The Astounding She-Monster

In space, a planet fearing Earth's potential to destroy the universe decides to contact Earth through diplomatic emissaries. This plan foreshadows the arrival of an emissary sent to offer peaceful contact.

Geologist Dick Cutler spots what he thinks is a meteor crashing into the forest. Out of the smoke emerges a glowing blonde extraterrestrial in a skintight leotard who can kill by touch. The alien's arrival marks the moment Earth first encounters a peaceful emissary.

Nat Burdell and Brad Conley kidnap wealthy socialite Margaret Chaffee and, joined by Esther Malone, head for the San Gabriel Mountains to await the ransom. The plan is to pressure Chaffee's father into paying a large sum. The group aims to keep the socialite hidden until the money arrives.

Burdell and Conley hide in geologist Dick Cutler's cabin deep in the mountains, hoping to stay hidden until payment arrives. The alien presence outside the cabin raises tension as the trio tries to stay one step ahead of her. The setting becomes a tense, claustrophobic stand-off.

The alien appears at the cabin window and Burdell orders Conley to pursue her. The alien's touch proves deadly, and Conley dies, while bullets fail to stop her. The threat outside becomes a threat inside the cabin.

Back at the cabin, Burdell retrieves Conley's body and debates their next move. Cutler explains that Conley's death may be due to radium poisoning and warns Burdell that carrying the body could be dangerous for his own health.

Burdell decides they must flee that night, planning to navigate a dangerous mountain road in a headlight-less Jeep. Before they can depart, the alien smashes through the cabin's window, and Esther Malone is killed. The group scrambles to respond to the mounting threat.

As they attempt to escape, the alien catches up with them and kills Burdell when they drive off. With the gangsters dead, Cutler and Chaffee struggle to regroup and stay alive in the wilderness.

Cutler and Chaffee return to the cabin and reassess their situation. He hypotheses that the alien's body is made of radium and platinum, which protect her from Earth's atmosphere, and begins planning an acid-based kill.

During a confrontation in the cabin, Cutler throws an acid solution at the alien, killing her and causing her to disintegrate. The room is left in chaos, but the threat is finally removed.

A locket the alien wore remains undamaged and contains a note from the Master of the Council of Planets of the Galaxy inviting Earth to join the Council. The discovery reframes the encounter as a diplomatic missive rather than a simple attack.

Chaffee suggests that the Council's wisdom might steer future contact toward peace, while Cutler wonders whether another emissary will come and what their arrival would mean—goodwill or vengeance. The story ends on a cautiously hopeful note.