Skylark Three by E.E. Smith — Read

Loaded until her outer skin almost bulged with tightly packed bars of / uranium and equipped to meet any emergency of which the combined efforts / of the mightiest intellects of Norlamin could foresee even the slightest / possibility, _Skylark Three_ lay quiescent. Quiescent, but surcharged / with power, she seemed to Seaton's tense mind to share his own eagerness / to be off; seemed to be motionlessly straining at her neutral controls / in a futile endeavor to leave that unnatural and unpleasant environment / of atmosphere and of material substance, to soar outward into absolute / zero of temperature and pressure, into the pure and undefiled ether / which was her natural and familiar medium.

The five human beings were grouped near an open door of their cruiser; / before them were the ancient scientists, who for so many days had been / laboring with them in their attempt to crush the monstrous race which / was threatening the Universe. With the elders were the Terrestrials' / many friends from the Country of Youth, and surrounding the immense / vessel in a throng covering an area to be measured only in square miles / were massed myriads of Norlaminians. From their tasks everywhere had / come the mental laborers; the Country of Youth had been left / depopulated; even those who, their lifework done, had betaken themselves / to the placid Nirvana of the Country of Age, returned briefly to the / Country of Study to speed upon its way that stupendous Ship of Peace.