The Emperor had no more devoted Armsman than Gunner Cade. In this warped civilization of murder and death, Cade fought as he was expected to, killed as he was expected to, destroying enemy after enemy until he himself was shot down in honorable battle.

But Cade did not die. After weeks of unconsciousness, he awoke to find he was a fugitive, the object of a world-wide manhunt. Why was it so important to silence him? What undiscovered secret did he possess as he desperately fled over the earth and into outer space?

And Cade began to realize that he held in his hands the fate of all mankind...

*
Magazine publication: Astounding Science Fiction, sr3, marzec-maj 1952
First book publication: Simon & Schuster 1952
Published as by Cyril Judd
Cover art by Paul Lehr