Book Read Free

Battle for the Stars: The Space Opera Classic

Page 17

by Edmond Hamilton


  "What have I to say?” Lyllin said. “Except that you did right. And that you know you did."

  "But to throw everything away—"

  "If you'd done what Ferdias wanted you to do, you might have thrown me away,” she said. “Arid don't look so worried. You would have retired from space duty in a few years anyway, and I don't think a desk would suit you.

  She looked musingly around the room. “I think we'll like it here, when we come back. We could make some changes in the house. And if you don't like farming, I'm sure the UW would be glad to have you."

  He grasped her wrist. “Lyllin, understand this: I'm not taking you away from your own world."

  She looked up at him. “We've lived a good while on my world. But you, Jay—you never had a world until we came here. Now you have one, and that means it's mine too."

  "Why in the world,” said Birrel exasperatedly, “must everyone assume that I'm so crazy about this musty, old planet that I want to come back to it?"

  "Don't you?"

  He started to answer, and then he stopped, and looked around at the lamplit room and out the door at the dark trees. After a moment he said, “Well, I don't know. We'll see."

  Lyllin smiled.

  And the commemoration blazed. The lights, the bands, the parades and the speeches, and finally the flyover with the battered ships of the UW leading the way, and the mighty giants of the Fifth following them. Then, while everybody held their breath and kept their fingers crossed, that grotesque relic, the first of all starships, lurched, coughed and wobbled up into the sky, and labored bravely around the planet, and by some miracle came down safe again.

  The night after it ended, Vinson and his wife stood out in the darkness behind their house and watched the sky. A west wind was hurrying big clouds across it and there was nothing to be seen but clouds that suddenly unveiled stars and then swiftly veiled them again. The wind finally brought them the sound for which they listened, the far roll of thunder across the sky. It was faint, for the wind came from a different direction, but they stood listening as it was repeated again and again until the last mutter faded, and the Fifth was gone.

  "I do hate to see them go,” said the woman, as they turned back toward the house.

  "Won't be long till they're back,” said Vinson. Then he chuckled, as he opened the door. “I was just thinking of that cat they took with them. Won't he be glad when they bring him home again?"

  THE END

  SF/F/H FROM PAGETURNER EDITIONS

  CAMPBELL AWARD WINNER ALEXIS A. GILLILAND'S ROSINANTE TRILOGY

  Revolution from Rosinante

  Long Shot for Rosinante

  Pirates of Rosinante

  THE CLASSIC SCIENCE FICTION OF STUART J. BYRNE

  Music of the Spheres & Other Classic SF Stories

  Star Quest

  Power Metal

  Hoaxbreaker

  The Alpha Trap (1976)

  The Land Beyond the Lens: The Michael Flannigan Trilogy (writing as John Bloodstone)

  The Metamorphs & The Naked Goddess: Two Classic Pulp Novels

  Children of the Chronotron & The Ultimate Death: Two Classic Pulp Novels

  Beyond the Darkness & Potential Zero: Two Classic Pulp Novels

  The Agartha Series #1. Prometheus II

  The Agartha Series #2. Colossus

  The Agartha Series #3: The Golden Gardsmen

  Godman (writing as John Bloodstone)

  Thundar, Man of Two Worlds The Land Beyond the Lens: The Michael Flannigan Trilogy (writing as John Bloodstone)

  Last Days of Thronas (writing as John Bloodstone)

  The First Star Man Omnibus: #1 Supermen of Alpha & Star Man #2 Time Window

  The Second Star Man Omnibus: #3 Interstellar Mutineers & #4 The Cosmium Raiders

  The Third Star Man Omnibus: #5 The World Changer & #6 The Slaves of Venus

  The Fourth Star Man Omnibus: #7 Lost in the Milky Way & #8. Time Trap

  The Fifth Star Man Omnibus: #9 The Centaurians & #10 The Emperor

  The Sixth Star Man Omnibus: #11 The Return of Star Man & #12 Death Screen

  STEFAN VUCAK'S EPPIE NOMINEE SPACE SAGA “THE SHADOW GODS"

  In the Shadow of Death

  Against the Gods of Shadow

  A Whisper From Shadow

  Immortal in Shadow

  With Shadow and Thunder

  Through the Valley of Shadow

  JANRAE FRANK'S #1 BESTSELLING FANTASY SAGAS

  Dark Brothers of the Light Book I. Blood Rites

  Dark Brothers of the Light Book II. Blood Heresy

  Dark Brothers of the Light Book III. Blood Dawn

  Dark Brothers of the Light Book IV: Blood Wraiths

  Dark Brothers of the Light Book V: Blood Paladin

  In the Darkness, Hunting: Tales of Chimquar the Lionhawk

  Journey of the Sacred King Quartet I: My Sister's Keeper

  Journey of the Sacred King Quartet II: Sins of the Mothers

  Journey of the Sacred King Quartet III: My Father's House

  Journey of the Sacred King Quartet IV: Children of Wrath

  THE COSMIC KALEVALA

  The Saga of Lost Earths—Emil Petaja (Nebula nominee author)

  The Star Mill—Emil Petaja

  The Stolen Sun—Emil Petaja

  Tramontane—Emil Petaja

  JACK JARDINE'S HUMOROUS SF AND MYSTERY

  The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #1 The Flying Saucer Gambit

  The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #2 The Emerald Elephant Gambit

  The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #3 The Golden Goddess Gambit

  The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #4 The Time Trap Gambit

  The Mind Monsters

  Unaccustomed As I Am To Public Dying & Other Humorous and Ironic Mystery Stories

  The Nymph and the Satyr

  ARDATH MAYHAR'S AWARD-WINNING SF & F

  The Crystal Skull & Other Tales of the Terrifying and Twisted

  The World Ends in Hickory Hollow, or After Armageddon

  The Tupla: A Nover of Horror

  The Twilight Dancer & Other Tales of Magic, Mystery and the Supernatural

  The Black Tower: A Novel of Dark Fantasy

  Forbidden Geometries: A Novel Alien Worlds

  HAL ANNAS’ COSMIC RECKONING TRILOGY

  I. The Woman from Eternity

  II. Daughter of Doom

  III. Witch of the Dark Star

  THE HILARIOUS ADVENTURES OF TOFFEE

  1. The Dream Girl—Charles F. Myers

  2. Toffee Haunts a Ghost—Charles F. Myers

  3. Toffee Turns the Trick—Charles F. Myers

  OTHER AWARD WINNING & NOMINEE STORIES AND AUTHORS

  Moonworm's Dance & Other SF Classics—Stanley Mullen (includes The Day the Earth Stood Still & Other SF Classics—Harry Bates (Balrog Award winning story)

  Hugo nominee story Space to Swing a Cat)

  People of the Darkness-Ross Rocklynne (Nebulas nominee author)

  When They Come From Space-Mark Clifton (Hugo winning author)

  What Thin Partitions-Mark Clifton (Hugo winning author)

  Star Bright & Other SF Classics—Mark Clifton

  Eight Keys to Eden-Mark Clifton (Hugo winning author)

  Rat in the Skull & Other Off-Trail Science Fiction-Rog Phillips (Hugo nominee author)

  The Involuntary Immortals-Rog Phillips (Hugo nominee author)

  Inside Man & Other Science Fictions-H. L. Gold (Hugo winner, Nebula nominee)

  Women of the Wood and Other Stories-A. Merritt (Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame award)

  A Martian Odyssey & Other SF Classics—Stanley G. Weinbaum (SFWA Hall of Fame author)

  Dawn of Flame & Other Stories—Stanley G. Weinbaum (SFWA Hall of Fame author)

  The Black Flame—Stanley G. Weinbaum

  Scout-Octavio Ramos, Jr. (Best Original Fiction)

  Smoke Signals-Octavio Ramos, Jr. (Best Original Fiction winning author)

  The City at World's End-Edmond Hamilton

  The Star K
ings-Edmond Hamilton (Sense of Wonder Award winning author)

  A Yank at Valhalla-Edmond Hamilton (Sense of Wonder Award winning author)

  Dawn of the Demigods, or People Minus X—Raymond Z. Gallun (Nebula Nominee Author)

  THE BESTSELLING SF/F/H OF J. D. CRAYNE

  Tetragravitron (Captain Spycer #1)

  Monster Lake

  Invisible Encounter & Other Stories

  The Cosmic Circle

  PLANETS OF ADVENTURE

  Colorful Space Opera from the Legendary Pulp Planet Stories

  #1. “The Sword of Fire"—A Novel of an Enslaved World” by Emmett McDowell. & “The Rocketeers Have Shaggy Ears"—A Novel of Peril on Alien Worlds by Keith Bennett.

  #2. “The Seven Jewels of Chamar"—A Novel of Future Centuries by Nebula Nominee Raymond F. Jones. & “Flame Jewel of the Ancients"—A Novel of Outlaw Worlds by Edwin L. Grabber.

  #3. “Captives of the Weir-Wind"—A Novel of the Void by Nebula Nominee Ross Rocklynne. & “Black Priestess of Varda"—A Novel of a Magic World by Erik Fennel.

  NEMESIS: THE NEW MAGAZINE OF PULP THRILLS

  #1. Featuring Gun Moll, the 1920s Undercover Nemesis of Crime in “Tentacles of Evil,” an all-new, complete book-length novel; plus a Nick Bancroft mystery by Bob Liter, “The Greensox Murders” by Jean Marie Stine, and a classic mystery short reprinted from the heyday of the pulps.

  #2 Featuring Rachel Rocket, the 1930s Winged Nemesis of Foreign Terror in “Hell Wings Over Manhattan,” an all-new, complete book-length novel, plus spine-tingling science fiction stories, including EPPIE nominee Stefan Vucak's “Hunger,” author J. D. Crayne's disturbing “Point of View,” Hugo Award winner Larry Niven's “No Exit,” written with Jean Marie Stine, and a classic novelette of space ship mystery by the king of space opera, Edmond Hamilton. Illustrated. (Illustrations not available in Palm).

  #3 Featuring Victory Rose, the 1940s Nemesis of Axis Tyranny, in Hitler's Final Trumpet,” an all-new, complete book-length novel, plus classic jungle pulp tales, including a complete Ki-Gor novel.

  # 4 Featuring Femme Noir, the 1950s Nemesis of Hell's Restless Spirits, in an all new, book length novel, plus all new and classic pulp shudder tales, including “The Summons from Beyond” the legendary round-robin novelette of cosmic horror by H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, C.L. Moore, A. Merritt, and Frank Belknap Long.

  OTHER FINE CONTEMPORARY & CLASSIC SF/F/H

  A Million Years to Conquer-Henry Kuttner

  After the Polothas—Stephen Brown

  Arcadia—Tabitha Bradley

  Backdoor to Heaven—Vicki McElfresh

  Buck Rogers #1: Armageddon 2419 A.D.-Philip Francis Nowlan

  Buck Rogers #2. The Airlords of Han—Philip Francis Nowlan

  Chaka: Zulu King-Book I. The Curse of Baleka-H. R. Haggard

  Chaka: Zulu King-Book II. Umpslopogass’ Revenge-H. R. Haggard

  Claimed!-Francis Stevens

  Darby O'Gill: The Classic Irish Fantasy-Hermine Templeton

  Diranda: Tales of the Fifth Quadrant—Tabitha Bradley

  Dracula's Daughters-Ed. Jean Marie Stine

  Dwellers in the Mirage-A. Merritt

  From Beyond & 16 Other Macabre Masterpieces-H. P. Lovecraft

  Future Eves: Classic Science Fiction about Women by Women-(ed) Jean Marie Stine

  Ghost Hunters and Psychic Detectives: 8 Classic Tales of Sleuthing and the Supernatural-(ed.) J. M. Stine

  Horrors!: Rarely Reprinted Classic Terror Tales-(ed.) J. M. Stine. J.L. Hill

  House on the Borderland-William Hope Hodgson

  House of Many Worlds [Elspeth Marriner #1]—Sam Merwin Jr.

  Invisible Encounter and Other SF Stories—J. D. Crayne

  Murcheson Inc., Space Salvage—Cleve Cartmill

  Ki-Gor, Lord of the Jungle-John Peter Drummond

  Lost Stars: Forgotten SF from the “Best of Anthologies"-(ed.) J. M. Stine

  Metropolis-Thea von Harbou

  Mission to Misenum [Elspeth Marriner #2]—Sam Merwin Jr.

  Mistress of the Djinn-Geoff St. Reynard

  Chronicles of the Sorceress Morgaine I-V—Joe Vadalma

  Nightmare!-Francis Stevens

  Pete Manx, Time Troubler—Arthur K. Barnes

  Possessed!-Francis Stevens

  Ralph 124C 41+—Hugo Gernsback

  Seven Out of Time—Arthur Leo Zagut

  Star Tower—Joe Vadalma

  The Cosmic Wheel-J. D. Crayne

  The Forbidden Garden-John Taine

  The City at World's End-Edmond Hamilton

  The Ghost Pirates-W. H. Hodgson

  The Girl in the Golden Atom—Ray Cummings

  The Heads of Cerberus—Francis Stevens

  The House on the Borderland-William Hope Hodgson

  The Insidious Fu Manchu-Sax Rohmer

  The Interplanetary Huntress-Arthur K. Barnes

  The Interplanetary Huntress Returns-Arthur K. Barnes

  The Interplanetary Huntress Last Case-Arthur K. Barnes

  The Lightning Witch, or The Metal Monster-A. Merritt

  The Price He Paid: A Novel of the Stellar Republic—Matt Kirkby

  The Thief of Bagdad-Achmed Abdullah

  Women of the Wood and Other Stories-A. Merritt

  BARGAIN SF/F EBOOKS IN OMNIBUS EDITIONS

  (Complete & Unabridged)

  The First Lord Dunsany Omnibus: 5 Complete Books—Lord Dunsany

  The First William Morris Omnibus: 4 Complete Classic Fantasy Books

  The Barsoom Omnibus: A Princess of Mars; The Gods of Mars; The Warlord of Mars-Burroughs

  The Second Barsoom Omnibus: Thuvia, Maid of Mars; The Chessmen of Mars-Burroughs

  The Third Barsoom Omnibus: The Mastermind of Mars; A Fighting Man of Mars-Burroughs

  The First Tarzan Omnibus: Tarzan of the Apes; The Return of Tarzan; Jungle Tales of Tarzan-Burroughs

  The Second Tarzan Omnibus: The Beasts of Tarzan; The Son of Tarzan; Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar-Burroughs

  The Third Tarzan Omnibus: Tarzan the Untamed; Tarzan the Terrible; Tarzan and the Golden Lion-Burroughs

  The Pellucidar Omnibus: At the Earth's Core; Pellucidar-Burroughs

  The Caspak Omnibus: The Land that Time Forgot; The People that Time Forgot; Out of Time's Abyss-Burroughs

  The First H. G. Wells Omnibus: The Invisible Man: War of the Worlds; The Island of Dr. Moreau

  The Second H. G. Wells Omnibus: The Time Machine; The First Men in the Moon; When the Sleeper Wakes

  The Third H. G. Wells Omnibus: The Food of the Gods; Shape of Things to Come; In the Days of the Comet

  The First Jules Verne Omnibus: Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea; The Mysterious Island; From the Earth to the Moon

  The Homer Eon Flint: All 4 of the Clasic “Dr. Kenney” Novels: The Lord of Death; The Queen of Life; The Devolutionist; The Emancipatrix

  The Second Jules Verne Omnibus: Around the World in 80 Days; A Journey to the Center of the Earth; Off on a Comet

  Three Great Horror Novels: Dracula; Frankenstein; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

  The Darkness and Dawn Omnibus: The Classic Science Fiction Trilogy-George Allan England

  The Garrett P. Serviss Omnibus: The Second Deluge; The Moon Metal; A Columbus of Space

  ADDITIONAL TITLES IN PREPARATION

  PageTurnerEditions.com

  * * *

  Visit www.renebooks.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.

 

 

 


‹ Prev