Space Marshal Mike Banner observes his “telescreen” as an “Earth-bound convoy of space freighters” is escorted to Earth by pilot Ellan in Flight Seven. Ellan reports that a group of spaceships are attacking. She attempts to fire at the ships, but her fighter’s array of weapons, a “desintegrator ray”, “powerful D ray”, and “heat ray”, prove ineffectual against the crafts. The attackers pierce the sides of the scows and board the ships. The passengers are taken captive as “slaves for the pit”, to work the “lectium mines”. Banner orders Ellan to follow the kidnappers. She tracks the ships to Uranus, where the radiation from the lectium deposits is fatal to humans. Back on Earth, Ellan reports to Banner that the Uranus’ ships are made of lectium, and the two attend a meeting of the Space Commission. He describes the assumption made by Earth that no one would risk lives to mine the lectium ore, the properties of which are impermeability and heat resistance, a blunder. Lord Kazmar of the planet Uranus contacts Banner at the meeting by telescreen, demanding that Earth provide labor to mine the lectium ore and pay a tribute to him, but Banner refuses. Banner tells Ellan that he has a plan to make Kazmar’s forces battle the Earth forces on the ground where their superior ships will be useless. He calls for space pilots to go with him to Uranus to engage in armed combat with foot soldiers. All the pilots volunteer, and soon the Earth force arrives at Uranus. Banner contacts Lord Kazmar, telling him the Earth rejects the slaver’s demands. Lord Kazmar orders his ships to crash into the Earth ships, but the Earth force circles wide, avoiding the space battle. The Earth ships land on the surface of Uranus. The slaves revolt against their guards. One of them gives Banner a “mixture of helium-hydrogen” used to cut lectium. The mixture is quickly applied to the Earth ships, allowing their weaponry to easily best the returning slaver fleet.
Description Space Marshal Mike Banner observes his “telescreen” as an “Earth-bound convoy of space freighters” is escorted to Earth by pilot Ellan in Flight Seven. Ellan reports that a group of spaceships are attacking. She attempts to fire at the ships, but her fighter’s array of weapons, a “desintegrator ray”, “powerful D ray”, and “heat ray”, prove ineffectual against the crafts. The attackers pierce the sides of the scows and board the ships. The passengers are taken captive as “slaves for the pit”, to work the “lectium mines”. Banner orders Ellan to follow the kidnappers. She tracks the ships to Uranus, where the radiation from the lectium deposits is fatal to humans. Back on Earth, Ellan reports to Banner that the Uranus’ ships are made of lectium, and the two attend a meeting of the Space Commission. He describes the assumption made by Earth that no one would risk lives to mine the lectium ore, the properties of which are impermeability and heat resistance, a blunder. Lord Kazmar of the planet Uranus contacts Banner at the meeting by telescreen, demanding that Earth provide labor to mine the lectium ore and pay a tribute to him, but Banner refuses. Banner tells Ellan that he has a plan to make Kazmar’s forces battle the Earth forces on the ground where their superior ships will be useless. He calls for space pilots to go with him to Uranus to engage in armed combat with foot soldiers. All the pilots volunteer, and soon the Earth force arrives at Uranus. Banner contacts Lord Kazmar, telling him the Earth rejects the slaver’s demands. Lord Kazmar orders his ships to crash into the Earth ships, but the Earth force circles wide, avoiding the space battle. The Earth ships land on the surface of Uranus. The slaves revolt against their guards. One of them gives Banner a “mixture of helium-hydrogen” used to cut lectium. The mixture is quickly applied to the Earth ships, allowing their weaponry to easily best the returning slaver fleet.
