"Captain Midas" by Alfred Coppel Jr. is a science fiction story that spins a yarn about avarice and the dangers of unbridled ambition, set against the backdrop of interstellar exploration. An aging captain of the spaceship, Martian Maid, aptly named Midas, and his determined crew encounter a derelict spacecraft that holds the promise of unimaginable riches. Intrigued by the vessel's construction—an alien metal that transmutes into gold—they succumb to the lure of easy wealth, only to discover that the metal exacts a terrible price. Each touch of the gold drains their youth, turning them into decrepit shadows of their former selves. Facing the grim reality of the metal's life-draining properties, Midas is forced to make a difficult choice between treasure and survival, ultimately leading to a harrowing escape that leaves him haunted by the loss of his crew and the cursed treasure they sought. This is a space odyssey where the real treasure is not gold but the youth, and life, which are lost in its reckless pursuit.
Captain Midas
By Alfred Coppel
Lured by gold that steals the youth from anyone who dares to touch it, a spaceship crew faces a grim fight for survival against their own greed.
Summary
About the AuthorAlfred Coppel, Alfredo Jose de Arana-Marini Coppel was an American author. Born in Oakland, he served as a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. After his discharge, he started his career as a writer. He became one of the most prolific pulp magazine authors of the 1950s and 1960s, adopting the pseudonyms Robert Cham Gilman and A.C. Marin and writing for a variety of pulp magazines and later "slick" publishers. Though writing in a variety of genres, including action thrillers, he is known for his science fiction stories which comprise both short stories and novels.
Alfred Coppel, Alfredo Jose de Arana-Marini Coppel was an American author. Born in Oakland, he served as a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. After his discharge, he started his career as a writer. He became one of the most prolific pulp magazine authors of the 1950s and 1960s, adopting the pseudonyms Robert Cham Gilman and A.C. Marin and writing for a variety of pulp magazines and later "slick" publishers. Though writing in a variety of genres, including action thrillers, he is known for his science fiction stories which comprise both short stories and novels.
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