The Black Galaxy

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Unexpectedly the starship Stellaris hurtled off the earth and into the farthest reaches of space. If only that was the only problem! No star maps, killer aliens and a ship that was only partially built. Excerpt The Chairman of the Space Project Committee was very polite. But he was a politician and Rod Cantrell had been a soldier and was a very famous man and all politicians know that soldiers and other practical men can be most obstinate when politics shows clearly what should be done. "Permit me to congratulate you," the Chairman said blandly, "on your promotion." "On being kicked upstairs?" asked Rod drily. "I'm not pleased. It looks to me — since that's what I came to protest about —that I'm promoted to something like a dummy job so that the work I want to do and the decisions I need to make will be made by people who think more of elections than of really important things," The Chairman of the Space Committee laughed appreciatively. But he made a mental black mark. This man would not be amenable to political pressure. Perhaps he had better be a little more thoroughly deprived of authority — and given more prestige to make up for it. "Oh, come, come!" he said indulgently. "What have you to complain of? The ship you're building has certainly all the funds anyone could need!" "I think," Rod said flatly, "that we should postpone any attempt at interplanetary travel until we get some interplanetary weapons." As the Chairman beamed at him he went on doggedly. "I designed the drive-units for the ship we're building, for the one now under construction. I made the first interplanetary flights — the only ones made to date. But I urge the postponement of exploration until we have some defense. The weapons we have now would be useless against an enemy with spaceships." The Chairman beamed on and offered Rod a cigar. Rod curtly refused it. "Yet," mused the Chairman amiably, "you did not encounter any other space-ships in your three interplanetary flights, you cannot name po