Rescue Squad

"Rescue Squad" by Thomas J. O'Hara is a science fiction tale set in the mid-20th century that follows Hal Burnett, a young mail pilot, after a navigational error sends his ship hurtling towards the Sun. The book is a tense examination of the human condition in the face of overwhelming odds, where fear and isolation run rampant, and illustrates the mental toll of deep space travel. As his ship, MR4, faces destruction, Hal wrestles with his self-esteem, spiraling into despair and haunted by feelings of inadequacy stemming from his father's expectations. When Hal sends a frantic distress call, he discovers a rescue mission is underway; unbeknownst to him, the government has medicated him to ease the agonizing wait, concealing the grim reality of the rescue's timeline, which ultimately precipitates a devastating conclusion about survival amid the vastness of space.