
In a future where space travel hinges on delicate sub‑nucleonic converters, the line between engineering brilliance and lethal intent blurs. Lewis Crayley watches a wall of robotic “waldo” hands assemble and repair power units, explaining to a skeptical Space Force officer how their adaptability saves billions. As the machinery hums, Crayley’s mind drifts from technical marvels to a cold, calculated plot to eliminate a rival.
The story unfolds in the subterranean factories and sleek corridors of a high‑tech aerospace hub, where every innovation carries a hidden cost. Crayley’s calm demeanor and meticulous steps conceal a sinister purpose, turning routine production into a stage for a meticulously planned murder. Listeners are drawn into a tense dance of intellect, ambition, and the moral edges of scientific progress.
Language
en
Duration
~53 minutes (50K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: Royal Publications, Inc,1956.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2022-03-08
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1927–1987
A lively, versatile voice in mid-20th-century science fiction and fantasy, he wrote everything from space adventure to clever mystery-fantasy crossovers. He is especially remembered for the Lord Darcy stories, which blend detective fiction with an alternate world shaped by magic.
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