The Incomplete Theft

A daring alien spy, a revolutionary spacecraft, and one tiny mistake with catastrophic consequences. On a remote Earth spaceport, the experimental Skyjumper is nearly ready to change the course of an interstellar war. Hidden among the engineers is Torlyn Khy, a Valdorian operative who believes he has found the perfect opportunity to steal humanity's greatest technological breakthrough. Disguised, determined, and armed with an invisibility belt, he slips aboard the ship expecting a swift, flawless victory. But in the high-stakes world of advanced science and espionage, perfection is a fragile thing. When a last-minute complication throws off his timing, Torlyn Khy finds himself trapped in a race against guards, machinery, and his own overconfidence. What begins as a simple theft becomes a tense, clever showdown of wits, where one small adjustment can turn triumph into disaster. Fast-paced, inventive, and sharply humorous, The Incomplete Theft is a classic science-fiction caper about sabotage, arrogance, and the unpredictable power of a brilliant idea. Randall Garrett delivers a compact tale of suspense and irony, where the fate of a spaceship—and its would-be thief—hangs on a twist no one sees coming. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.