MASTERS OF THE VORTEX (_original title_: THE VORTEX BLASTER) E. E. Smith NEW YORK Copyright 1960 Edward E. Smith, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America [Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] THE VORTEX BLASTER —“Storm” Cloud, the only man who could destroy the ravening nuclear vortices that struck and killed at random. THE VORTEX BLASTER was also the name of Cloud’s space-ship, an incredibly advanced arsenal of modern science, in which Cloud and his crew of colorful space castaways hunted the source of the lethal vortices, battled a criminal mastermind, developed unheard-of sciences, and made an ultimate discovery of shattering importance to the destiny of the Universe! THE VORTEX BLASTERS team up in a saga of crisis and adventure in the worlds of the Lensmen—“Doc” Smith’s most enduring creation. _Novels of science fiction_ by “DOC” SMITH _The Skylark series_ THE SKYLARK OF SPACE SKYLARK OF VALERON SKYLARK THREE SKYLARK DUQUESNE _The Lensman series_ TRIPLANETARY FIRST LENSMAN GALACTIC PATROL GRAY LENSMAN SECOND STAGE LENSMEN CHILDREN OF THE LENS MASTERS OF THE VORTEX (_original title_: The Vortex Blaster) _To_ _Bob Heinlein_ _With Admiration and Esteem_ CONTENTS