Satellite of Death

by Randall Garrett

SATELLITE OF DEATH

By Randall Garrett

Five men were stationed on Earth's space
satellite when the alien starship moored itself
nearby. So the question—who would investigate?

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
December 1957
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

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There were five aboard the orbiting wheel in the sky—an American, a Russian, a Frenchman, an Englishman, an Indian. Their job was to keep watch—over each other. The Wheel held enough fission-fusion bombs to blast all of Earth but the five watchdogs saw to it that those bombs remained stored, a potential threat and no more to aggressors below.

And then Gregson and Lal discovered the alien spaceship moored outside Supplementary Airlock One.

It looked like no spaceship they had ever set eyes on before. Gregson, the American, said, "You see that thing out there?"

The Indian, Lal, nodded and rubbed his aquiline nose reflectively. "I see it—but what is it?"

"Spaceship of some kind," said Gregson. "Damndest-looking spaceship I've ever seen, though. Looks like it's moored near the airlock. Wonder if we have visitors?"