Andrew Bruce by Kir Bulychev. Short summary

5 seconds

Bruce is captured by Prugh, who has taken over the gravitator. Control sends a ship to intercept. Andrei enters outer space to warn of the ambush. The criminals are apprehended.

1 minute

Space archaeologist Photius is kidnapped on the planet Pe-U. Spacefleet agent Andrei Bruce goes to meet the Squall gravitator from Earth. Everyone is talking about the missing Van Coon, who brought materials from the excavations on Ar-A. The agent learns that his girlfriend Petria has been murdered.

Bruce and the Squall captain are captured by Prugh, a local prince who has taken over the gravitator. He wants to take the weapons of a dead civilization from the planet Ar-A and seize power. Photius is also hidden on the ship. Spacefleet Command, having lost contact with the gravitolighter, sends the «Vatsius» to his aid. Timothy Brown, head of the archeologists on Ar-A, is waiting for the flight and is unaware of the capture.

Upon landing, Photius escapes and warns Brown. The bandits take their weapons and take off. The Vatsius moves in to intercept. Bruce goes into open space and warns of the ambush. He was once almost killed when he broke away from the ship. After that, he was written off as captain. The crew disarms the invaders and heads for P-U. There Andrei learns that Petria’s killer was punished by her brother.