Comet's Burial

In Short

This story follows two lunar prospectors—the driven, controversial Jess Brinker and his reluctant recruit, Arne Copeland—as they attempt to save the Moon from its own inhospitable nature. Frustrated by the failure of traditional science to tap into the planet's internal warmth and gases, Brinker orchestrates a collision between the Moon and an incoming comet. It is a classic tale of the "mad" visionary whose radical act of destruction ultimately serves as an act of creation, blending hard-boiled character dynamics with the sweeping, grandiose scale of Golden Age science fiction.

The Story

Arne Copeland arrives at Tycho Station on the Moon, a young, ambitious prospector eager to make his mark. He quickly encounters Jess Brinker, a man burdened by the reputation of his late father, a notorious swindler who once promised a lunar city of trees and flowers. Despite warnings that Brinker is a dangerous egotist, Copeland enters into a partnership with him. The two men roam the far side of the Moon, building a reputation through their exploration and their habit of stamping their names into the lunar dust.

Underneath this adventurous exterior, Brinker harbors an obsession: he believes the Moon’s crust is too thick to drill, but that a strategic impact could release the volcanic gases and water vapor trapped deep within. He plans to steer the oncoming Brulow’s Comet to strike the lunar surface. When a criminal associate named Krell frames them for a series of murders, Brinker takes a desperate, forceful initiative. He kidnaps the reluctant Copeland and spirits him away to a secret Martian cache, where they pilot a salvaged alien ship to rendezvous with the comet.

The ensuing journey lasts nearly two years. The two men live in the comet’s nucleus, suffering from malnutrition and the psychological strain of their forced isolation. They work to deflect the comet’s trajectory using salvaged equipment, a task that grows increasingly maddening. Copeland, though initially horrified by the potential for destruction, eventually finds himself infected by Brinker’s dream of overcoming the Moon’s "desolation." He ultimately takes the lead in the final, complex astrogation required to hit the target.

When the comet strikes, the impact is cataclysmic, shattering the crust and creating the very volcanic plumes and water sources Brinker predicted. Though the pair is apprehended and sentenced to years of hard labor in the penal mines, public opinion shifts once the benefits of their "vandalism" become clear: the plumes allow for the creation of pressurized, habitable domes. Eventually, the two are vindicated and celebrated as heroes. The story concludes with the pair looking toward their next frontier, deciding to head to Mars to start anew, their partnership solidified by the shared, life-altering experience of having physically moved a celestial body to change the fate of a world.

How It Unfolds

The lunar apprenticeship Copeland arrives on the Moon and, ignoring warnings about the Brinker name, chooses to partner with the swaggering Jess Brinker. They spend months exploring the far side of the Moon, where their bootprints serve as a permanent, vanity-driven monument to their growing reputation.

The flight into the void After being framed by a rival named Krell, Brinker forces a skeptical Copeland to join him on a mission to hijack Brulow’s Comet. They use a hidden Martian vessel to reach the comet, turning its nucleus into a temporary, phosphorescent home while they rig the icy mass for a collision course with the Moon.

The long, cold gamble For nearly two years, the two men endure famine and the mental toll of the deep-space voyage. They engage in a constant, volatile struggle of wills, as Copeland shifts between wanting to kill his captor and becoming a reluctant participant in the grand, suicidal engineering project.

The impact and aftermath Copeland successfully guides the comet into the lunar surface, creating a chain reaction that releases life-sustaining gases. Despite their heroic contribution, the two are sentenced to prison for the massive destruction caused by the impact, only to be released when the public realizes the new "crater" has become the foundation for a burgeoning lunar civilization.

The People

Arne Copeland begins as a pragmatic, slightly cynical young man who values his independence. His desire for a "legend" makes him susceptible to Brinker’s influence. Over the course of the story, he moves from a state of forced captivity to one of genuine, if reluctant, shared purpose. He is the technical mind behind the final success, ultimately finding a sense of wandering freedom that makes him eager to leave for Mars.

Jess Brinker is a towering, enigmatic figure who acts as both a victim of his father’s legacy and a perpetrator of his own "Robin Hood" style of justice. He is driven by a deep, almost spiritual hatred for the Moon’s desolation, viewing it as a prison that must be broken. While he is initially seen as a crook or a madman, his stubborn adherence to his vision eventually forces the rest of humanity to catch up to his ideas.

Krell serves as the antagonist, representing the "pious and legal" establishment that wants to preserve the status quo for profit. He is the catalyst for the pair’s flight, though he meets a violent end that mirrors the very brutality he once accused them of committing.

In Its Own Voice

"A man may be a scoundrel, a crook, a high-phased confidence man, and still work toward a great dream which will be worth far more than the momentary damage his swindles cost."

This reflection on the nature of ambition and morality acts as the central thesis for Brinker’s controversial actions.

"A hell of silence, some of it beautiful: Huge ringwalls. Blazing sunlight, inky shadow. Grey plains, black sky."

Copeland’s early description of the lunar environment establishes the harsh, unforgiving physical setting that drives the characters to such extreme measures.

"I want some friends and backing, so I can do what Dad really wanted to do--though he was as much of a rogue as a saint."

Brinker explains his motivation to Copeland, revealing the deep-seated desire to redeem his father’s reputation and fulfill a seemingly impossible dream.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the tension between immediate, measurable harm and long-term, visionary progress. The story poses a difficult question: can a criminal act be justified if it ultimately benefits the greater good? By framing the Moon as a "dead" place that is actively hostile to human spirit, the text argues that sometimes the status quo must be shattered—quite literally—before growth can occur. It explores the idea that human progress is rarely a clean or polite process, often requiring a combination of madness, endurance, and a willingness to be labeled a villain by those who lack the imagination to see the future.

Why Read It Today

This story offers a sharp, unvarnished look at the "hard" science fiction of the mid-twentieth century. Readers who enjoy stories where characters have to make do with improvised tools, deal with the crushing isolation of space, and argue over the ethics of engineering will find much to admire here. It does not shy away from the darker sides of human nature, showing how survival in a hostile environment can make people "selfish to the point of queerness."

The prose is clipped and efficient, reflecting the harsh, unforgiving nature of the lunar landscape the characters inhabit. It is a product of its time, carrying the period’s specific attitudes toward rugged, masculine adventure and the notion of the "frontier." While some of the dialogue and social dynamics may feel dated, the central drama—the sheer audacity of trying to fix a planet by crashing a comet into it—remains as gripping as ever. It is best read as a study in stubbornness: the stubbornness of the Moon’s crust, the stubbornness of the characters, and the stubbornness of a dream that refuses to die, even in the vacuum of space.