The Conquistadors Come

"The Conquistadors Come" by Mary Elizabeth Counselman is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The book explores themes of first contact between humans and an alien race, specifically the S'zetnurs, who are portrayed as a once-beautiful civilization now plagued by deformities and disease. The story contrasts the optimistic perceptions of the human explorers with the tragic reality of the S'zetnurs, illuminating the consequences of colonization and the complexities of cultural misunderstandings. In the narrative, a group of Earthmen arrives on the alien planet S'zetnu, where they are greeted by the deformed and malnourished S'zetnurs, who suffer from a loss of their own civilization's former beauty. The Earthmen are excited by the planet's resources, particularly solaranium, and initially seek to help the S'zetnurs, oblivious to their underlying cultural norms and taboos. Tension escalates as the humans unwittingly provoke the S'zetnurs, leading to a misunderstanding that culminates in violence. The story ends on a cynical note, with the humans deciding to abandon the planet, reflecting both the tragedy of lost potential for cooperation and the failure of effective communication between different worlds.