Operation Interstellar

"Operation Interstellar" by George O. Smith is a science fiction story set in the mid-20th century about an engineer named Paul Grayson who works for the Bureau of Astrogation, tasked with measuring distances on Proxima Centauri I. As he gets ready for his journey, Paul finds himself caught up in a robbery and meets a puzzling woman, hinting at hidden schemes that entangle him in something much bigger than he expects. His ordinary walk to the spaceport takes a sharp turn when he's attacked and robbed, introducing Nora Phillips, who seems like both a possible friend and maybe something more. This beginning mixes space travel with danger and personal relationships, setting the stage for exploring interstellar communication and the suspense woven into Paul's assignment in the great beyond.