he also explored popular medicine under the name “Doctor X.”
View all books
by Alan Edward Nourse

by Alan Edward Nourse

by Alan Edward Nourse

by Alan Edward Nourse

by Alan Edward Nourse

by Alan Edward Nourse

by Alan Edward Nourse

by Alan Edward Nourse