Task to Luna

** "Task to Luna" by Alfred Coppel is a Cold War science fiction story that highlights the space race between America and Russia. It tells of a tense standoff between Randick, an American astronaut, and his nameless Russian counterpart on the Moon, where each hopes to secure their nation's claim to the cosmos. The narrative places these rivals in a darkly humorous predicament when they face each other armed, only to have their conflict interrupted by something far greater: an impending invasion from an unknown force. They laugh together, briefly united against the bizarre backdrop of their feud and a looming alien threat. **