
A solitary silver rocket has been drifting through the void for more than six years, carrying the last remnants of humanity on a desperate quest for a new home. Inside, five crew members move like hollow shells, their minds frayed by isolation, while the sixth has succumbed to madness. The ship’s cramped corridors echo with stale routine, and the weight of the world’s survival rests on the fragile consciousness of its travelers.
When the ship’s sensors finally lock onto a blue‑green world orbiting Sirius, a surge of hope crashes through the crew’s lingering fog. Captain Torkel and Lieutenant Washington grapple with the terror of another unknown—could the planet be a lifeline or a lethal trap? Their debate reveals the thin line between optimism and despair, as the prospect of a twelve‑year round trip looms over them.
The story follows their tense deliberations and the psychological strain of a mission that may decide the fate of the entire species, inviting listeners to ponder what it means to cling to humanity when sanity itself is slipping away.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (59K 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
2016-09-16
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1920–1990
A prolific American writer of science fiction and mystery, he published under several names and built a career around fast-moving, imaginative storytelling. His work appeared in magazines and paperback originals, reaching readers across both genre worlds.
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