Dust Unto Dust

"Dust Unto Dust" by Lyman D. Hinckley is a science fiction story written in the mid-20th century, likely during the 1950s. The narrative follows a group of space explorers who come across a mysterious and seemingly abandoned city on a barren planet. The book delves into themes of alien architecture, the remnants of a lost civilization, and the existential dread faced by the characters as they encounter the city and the secrets it might hold. The plot centers around three space-scouters—Martin, Wass, and Rodney—who land on a desolate world during their eleventh expedition. As they explore the eerie, geometric buildings of the city, they find themselves trapped by a mysterious barrier. Efforts to communicate with their ship yield no success, leading to increasing tension among the men. They discover a bank of alien seeds and a functional control panel, but the real horror unfolds when one of them becomes trapped and meets a grim fate. Ultimately, Martin and Rodney manage to escape through a hidden pipe, revealing the city's dark secrets while grappling with the loss of their companion and the overwhelming alienness of their discovery.