The Alien Dies at Dawn
Kendall Stone races against time to prevent the execution of Galth of Rastol, an alien whose death would trigger a catastrophic reprisal against the human colony on Rastol III. Arriving at Mojave Spaceport, he faces bureaucratic obstacles when he loses his identification booklet, which leads to his detention. Desperate, he escapes and heads to the Governor's Secretary to plead for a stay of execution. Upon arrival, he is captured by the Secretary's men, revealing a conspiracy to eliminate the Rastolian to benefit a competing drug colony on Vescalor IX. Stone learns that Galth is innocent; the real murderer is another man involved in the conspiracy. After a tense confrontation, Stone manages to escape with the help of a pickpocketed ID booklet and a captured henchman, Miller. In a high-stakes air chase, Stone fights to reach the Governor's palace, where he reveals the plot. With time running out, he successfully convinces the Governor to commute Galth's sentence just before dawn, saving the colony and his family from impending doom. The story concludes with Stone reflecting on the dawn breaking over Rastol, symbolizing hope and survival.
By Randall Garrett · First published 1962 · Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Adventure · 4,924 words
First lines
Kendall Stone had twelve hours to save a thousand lives. It wasn't much time, especially since someone was making sure he didn't use it!
There was a scream of tortured air over the Mojave Spaceport as a two-man starship dropped on its hot jets toward the wide cementalloy landing field. It slowed and settled gently to the ground. Before the faint wisps of smoke had time to dissipate, the airlock door opened, and a big, broad-shouldered man got out. He dropped lithely to the ground and started off across the field at a quick trot.
What this Textopian page supports
The Alien Dies at Dawn is listed on Textopian as a novel by Randall Garrett, dated 1962 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Randall Garrett
- Date: 1962 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Adventure, Mystery, Political Fiction
- Length: 4,924 words
- Structure: 1 section, 132 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Alien Dies at Dawn by Randall Garrett
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The story is set in a futuristic space environment, featuring advanced technology, alien species, and interplanetary travel.
- Thriller — The plot revolves around a race against time to prevent a mass execution, filled with tension and suspense.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a perilous journey, facing various obstacles and conflicts to achieve his goal.
- Mystery — The narrative includes elements of investigation and uncovering a conspiracy behind the execution.
Tags
Science Fiction · Space Opera · Alien Invasion · Military Science Fiction · Action Adventure · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Politics · Government Corruption · Rebellion · War