
A weary crew aboard the space liner Libra races toward Io, tasked with delivering a mysterious new ray‑weapon that could turn the tide for the besieged colony of New Fresno. Captain Algase stresses the mission’s urgency—40,000 lives hang in the balance—while the ship’s officers juggle fatigue, cramped quarters, and a mounting sense that someone on board may not be who they claim.
Tensions flare as the junior watch, a skeptical junior officer, and the grizzled captain clash over security protocols, each suspecting hidden motives among the ranks. Their uneasy camaraderie is tested by strange sightings on the visual plates and whispered rumors of a rebel faction determined to intercept the cargo. As the Libra hurtles through the void at forced speed, the crew must decide whether to trust each other or guard the secret at any cost.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (66K 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
2020-04-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1908–2006
A prolific American writer of science fiction and fantasy, he helped shape the pulp-magazine era with brisk, imaginative stories and later wrote for radio, television, and comics. His work stayed in print for decades, earning him lasting recognition from the genre world.
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