The Anglers of Arz
A crew from the Terran Colonies, aboard the _Marco Four_, lands on the mysterious planet Arz, where they observe peculiar behavior among the native Arzians, who engage in nightly fishing rituals that end in violent deaths at the hands of predatory creatures. The crew, consisting of navigator Arthur Farrell, commander Lee Stryker, and linguist-ethnologist Gibson, grapples with the enigma of the Arzians' motivations and the absence of any visible means of transportation to the fishing islet. As the crew investigates, they uncover a series of contradictions: the Arzians do not swim, and there are no boats, yet they consistently appear on the islet. Farrell becomes increasingly obsessed with understanding the natives' behavior, leading him to venture into the thorn forest at night, where he discovers sleeping pairs of Arzians. However, he is ambushed and rendered unconscious by an unknown force. When Farrell awakens, he finds himself paralyzed on the islet, surrounded by the very predators he had been observing. He manages to contact Gibson via an audicom, who arrives just in time to rescue him from the impending danger. Gibson reveals that he has discovered an underwater city, suggesting that the Arzians are not the dominant species but rather a form of livestock for the intelligent octopods that inhabit the ocean depths. The crew learns that the octopods have developed a culture that utilizes the Arzians for sport, akin to fishing, where the Arzians are deliberately placed in harm's way to attract the flying lizards. This revelation shifts the crew's understanding of the planet's ecosystem and the role of its inhabitants. Ultimately, the crew realizes that colonization of Arz is impossible under Terran Regulations due to the advanced nature of the octopods, leading them to decide to leave the planet before attracting further attention from its dominant species.
By Roger Dee Aycock · First published 1975 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy · 3,641 words
First lines
[Sidenote: _In order to make Izaak Walton's sport complete, there must be an angler, a fish, and some bait. All three existed on Arz but there was a question as to which was which._]
The third night of the _Marco Four's_ landfall on the moonless Altarian planet was a repetition of the two before it, a nine-hour intermission of drowsy, pastoral peace. Navigator Arthur Farrell -- it was his turn to stand watch -- was sitting at an open-side port with a magnoscanner ready; but in spite of his vigilance he had not exposed a film when the inevitable pre-dawn rainbow began to shimmer over the eastern ocean.
What this Textopian page supports
The Anglers of Arz is listed on Textopian as a short story by Roger Dee Aycock, dated 1975 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Roger Dee Aycock
- Date: 1975 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
- Length: 3,641 words
- Structure: 1 section, 83 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Anglers of Arz by Roger Dee Aycock
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles
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- The Free Fishers by John Buchan
- Jungle In The Sky by Stephen Marlowe
- A Bird Of Passage by B. M. Croker
- Under The Northern Lights by Alan Sullivan
- The Fight In The Lions Thicket by H. G. Wells
Genres
- Science Fiction — The story is set on an alien planet and involves extraterrestrial beings, advanced technology, and speculative concepts about culture and civilization.
- Adventure — The narrative follows the crew's exploration and encounters with the Arzian natives and the dangers they face, embodying the spirit of adventure.
- Fantasy — Elements of fantastical creatures and surreal situations, such as the flying lizards and the octopods, contribute to a fantasy-like atmosphere.
- Mystery — The plot revolves around uncovering the mystery of the Arzian culture and the hidden city, creating a sense of intrigue.
Tags
fishing · adventure · nature · friendship · exploration · outdoors · wildlife · rural · community · family · journey · self-discovery