
A looming alien menace forces the remote colony of Kulane into a frantic evacuation. Captain Keith, the reluctant enforcer of a strict military order, must persuade an uneasy populace to abandon the homes and farms they’ve tended for generations. As the mayor’s pleas clash with the captain’s cold efficiency, the tension between authority and survival ripples through the village’s dimly lit streets.
When Keith wanders the forested outskirts, he encounters Marilyn Roget, a desperate mother waiting for her husband and son who are out hunting the planet’s giant cats. Her pleading challenges his sense of duty, exposing the human cost hidden behind the official directives. Listeners are drawn into a stark portrait of leadership under pressure, where every decision balances the safety of many against the cries of the few, and the true weight of command begins to surface.
Language
en
Duration
~34 minutes (33K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1962.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2023-11-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1928–2018
A major voice in science fiction, mystery, and suspense, this award-winning writer was known for blending sharp ideas with deeply human storytelling. She also helped shape generations of new writers through her long connection with the Clarion workshops.
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