The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Black Tide, by Arthur G. Stangland

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Title: The Black Tide

Author: Arthur G. Stangland

Illustrator: Ed Valigursky

Release Date: May 18, 2010 [EBook #32412]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from IF Worlds of Science Fiction March 1953.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed.

The BLACK TIDE

By Arthur G. Stangland

Illustrated by Ed Valigursky

_Space in its far dark reaches can be fickle with a man; it
can shatter his dreams, fill him with fear and hate. It can
also cure a man--if he is strong enough._

* * * * *

It filled all the ebony depths of space. Twirling slowly in awesome
majesty, the meteor scintillated like a massive black diamond. And
with its onrush came a devastating sense of doom. He looked
everywhere. To the front, to the side, and below--there was no escape.
Transfixed, he stared at the great rock flashing in the fire of myriad
suns as it--

Bill Staker, passenger rocket captain for Interplanetary Lines, came
fully awake in his New York hotel room. For a minute, he lay unmoving
on his bed, savoring the delicious sensation of weight. No queazy
stirring in the pit of his belly for lack of gravity, no forced
squinting because of muscular re-orientation.

With a muttered curse he unwound himself from his covers and sat up.
For a moment he rested his head in his hands, thinking, only a
nightmare, thank God, only a nightmare.

He lifted his head, and found cold sweat on his hands. Then sighing in
relief he swung his feet over the edge of his bed.

A glance at the clock showed 10:45 p.m. Monday, June 10th, 2039.
Heavily, he clumped across the room in the peculiar flat-footed gait
of a spaceman accustomed to magnetic