After a galaxy-wide war had left the planetary federation in ruins, every surviving civilized world was on its own. And that was a perfect setup for the marauders from the far-out rim.

Trask was one of those dreaded Space Vikings, a warrior spaceman with a crew and a ship that struck terror to a thousand worlds. But Trask had a special personal interest in scourging the stars -- he wanted to draw upon himself the fire of a certain enemy -- a renegade planet-wrecker with a yen for galactic empire building. . . .

This text, taken from Analog November 1962 through February 1963, is Piper's original novel.