SF-Short Story-Crashed Astronaut memory wiped by Alien Pre-1980
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1beichst
Hello. I am searching for an SF shorty story about an astronaut who is memory wiped by an alien and forced into a crash landing on an alien planet. He eventually regains his memory after finding a strangely familiar round object (his helmet). In the height of hubris, the astronaut originally considers himself as the representative of a superior higher race (i.e. human) with the most advanced technology around. I remember the phrase to the effect, "He could even survive 'being in a sun' through sending "sensing material" deep into a star to see of what it is made." However, in a showdown with a superior alien force he is memory-wiped and forced to survive at an essentially animalistic level without remembering who or what he is on the planet which he had been orbiting.
I read this in the late 70s/early 80s. However, from the tone and the language used I suspect it was a golden-age story (1939-1963) possibly by someone like Asimov, Hamilton, etc. However, I can't be certain of that. It is not Arena nor any similar deliberate duel setup story in which the combatants are set in place by a third-party.
Thank you.
Major spoilers below on what I remember of the storyline.
As I recall, the astronaut survives because the planet's hemisphere was in a growing/flowering season in which fruit and other food were readily available. If he ate a little of something that made him sick he avoided it. Otherwise, he ate what he could find. Eventually, he stumbles across a round object. It is his old space helmet. That triggers a slow return of his memory. As it returns, the astronaut begins to observe the alien who appears to be conducting a sampling/survey of the planet. He tries to get to the alien but is prevented by a force barrier around the meadow the alien ship is in.
As the season starts to change toward fall/winter, the astronaut though still working on animal instinct realizes the alien is going to leave and becomes desperate to get at the alien. He suddenly realizes that the barrier crosses a shallow stream and that fish are able to get underneath the barrier. The astronaut works his way underneath the barrier and gets into the ship. He smells a strong, musky alien scent. He then ambushes and kills the alien as an animal kills its prey with essentially a sharpened stick as a spear, hijacking his ship.
At that point the astronaut slowly regains the rest of his memory. He makes it back to Earth (I can't remember if it in the alien ship or in his own). Then comes a direct counterpoint to the original hubris displayed at the beginning of the story about the "superiority" of the human civilization and technology. Stepping out on of the ship on Earth, it is said the crowd looked at his face (still clean-shaven due to the laser/heat treatment which permanently removed his whiskers) and saw the face of the savage beast from which man descended. Too, that it is well to remember that such an animalistic pre-civilized man with minimal tools was still able to conquer Earth.
I read this in the late 70s/early 80s. However, from the tone and the language used I suspect it was a golden-age story (1939-1963) possibly by someone like Asimov, Hamilton, etc. However, I can't be certain of that. It is not Arena nor any similar deliberate duel setup story in which the combatants are set in place by a third-party.
Thank you.
Major spoilers below on what I remember of the storyline.
As I recall, the astronaut survives because the planet's hemisphere was in a growing/flowering season in which fruit and other food were readily available. If he ate a little of something that made him sick he avoided it. Otherwise, he ate what he could find. Eventually, he stumbles across a round object. It is his old space helmet. That triggers a slow return of his memory. As it returns, the astronaut begins to observe the alien who appears to be conducting a sampling/survey of the planet. He tries to get to the alien but is prevented by a force barrier around the meadow the alien ship is in.
As the season starts to change toward fall/winter, the astronaut though still working on animal instinct realizes the alien is going to leave and becomes desperate to get at the alien. He suddenly realizes that the barrier crosses a shallow stream and that fish are able to get underneath the barrier. The astronaut works his way underneath the barrier and gets into the ship. He smells a strong, musky alien scent. He then ambushes and kills the alien as an animal kills its prey with essentially a sharpened stick as a spear, hijacking his ship.
At that point the astronaut slowly regains the rest of his memory. He makes it back to Earth (I can't remember if it in the alien ship or in his own). Then comes a direct counterpoint to the original hubris displayed at the beginning of the story about the "superiority" of the human civilization and technology. Stepping out on of the ship on Earth, it is said the crowd looked at his face (still clean-shaven due to the laser/heat treatment which permanently removed his whiskers) and saw the face of the savage beast from which man descended. Too, that it is well to remember that such an animalistic pre-civilized man with minimal tools was still able to conquer Earth.
5Dennis_Bond
Sounds like it may be from a book by gordon r. dickson. It is an anthology of short stories and the name of the book is The Man From Earth. I remember a story very much like what you are talking about.
6beichst
Thank you for the tip. Some of the titles listed do look promising. I will check this out and let you know. Thanks!
7beichst
@Dennis_Bond. THIS WAS IT! The short story is called "In the Bone."
Gordon R. Dickson The Man From Earth
Thank you very much for the tip. Have been looking for this for a while.
Gordon R. Dickson The Man From Earth
Thank you very much for the tip. Have been looking for this for a while.
