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YOU'RE, THE STAR OF MORE, THAN 24 ENDINGS.

ONLY YOU CAN STOP A SPACtr VAMPIRE

FROM LANDING ON E,ARTHI
A blood-thirsty vampire from a distant planet has occu-
pied a spaceship in the outer reaches of the solar system.
As the Space Academy's top recruit, it's your job to cap-
ture the vampire before he reaches Earth, where the alien
creature plans to fleast on the planet's population. But as
soon as you board his spacecraft, the vampire immedi-
ately corners youl What should you do?
If youjump into the spaceship's escape capsule and blast
Aour waA through the emergency hatch, turn to page 42.
If you face the uampire and try to outwit him, turn to
page 32. Watch out-the space uampire has a strange
power ouer humans. If you're not careful, you could be-
come auampire yourself! Or youmight find gour way to
the uampire planet, where you can negotiate a truce with
the uampire chief!
What happens next in the story depends on the choices
you make. Only gou can find out how the story endsl
And the best part is that you can keep reading and re-
reading until you've had not one but manA incredibly
daring experiencesl
CHOOSE YOUK OWN ADVENTURE@

N 0-553-et?e3-X>>a50
 KIDS CAN'T STOP READING
THE CHOOSE YOUR
OWN ADVENTUREO STORIES!
Z
E "Choose Your Own Advenfure is the best thing
I
(ri
that has come along since books themselves. "
tn Beyer, age 11
t! -Alysha
1

ru
"ldidn't read much before, but now I read my
IT Choose Your Own Adventure books almost every
{ru night. "
LrJ
-{hris Brogan, age 13
I
><
"l love the control I have overwhat happens next. "
Efstathiou, age 17
ru -Kosta
(Jl
E "Choose Your Own Advenfure books are so much
fun to read and collect-l want them all!"
Davin, age 11
-Brendan
And teachers like this series, too:
"We have read and reread, worn thin, loved,
loaned, bought for others, and donated to school
\o libraries our Choose Your Own Adventure
-{ books. "
@
o-
ln
LN CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE@_
LA
AND MAKE READING MORE FUN!
NJ
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-=
BanEm Bols in the Chw You Orm rMvahrpo S€ri6 CIIOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE . 71
Ask your bmk*llr lor the bmls yq haw mied.

#1 THECAVEOFTIME t37 IIIAR WITH THE Er/lL

#2 JOUBNEY I,'NDER THE PC,IA,ER },IASTER
SEA *38 SABOTAGE
#3 BY BALI..OOi.I TO TTIE #39 SIJPERCOMPUIER

#4
Sql{i{BA
SHCE AI.ID BE\OND
#5 THE DfYSTEKY OF
#O THE THROI{E OF EI.'S
#4T SEARCH FORTHE
MOI'NTAIN @RILI.AS
SPACE \4TIVIPIRE
CHITI'NEY ROCK I42 THE MYSTERI OF ECHO BY EDWARD PACI{ARD
#5 \OUB CODE NAME IS !ODGE
JOMH #43 GRAND CAI{\ON
#7 THE TTIIRD PT.ANET ODYSSEY
FROM ALNAIR #44 THE i,IYSTEIIY OF t RA
#8 DEADWOOD CTTY SENXE
#9 WHO KILLED HARTOTI.IE #45 \OI, ARE A S}IARK
THROT.IBE? 146 THE DEADLY SIIADCIA'
#TO THE I.OST JEWEI.S OF #47 ouTtldrrs oF
MBOC'N SHERTTCOD FOREST
#11 T'fYSTERT OF THE MAYA #48 SF/ FOR GEORGE
#12 INSIDE Urc *4O UIASHINGION
#r3 THE ABOMINART F #49 DANGER AT N{CTIOR
sNc A[r,tAN MINE
#14 THE FORBIDDEN CASTI.X #50 REruRN IOTHECAVE
#T5 HOUSE OF DANGER OF TIME
#16 SUR!,NNL AT SEA #51 THE i,lrclc OF THE
#77 TI,E RACE FORRI,ER IJNrcORI{
#18 I.,NDERGrcUND #52 GHOST Ht'NTER
KINGDOM #53 THE CASE OF THE SILK
*19 SECRET OF THE XING
PYBAMIDS #v FOREST OF FEAR
#20 ESCAPE #55 THE TRUMPET OF
#21 I-TYPERSRCE TERROR
#22 ShCE mTnOL tfi THE ENCHANTED
*23 THE I.oST TRIBE KINGDOM
#24 LOST oI{ THE AIr{MON +57 TI{E AIYMVATTEIT
#25 PBISOI{EROFTHEANT FORI,IJTA
PEOPLE #58 STA'II|E OF UBERTY
#26 fiEPHANTOM ADVENruRE
SI.'BMARINE ,59 TER8oR rSt-Ar{D
+27 THE HORROR OF HIGH it60 tANlStlED!
RIDGE #61 BEYO{D ESCAPE!
#28 MOTJNIAIN SI.,RdI\'{L *62 STJGARCANE 6I.AI{D
#29 TM.JBLE ON PI.ANET #63 IyIYSTER/ OF Tt{E ILLUSTMTED tsY JUDITH MITCHELL
EARTH SECRET mi'l
#30 THE CI.JRSE OF #el vot-cAl{o!
BATTEIISI FA H/qlI +65 THE },ARDI GBAS IvIYSTEFf
#31 \'AMPIRE EXPRESS ,65 SECRETOFTTIENIITA
#32 TREASURE DIi/ER ,67 SEASIDE }IYSTER'
#33 THE DRAGOT{S'DEN #68 SECRET OF IHE SI,N C,oD
*34 THEIvIYSTEFYOFTHE #69 MCXAIIDrclTMYSTEff
HIGHI.AND CREST INfiDERS OF IHE PIA{ET
#35 JOIJBNE'Y 10 '70 EARI}I
STOT{EHENGE ,7I SBCE \IqMHRE
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BANTAM BOOKS
#f JOURNEY 10 THE YF3R 3000 (A Chre Yw Om Adventrco Suxr Adwnture) TORONTO. NEW YORK . LONDON . SYDNEY. AUCKLAND
 SPACE \'[MPIRE

RL 4 IL age 10 and up
SFACE VAMPIBE
A Bontom Book I Auryst 1987
CH@SE yOUR OI,VMD\IENTUBEa is o regj*ered trodemo* of
Bontom Books lnc. Regiiered in U.S. fotent ond Tmdemo*
Ollice ond elseuhere.
Oiginol conception $ Edword Poclro,rd

All nghb re*nted.

Copyright @ 1987 by Edword Poclard.
Cooer ort ond inside i/lustndiors qyight @ 1*)7 by
Bantum Bools, htc.
This book moy not be reproduced in whole or in po:rl, by
mimeogroph or ony other meons, wihout permission.
For inlormdion oddr*: Bontam Bcr:.lrs, Inc.

rsBN G553-26723-X
Publishe-d simuhoneously in the United Stotes or:d Conodo

Bontom Books ore published by Bontom Books, lnc. Its trode-

mork, consisling ol lhe words "Bontom Books't ond the por-
troyol ol o tooste, is Registeted in U.S. Patent ond Trodemork
Ollice ond in other countdes. Morco Regidrodo- Bonlom
8ooks, lnc., 666 Filth Aoenue, New York, New York 70703.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

o 0987654321
r
I
it
il

WARNING!!!
Do not read this book straight through from begin-
ning to end. These pages contain many different
adventures you may have when a space vampire
invades the solar system. From time to time as you
read along, you will be asked to make decisions
and choices. Your choices may lead to success or
disaster.

The adventures you have will be the result of your

own choices. After you make a choice, follow the
instructions to see what happens to you next.

CAUTION: The space vampire has extraordinary

powers and a terrifying appetite!

Good luck!
 1

Basking under the imitation sun, listening to

tapes of surf on a Hawaiian beach, you think about
all you've been through lately: training in the
asteroid belt, then the slalom race around Sat-
urn-weaving through its high-velocity rings-
and finally surviving with no equipment, nothing
but a light-gravity space suit, during three-week
trials on Jupiter's largest moon. Four years at the
Space Academy and you've made it! You'llgradu-
ate tomorrow, and if you did wellon the quantum
mechanics exam, you'll be at the top of your class!
After centuries of strife the planets of the solar
system united and formed a Space Force to pro-
tect themselves against alien intruders. Although
Earth is still the most important planet, the Acad-
emy is stationed in high orbit around Mars, deli-
cately balanced so as to be able to blast off with
almost no drag in the event of attack. It's been
known for millennia that the Canopians have been
preparing for war-that they willbe satisfied with
nothing less than conquest of the United Planets.
So far they have not dared to attack. It will be your
job to help make sure they never do.
You step out of the simulator and head back to
your room on the inner ring of the giant space
station that houses the Academy.

TUrn to page 39.

2 3
"Sit down, Osprey. I'm glad you could get here The director removes his spectacles and rubs his
so quickly. " Neff points a finger at you as if he's eyes before replying. "No. In all other respects
about to accuse you of something; then a smile vampires are almost superhuman. They're tre-
breaks out on his face. "l'm happy to tell you that mendously strong and clever, and almost inde-
you're first in the graduating class-you've been structible. Their only weakness is that they cannot
given an Elite rating!" survive bright sunshine. "
"Wow, thank you!" is all you can blurt out. "What about outer space, beyond Earth's orbit,
Suddenly the smile vanishes from Neff's face. where the sun is not so bright?"
"But remembeq you'll be expected to live up to The director nods. "That's the problem exacfly. "
your Elite rating every day. " His voice is stern. "We He motions toward a large star chart mounted on
have a problem, and we need the best young of- the wall. "Outside the orbit of Earth, vampires are
{icer we can get. We thought our defenses were almost invulnerable. And we've recenfly learned
secure, but the United Planets are in grave dan- that a vampire from a distant planet is at large in
ger." the solar system. Last week he got aboard the
"What's the problem, sir? Is it the Canopians?" transport ship Petyo, which is en route from Cal-
Though his study is sound-proofed, the director listo to Earth. He's been killing the passengers at a
glances around as if afraid he might be overheard. rapid rate----at least one every night. "
"Have you ever heard of space vampires?"
"Sir. are you serious? I thought they were only a
legend. "
Neff shakes his head. "lf only they were legend-
ary. The reason vampires are rare on Earth is that
they must be in their coffins by daybreak---or they
die. That is a considerable inconvenience to
them. "
"Doesn't that make them easy to dealwith, sir?"

Go on to the next page. Turn to poge 73.

 4
You open the hatch of the escape capsule and
peer inside. "Have you tried to escape in this cap-
sule?" you ask. "lt looks as if it's ready to fly."
She shakes her head. "l know where the control
lock is, but I haven't dared go near it. I'm afraid
he'll be waiting for me."
"Laurie." You lay a hand on her arm. "We've
got to think fast. "
Your new friend bites her lip. She nods and
smiles a little.
"What does the vampire plan to do now that
he's killed everyone?"
Suddenly you feel a presence in the chamber.
"l plan to ntake you uompiresl" A deep, hollow
voice fills the room.
A pale metallic light comes on-as weak and
pale as the waning moon. Blocking the exit is a
large square-shouldered man, dressed in the uni-
{
{orm of a Space Force commander. His face is
deathly white. His mouth is stretched into a malev-
olent smile. His upper lip bulges where his teeth
press against it. And you see those teeth, curved
like the blade of a scimitar, as a horrible laugh
escapes his lips.
Laurie gasps. She huddles behind you as you
desperately try to think what to do.

If you push Laune into the escape capsule,

jump in behind her and try to blast your way
through the emergency hatch, turn to poge 42.

If you t'ace the uompire and try to outwit him,

turn to page 32.
6 7
With half the Space Force looking for you, you Sophisticated as the K-l is, its beautifully de-
don't dare try to get help. You'll take on the space signed servo-computer makes the ship relatively
vampire yourself! easy to fly, at least for someone who has mastered
The K-I is not only fast, it accelerates and de- its technical aspects. After a few moments' thought
celerates more quickly than any craft in the fleet. you're able to remember the code sequence that
And the navigational system operates flawlessly. brings the ship under your control.
Within a few hours you're coasting to a ren- Glancing through the canopy, you notice that
dezvous with the Pefyo. Pulling alongside the large the workmen are staring at you. It's beginning to
silver-hulled vessel, you have a weird sensation. dawn on them that you have no business sitting at
It's as if you were visiting an Egyptian tomb. the controls of the most advanced fighter in the
There's no way you can tell how many passengers solar system! Suddenly one of them is running
are still alive inside, but you can almost/eel death toward a control panel. You know that in a mo-
through the skin of the Petya. You shudder as you ment a heavysteel door will crash shut, and an ion
lock on gour K-7. After taking a deep breath you force field will surround your craft.
snap on your space helmet, grab the FFG, leap 6-8-3-3-8-1 R. You punch in the emergency
into space, and jet to the Petya's main hatch. takeoff code. Microseconds after you hit the last
Quickly, almost too quickly, you think, the hatch key, the K-l leaps forward. You're out of the
slides open, and you step inside a dark cube- hangar! The craft is tilting into launch aspect. You
shaped room. The outer door closes behind you. hear a siren. The guard robots are in the air! What's
You hear a hissing of air. The inner door slides wrong? Why isn't the computer launching your
open, and you step into a well-lighted corridor. craft? There they are--guard craft swooping to-
Where is everybody? Who let you in? You'd al- ward you! Then you remember: you musf press
most rather face the vampire than this emptiness. the confirm launch key! Bul where is it?
You walk forward cautiously, looking for the "There!"
control room. If there's anyone on this ship, some-
one must be on watch.
Suddenly a man is standing before you! His
black hair glistens in the fluorescent light. His face
is so white he looks like a robot or an android, but
you can tellthat his eyes, his great, hollow eyes, are
real. You not only see them, you feelthem boring
into your brain.

Turn to page 44 Turn to poge 26.

 9

Three weeks have passed. You're five billion

miles from Earth, standing watch on board the
Beluga, a Class-D scout ship. Your destination is
Barnard's Staq six light years away.
You're feeling a bit lonely right now, lonely and
bored. The other crew members are sleeping, and
there's not much for you to do. You glance at the
instrument panels and display screens and look
out the windows, marveling at the stars. They look
far more brilliant in space than they ever do on
Earth. You can make out two tiny points of light on
either side of the sun. They are the giant planets,
Jupiter and Saturn. Earth is too smallto be seen at
this distance without a powerful telescope.
Probability theory was your best subject at the
Academy, and it's not hard for you to figure the
odds against aliens entering during your tour on
watch-more than 22 mrllion to one! No wonder
you're bored. What a useless job! There's certainly
no harm in reclining in your chair and taking a little
nap. No one will ever know.

lf you decide to take a little nap,

turn to page 717.

lf youresolue to stay awoke ond keep close

watch on euerything, turn to page 700.
10 11

"['ll volunteer. " A troubled look comes over the captain's face.
You can hardly believe what you're saying. It's "Wouldn't that be easy," he says. ' e
one thing to volunteer for a dangerous mission- studied vampires, you know they a y
that's expected of a Space Force Officer. But to immortal. Sometimes a vampire e
agree to be the bait for a space vampire-you've dead, but the spark of his supernaturallife remains
got to be crazy.lf you succeed, however, you'll be and soon restores the broken body. The only way
a hero. You'llbe wellon your way to commanding to killa vampire is to expose him to the direct light
your own starship! of a sun no less bright than the one that shines on
Captain Field lays a hand on your shoulder. Earth. "
"Osprey, you've taken on a tough assignment, but For a while no one speaks.
I'm confident you'llsucceed." He steps back and "Any other questions?"
looks thoughtfully at you and your crew mates. "What should I do when the vampire comes
"Here's my plan: Osprey willpretend to be sleep- toward me?" you ask.
ing. Jack, Serena and I will be hidden behihd the The captain bites his lower lip before replying.
computer banks on the port side of the bunk "Simply lie there and wait. When the vampire gets
room. " The captain pauses to take a deep breath. near you, almost on top of you, he will be over-
"When the vampire is about to strike, we willim- come with lustful thirst. Then we shall seize him!"
mobilize him in a force field and tie him up with
illyrium wire. Illyrium is the only material shong
enough to withstand the superhuman power of a
vampire. "
"Can't we just shoot him?" Smgthe asks.

Go on to the neft poge. TUrn to page 48.

L2 13
"Bracing stations," the captain calls out, then to Neff leans closer. His face pales as he adds, "We
the computer, "H9per 3. " think this vampire was sent to the solar system to
Suddenly you realize that Captain Field isn't sample human blood. It's evident he likes it. If we
taking your advice. But there's no time to ask him don't capture him before he returns to his own
to explain his thinking-if vou're not in accelera- planet, we may face a massive invasion of vam-
tion braces within 3.4 seconds you'll have no pires!"
chance of surviving the X-2's leap to metaspeed. You start to speak but the director silences you
Later, in the limitless void of space, the captain with his outstretched hand. "We're sending our
explains, "You've proven your bravery, Osprey, new X-2 probe craft to deal with this threat-space
but not your intelligence. When you advised me to launch tomorrow at 0700. I'm offering you a berth
fight the Canopians, you forgot that we're on a on this mission. I can't tell you more about it
critical mission-we can't delay it for a shoot-out rloyy-you'll be briefed on board the X-2."
with trigger-happy aliens. " He pats your shoulder. You lean against Neff's antique oak desk, too
"Sorry, Osprey. " stunned to reply.

Three days later you find yourself shooting pool

at the officer's club on Demos Base 3 while you
wait for reassignment. You're making terrible shots
because you're fighting mad. Sure, you knew the
rule: If you want to keep an Elite rating, you have
to be perfect. You made a mistake, and now you'll
probably be given some boring job on a patrol
ship. If only you could prove your worth! You
weren't first in your class for nothing! You feelsure
you can get that vampire. But how?
You quit the game and stroll around the base,
walking unhindered past several security eyes.
Though you've been stripped of your Elite rating,
the information hasn't filtered through the system.
As far as the computer eges are concerned, you
still have top-secret clearance.

Turn to page 78. Go on to the next page.

 F=7=@-ltFl

"Wll you accept this assignment?" he ask. "lf

not, you'llbe assigned on the mission to Barnard's
Star to see whether its main planet is suitable for
colonDation. "

lf you go on the mission to deal with the space

oampire, turn to poge 31.

It' you go on the mission to Barnard's Stof

turn to page 9.
t6 L7
"l like that idea, " the captain says, "though it's You fire the jet, and instantly you're slammed
somewhat dangerous. If the space vampire ever against the wall. The jet is designed for propulsion,
gets loose on Earth, he could kill thousands of not as a weapon. Whether or not it hurt the vam-
people before he's caught. " pire, you have no way of knowing, for you're
During the next few days the X-2 tracks Petyo as knocked cold.
it journeys toward Earth. You and your crew mates Hours later you awaken in the comfortable
watch with fascination as the ill-fated transportsets quarters of the ship's captain. You're stretched out
down at Lockmoor Space Base near Joplin, Mis- on a sofa, your head propped up on an arm rest.
souri. Minutes afterwar d, lhe X-2 lands nearby. No Laurie is sitting nearby, looking very strange. Her
radio contact has been made with the Petya Ior eyes, which once were dark brown, are now a
several days, yet it made a precision landing. watery blue. She looks stronger. Her body seems
Someone is on board, and there is little doubt it's much more muscular. Turning, you behold the
the vampire. By the time you step out of the X-2, vampire, his skin deathly white, his black hair glis-
Space Force troops under Commander Richard tening, a cruel smile on his face as his steely eyes
Freyberg have already surrounded the Petya. burn into yours.
Freyberg's plan is simple-search and assault. You jump to your feet and are at once surprised
at the strength and power you feel in your body!
You look at Laurie. She returns your gaze with a
glassy stare.

Turn to page 24. Turn to page 85.

18
Ahead of you is a small hangar. Its door is open,
revealing the newest experimental craft in the
Space Force, the K-7. You studied the simulated
model your last year in the Academy and wrote
your graduation thesis on this craft. The K-l in the
hangar is the only model yet built, and it's still
being tested. You know all about it-its ca-
pabilities, equipment, limitations-everything. If
there ever was a chance to prove your worth, to
show that you can capture the space vampire, this
is it!
You walk up to the craft. Two workmen are
nearby, repairing meteor damage on another ship,
but they pay no attention to you. There's no need
for them to worry that you might not be on official
business-the computer eyes would never fail to
spot an intruder, so they think.
Feeling as if you were in a dream, you climb into
the cockpit and settle into the pilot's seat. The in-
credibly complex array of controls and instruments
is exactly as you remembered in the simulator. You
just can't believe your good luck. There's no doubt
in your mind that this is the most advanced space-
craft in the galaxy, and you're seated at the con-
trols!

It' you decide to "borrow" the K-l and set out

on your own pnuote mission to capture the
space uompire, turn to page 7.

It' gou decide to play it sat'e ond t'ollow the

ntles, turn to page 25.
20 2t
"Wise decision, Osprey. We have a more impor- If there's no patol station on M-33. you re as
tant mission!" the captain says. "Hyperstations!" good as dead, and even if there is. y.'ou'll have
You move to the braces. Almost instantly you some fancy talking to do if you don't wanr to end
black out as the X-2 shifts into hypermode. When up in jail. Sfill, it's a chance you'll take rather than
you come to, you're cruising at negative accelera- walk into the arms of the space vampire.
tion, closing in on the Petya. You calibrate your instruments and decelerate.
As you approach the hapless transport, the cap- then reverse thrust. As you coast in for a landing
tain assembles the crew in the control room. He on M-33, you spot a small. domed structure pro-
flicks a switch on the small control panel on the huding out of rock-a Space Force installation!
side of the conference table. The room darkens, Wth your last bit of fuel you jet to a landing a few
and on the four foot square screen an image of a feet away from the entrance and step unsteadily
Class-C space transport appears; then you hear onto the asteroid's pitted metallic surface. You
the recently recorded message: "This is the Petya, walk toward the dome. keeping one foot firmly on
now en route to Earth from Base 10. Passengers the ground. (Gravity here is so light that if you
and crew have been dying. Always at night. Their jumped in the air you wouldn't come down, you'd
shriveled bodies are found in the morning----emp- just go flying off into space.)
tied of blood. HELP!"
The image disappears from the screen, and the
captain flicks on the light.
"Maybe we should fire a laser burst at the Pe-
fyo," Jack suggests.
"And blow up the few surviving passengers?"
Field returns, his eyebrows raised. "Surely some-
one has a better idea than that!" He looks directly
at you.

lf you suggest boarding the Petya while it's still

in spoce, turn to page 37.

If you suggesf waiting until the Petya lands on

Eafth, turn to page 76. Go on to the next page.
 )gfl*'-4

There's a notice posted on the entrance to the You shake the entrance door, but it's firmly
dome, and now you're close enough to read it. Iocked. You stand there on the cold, metallic
ground. Your gauge shows you have a three-hour
A NEW SPACE PATROL STATION WILL BE OPEN- supply of oxygen. Maybe the paholstation willbe
ING HERE SOON. IT WILL BE STOCKED WITH opened before it runs out. But it doesn't seem
FOOD. OXYGEN, AND OTHER EMERGENCY SUP- likely.
PLIES.
The End
 25
24
Feeling downhearted, you climb out of the KI.
At high noon Freyberg gives the order to board pat the sleek titanium fuselage a couple of times,
the ship. You and the other members of the X-2 and head back to your room. Much as you'd like
crew join the assaultteam. In your hand is an M-33 to take this supercraft up for a spin, you know your
sensor. Wth you is Jack Smythe, holding a force chances of catching the vampire would be one in a
field generator (FFG) in his hand. The hatch shuts million. Your chances of cracking up the K-l are
behind you. Your team spreads out through the much greater, and even if you survive and land it
ship, searching the control rooms, sleeping quar- safely, a court-martial would await you.
ters, storage banks, propulsion rooms, commis- When you return to your room you find an en-
sary, and workout room. velope containing your new orders: You're to be
You and Jack walk past the refrigeration unit. stationed for three years at a radar base on Pluto,
The lighting is poor. There's no noise anywhere. where the sun is so far away it gives no more
It's like being in a ghost ship. warmth or light or cheer than a very bright star.
Jack looks nervously at your sensor. "You're "Well, " you say to yourself, "l'll get a lot of read-
sure that thing works?" ing done, invent some computer games, and be-
You nod. "How 'bout yours?" You gesfure to- come a great poolplayer. Someday I'llbe back in
ward his FFG. the cockpit of the hottest spacecraft in the galaxy.
Jack's finger is on the trigger. "You bet. " Someday I'll be number one!"
The two of you continue on, walking through
the food storage units, past shelves stacked with The End
enough concentrates for a three-year trip through
space. . . .

Turn to page 56.

26 27
You're not going to surrender now! You prepare
for blackout and hit the hyperevasion button, hop-
ing the K-l will do its stuff.
Nothing happens.
you were pursued by attack craft, but vou're not The commander's voice is in your ears: "You
worried: They couldn't come close to citching the may have thought you learned everything at the
K-1. Space Academy, but we had good reasons for
"Compute keeping a few things secret. One of them is that we
have an override code for your key functions. Now
The follow
the screen. " surrender or else!"
Panicked, you throw the engine into neuhaland
RESERVE 3 DAYS. ''
direct all your power into putting up a force field.
_ At your command the computer locates the Your teeth chatter. Your body shivers. But you're
Petya.
"Set intersect course, " yo, command. unable to move. Your hand rests on the conhols,
your eyes are locked into a glassy stare: You might
You wonder if the Spaie Force command will
guess your intentions and try to intercept you. as well be tied up hand and foot.
No It's clear what happened: Computer override di-
matter-the K-l can evade any atracft fbrce, at
least that's what the flight manual says. rected the force field inside your ship. All you can
do is wait for the Space Force to come and get you.

The End

Turn to page 30.

28
Captain Field is surprised that you wouldn't vol-
unteer to be bait for the vampire. "l'm afraid you
don't deserve an Elite rating," he says.
He orders you transferred, and a few days later
you report to the adjutant for reassignment to your
new post. A middle-aged man with a long, thin
face and thick spectacles, he hardly looks up from
his desk as you stand before him.
"Well, Osprey, " he says as he leafs through your
records, "you were the top pilot in your class-too
bad you couldn't stick with the team. . . . Hm, you
showed a great interest in planet exploration. " The
adjutant takes off his glasses and looks up as if to
see whether you fit the description in your folder.
"There are two posts that might be of interest to
you----one is aboard lhe Coliban, a spaceship
whose next mission is to explore a recenfly dis-
covered planet in the Akbar system, or perhaps
you'd prefer to stay in our own solar system and fly
a single-seat Nimbus pahol craft. It's one of the
newest and fastest in the Space Force. "

lf you you'd rather go on the Caliban to

say
explore the newly discouered plonet,
turn to poge 777.

$ you say you'd rather fly the Nimbus,

turn to page 770.
 31

After preparing a meal from the craft's kitch- On your way to board theX-2 the next morning
enera, you ask the computer to advise you on how you siop by the kitchen for an early breakfast.
to fight a space vampire. The search takes several Maurice, the head cook, hands you a packet of
minutes. Finally the answer appears on the screen:

SPACE VAMPIRES: THESE CREATURES CAN BE

KILLED ONLY BY SUNLIGHT STRONGER THAN
THAT AT MIDDAY ON TV1AP5. WEAPONS ARE
USELESS AGAINST THEM, THE ONLY WAY THEY
CAN BE CAPTURED IS WITH A M-30 FORCE along with Captain Rick Field, Serena Fine, navi-
FIELD GENERAToR (rrc). neenoecH A spACE gator, and Jack Smythe, communicator.
VAMPIRE WITH EXTREME CAUTION AND PRE- As soon as the ship is clear of the asteroid belt,
FERABLY WITH AT LEAST ONE BACKUP. THEY Captain Field assembles the crew for a briefing.
HAVE ALMOST SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH. Fieid looks closely at each of you. "We're facing an
THEY ARE EXTREMELY CLEVER AND PER- enemy that is far more dangerous than common
SUASIVE. atiens. Some of our top scientists have been work-
ing for years hying to figure out the best method
You check your equipment inventory. There are foi capiuring a space vampire. We have special
two M-30 FFG's aboard. What a spacecraftl But Kirlian sensors aboard that can detect his pres-
maybe you should contact your friend Steve, ence, but that alone is not enough. We must work
who's stationed at Delta Base, and try to get him to as a team,6p6[-"
back you up. "Red Alert " The computer's voice sounds
throughout the ship. "Conopion attack craft clos-
ing at 040-655f'
Field looks at you. "lf you ever want to take
command of a starship, you'll have to convince me
that you know what to do!"
You're on the spot, and you feel the pressure.
But that's the Space Force waY!
If you proceed directly to intercept the Petya,
turn to page 6. lf you say, "Let's fight," turn to page 72.

Il you try to get Steue to join you as back up It' you say, "Let's see if we con outrun them,"
first, turn to page 35. turn to page 20.
y2
33
The vampire steps closer.
"Don't harm us and we'll help you," you say, The four of you sit in the control room watching
stalling for time. "The Space Force is on the way. a computer imaging of Planet 5. You're close
They'll blow you into atoms." enough now--only a few trillion miles away-to
The vampire laughs cruelly. "Of course I want see that the planet is not completely red, but is
you to help me-that is why I let you come on made up mostly of an enormous red ocean. The
board this ship. And you shall help me by becom- only land consists of long, stingy islands.
ing vampires yourselves!" "Very curious," the captain says. "Computer,
You cup your hand around Laurie's ear. "Can can you tell us yet what the chemical composition
he really do that?" you whisper. of the ocean is? What makes it look red?"
Laurie is shivering with fear. "He can do it, " she "lt could be some kind of algae, " Roxanne says.
says. "He'll suck out half your blood and inject half Dr. Mvaldi frowns. You can tell that she doesn't
of his own!" Saying this is more than Laurie can think algae is the answer.
bear; she steps aside and lets out a wail. Captain McNair glances at the chronometer.
The vampire moves slowly toward you, his wa- "Computer, I'd like to get the answer before we
tery eyes fixed on yours. come out of hyperdrive. That's in thirty minutes. "
"Wait!" You raise your hand, desperate to say The computerseems unusually slow Obviously
anything to stop his advance. the analysis isn't easy. Perhaps Planet 5 is made up
But what can you do? You know the vampire of chemicals not found on Earth.
has almost supernatural power. There's almost no A green light flashes, accompanied by a soft mu-
way you can defeat him. sical tone. "Analysis completed," the computer
announces. "Chemical composition of Planet 5
ocean is approximately the same as human
blood."
You exchange astonished looks with your crew
mates.
"This is not good news, " Captain McNair ob-
serves. "What do you think, Nera?"
lf you try to conuince the uampire
Dr. Mvaldi bites her lip. "l'm afraid it tells us
that you can be more useful to him if
something disturbing about the creatures that con-
he doesn't make you a uompire,
trol this planet, " she says.
turn to page 72.
Captain McNair leans forward. "Yes?"
"They're vampires."
It' you t'ire the last remaining jet on your
spoce suit at him, turn to page 77.
Turn to page 79.
 You slide into orbit around T-M3, a uselessa-
teroid not far from the Delta Base, where Sterrc
Winters is stationed. Steve was one of the top pilob
in your class; he just missed getting an Elite rating
himself. The two of you vowed to keep in touch
and even developed a secret code so you could
communicate with each other without being over-
heard by SF Intelligence.
You beam Steve a message explaining the situa-
tion and ask him to meet you at Point Alpha,
300,000 kilometers from asteroid M-33. You'llbe
well-positioned to intercept the Petya there.
Within minutes he radios back: "l'm sick of pa-
trol duty-l want action! Wait for me at Point
Alpha."
Three hours later you break out of hyperspace
and decelerate as you approach Point Alpha.
Ahead of you are six Space Force attack ships!
"Surrender at once!"
The voice message, confirmed by your com-
puter as an official Space Force command, drowns
out every other sound. You know Steve would
never betray you-SF Intelligence must have
cracked your code!
Now you're up against it. You have the hottest
spacecraft in the solar system, but you seem com-
pletely boxed in.

It' you sunender; turn to poge 43.

It' you try to escape, turn to page 27.

lf qou try to think ot' something else to do,

turn to page 71.
36
You flick off the switch and look around the "Let's board the Petya in mid-space," grou sagr
room anxiously. Where is the vampire? What will "l agree," Field replies. "But to capfure the
he want of you? You grab a laser pistol from the vampire we must outwit him. One of us must vol-
security locker. When you turn around, you find unteer to pose as his victim! Vampires are only
yourself staring into the deep. hollow eyes of the vulnerable right before they attack-at the mo-
vampire. He could easily snatch your gun. but he ment when their blood lust reaches such an inten-
only laughs. sity that their powers of reasoning leave them. That
"What do you want of me?" you gasp. is why we must use human bait. "
"lnstruct your computer to take this ship to Once again Field's eyes arc on you, and so are
Planet 5 ef the Akbar system. "
'
those of the others. You realize you've been given
"Why Akbar?" you gasp. "Why Planet 5?" a challenge. The future of the United Planets may
"lt is the planet of the vampires. I have been depend on your reply!
away from it for six hundred years. I am now ready
to return and tell my people how good human
blood tastes. "
Gripped by terror, you try to think what you can
do.

lf you pretend to comply with the uampire's

demand but instead set the ship on course to
the sun, turn to page 65.
It' you uolunteer to pose as the uampire\ uictim,
If you ploy along with the uampire t'or the time turn to poge 70.
being and head the ship toward Akbar
turn to page 709. It' you decide not to uolunteer; turn to page 28.
38 3!)
You stand fast, determined to follow the cap- You've hardly walked in the door when a
tain's orders and not let yourself be tricked by the beeper sounds from the black box mounted on
vampire. The minutes go by. The others will arrive your small titanium desk. You grab a commu-
soon to take the vampire to the control room. nicator and answer with your code name. "Osprey
"You have performed very well," the vampire here."
says in a firm, clear voice. "Code elel'ten, director's office."
Another trick, you think, and say nothing. "Wilco. " You click out and hurry out the door-
"You have defeated me. You have a great future What's going on? Code 11 means drop every-
in the Space Force, " he continues. thing-you're needed at once-by the director of
More of the same, you think, still saying nothing. the Academy! That would be odd under any cir-
"l am about to die, and I have only one thing I cumstances. Why now-just when you're about
can leave behind, " the vampire says soffly. "l shall to board the shuttle for Earth? You hurtle through
leave it to you-it is a bit of knowledge. " a gravity chute and jog along the ring corridor.
You dare not look into the vampire's eyes, but Security waves you through without even asking
you're too curious to resist asking, "What is this for hologram display. This must be urgent!
knowledge?" A sliding panel opens and you enter the direc-
fu you speak, you hear your crew mates ap- tor's outer office. The panel closes behind you.
proaching. The vampire does not reply. The cap- You're alone in a large room lighted by the incan-
tain snaps illyrium thongs onto his legs. descent surface of the ceiling. You stand still as
fu you and the others carry the helpless crea- electronic waves scan your body for weapons.
ture forward to the contol room, you whisper in Even your brain waves are being measured. If they
his ear, "What knowledge?" showed a suspicious pattern, you would be hus-
The vampire remains silent. tled away within seconds.
Soon you are all assembled in the conhol room. But this does not happen. Instead, a wallswings
The captain moves to the sun filter switch. In a few open and you pass into the cheerful, warmly fur-
moments the room will be flooded with brilliant nished study of the director. This is your first close-
sunlight, and the vampire will die. You look di- up look at Jason Neff, a gray-haired man with a
rectly into the vampire's cold, black eyes. finely trimmed beard and blue eyes. He taps a
At last he responds. "So long as you deny their wooden pipe in an ashhay and walks around the
existence-so long as you refuse to believe in desk to shake your hand.
them-no vampires shall ever touch you. " The
sun shines in, and he is no more.

The End Turn to page 2.

40
What's the point of landing on an asteroid? you
think. You'd probably die of oxygen starvation.
Even if you were rescued, you'd hive to face a
long prison term. No, the only chance of saving
yourself is to find and conquer the space vampire.
You land genfly against the Petya-a two hun-
dred foot long cigar-shaped hansport ship. You
open the hatch with a laser torch , eventhough you
know you might higger the internal security alarm.
You float in and shut the hatch behind you. You're
now in an air lock. When the pressure equalizes
you'll be able to enter the ship itself. The air flow
ceases, and you open the interior door and make
your way along a well-lighted corridor.
You read the signs on various doors: rqRrN
COMPUTERS; INERTIAL GUIDANCE; ESCAPE CAP-
suLE. . . . You stop. You'd better examine the es-
cape capsule-you might need it. You open the
door, pull out your minilight and grope your way
toward the capsule, a pear-shaped vehicle about
the size of a sports car. Suddenly a force presses
against your shoulder. A teenage girlis holding a
knife at your throat.

Turn to page 57.

42
"Quick, into the capsule!" You know when the game is up. "l surrender."
Laurie obeys, and you're right behind her, slam- you signal.
ming the hatch behind you.
As if he could move instantaneously, the vam- At your court-martial you state your only de-
pire is on the other side of the hatch, digging his fense-that you were trying to catch the space
long nails into the cracks, trying to pry it open. vampire. "l'm sorry for what I did," you add.
"We can't keep him out!" Laurie cries. "That's a weak defense," the judge says. He is a
You flick on the computer. Port reuerce thrust white-haired, retired space ace with steel gray
minimum power. The capsule swivels like a top. A eyes. He has a reputation for being kindly in man-
blast of flaming ions streams out of the forward ner but stict in his judgments.
thrusters. The launch chamber fills with smoke "You committed a very serious crime, " he says,
and sparks. The capsule careens into the side of "but your loyalty to the United Planets was never
the wall. As the smoke clears you look around for in doubt, and you proved yourself to be one of the
the vampire. most outstanding pilots in the Force. It's too bad
"There he is!" Laurie screams. you won't be able to demonstrate your skills for a
There he is indeed-just outside your window, while. I'm sentencing you to a month's imprison-
applying a laser torch to the hatch. ment on Uranus. " The judge bangs the gavel on
You hit the full-power blaster, and your capsule his desk. Everyone rises aJhe leaves the room.
hurtles through the side of the ship, out into space. For a moment you feel a sense of relief; you
The vampire is sucked out behind you, but you're were afraid of receiving a much longer sentence.
losing pressure fast. The capsule was breached by Then you remember that a month on Uranus lasts
the metal skin of the Petya. There's no hope of seven Earth years!
survival for you or Laurie. At least you took the
vampire with you. The End
The End
M 45
The vampire advances toward you, step, by You know what Dr. Vivaldi is thinking-the
step, by step. Your fingers twitch as you try to aim vampires are so used to drinking blood from the
your FFG. But the highest part of your brain, the ocean . . . that it hasn't occurred to them that you
part that makes judgments, is paralyzed by the and she might also satisfy their odious desires.
deathly glare of the vampire, who steps . . . closer Suddenly the vampire closest to you leans for-
. . . closer . . . closer, until with one swift motion ward, his long thin nose quivering. He steps closer.
he seizes your neck! In that fleeting moment you Dr. Vivaldi pulls you back away fom him, but it's
realize weapons are useless against this creafure, too late. He has already smelled the blood still
whose great power lies not just in speed or drying on your cut. He stares at you a moment,
strength, but in his irresistible will. then emits a piercing, wailing cry of such intensity
that you shrink back, clapping your hands to your
The End ears. Suddenly other vampires are rushing toward
you. Vampire teeth are at your throat.

The End
M 47
Orders are orders and you know you should "They're not friendly looking," Roxanne says.
follow them, but you can't bear to leave Dr. Mvaldi "At least they're unarmed," you reply.
and Captain McNair to their tenible fate! "Their weapons are their teeth. Look, that one
"l think we should try to rescue our crew with the scarlet band must be the leader. "
mates," you tell Roxanne. "We'll have to let thern in and negotiate with
Your friend clasps her hand on your shoulder. them," you say as you open the main hatch. "lf
"l'm with you!" we just try to fight it out we won't stand a chance. "
"Computer, take her down. Land at the space As the vampires step toward the ship, you acti-
launch facility. Coordinate 30.0L-41. 10. " vate the transcoder. As soon as they begin talking,
"Let's get our laser guns ready, " Roxanne says. the computer will be able to translate their lan-
"We'll keep them concealed," you say. "l hope guage.
we can negotiate with the vampires even if they are
evil creatures. Besides, we'll be hopelessly out-
numbered."
As you're speaking, the Caliban glides out of
orbit. Following a parabolic trajectory it swoops
down as gracefully as a falcon and lands near the
great hangarlike structure, which you believe con-
tains the vampire spaceship.
The vampires evidenfly tacked your approach.
Wthin moments you are surrounded by squads of
them. They are powerfully built men and women.
Their skin is as white as milk and their hair raven-
black. They are all dressed in dark brown work
suits.

Go on to the next poge. TArn to poge 702.

48
It's almost midnight. You and the rest of.thex-Z
team boardedthePetyaa few hours earlier. You're
in a low, narrow bunk with a thin blanket over you.
You're pretending to sleep, but you've never been
so wide awake in your life!
Your bunk feels like a coffin. You lie there sweat-
ing, wondering why you volunteered to be bait.
How can you be sure Captain Field and the others
will get the vampire before he gets you?
Suddenly you feela presence in the room. You
hear a footfall . . . then another. The vampire is
moving closer. You long to scream, to leap out of
your bunk and run, to lash out against him-any-
thing but what you must do, which is to lie com-
pletely still, prepnding to sleep, until the vampire
arrives at the foint of vulnerability, the moment
when his blood lust overwhelms him!
Even with your eyes closed you can feel the
darkness about you as his huge form hovers
closer. And then you hear a gasp-a sound of
frenzied anticipation as he lunges.
Your body goes rigid. A force field has arrested
all motion! The vampire hovers over you, stug-
gling, pawing the air like an insect trapped in a
spider's web. He shatters the air with a scream. But
he cannot move!
Captain Field deffly wraps illyrium wire around
the vampire's legs and arms.
"Osprey, take the first watch," the captain says.
"lf the vampire tries to break loose, fire the stun
gun at him. It will shake him enough to prevent
him from breaking out of the illyrium bonds."

Turn to page 708.

50 51
"Let's continue the search," you say. "We've You make it safely to the salon. The smoke there
is not as thick, but it's getting worse. Other teams
ys. "Since you feel are straggling back from all parts of the ship. One
the team searching man has passed out and is being carried by others.
I think that's where "Report!" Freyberg shouts. He coughs repeat-
the action will be!" edly. "Where's the fire? Has anyone seen flames?"
"lt's always possible the vampire has changed just smoke, but it seems to be every-
-"No,.
his hiding piace while we've been meeting," Jack where," someone shouts, "and it's getting bad!"
says. "We can't hold out in this!" Freyberg shouts
"lndeed it is, " Field agrees. "But we'll find him. " hoarsely. "Blast open the main hatch!"
Together with Captain Field and Jim Enright' a
skinny, carrYing an extra-
high-po I your waY along the
narrow to the main ProPul-
slon room.
Step by step you move, pausing whenever you
approach an alcove or corner so that Enright can
sweep back and forth with his sensor.
You smell something.
"Smoke!" Field snlffs the air and coughs.
Enright looks around nervously. "There must
be a fire 596gr,P[g1g-"
"FIRE, FIRE." His voice is drowned out by the
alarm speaker.
Suddenly the smoke is much thicker. For the
moment you forget about the vampire as you all
rush toward the salon.
"Keep low," Enright says. "lt's not bad near the
deck. "

Go on to the nert Page. Turn to page 67,

52 53

"surrender----or else. I have a faster ship and It would be too dangerous to talk to the vam-
longer range, " you radio the vampire. pire, you decide. You take care to avoid even look-
You waiianxiously for a reply. "Allright, don't ing at him lest you fall under his spell.
fire, I'll surrendeq" the vampire's voice comes out A couple of hours later the captain arrives with
of the speaker. Jack and Serena. You help camT the odious crea-
"Very wise decision," you radio back. "Now, ture to the controlroom. He neither struggles nor
fire all your lasers toward the sun so I can be sure complains. His spirit seems broken.
you're disarmed. " The captain is anxious to complete the deed
Within a few minutes your scanner has analyzed quickly. Perhaps he's afraid of being brought un-
laser bursts from the X-2.You can hardly believe der the vampire's spell. He presses a button that
how wellthings are going. It willtake three dayslor releases the filters. The full light of the sun floods
the vampire'J ship io recharge its cannons. He's the compartment. You blink and squint in the daz-
in your hands! zling light, but the effect on the vampire is far more
- "Rendezvous
practically
as directed by telemehy from my grave. Like some great animal felled by a spear or
computer, " you order. harpoon, he lets forth a piteous moan, and then,
"Will comply," the vampire radios back. while you watch in horror, he shrivels into sheer
You instruct the computer to follow up by direct- nothingness!
ing the vampire to bring the X-2 alongside your "We've defeated the vampire, " the captain says
ship. Your plan is to board it, keeping the vampire softly.
controlled with your FFG. Then you'll stun him You and the others only nod, for none of you
enough so you can tie him up with illyrium wire, feels like cheering or clapping. You've done what
the only material strong enough to holda vampire' you had to do. You'll earn your medals and the
"Foity-six minutes to rendezvous," the com- thanks of all on Earth. But as if you had killed a
puter reports. dangerous tiger or a magnificent snake, there is
You sit back and check through what has to be something sad about what you've done.

The End

Turn to page 75.

il
Though your ear is still almost a foot away from
his mouth, and the vampire is securely bound with
illyrium wire, his athletic ability is far greater than
you realized. In a flash he stretches his neck farther
than any human could do. His mouth strikes with
the speed of a cobra. His long, curved teeth sink
into your neck.
You struggle a moment, like a rabbit seized by a
hawk, then fall limp as the vampire eagerly drains
your blood. Your last act is to give a little cry as the
vampire, his shength redoubled by food, breaks
his bonds. The captain and the rest of the crew will
be his next victims, and soon he will be on Earth,
feasting at will.

The End
56
57
The sun is just setting. Five hours have passed
and no sign of the vampire has been found. Ac_ "Wait!" you cry.
cording to plan, everyone meets in the main salon The girl pulls back. "You're not a vampire! I
at 1700 hours. thought everyone else was dead!"
"l came from space," you say. "l'm with the
Space Force, searching for the vampire, but I had
to abandon my craft. "
The girlflashes a light on your face. You let her
look at you for a few moments, realizing that your
"l think we should suspend the search until to- story is not an easy one to believe. She places her
morrow," Captain Field says. ',Our crew is tired mouth almost to your ear. "We must be very quiet.
and it would be safer to wait until morning. " He may already have heard us. My name is Laurie.
Freyberg scowls. "l'm not sure we should. What what's yours?"
do you say, Osprey?" "Call me Osprey, " you answer. "Where are the
other colonists?"
"All dead, I believe, " Laurie answers. "l've seen
him stuff bodies into the waste tube and blast them
into space. I'm the only one who's been able to
keep out of sight. "
"Where's the vampire? Tell me all you know
about him," you say.
Laurie rests a hand on your shoulder as if to
reassure you. "He looks like an ordinary man, ex-
cept he is very powerfullooking; his skin is white as
milk. His hair is black and shiny and looks as if it's
made of metal wires, and his mouth is cruel. His
lips have a rubbery look. You might almost think
he was human until he laughs . . . untilyou see his
long, curved teeth-like a wolf's!" Laurie buries
her head in her hands for a moment.
lf you recommend continuing the search
through the night, turn to page 50.

lf you recommend waiting until morning,

turn to page 66.
Turn to poge 4.
 59
Remembering a trick you learned at the Space
Academy, you fire simultaneous bursts of your re-
verse thrust jets. Anyone observing you on an op-
tical scanner will think you've had an explosion
aboard your craft. At the same time you reduce
power by 75 percent and send out a Mayday dis-
tress call. You wonder whether the vampire will
respond.
He doesn't.
You radio: "Please help me, my ship is breaking
up!"
"Hang on," the vampire radios back, "l'm on
my way."
Your optical scanner confirms that the X-2 has
turned and is streaking toward you. The vampire
has taken your bait. In a few minutes he'll be
within firing range of you. On the other hand,
you'll be within firing range of him!
You set up your laser cannon. The X-2 is sup-
posed to be within range, but it's stilla million miles
away. Suppose you miss? The vampire willsurely
destroy you.
Carooom!A laser burst glances into your ship,
slamming you hard against your restraining belts.
"Damage report!" you yell at the computer.
In a few seconds it answers: pRopuI-sroN sys-
TEM OUT. WEAPONS SYSTEM OUT. POWER SYSTEM
SECURE. SHIP INTEGRITY SECURE.
The meaning is all too clear. You're helpless.
The vampire crippled rather than deshoyed you
for only one reason-he wants your blood.

The End
60 61
You race for the sun filter switch at the same Three FFG's are trained on the hatch. In a surge
time, leaping over the captain's body. The vampire of energy it flies open, and you and the others
turns, lunges, and grabs one of your ankles, dig- gratefully stumble out into the fresh clean air.
ging his clawlike nails into your flesh. At the same It's not quite midnight. The moon has just risen
moment your finger comes down on the switch. over the trees. A whole platoon of guards moves
The room is filled with brilliant light. The vampire's toward you. Everyone seems confused.
grip relaxes. "Did you get the vampire? What's all that
You wrench free, turning to watch with mixed smoke?" someone shouts.
horror and relief as the monster slowly shrivels Commander Freyberg is sitting on the steps
away until nothing is left of him at all. Only then do leading up to the Petyo's hatch. He's holding his
you notice the size of the sun, larger than as seen head in his hands as if there were nothing more to
on Earth and growing evetg second. You race for be done.
the aft station, trying to remember emergency "Shouldn't we try to put out the fire?" you ask.
control procedures. You have less than two min- Freyberg looks at you blankly. "There is no fire.
utes to reverse course or you'll be baked alive by It was a smoke bomb. The vampire forced us to
the awesome heat of the sun. You hunch over the open the hatch, and when we ran out, he did too. "
unfamiliar dials and gauges. You studied ihe pro- "How can you be sure?" you ask.
cedure at the Academy. If you only could re- Freyberg motions toward a clump of tall grass
member it now. . . . near the landing pad. You gasp as you recognize
Enright's shriveled body, blood trickling from his
The End neck.
"The space vampire is loose on Earth and has
already claimed his first victim," Freyberg says.
"Who can tell what terror he will bring?"

The End
62
"Tell me about yourself, " you say to the vam-
pire, but he only shakes his head.
You move closer to him. The vampire ignores
you, keeping his eyelids shut. You wonder what he
is feeling, how many years he has lived.
"Tell me, " you ask genfly. "Where do you come
from?"
Slowly the vampire opens his eyes. He regards
you with such a piteous look that you're almost
moved to undo his bonds. But you shrink back a
step, remembering that this unholy creature has
murdered thousands of innocent people.
"l come from the fifth planet of the star Akbar, "
he says haltingly, as if the effort of speaking were
painful to him. "lt is the planet of the vampires. No
humans live there nor any animals, only millions of
vampires. We do not need animals or people; the
ocean is made of blood. "
You gasp at this news. "How many vampires
have visited our solar system?"
The vampire presses his lower lip between his
silvery teeth. "l am the only one left. The others
have died in the light of the sun. The Earth is not a
good place for vampires. We should never have
left home. " A single tear trickles down his cheek.
You're astounded, never having imagined that
these evil creatures could have such a human
emotion. Yet the thought of a whole planet teem-
ing with vampires bothers you. "Will the other
vampires set out for Earth?" you ask.
The vampire nods, a very slight nod, as if he had
no interest in your question.

Turn to page 707.

 65
As soon as you and the vampire are securely
fastened in bracing position, you punch in some
complicated instructions.
ARRGHHH HOO SHI The ship accelerates
and then begins-Wto turn. You and the vampire are
,-. -)\ pressed down in your seats by the tremendous
-7-/-- centrifugalforce that only abates as the ship settles
on reverse course--direcfly toward the sun!
Screaming, the vampire rips away his restraints.
He lunges toward you, but your fingers are on the
controls. You give the ship another burst of accel-
eration which sends the vampire careening against
the rear bulkhead. He crashes with enough force
to killan ordinary man, but he's not even shaken.
He lunges again. By now the ship has reached
hyperspeed and is hurtling toward the sun. You
have no time to do anything but open the filters. As
the vampire clutches at your throat, sunshine fills
\ the control room. The vampire shrivels into a
stinking heap of cloth and flesh, that evaporates
into sheer nothingness.
You start to relax, but alarm bells jolt you to your
feet. You're still in hypermode, heading toward
the sun faster than the speed of light!
Emergency loop out!You punch the button.
The computer acts. The ship's violent motion
blacks you out.
You come to hours later, bruised and aching, but
alive, with the ship settled on course toward Earth.
You vanquished the space vampire, and you're
headed for home. Unfortunately, you'll have to
explain why you were the only survivor.

The End
66
'--1
-
"l think we should wait till morning," you say. JJ
"Searching for a vampire at night is just too dan-
gerous. "
"l agree. In the morning it shall be," says
Freyberg.
That night you sleep fitfully. Shortly after sunup
the assault team reenters the ship. Once again
your partner is Jack Smythe. He sweeps an FFG
back and forth as the two of you work your way
along the narrow steel-lined corridor leading to
the propulsion tubes.
Suddenly a tall, square-shouldered man ap-
pears from nowhere! His hair is black as night; his
skin is chalky white. Smythe jumps sideways. The
.-._ \
vampire clutches his neck. The FFG flies out of
Smythe's arms-and into yours! Whirling, you ac-
tivate the weapon. The vampire writhes in a field of
energy. You radio the others. Freyberg, Field, and
others arrive within seconds. They help you secure
the vampire with illyrium wire and lead him out-
side the ship.
There, like a snowman attacked by a flame
thrower, the space vampire shrivels under the
warm, bright rays of the sun, until nothing is left of
him at all.

The End
68 69
You run to the control room. "Captain! The
vampire told me-"
"You left him?" the captain shouts. "Jack, take
the helm!" He rushes past you down the corridor.
"Why did you leave him?" he yells over his shoul-
der.
In a few seconds the consequences of your ac-
course, he can accelerate and leave you far be- tion are clear. In the spot where the vampire was
hind.
standing, allthat remains is a pile of illyrium wire.
Your computer tells You Wth no one to weaken him with the stun gun, he
you up on his oPticalscann was able to break loose.
"Back to the control room!" the captain yells.
range of 2.4 million miles. It
3.7 seconds to calculate th A few moments later, you and Captain Field
course. During that period you'll have to do some-
reach the bridge. Your heart sinks. Jack and Se-
thing smart-something to trick him into getting rena are lying on the floor, blood trickling from
within range. their necks. The vampire is bent over the main
control panel.
The captain races for the controls with his hand
outstretched. You know his goal, the switch that
raises the sun filters. If he can reach it, the control
room will be flooded by brilliant sunshine. The
vampire, seeing his purpose, moves with lightning
speed. And a moment later the captain, too, lies
dead.

lf'byyou decide to try to lure the uampirecloser

sending o distress signo/, turn to poge 59'

lf you decide to blufl the uampire-into thinking

you haue a t'aster ship ond order him to
surrender, turn to Page 52' Turn to poge 73.
 7t
There's only one thing you can think of-a ploy
that's about as wild as trying to cross the ocean on
a windsurfer. You bolt on your space suit and grab
an emergency pack.
"You have one minute to surrender!" the com-
mander's voice sounds in your ears.
You punch in ten-second delay, order the K-I to
blast into hypermode, and hit the Emergency
Ejection switch. G-forces black you out: then
you're aware of tumbling in space. You can see the
K-l trembling, trapped in a force field. The Space
Force attack ships close in on it. But no one sees
you, drifting through space. With a fully equipped
Mark 3 space suit you can survive for at least seven
days before oxygen and water are exhausted, and
your jet pack can take you six million miles in that
time. But the odds against your reaching a planet
or space station are-well-astronomical.
You do know o{ something close by-the trans-
port ship Petyo should be passing nearby within
hours. You train your pocket scope at the thou-
sands of points of light along the west axis of the
sun. Most of them are stars, but one of them, show-
ing strong relative motion, is asteroid M-33.
There's a faint dot of light near it! Could it be the
Petya, in synchronous orbit around the asteroid?
You've little doubt the vampire has taken control
of the ship. He may have decided to hide it there
after spotting the Space Force fleet.
Neither the asteroid nor the vampire ship are
appealing destinations. But you've nowhere else
to go. You jet toward M-33, flying on hope.

Turn to page 704

72 73
"Look," you plead, "we're aware of your You stand alone against the monster, and there
power. We realize we have no choice but to do trolling the
what you want us to do. But before you kill us or at hand, a
turn us into vampires, consider this; there are arges. You
things we humans can do for you, things you Instead of
would like to do but can't." waging a futile battle against him, you hurl the ax
"Like what?" The vampire stops in his tracks. at the main control panel, turning it into a sizzling,
"Well . . " You stretch out the word as you hy smoking mass of wires.
to think of what to say. "You can't be about during
daytime on Earth, yet we can, so we can do things
for you while you have to be in your coffin. "
The vampire laughs a cruel laugh. His lip curls
slightly on one side as if he is about to bare his
teeth.
You dare not turn your head, or even remove
your eyes from the vampire's evll gaze, but out of
the corner of your eye you can see Laurie, quiet as
a cat, slipping out of the chamber.
The vampire is crouching before you like a hun-
gry leopard, a leopard that will spring at you the
moment you fail to distract him.

Turn to poge 87. Turn to page 60.

 75

As soon as you're able to lock yourNimbus craft

to the X-2, you don your space suit and open the
hatch. With your FFG in hand you cross over into
the other ship and step into the main living quar-
ters. You cautiously work your way forward. As
you start through the main propulsion area, you
check the display screen and request an environs
scan. A small object is in motion nearby-the
X-2's escape capsule! Your heart races. The vam-
pire can't get very far in the capsule, and it's not
equipped with weapons. But he must have some
plan in mind, and you need one, too, fast!

The End

If you try to accelerate the X-2 while it's sti/l

locked on to your Nimbus crof,
turn to page 94.

$ you race bock ond uncouple the Nimbus

from the X-2, turn to page 82.
76
Through the window of the room, you can see
the sun, Akbar, hanging low against the blood-red
ocean. Sangfroid, the vampire chie( and his three
cohorts are seated in luxurious chairs. The floor is
black marble, the walls dark red. The lamps on the
ceiling give out a sickly yellow light. Sangfroid is
dressed in a brown work suit draped with scarlet
bands. He stares at you and your crew mates, who
are strapped into high-backed chairs. Only your
arms are free. The vampires talk among them-
selves. They bend their arms and twist their heads
in strange and unnatural ways. Sangfroid sud-
denly sits still. He bares his teeth, his great canines
needle-sharp. The others close their eyes and fold
their hands as if saying a prayer before beginning
their meal.
You dip your hands into your pockets. If only
you had a knife! All you feel is the little glass vial
Maurice gave you back at the Academy, and you
know it contains nothing but a few cloves of garlic.
Garlic! A wild idea enters your mind. You
quickly pass a clove to each of your crew mates.
"Rub it on your necks," you whisper.
Puzzled, the others do as you say. You rub the
remaining garlic clove on your own neck, then
palm it as the vampires start toward you, hands
outstretched, teeth bared, saliva drooling from
their mouths.

Turn to page 178.

 78 79

But Sangfroid gives no threat of sinking his teeth

into your neck. Instead he asks politely where you
come from. When he learns your home is Earth,
-third planetin the solar system of the sun, his long,
bbhy hands quiver with excitement.
"Ah, you're from your sun's third planet! One of
our scouts set out to visit your solar system a few
hundred years ago, but he never returned. Now
we are about to launch a full-sized spaceship on a
mission to find out what happened to him. "
You and Dr. Mvaldi exchange concerned looks.
"Of course we have no interest in your planet, " spacecraft hanger. Nearby is what looks like a
Sangfroid says, "but the fourth planet-the red rocket launching pad.
one. Our scientists believe it is mostly an ocean of "lt's very disturbing to see no farms on the
very delicious blood!" planet," Dr. Vivaldi says. "lt's almost certain the
At this you can hardly keep from laughing. But people here live simply by drinking from the ocean
Dr. Vivaldi pulls something from her space jacket. of blood. "
It's a booklet titled Ot't'icial Pocket Guide to the "l'd like to ,
the
Planets. She opens it to the section that contains captain says. " and
photographs of Mars. I'm afraid that find
"l'm afraid your scientists are mistaken," she our blood a re two
says. "Mars is red, but not because of any ocean of people down in a space capsule to investigate. Our
blood. The surface is entirely composed of red laser guns may not be of much use agai"nst these
sand and rocks, as these photos show." creatures. "

lf you uolunteer to descend to the plonet of the

uampires, turn to poge 87.

lf you say you'd rather stay on boord the

TUrn to page 95. Caliban, turn to page 84.
 81
"l can guard your coffin, " you say loudly. "l can
find victims for you and track them, and then,
when you come out at night, I'lllead you to them;
you'll be the greatest vampire of all. You'll never
have to hide in space. " You blurt out the words as
fast as they come to your mind, allthe while won-
dering what Laurie is doing, and suddenly you re-
alize she must be going to the controls that open
the hatch of the escape capsule.
In a flash, you snap your space helmet and lock
it fast. The vampire charges. At the same time, the
hatch slides open. In a screaming rush of air you
and the vampire are sucked into the eternalblack-
ness of space. You glimpse his tumbling forrn. His
pale face is frozen into a look of horror; his body is
rigid, almost instantly frozen in the near absolute
zero temperature of space. You watch him drift out
of sight and into oblivion, forever, you hope.

Turn to page 705.

82 &|
You realize it would be extremely dangerous to The two of you quickly find the conhol room
accelerate lhe X-2 while it's still joined with the and set about hying to understand how everything
Nimbus. You rush back to the connection and de- works. Dr. Mvaldi plugs her transcoder into the
tach it. main computer. By scanning on-board data, it
What is the vampire up to? you wonder. He said quickly cracks the aliens' linguistic code.
he would surrender, then gave up his spaceship
and took the escape capsule instead. He certainly
can't get far in it; it only has a range of a few million
miles, and no matter which way he travels, you'll
stillbe able to pick him up on the scanner. But you
have a new problem: You're beginning to feel faint way, our respective artifacts resemble each other. "
and short of breath. Maybe the computer can help While your friend is talking, you activate a dis-
you on this one. You punch in the data. In a few play screen set among some conhols that resem-
moments the answer comes back: ble a Space Force Navigational Unit.
You touch her arm to get her attention, and the
THE X-2'S ESCAPE CAPSULE HAS LOCKED two of you watch with rapt attention as the screen
ON TO YOUR SHIP; THE VAMPIRE HAS DRILLED displays Akbar's solar system, with Planet 5 stand-
A HOLE THROUGH THE SKIN OF THIS VESSEL ing out as a red disk. An arrow appears where the
AND IS SUCKING OUT ITS OXYGEN. plan
"That's why I can't breathe," you gasp. . . .
that
stars
The End more distant stars, including the sun, appear. In a
few moments the vampires' flight plan becomes
clear. They are headed for Earth!
"Great heavens!" Dr. Vivaldi looks at you wide-
eyed. "What do you think we should do?"

lf you say, "Try to take the ship,"

turn to poge 773.

lf you say, "Talk to the uampires and warn

them to stay away t'rom Earth or face
destruction," tLtrn to poge 97.
84 85
"Very well," Captain McNair says, "l'll go with The'y.ampire is smiling. "l can see you're feeling
Dr. Vivaldi. Roxanne will remain to assist you.
.better,-" he says, "but you'll soon be getting
While we're gone, maintain orbit at present course thirsty. "
using radar shields. We'll find you through log- As he speak, you feela certain thirst, a strange,
arithmic hacking. " unnatural thirst.
"Will you keep in touch by radio?" you ask. "We're headed for the Titan station, " the vam-
Captain McNair shakes his head. "Only in an pire tells you. "You'll be glad to know that a new
emergency. There's too great a chance that they're group of colonists just arrived there, each of them
monitoring our frequency. " containing about two gallons of blood. "
"Suppose we don't hear from you after a few
days?" The End
"lt will mean we're dead or captured," the cap-
tain says. "lf there's no sign of us for ten days,
return to Earth. "

Turn to poge 90.

86
87
As the vampire walks past, you and Dr. Mvaldi
step out from the shadows, your laser guns drawn.
The vampire looks at you curiously. Obviously
your guns mean nothing to him. He stares at you
like some wild animal who has never before seen
humans, then begins speaking in an in-
comprehensible language. Dr. Mvaldi tunes her
transcoder, which begins analyzing his speech. In a
few moments an amber light comes on: The trans-
coder has deciphered the vampire's speech and is
ready to translate.
"We have come from a distant planet," Dr. Vi-
valdi says.
The vampire shakes his head in amazement. He In a moment you're on your feet. ,,1,m okay.
calls out, and in a few moments you see other Let's go. ') '
vampires coming toward you from the space
hangar.
"Put your gun away," Dr. Vivaldi whispers. "l
don't think they'll harm us. "
In a moment you are surrounded by the deathly
pale creatures. One of them, who seems to be the
leader, steps forward.
"Welcome," he says, eyeing you up and down.
"You must be thirsty. Come and drink with us from
our ocean. It's only a short way from here. "
"Thank gou, " Dr. Vivaldi replies, giving you a She pats your shoulder. ,.Don't count on it.,,
meaningful look.

TUrn to poge 45.

TUrn to page 99.
 89
Hours go by. You can't eat or drink. You're very
uncomfortable and you have no way of knowing
what's going on. But you take pleasure at least in
knowing the vampire has not found you. Still, you
can'tstay in this hole forever. Another hourpasses.
Your bones and muscles ache. You're hungry and
thirsty. Then you feel another soft jolt. The other
space capsule has been launched! Just as you
planned, the vampire thinks you took off in one of
the capsules and has taken the other one to give
chase. You slither out of the laser cannon, rub your
aching arms, and rush for the controls! At your
command, the computer displays a view of the two
capsules, one pursuing the other. You prepare to
hype out on an oblique course and leave the vam-
pire marooned in deep space. You can't help but
laugh as you start punching instructions into the
computer. But you stop abruptly as you hear a
very different laugh behind you-the cruel laugh
of the space vampire.

The End
 90 9L

Eight days have passed. There's been no word "All right," Dr. Vivaldi says, "let's try it."
from Captain McNair and Dr. Vivaldi. By now you The vampires turn with astonishment as you
fear the worst. Just waiting in orbit is telling on and Dr. Vivaldi stride boldly toward them. Their
your nerves. powerful bodies are garbed in dark brown work
On the ninth day the silence is broken by a radio clothes; their eyes glare at you like slowly burning
message from Captain McNair. "We've been cap- embers; their pale skin gleams in the fluorescent
tured. I cut my hand in a scuffle. When the vam- light as if coated with oil.
pire chief smelled my blood he decided to kill us Dr. Vivaldi holds out her transcoder. Wthin a
and invade Earth. Must destroy radio. Radars are few moments it has analyzed their speech pat-
searching for you. Return to Earth. Warn Space terns. It flashes an amber light, indicating it can
Force. " The radio clicks off. now translate any conversation.
You and Roxanne look at each other. She is Though the vampires are shocked by your ap-
almost as pale as a vampire, and you know the pearance, they make no move to attack you. In-
horror of it shows in your face too. stead they escort you to a room furnished with
You put a computer trace on the direction of the comfortable chairs. A blue-and-white hand-knit
captain's last transmission. He is being held in a rug is on the floor. The walls are decorated with
location about half a mile north of the spaceship photographs of Akbar and its surrounding planets.
hangar. The vampires ask you to wait untiltheir leader,
Sangfroid, can arrive. They offer you each a mug
,l
filled with blood from their ocean.
"No thank gou, " you say as politely as possible.
Dr. Vivaldi also declines the offer. "Let's hope
I
they don't think our blood is better than that lo-
I
cally available, " she whispers.
I
i
I
I

lf you t'ollow orders and return immediately to

Earth, turn to page 74.

lf you decide to take the Caliban down toward

the planet and try to rescue Captain McNoir
and Dr. Viualdi, turn to poge 46. Go on to the nert page.
92 93

Wthin a few minutes a tall, older-looking vam- and too pink for him to think of you as anything
pire arrives. His skin is bone-white, so reflective but a source of food.
that it seems to be giving off its own pale light. He
stares at you with cold, piercing eyes. You dare not Turn to page 78.
hold his gaze; you're afraid that you are too warm

HE m@
@@
94 95

You race to the main controls. You weren't tops Sangfroid scowls. He examines the booklet with
at the Academy for nothing. It takes you only a few great care, then turns and regards you with the
seconds to activate the propulsion system. You get saddest eyes you've ever seen. "l'm afraid we will
into bracing position and gently set the X-2 into never visit your solar system, " he says. "We must
motion. You smile as you think how the vampire search elsewhere for planets with oceans of
will be left alone in a space capsule that can't take blood. "
him more than a few million miles. "And though we are glad to have met you, " Dr.
Flashing red lights on your conhol panel! Vivaldi says as she rises, "your planet likewise
"Status?" you shout at the computer. holds no interest for us. "
At the same time you feelthe air whipping past 'And so we must be on our way," you add,
your face. You're feeling faint. The ship is losing standing and bowing to Sangfroid and the other
oxygen. Pressure is dropping. So is temperature- vampires standing nearby.
to more than two hundred degrees below zerot Within the hour you and Dr. Mvaldi are in your
"Breach of hull: Main hatch, " the computer an- capsule, streaking toward a rendezvous with the
nounces. Caliban, still in high orbit over the planet.
You slap on your space helmet and drink in oxy- "l'm glad they didn't decide to try our blood, "
gen. You realize at once what's happened: The you say to Dr. Vivaldi.
force of acceleration tore the two ships apart and "Let's hope they find oceans they like, far
ripped off part of the hull of the X-2. It has lost away, " she says.
pressure, and suddenly you're shivering and "At least two or three galaxies away, " you add,
numb with cold. There's no way you can repair the as you reach into the fridge for some potato chips.
damage. Your oxygen supply will give out soon,
but you'll probably freeze even sooner. The only The End
consolation is that the space vampire will never get
out of his escape capsule. It only has a range of a
few million miles, and the nearest space station is
almost 40 million miles away!

Turn to page 772.

96
Suddenly a hemendous roaring sound fills your
ears. You're pressed flat against your restraints.
The Songuo has lifted offl
A few hours later you're sheaking out of the
Akbar system. The Caliban isn't far behind. Only
86 days until you reach Earth!
"lt will take a long time for the vampires to build
another ship like this one!" Dr. Mvaldi says tri-
DBIEO
umphantly.
You nudge her arm affectionately. "And by El_000
studying this ship, Space Force scientists will be
able to counter them if they ever show up in our
solar system."
"Say, I'm getting hungry," Dr. Mvaldi says.
Smiling, you punch in a request on the com-
puter: "State all choices of food available for crew
members."
As you wait for the answer to appear on the
blank screen, your mouth begins to water.
A moment later two words are printed out:
DRIED BLOOD.

The End
 99
You round a corner and gasp at the sight before
"6@ you. The huge hangar door is open. Within the
brightly lighted interior is an enormous rocket ship,
obviously of advanced design. A few dozenwork-
( ers are welding on its lateral thrusters.
_ "This ship is designed for hans-stellar travel,"
Dr. Mvaldi whispers.
A worker is heading toward you. From your hid-
ing place you get a look at him. He's humanlike,
yet exceedingly pale, with milk-white skin and
straight black hair that glistens as if it were slicked
with oil. His upper lip bulges and you can see a
portion of his curved white teeth between his rub-
bery lips.
.. "Shallwe ty to capture him?" Dr. Vivaldi says,
"or try/ to sneak aboard their rocket ship?"

lf you try to capture the uampire,

turn to page 86.

lf you try to sneak aboard the rocket ship,

turn to page 774.
100 101

The hours go by. You keep looking up at the For the first time the vampire looks you in the
chronometer. Ho hum-you never dreamed eye. "The other vampires will come. They want to
Space Force duty could be so boring. A red light see Earth, for they believe it is a lush planet; they
flashes on the internal security board: wARNTNG: do not know that on Earth they can never show
ALIEN TNTRUSToN. You sound the alarm. In a min- themselves in daylight. " The vampire's voice rises
ute the crew members come running into the as he speak. He seems overwhelmed by emo[on.
room, all except the navigator, Stan Linden. "They will come, " he sobs. "They will come unless
"Quick! Check his bunk room!" the captain I warn them!"
shouts. "You must warn them!" The words spill out of
You and Nat Crosetti, the ship's engineer, run to your mouth without your even thinking of them.
Stan's bunk. You gasp at the sight of his crumpled The vampire shakes his head. "By the time I get
form. His shriveled body bears two puncture there, it will probably be too late."
wounds in the neck, each of them marked by a few "Maybe not!"
last drops of blood. No doubt about it: The space "The only chance is . . ." As the vampire talks,
vampire is on board! his voice trails off. You lean closer, but you can't
You rush to the control room, and there he is: hear the rest of what he says. Perhaps his strength
black-haired with bone-white skin, his hands on is leaving him because your spaceship is getting
the captain's shoulders. His teeth sink into the cap- closer to the sun.
tain's throat. As he crumples to the deck, the cap-
tain punches something into the computer. You
and Nat are thrown violently across the control
room and knocked cold as the ship abruptly
changes course!

lf you lean euencloser to try to hear what the

tnmpire is soying turn to page 54.

lf you go tell the captain what the uampire said,

turn to page 69.

Turn to poge 707. It' you continue ta *and guard, turn to page 38.
L02
But the vampires are in no mood for con-
versation. They rush at you, hands outstretched,
their bony fingers extended toward you, their fin-
gernails bared like cat claws. Before you can
move, they seize you in a viselike grip. But Rox-
anne, who has jumped back, fires a laser ray
through the heart of the vampire holding you. His
white face, close to yours, contorts, his fingers vi-
brate in a wild spasm, nicking the skin of your
neck. He shudders terribly. Then he pulls himself
together and resumes his grip on you. The others
seize Roxanne before she can give fire again. Only
now do you realize how helpless you are.
Within the hour you and Roxanne are locked in
a room, reunited with Dr. Vivaldi and Captain
McNair. The captain groans when he sees the two
of you dragged in.
"So you wouldn't follow my'orders," he says.
"You both could be court-martialed, but I don't
have to worry whether you will be disciplined.
Being devoured by a vampire is punishment
enough, and that's what will happen to you-and
to us. The chief of the vampires and his cohorts are
planning to feast on us this evening-they say they
want to try our blood. "
You've never been so depressed. Not only are
you about to die, but you've thrown away your
chance to warn Space Force of the vampires' inva-
sion. The whole solar system may be lost to the
vampires because you failed to obey the captain's
orders.

Turn to poge 76.

104 105

Two days have passed. Alone in a space suit Wth your space suit equipped, to supply suffi-
with a jet pack on your back, traveling at 2200 cient warmth and oxygen for seven days, you're
miles per hour, you feel as if you're absolutely safe for the moment. But you're trapped, floating
motionless. Even with all your training, you're not helplessly in space.
prepared for the eeriness, the loneliness, and the You know Laurie will try to rescue you. The
stark, strange beauty of drifting alone in space. odds are against her succeeding, but you've al-
You sleep, you dream, you sip vitamin-enriched ready seen how resourceful she is. Maybe you'll
orange-flavored water, and every few hours you get out of this alive. Maybe.
take a bearing on M-33. The days go by. Your oxygen supply is almost
exhausted. Occasionally you catch sight of a mov-
Three days have passed. Everything is the ing point of light-the Petya searching for you.
same, except you're feeling weaker from lack of Your space suit gives off only a very weak radar
solid food. reflection. You shuggle to keep up your hopes, but
you know your chances of being rescued are slip-
Five days. The asteroid is growing brighter. ping away.
Through the Questar scope you can make out its Then you shout for joy, so loudly your voice
potatolike shape. Then your heart skips a beat- hurts your ears, echoing inside your helmetl
the tiny light next to it has taken on an elongated The Petya is heading toward you.
shape-it's almost certainly the Petyo. Laurie has found you!

Seven days. Your food supply is almost gone, The End

and more important, so is your oxygen supply.
There's only a slight chance there's a galactic patrol
station on M-33. Yet if you board the Petyo, you
could be walking into the arms-and teeth----of the
space vampire!

If you jet toward osteroid M-33,

turn to page 27.

lf you jet toward the Petga, turn to page 40.

 107

When you c'ome to, bruised and aching, you

see the vampire drinking the last drops of blood
from Nat's body. In a moment the vampire starts
toward you, his bared teeth still dripping blood.
You start to get up, though you know you have no
chance. Then, miraculously, the vampire stops in
his tracks. Something on the display screen has
caught his eye! He rushes to the master control
paneland starts working franflcally with the com-
puter. Suddenly you realize what the captain did
just before he died-he started the self-destruct
cycle! Only he knew the code-and there is no
way you or the vampire can countermand it! You
run out the door and race down the corridor. In a
flash you're inside the escape capsule. The vam-
pire is rushing toward you.
Actiuote!
WHOOSH.
You're in the silence of space, accelerating.
Looking back, you see the Beluga turning, rapidly
closing on you. Then a flash of light The ship has
been blown to bits along with the space vampire!
You'll get a hero's welcome if you get rescued.
Unfortunately, it's five billion miles to Earth.

The End
108 r09
Tiussed by illyrium wires, the vampire stands Following the vampire's orders. you settc dry
helplessly before you. His face seems ewn whiter into hypermode, directly on course forAkbar- hsa
than before. His huge eyes, black as coals, are so three-week trip to Akbar, and each night you go to
penehating that they could paralyze anyone who sleep wonderin g whether you' ll ev er w ake up. For-
dared to stare at him. But his eyes are closed as he tunately, vampires can live for long periods with-
stands waiting for his death. out eating. They like to do that and then gorge
The Petya is streaking toward the sun. In a few themselves. Of course, there's no way of knowing
hours the ship will be inside Earth's orbit. Then the when one will want to have a snack.
vampire will be led to the forward control room, Each day you watch for an opportunity to out-
the sun filters will be raised, and the full force of wit the vampire, but he watches you constantly.
daylight will bring his almost immortal life to an You need almost eight hours of sleep every day.
end. Only then can he be safely buried in space, The vampire never needs sleep; he never tires; he
for until a vampire is killed by bright sunlight, there never stops watching. What can you do? You
is always a chance the atoms in his body willreas- wrack your brain.
semble, and he will live again to terrorize the Nine days have passed. The ship has traveled
world. almost half the distance to Akbar. The vampire is
To have captured and truly killed a vampire is a no longer watching you so closely. If you could get
great feat for which you and the rest of the crew will to one of the escape capsules, you could make a
be richly ralarded. And yet, as you stand looking getaway. But they have a range of only a few mil-
at this odious creafure, you can't help but feel a lion miles. In the vast reaches of interstellar space,
tinge of pity. And of course, you're curious about traveling a million miles is like traveling a few
him. You read about vampires during your years at inches on an ocean.
the Academy, but most experts hold that vampires At last an idea comes to mind. The next time
do not really exist. How wrong they are! you're left alone, you sprint to the exit chambel
Now that one is actually standing before you, set the controls of Capsule 1, instruct the computer
you want very much to question him; yet you to launch it at low speed, and race back to the
know that vampires have very shong personalities. control room. Then, entering by way of the load-
They can be hypnotic. It could be dangerous talk- ing hatch, you crawl into the ship's laser cannon.
ing to a space vampire, even when he's bound in You feel an almost imperceptible jolt as Capsule 1
illyrium chains. fires. Then you lie still.

lf you talk to the uampire, fi)rn to page 62.

lf you auoid talking to him, turn to page 53. Turn to poge 89

110 tu
Three weeks later you're on a mission in your Three weeks have passed since yrou boardad
own Mmbus, a single-seat, ion-propelled minicraft lhe Caliban, a CIass-A trans-stellar exploration
with fusion mode accelerants. Your mission is to ship. You're cruising in hyperdrive. In less than two
patrol the solar system in extua-Martian orbit and Earth weeks you've covered most of the eighteen
intercept any intruders. Your firepower is limited. trillion miles that separate Earth from the star Ak-
Your shields would hardly deflect modern laser bar. Only a few months ago the United Planets'
guns, but your craft is the most maneuverable in monitoring system detected patterns of radio
the solar system, and your radar equipment is waves that could only have been made by intel-
state-of-the-art. ligent creatures. They came from one of Akbar's
Most of the time you're able to relax, sleep, planets-simply called "Planet 5. " Normally such
watch 3-D videos, study Space Force manuals, signals come from Earthlike planets, but Planet 5
play computer games, and enjoy the stunning produced a red profile in the spectroscope, redder
beauty of space; but three days into your mission a even than that of Mars.
musical tone tells you that a priority message has TheColibon is highly automated, requiring only
been received. fu you read it, you realize you're a crew of four. Captain McNair is a short, stocky
about to have the challenge of your life: The space man with bristly gray hair. Roxanne Tiudeau.
vampire tricked the Space Force assault team, black-haired with lively green eyes, was a gym-
captured theX-2, killed everyone in the creq and nastic champion at the Academy. A brilliant phys-
is headed for the Omega colony orbiting Mars! icist, she was appointed science officer of Caliban
You enter instructions into your computer: at an unusually young age. The fourth member of
INTERCEPT X-2. DISPLAY INTERSECT DATA. ADVISE the crew is an old friend of yours, Dr. Nera Vivaldi,
MCTICAL CONSIDERATIONS. the famous expert on interspecies communica-
The computer responds in seconds: TIME To IN- tion. Dr. Vivaldi, a trim, athletic woman in her
TERCEPT-THREE HOURS, FOURTEEN MINUTES. fifties. rarely travels beyond the solar system, and
her presence on board is an indication of how im-
portant your mission is.

Turn to page 68. Turn to poge 33

Lt2 r13
Then, as you hunch over, cringing against the i'lf we can . . . I think we'd better. . . ." D'r. Vi-
deepening cold, one last awful thought enters your valdi agrees.
mind, something you remember from your last Even as she speaks, a green light appears on the
navigationalcheck: Earth is sixty-one million miles hanscoder. Dr. Mvaldi punches in a request for
away, moving toward you at eighteen miles per operational characteristics and flight plan detail. In
second in its orbit around the sun. In less than two a few minutes, pertinent data appear on the
months it will pass within a million miles of the screen.
vampire's capsule. Now you understand his plan,
his diabolical genius. Almost worse than dying is pLANET 5 specesntp SANGUA: AUToMATToN
the thought that the vampire will live to become COMPLETE FOR PROGRAMMED FLIGHT ANY
the terror of the Earth. DrsrANcE up ro 150 ucnr yEARS. TRAVEL-
rNG TIME To EARTH: 86 (eanrn) DAys. sHrp
The End FULLY STOCKED WITH FOOD.

"Thank goodness," Dr. Mvaldi says. "lt's fully

automated. All we have to do is activate and we'll
reach Earth in 86 days. We can radio the Calibon
to follow us."
After taking a few minutes to exhact the neces-
sary information, you succeed in closing the hatch
and initiatng the flight program. The two of you
strap yourselves in and wait anxiously as the
Songuo rolls down a track taking it outside the
hangar. It slowly tilts upward toward launching
position. Everything moves swiffly and smoothly,
but on the view screen you see the vampires work-
ing furiously to abort the launch.
"They're going to detonate a boosterunder us!"
Dr. Mvaldi cries.

Turn to page 96.

ttl rr5
You and Dr. Mvaldi continue toward the great, "There's a reason, as th
hulking rocket ship, staying in its shadows. The Dr. Mvaldi replies. "The va
vampire workers are obviously absorbed by a are, live peacefully among
problem with their equipment. The main hatch is fore can be much more productive. Of course they
not far away. You work your way toward it. On are stronger in body and in will than mortal hu-
Earth, you would never be able to reach it-there mans, but also they benefit by not having to waste
would be too many security guards and electronic time and resources making war, or preparing to
sensors. Earth people would be on the lookout for make war. Nor do they amuse themselves with
intruders. But here there are no enemies. expensive cars and gadgets. They wear no cos-
The vampires work with great concentration- metics. They don't drink alcohol, smoke, or take
so much so that you might walk almost in front of drugs. Horrible as they are-with their death-pale
their noses without their noticing. Still you take skin and dark, hollow eyes-th ey arc in many
care to keep in the shadows and move quietly as ways as innocent as dolphins, except for their
Indians. In a few minutes you reach the main compulsive thirst for blood. "
hatch. There is no boarding ramp. The bottom of As Dr. Vivaldi is talking, you notice thatthe vam-
the hatch must be at least six feet off the ground. pires have stopped working and are talking excit-
"lt may be too high," you say. edly among themselves, patting each other on the
"We can make it," Dr. Vivaldi says. "Gravity back just like humans!
here is 20 percent less than on Earth." "Look, they must have solved whatever prob-
She jumps, getting an armhold inside the ship. lem they were working on, " you say. "We've got to
You boost her legs and she scrambles inside, then hurry!"
gives you a hand up after her.
From inside the dimly lit spacecraft you peer
anxiously out at the vampire workers.
"There can't be more than a few million vam-
pires on this planet," you observe. "lt's amazing
they've been able to build a spaceship. "

Go on to the next page. Turn to page 83.

 LL7
You tilt back in the captain's chair and close your
eyes. The low hum of the electronic instruments
has a soothing effect, and before long you're
sleeping peacefully.
How long you sleep is hard to tell. but when
your eyes open, you're immediately aware that
something is terribly wrong. The chronometer
shows that three hours have passed. Your watch
should already have ended, yet no one came to
replace you. You rush to the sleeping quarters,
then gasp as you see the bodies of the captain and
your other crew mates---cvery one of them dead!
You force yourself to look at their shriveled, lifeless
forms, at the twin puncture wounds on each of
their neck, the bloodstains on their bunks. The
truth is all too clear. There is a vampire on the ship
and while you were sleeping he killed everyone
else on board!
Panicked, you rush back to the control room.
Your eyes fix on the red warning light on the se-
curity board. You play back the computer warning
you would have heard earlier if you'd been awake:
"Alien in ship . . . alien advancing on captain's
quarters Recommend instant counter-
measures.

Turn to page 36.

118

Sangfroid is l- He lunges at
you,
-his
giabbing s and lowering
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
mouth tow enlY he jumPs,
wretching, screaming! The other vampires, angry
and sho-uting, turnlway in disgust. Sangfroid EDWARD PACKARD is a graduate of Princeton
screams ungti'ly at the others as they all rush out of University and Columbia Law School. He de-
the room. veloped the unique storytelling approach used in
Captain McNair is the first to break his bonds' In the Choose Your Own Adventure series while
a moment he frees the rest of you. You dash out thinking up stories for his children, Caroline, An-
the door and race for the Caliban.ln a few mo- drea, and Wells. Mr. Packard is also the creator of
ments you're safelY aboard. Bantam's interactive series, Escape From Tenopia
"Take off angle 14.7 ," the captain tells the com- and Escape From the Kingdom of Frome.
puter.
The ship slowly tilts. ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
"Blast ot't'!"
The angib of takeoff sends the Caliban' s exhaust
back into the hangar, igniting the fuel stores inside' JUDITH MITCHELL was born and raised in New
Streaking into the stratosphere, you can see a York City. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts
huge ball of orange flame as the vampires' space- degree from Chatham College and has also stud-
ship explodes. ied art at the Columbia University School of Arts
'tlt *ill take them a long time to rebuild a ship and at the Schoolof VisualArts in New York City.
like that," Dr. Vivaldi observes as the Coliban en- Ms. Mitchell is the illustrator of Outlaws of Sher-
ters the silent blackness of space. woodForest, EnchantedKingdom, Mystery of the
"And I don't think the vampires will ever want to Secret Room, and Seoside Mystery in Bantam's
visit Earth," Roxanne says. "They don't like the Choose Your Own Adventure series. When the
artist isn't working, she enjoys music, animals,
cooking, collecting antiques, and travel. Judith
Mitchell and her husband, Jack Murray, live in
New York City.

earned a promotion and command of your own

Class-A spaceship. You're the best!"
The End
 Go 0n A Super Adventure in a
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