Traitor's Choice

"Traitor's Choice" by Paul W. Fairman is a science fiction story set amidst a war between Earth and the Centaurians, where a scientist, Reed Kendall, faces an impossible decision. Threatened by a Centaurian who has kidnapped his wife, Clare, Kendall is forced to choose between handing over secret military information about a powerful weapon called "Willy Seven" to save Clare's life, or protecting Earth from destruction. Torn between his love for his wife and his duty to his planet, Kendall plans to use a dangerous rocket project from his past, suggesting a desperate attempt to outsmart the Centaurians and rewrite his fate. The story examines the difficult choices people make when pushed to their limits, showing how love and fear can lead to unexpected acts of courage and potentially devastating outcomes.