They were four of the greatest minds in the Universe: Two men and two women, all Psionic Primes, lost in an experimental spaceship billions of parsecs from home. And as they mentally charted the cosmos to find their way back to Earth, their own loves and hates were as startling as the worlds they encountered... Here is E. E. Smith's classic science fiction novel -- one of the greatest space operas of all time!
When you've had your ears pinned back in a bowknot, it's sometimes hard to remember that an intelligent people has no respect for a whipped enemy. but does for a fairly beaten enemy.
During the Earth-Silth conflicts, two commanders of opposing warships played a game of chicken at one of the outer known solar systems, the result being a head-on collision and two ships fused together at the bows. After the cease fire agreement plans were made to salvage what they could from the ships and Alain from Earth was sent as part of a two man crew to recover components from the Earth vessel while a team from the Silth would handle theirs. Nothing turned out to be as expected.
A man will always be willing to buy something he wants, and believes in, even if it is impossible, rather than something he believes is impossible. So. sell him what he thinks he wants!
Moran cut apart the yard-long monstrosity with a slash of flame. The thing presumably died, but it continued to writhe senselessly. He turned to see other horrors crawling toward him. Then he knew he was being marooned on a planet of endless terrors.
There was no life on the asteroid, but the miles of rock-hewn corridors through which the earth party wandered left no doubt about the purpose of the asteroid. It was a mighty fortress, stocked with weapons of destruction beyond man's power to understand. And yet there was no life here, nor had there been for untold centuries. What race had built this stronghold? What unimaginable power were they defending against? Why was it abandoned? There was no answer, all was dead. But--not quite all.
Earth has been conquered and is a subjugated planet, the humanoid new rulers extract heavy taxes, control industry and reproduction and interfere in every aspect of life. Rumors of their brutality and vicious massacres increase every day. They must be thrown out and rebellion seethes among the patriots. But on the other hand, others are not eager to get rid of the overlords: the terrible nationalistic wars have been stopped, famine is long gone and health care is almost universally available.