Prison Planet

A small Mars outpost confronts a medical emergency when a young patient and a second wounded traveler must reach a proper hospital on Earth; with no scheduled transport available, staff plan to convert a surface rocket for an eight-day interplanetary hop, improvising bunks, fuel storage, and supplies. Conflict arises over who will pilot the cramped ship, focused on an outsider with a troubled past versus the outpost chief, while a nurse urges the risky plan to save lives. The narrative examines duty, suspicion of outsiders, and the moral cost of risking careers for urgent rescue.