Failure on Titan by Robert Abernathy Episode #513
Robert Abernathy | March 12, 2026-
play_circle_filled
Failure on Titan by Robert Abernathy Episode #513
Robert Abernathy
FAILURE ON TITAN
Episode #513 · Written by Robert Abernathy · Narrated by Scott Miller
On the remote Saturnian moon Phoebe, the human colony depends on the Woollies—massive white creatures bred long ago to serve. Their strength carved the mines, their obedience built the settlements, and their reliability made the Saturn system prosperous. For fifty years they have been the most dependable labor force humanity has ever known.
Then one of them kills a man.
The shock spreads across the outer planets in hours. If the Woollies can rebel, the entire structure of the Saturn colonies begins to tremble. Reporter Leila Frey arrives on Phoebe searching for answers and finds herself inside a lonely outpost ruled by Paul Gedner, a man whose ambitions stretch far beyond mining jade on a frozen moon.
Gedner has discovered something beneath Phoebe’s surface that could reshape the balance of power in the Solar System. With the Woollies under his command and a bold plan already in motion, he believes he can trigger a crisis and rise from the chaos as the ruler of Saturn itself.
But the Woollies are not machines. Their minds respond to the thoughts and emotions of the humans around them, and on a small isolated moon those emotions can grow dangerously intense. As pressure builds inside the station, a single moment of uncontrolled feeling may determine whether Gedner’s grand design succeeds—or collapses.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Abernathy published a small but memorable body of science fiction during the 1940s and 1950s. His stories appeared in magazines such as Planet Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories, and Science Fiction Adventures, where he specialized in tense off-world settings and ambitious characters pushing technology to dangerous limits.
“Failure on Titan” is one of Abernathy’s best known works, combining planetary intrigue with a psychological twist involving the telepathically controlled Woollies. The story reflects the era’s fascination with interplanetary colonies while exploring how fragile absolute control can become when human emotions enter the equation.
LISTEN TO THE STORY
Listen to Failure on Titan by Robert Abernathy — a vintage science fiction story of power, rebellion, and a dangerous plan unfolding on Saturn’s moons.
LOST VOICES OF VINTAGE SCI-FI
Not every science fiction writer built a long career in the field or became a widely recognized name. Some published only a handful of stories before disappearing from the magazines, leaving behind little biographical record and few surviving details. Others may be remembered for work in different genres, while their contribution to science fiction was brief.
Yet these writers helped shape the texture of the pulp era and beyond. Their stories experimented with bold ideas, filled the pages between the famous names, and added depth to the ever-expanding landscape of vintage science fiction.
The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast exists in part to rediscover these voices. The stories below were written by authors who published briefly, sparingly, or whose science fiction output was small - but whose work still deserves to be heard.
- The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky
- The Ultimate Wish by E. M. Hull
- Welcome to Paradise by Allyn Donnelson
- Day of Reckoning by Morton Klass
- Zeritskys Law by Ann Griffith
- Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel
- Patch by William Shedenhelm
- Rabbits Have Long Ears by Lawrence F. Willard
- Electronic Landslide by Clyde Hostetter
- They Reached for the Moon by William Oberfield
- Death Walks on Mars by Alan J. Ramm
- When the Moon Fell by Morrison Colladay
- Know They Neighbor by Elisabeth R. Lewis
- The Other One by A. H. Gibson
- No Evidence by Victoria Lincoln
- The Man Who Liked Lions by John Bernard Daley
- Willies Planet by Mike Ellis
- The Short Snorter by Charles Einstein
- Your Servant Sir by Sol Boren
- The Fugitives by Malcolm B. Morehart Jr
- Leave Earthmen or Die by John Massie Davis
- And All the Girls Were Nude by Richard Magruder
- Rabbits Have Long Ears by Lawrence F. Willard
- Dust Unto Dust by Lyman D. Hinckley
- Day of Wrath by Bjarne Kirchhoff
- You Are Forbidden by Jerry Shelton
ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST
The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked the #1 Science Fiction Podcast in 34 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.7 million listens.
Each episode features carefully selected stories from the Golden Age of science fiction, professionally narrated. Timeless storytelling the way it was meant to be heard.
What listeners are saying:
★★★★★
“Great. This is a great podcast. The narrator is a great reader. All stories are extremely good.”
— Zapzoom FBC
★★★★★
“Thank you for your fantastic reading voice. Your accent and pronunciation and rhythm of the reading you do for the world is a delight to the mind. You are one of two readers who have this special resonance in your voice.”
— Odette
Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.
📬 JOIN LOST SCI-FI WEEKLY
35,000+ Listeners Can’t Be Wrong
Get vintage sci-fi stories, podcast episodes, and surprises every Monday.
FREE SCI-FI EVERY WEEK
✅ Check your email and confirm — that unlocks your free sci-fi downloads.
No spam in this galaxy. You can eject anytime.
