S. J. Byrne

“ Derla turned away from Kuru then and walked into the dark forest. Kuru watched her go and then shook his head. "You are a strange one, my sister. But go to your God. You will never be happy unless you do." ”

“ He has grown a beard. Each day he looks less a god and more a man. But he drinks qaral-juice too much. He stays away from us and he stays away from the other gods. What is the matter with him?"
"I do not know, Kuru. He is very strange. Beautiful things make him sad. I know when he is sad, because then he really drinks and goes away to sleep it off somewhere."
"What do you mean—beautiful things?"
"Well, it is when we are happiest in the mornings when the suns are still too low in the sky to drink the dew from the leaves and grasses, when we bathe in the river and laugh and play. ”

“ Derla ran forward to her brother's side, placing her hands on one of his hairy arms. "Then this is a greater reason for me to be with you, brother!—so that your spirit will not travel alone into the sky country."
Kuru looked down into his sister's eyes and grinned. "You are my favorite sister," he said. "Come! Perhaps when they see you they will not think of killing!" He shouldered the horny-head beast again, and the two of them continued across the floor of the valley toward the shining sky-cave of the gods....
"Mother of God! Frank!"
"What is it?"
"Seeing is believing. ”

“ He lowered the heavy horny-head beast to the ground and looked at his sister in amazement.
She was almost his own age, and the prettiest female in the family, with her long black hair and her large black eyes and firm young breasts. He, himself, had killed the murder-beast whose fur encircled her shapely hips.
"I would be with you in this danger," she answered, pleadingly. "None of the other males dared to go with you. Our father's pride would be complete if a female of the Great Cliffs were as brave as Kuru."
"But you must go back. I do not know what these gods will do. They may kill me." ”

“ Hours later, when the angry cloud began to fade away in the sky above that valley where the sky-cave was located, the father-chiefs and hunters gathered at Council Rock.
"Our bravest hunters must go to appease them with great sacrifices," announced Bortu. "They must go at once. And my son, Kuru, will lead them."
So it was decided. The fattest horny-head beasts were killed and skinned. Kuru and nine other hunters shouldered their sacrifices and started toward the Valley of the Gods, as it was now called. ”

“ Council members from three neighboring "families" had already gathered on Council Rock, because some had seen the shining thing descend out of the sky. But only Kuru could tell them facts about it, which added tremendously to his prestige.
"It is a flying cave they have built," he concluded. "They are gods from the country of the sky."
"This must be true," said Bortu, his father. "You say they killed a murder-beast with lightning?" ”

“ A group of twelve man-gods stood there, waiting for him. None of them, he noticed carefully, had a lightning stick in his hand, although at least five of them carried the terrible weapons at their sides. After pausing once to make sure that he was not to be attacked, Kuru climbed up onto the ledge and threw his sacrifice down. Then he turned to help Derla up. The two of them stood facing the people from the sky.
Finally, Kuru said to them, "We bring you sacrifice and make peace. The gods are welcome to this land." ”

“ Say listen, Frank. These people have been entertaining us all for a week. We've found a perfect, utterly peaceful world that has never known war or privation. It's the biggest find in history, and here you sit moping. ”

“ What we ought to do is protect these people from civilzation. We discovered them. When we go back and report it, they will be the property of modern materialism. Our supposed gifts to them will be nothing short of exploitation. ”

“ He's broken out into a sweat. He's watching us like a wild animal. Instinct is struggling with intelligence. Don't make any quick moves. You'll notice he keeps watching our guns as though he knew what they were for. ”

“ We're wonder gods, and our gadgets are magic toys. What do they know about the rest of it? In forty or fifty years the colony ships will arrive here and set up shop. There'll be scientific development, mass production, regimentation. ”

“ Derla tugged at his arm. "We should bow down," she advised.
Brother and sister fell to their knees, with bowed heads.
"That ought to make a good picture for you, Henderson. They're eating out of our hand already!"
"Here, fellow, get to your feet. You too, black eyes!"
"Don't forget the sacrifice. Better accept it so's they won't be offended. Besides, maybe it's edible. We could do with some fresh meat—maybe."
"Maybe is right. I don't think my system could get used to real steaks again. That looks like some sort of goat. May be just like mutton."
"Hey Frank! That cave girl sure goes for you! ”