The Derelict of Space by William Thurmond and Ray Cummings Episode #543
Ray Cummings and William Thurmond | May 8, 2026-
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The Derelict of Space by William Thurmond and Ray Cummings Episode #543
Ray Cummings and William Thurmond
THE DERELICT OF SPACE
Episode #209 · Written by Ray Cummings & William Thurmond · Narrated by Scott Miller
Far beyond any known route, a silent craft drifts in absolute stillness, untouched and unexplained. When it is discovered, the mystery is immediate. This vessel was never meant to travel through space, yet here it is—intact, empty of air, and filled with the preserved remains of those who never returned.
What follows is not a rescue, but a reconstruction. Inside the derelict, every room tells part of the story. A shattered control system, signs of violence, and the final positions of the dead begin to reveal how a carefully planned journey unraveled. The deeper the explorers look, the clearer it becomes that something went wrong long before the ship was abandoned.
This is a story of isolation taken to its extreme. With no escape and no outside help, the crew faced a situation that could not be reversed. Each choice narrowed their options, until only one outcome remained. What survives is not just a failed experiment, but a record of how quickly control can slip away when the margin for error disappears.
The Derelict of Space builds its tension through discovery, guiding the listener through a quiet, methodical uncovering of events. There are no sudden answers here—only fragments that slowly assemble into a final, unavoidable truth.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ray Cummings was a central figure in early science fiction, publishing extensively in pulp magazines such as Amazing Stories, Astounding Stories, and Weird Tales. He wrote hundreds of stories and is best known for titles like The Girl in the Golden Atom and The Man Who Mastered Time. His work often combined speculative science with personal conflict, and that same approach shapes the tension and structure of this story.
William Thurmond has only a small number of documented science fiction publications, and The Derelict of Space stands as one of his few known contributions. His work here survives largely through its collaboration with a more established voice.
LISTEN TO THE STORY
Listen to The Derelict of Space by William Thurmond and Ray Cummings — a classic science fiction tale of a lost time-ship drifting far beyond Earth.
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Start Your Free 7-Day Trial →RAY CUMMINGS SHORT STORIES
Ray Cummings was one of the foundational voices of early science fiction. Trained as a technical writer and once employed by Thomas Edison, Cummings brought a sense of scientific possibility to stories filled with strange inventions, impossible journeys, hidden worlds and looming cosmic danger. His work appeared regularly in the pulp magazines during the genre’s formative years and helped shape the adventurous spirit of classic science fiction.
His stories move quickly and rarely stay confined to ordinary reality for long. A machine opens the door to another dimension. A scientific breakthrough spins out of control. A harmless experiment suddenly threatens entire civilizations. Cummings had a talent for taking a bold premise and pushing it toward chaos before his characters could fully understand what they were facing.
Unlike many writers of his era, Cummings leaned heavily into spectacle and imagination. Shrinking technology, invisible forces, distant planets and impossible scientific devices appear throughout his fiction, often delivered with relentless pacing and cliffhanger momentum. His influence can still be felt in modern science fiction adventure stories.
The stories below highlight Ray Cummings at his most imaginative, from bizarre scientific discoveries to dangerous encounters that push humanity beyond the limits of ordinary experience.
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