Human-alien encounters -- Fiction; Life on other planets -- Fiction; Religion -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories
Just another case of a man's foolishness catching up with him. But
Duncan hasn't stopped giving us trouble yet, dead or not. First thing
that happened was that old Stancha came in to the post, demanding to
be executed. He claimed he'd made a big mistake killing Duncan, the
biggest mistake of his life. I never could figure out what he meant--it
seemed to have something to do with what Duncan said to him just before
he died.
Well, if Stancha had kept his mouth shut, we'd have had no case at
all, which would have been just fine with me. I was Agent, in Duncan's
place, and I was out to see to it that business stayed good and got
better. Can't annoy the natives by executing their high priest and
expect good trade. But I couldn't very well let Stancha go, either,
once he'd confessed. So I had him tried, all proper and correct, and
executed him in due form.
Next thing I knew, the Tarchiks were putting Kachan back together
again. They were all up there, building a great big new version, and
having a first class party at the same time. These parties generally
lead to a tail-hunting expedition, so I expected some trouble. But it
didn't, this time.
There was plenty of noise, though. The Tarchiki never do anything
quietly, and this seemed to be an occasion. What with drums, bagpipes,
wailing and howling, there wasn't a bird would roost for twenty miles
around.
When they got all through, I went up to look over the new statue, out
of curiosity, and because I'd heard that they hadn't sacrificed a
single pup. I thought there must be something queer about Kachan Number
Two. There was.
It was Duncan. They'd given him a tail, and he looked more like a
Tarchik than an Earthman, but the face was unmistakable. They aren't
half bad carvers, you know; and they'd really spread themselves this
time. The thing was forty feet tall, and it stood on a rock platform,
with some words carved in that lettering Duncan had taught them to use.
The words were something Duncan was supposed to have said as he was
dying.
I never could read that stuff really well; all I got out of the thing
was that Duncan was forgiving the old murderer, because he didn't know
what he was doing. Pure nonsense, of course, but you don't expect a
dying man to make sense, and particularly not Duncan. But it seems
those words were what had caused all the to-do.
I found the story in one of those ballads Duncan had collected. Seems
that the Tarchiki had been expecting a great teacher to show up,
who'd do all sorts of wonderful things for them. Nothing unusual; all
primitives have some story like that. But there was something else.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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