Destination—Death by Wilbur S. Peacock
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"Destination—Death" by Wilbur S. Peacock is a science fiction novella published in the early 1940s. Set in the harsh, icy environment of Uranus, the story tackles themes of survival and betrayal amid the dire circumstances faced by two astronauts. The narrative primarily revolves around the desperate struggle of the protagonists as they attempt to navigate life-threatening conditions in their quest for a valuable mineral called "kronalium." The plot follows Bart Caxton and
Tom Headley, two partners stranded on Uranus after a meteor damages their ship's rockets. As their oxygen supply dwindles, tension rises between them, revealing deep-seated mistrust and ambition. In a moment of desperation, Caxton decides to betray and murder Headley, believing he can escape with the precious mineral and evidence of their discoveries. However, he soon learns that the pools he thought were dangerous were actually liquid oxygen, and that Headley survived the ordeal. Ultimately, Caxton's greed leads to his own demise as he realizes too late that the animals he collected for proof and the situation he created for himself on the ship were part of a cruel twist of fate. The story ends with a bitter irony, highlighting the consequences of betrayal and the struggle for survival in an inhospitable world. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Peacock, Wilbur S., 1911-1979 |
|---|---|
| Title | Destination—Death |
| Series Title | Produced from Planet Stories Winter 1943 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 82.8 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Survival -- Fiction |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Subject | Interpersonal conflict -- Fiction |
| Subject | Uranus (Planet) -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 62443 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-62443-3 |
| Release Date | Jun 21, 2020 |
| Last Update | Oct 18, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 410 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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