The Galactic Ghost

When an alien spaceship settles quietly in New Jersey and telepathically warns that Earth is doomed, the world is thrown into panic over a terrible bargain: only a thousand humans may be saved. What follows is a biting satire of human nature as governments, ideologues, and self-important leaders rush to claim the escape seats for their own nations, classes, and beliefs. At an international conference, delegates argue over who deserves to survive, and every proposed "fair" system collapses under scrutiny. A scientist's attempt to base selection on education and intelligence is quickly exposed as riddled with blind spots, from illiteracy and age to physical fitness, revealing how easily catastrophe becomes a contest for privilege. Five years later, when the alien ship returns, three human representatives board it, including Pierre Duclos, whose insight helped shape the final decision. They explain that only after chaos and bitter debate did humanity abandon nationality, wealth, creed, and status in favor of a genuinely universal choice. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.