$Atomic Station by Frank Belknap Long, a colossal ring shaped space station fractured and burning in deep space, glowing atomic light spilling from its ruptured hull as debris drifts across a star filled void, dramatic retro futuristic scene evoking vintage science fiction and classic sci fi catastrophe among the stars$

Atomic Station by Frank Belknap Long Episode #232

Frank Belknap Long | July 3, 2024

Atomic Station by Frank Belknap Long Episode #232
Frank Belknap Long

ATOMIC STATION

Episode #232 · Written by Frank Belknap Long · Narrated by Scott Miller

Humanity once pushed its most dangerous experiments far from Earth, trusting that distance and discipline would keep the world safe. In that lonely outpost, brilliant minds worked with forces powerful enough to reshape matter itself. It was a place built on hope, courage, and the belief that knowledge could be controlled.

When an interstellar pilot finally returns, he finds the station transformed into something unrecognizable. Generations have passed, histories have fractured, and the people who remain live with the consequences of energies that could never truly be contained. Every corridor holds echoes of what was lost and warnings of what might still be unleashed.

As old messages come to light and long-buried truths are revealed, the fate of the station rests on a single decision. Compassion pulls one way, survival another. In the shadow of unstoppable power, the line between salvation and ruin grows dangerously thin.

This is a story of time out of joint, of love found amid ruin, and of the terrible weight placed on those who return too late. It asks whether progress without limits can ever be safe, and whether the future can be saved by an act of final destruction.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frank Belknap Long crafted imaginative fiction that fused sweeping speculative ideas with intimate emotional conflicts. His stories frequently confront characters with vast, almost incomprehensible forces, then focus sharply on the personal choices that determine what survives. In this tale, his gift for blending awe, dread, and fragile hope is on full display, creating a powerful meditation on responsibility in an age of limitless energy.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Atomic Station by Frank Belknap Long — a vintage sci-fi short story where a returning astronaut faces a warped future and a choice that could save or doom humanity.

ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked #1 in 34 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.3 million listens, introducing classic science fiction to a global audience of devoted fans.

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:

★★★★★ “Well narrated. My go to for old sci-fi brilliantly narrated – no need for sound effects or background music. Keep ‘em coming I’m almost upto date. Thank you for a brilliant podcast.”
—Peetee Bee

★★★★★ “Great stories and superb narration. This podcast is now the one I check first when I want something to relax to each night. The top quality narration really brings the stories to life.. please keep them coming!”
—PrometheusUK

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.