The crew of the starship Constitution had been carefully screened before being sent to another star system. There they would explore the planet orbiting Alpha Centauri and then return. They were the toast of the world press, for they were to be the first humans to reach the planet of another star. But there was one problem . . . Dr. Dieter von Knefhausen, the mastermind behind the expedition, knew that the planet the ship was headed for did not exist. The Constitution had no place to land and no way to return. Knefhausen had planned it that way. Of course, Knefhausen realized his plan wasn't exactly ethical. But then, he knew the ends often justify the means. And Knefhausen's plan worked better than even he had ever hoped!

Expanded from the award-winning novella, “The Gold at Starbow’s End.”