The Crystal Crypt

On the last passenger ship leaving Mars for Terra, Bob Thacher finds himself trapped in a climate of war, suspicion, and hidden loyalties. After Martian authorities force an emergency landing on Deimos and surround the vessel with armed craft, a black-clad official boards to accuse three Terran saboteurs of destroying a Martian city. A truth-verifying interrogation clears every passenger—yet only deepens the mystery. When the ship sails again, Thacher follows the enigmatic Mara Gordon into the lounge and discovers that she, Ralf Erickson, and the alert Jan are not harmless travelers but covert agents with a dangerous purpose. Erickson then tells their story: a desperate infiltration of Mars's forbidden capital, ruled by the ruthless Council of Senior Leiters. Disguised as peasants, with Mara and Jan posing as an engaged couple and Erickson as a priest, they slip through patrols, enter the city, and secretly plant devices to map its center. At dusk, Erickson triggers a catastrophic blast that obliterates the city in violet fire, then reveals the victory with a tiny glass globe containing a miniature version of it. But escape proves perilous, and the mission's aftermath turns into a race against soldiers, pursuit, and the last ship home. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.