02604cam a22003853u 4500 62443 UtSlPG 20260610134435.0 m cr n 260607r2020||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Peacock, Wilbur S., 1911-1979 Destination—Death Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2020 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Planet Stories Winter 1943 Release date is 2020-06-21 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "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.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Survival -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Interpersonal conflict -- Fiction Uranus (Planet) -- Fiction Produced from Planet Stories Winter 1943 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62443 103267 103267