Astounding Stories #6

An anthology issue featuring multiple stories. "Stranger in the Storm" depicts a military encounter with an alien armada less than 3.5 million miles from Earth; Admiral Duane, a Space Corps member held prisoner for five days, must endure interrogation by a green-skinned alien commander who threatens to destroy humanity's ships in daily battles, while Duane and his fellow officer attempt to outwit their captor. Another story involves a woman confronting a mysterious visitor during a thunderstorm who makes sinister remarks about her fate, causing her mounting terror as lightning strikes the house and the stranger's true nature—or intentions—remain ambiguous until a final, violent climax.