The Outsider
Der Fremde
Plot Summary
The story begins with the Gray Guards detecting an unknown object approaching Syrta, a colonial world. Queen Ann, commander of the spaceship SOLAR, orders an attack, but the object deflects their energy beams and survives torpedoes. The object is revealed to be a ship piloted by Cantos, a being from the planet Genessos, drawn to Syrta by a PSI call for help. Cantos is investigating experiments with Space II and the potential dangers they pose.
On Syrta, Karel Krystan, a Driver and former member of the Super-Lodge, is living with a group of rebels led by Don Pietro and Aldo Fahn. Karel senses Cantos's presence and collapses, seemingly dead. Cantos, attempting to make contact, inadvertently overwhelms Karel's mind. The rebels, fearing an attack, prepare a trap for Cantos. When Cantos arrives, he is attacked by the rebels, but he easily defends himself without seriously harming them.
Cantos and Karel establish a telepathic link, during which Cantos learns about humanity and their communication methods. Cantos then abducts Karel, taking him aboard his ship to better understand him. The rebels, believing Cantos to be a spy, grow fearful. Aboard the ship, Cantos merges with Karel's mind, gaining a deeper understanding of humanity and the dangers of the Space II experiments.
Cantos returns Karel to the rebels, now able to communicate with them. He explains his mission and the threat posed by the Space II experiments. The rebels, led by Aldo Fahn, agree to help him. Meanwhile, John Schnayder, the Kaiser Corporation representative on Syrta, is informed of the alien's presence and fears a new uprising. Cantos and the rebels plan to free imprisoned Drivers to gain allies. Cantos uses his PSI powers to help Tony Arliss, a Gray Driver, turn against the Gray Guards and free the imprisoned Drivers. The Gray Guards retaliate, destroying the prison camp.
Cantos contacts John Schnayder, hoping to avert bloodshed and negotiate an armistice. He then contacts Queen Ann, who offers him safe passage off Syrta. Cantos, distrustful of the Gray Guards, accepts the offer but secretly plans to capture a Gray Guard ship and travel to Earth. He and Karel leave with the freed Drivers, while Aldo Fahn and the rebels agree to surrender. Cantos and the Drivers infiltrate the spaceport, using their combined PSI powers to take control of a landing craft. They are pursued by Queen Ann aboard the SOLAR.
The Drivers on board the SOLAR are manipulated by Cantos to take over the ship. Karel Krystan is killed in the process. Cantos, grief-stricken, takes control of the SOLAR and sets course for Earth, leaving the crew in lifeboats. The story ends with Cantos determined to warn humanity about the dangers of Space II, despite the losses he has suffered.
Key Events
- 01 The Gray Guards detect an unknown object approaching Syrta.
- 02 Queen Ann orders an attack on the object, but it survives.
- 03 The object is revealed to be a ship piloted by Cantos from Genessos.
- 04 Karel Krystan senses Cantos's presence and collapses.
- 05 Cantos attempts to make contact with Karel, overwhelming his mind.
- 06 The rebels prepare a trap for Cantos, but he easily defends himself.
- 07 Cantos and Karel establish a telepathic link.
- 08 Cantos abducts Karel to better understand humanity.
- 09 Cantos merges with Karel's mind, gaining a deeper understanding of humanity and Space II.
- 10 Cantos returns Karel to the rebels and explains his mission.
- 11 Cantos helps Tony Arliss, a Gray Driver, turn against the Gray Guards and free imprisoned Drivers.
- 12 The Gray Guards retaliate, destroying the prison camp.
- 13 Cantos contacts John Schnayder, hoping to avert bloodshed.
- 14 Cantos contacts Queen Ann, who offers him safe passage off Syrta.
- 15 Cantos accepts the offer but secretly plans to capture a Gray Guard ship.
- 16 Cantos and Karel leave with the freed Drivers, while Aldo Fahn and the rebels agree to surrender.
- 17 Cantos and the Drivers infiltrate the spaceport and take control of a landing craft.
- 18 They are pursued by Queen Ann aboard the SOLAR.
- 19 The Drivers on board the SOLAR are manipulated by Cantos to take over the ship.
- 20 Karel Krystan is killed in the process.
- 21 Cantos takes control of the SOLAR and sets course for Earth.
Characters
Karel Krystan — A Driver and former member of the Super-Lodge living with rebels on Syrta. He is PSI-gifted and becomes the main point of contact for Cantos. He is killed during the capture of the SOLAR.
Cantos — A being from the planet Genessos who arrives at Syrta in his ship after detecting a PSI call for help. He is investigating experiments with Space II and seeks to warn humanity of the dangers.
Queen Ann — The commander of the spaceship SOLAR. She initially orders an attack on Cantos's ship but later offers him safe passage off Syrta.
Aldo Fahn — The leader of the rebel group on Syrta. He initially distrusts Cantos but later agrees to help him.
Don Pietro — A member of the rebel group on Syrta.
John Schnayder — The representative of the Kaiser Corporation on Syrta. He fears a new uprising and is concerned about the alien's presence.
Tony Arliss — A Gray Driver who is manipulated by Cantos to turn against the Gray Guards and free imprisoned Drivers.
Queen Sari Oon — The commander of the Gray Guard fleet in the Syrta system.
Freier Doug — A Driver at the spaceport who agrees to help Cantos.
Red Hedger — One of the freed Drivers, also a Terranaut.
Otakar Smeral — A member of the rebel group on Syrta with some medical training.
Locations
Syrta — A colonial world where the story takes place. It is under the control of the Kaiser Corporation and the Gray Guards.
Space near Syrta — The location of the Gray Guard fleet and where the initial encounter with Cantos occurs.
Spaceship SOLAR — The flagship of the Gray Guard fleet in the Syrta system, commanded by Queen Ann. It is eventually captured by Cantos.
Driver Internment Camp — A prison camp on Syrta where Drivers are held captive by the Gray Guards.
Memphis, Syrta — The capital city of Syrta, where the spaceport is located.
Ships & Vehicles
SOLAR — Flagship of the Gray Guard fleet, eventually captured by Cantos.
Cantos's Ship — A spherical spacecraft piloted by Cantos from Genessos.
Reconnaissance Ship — A Gray Guard ship sent to investigate the situation at the Driver Internment Camp. It is destroyed.
Landing Craft — A smaller ship used for landing on planets. One is captured by Cantos and the Drivers.
Technology & Concepts
PSI — Parapsychic abilities used by Drivers and other beings. It is essential for interstellar space travel.
Space I — The space through which interstellar travel is possible with the aid of Drivers and mistletoe blossoms.
Space II — An alternate space that is being experimented with by humans, posing a danger to the universe.
Super-Lodge — A large gathering of Drivers who combine their PSI powers.
Gray Guards — The police force of the human stellar empire, known for their strict adherence to regulations and brain operations.
Location Shield — A technology used to make ships invisible.
Mistletoe Blossom — An item from the primeval tree Yggdrasil required for navigating Space I.
Yggdrasil — The primeval tree whose mistletoe blossoms are used for interstellar travel.
Themes & Notes
This booklet explores themes of prejudice, the dangers of unchecked technological advancement, and the importance of understanding and communication between different cultures. The tone is serious and suspenseful, with elements of action and intrigue. The narrative style is descriptive and detailed, providing a clear picture of the characters, settings, and events.
Connections
Continues from: Follows the events related to the Super-Lodge on Syrta from previous booklets.
Leads into: Sets up the conflict between Cantos and the human empire, as well as the journey to Earth to address the Space II experiments.
Related booklets: Booklets dealing with the Terranauts, the Kaiser Corporation, and the Space II experiments.