A terrifying darkness engulfed the sky while on the horizon a fire flood consumed the mountain! The ship swayed again. Flying creatures darted back and forth above the tree tops. Miles away, insensate violence reigned. Clouds of dust and smoke shot miles into the air, half a mountainside glowed white hot, and there was the sound of long-continued thunder as the ground shook and quivered… The runaway spacecraft’s rockets bellowed as it lifter. Hovering for an instant, it surged skyward. The ship vanished into emptiness. Jed Cochrane stared helplessly at the spot where it had stood. Babs gasped suddenly. She realized the situation in which she and Cochrane had been left. Shivering, she pressed close to him as the distant trail of blackened smoke spread toward the center of the sky. They were alone together among the stars!