
In a dim, perpetual daylight that clings to the far side of a Jovian moon, a desperate scientist named Guyard works in a hidden attic laboratory, pleading with the massive part‑human war‑machine known as Zurk to awaken. The hulking steel construct, with its blank, electric eyes, has sat idle for years, its mind a mystery that the father has tried in vain to crack with thought‑waves. With only two weeks left before the shadowy creatures from the Land of Darkness descend to claim the youth of the colonists, the stakes have never been higher.
Guyard’s teenage daughter, Marene, emerges from the darkness with a calm bravery that fuels his resolve. As alien patrols stalk the streets below, the pair cling to a fragile hope: a daring plan by Captain Simms to send a message to Earth that might turn the tide. Their fight becomes a race against time, a blend of human ingenuity and raw fear that drives the story forward.
Language
en
Duration
~35 minutes (33K 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
2020-05-06
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
A little-known but intriguing American writer, he left behind science fiction and mystery stories that still circulate in classic genre collections and old-magazine archives. One of his stories also made its way to 1970s television, giving his work a small but lasting afterlife.
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