Deny the Slake

"Deny the Slake" by Richard Wilson is a science fiction story set on a desolate planetoid where a research crew stumbles upon the ruins of a lost civilization. The mystery unfolds through the eyes of Ernest Hotaling, a brilliant linguist tasked with translating haunting poems left by the planet's inhabitants. The story reveals a society of android-like beings tragically destroyed by oppressive "Masters," whose iron-fisted rule led to the population's demise for even the smallest of actions. When the crew encounters two lone survivors, they learn of the crushing control that once reigned and the deep desire for hope, but a sudden encounter with an old enforcer machine ends in a dramatic and fatal way for the former population. Ernest's translations highlight the fragility of communication and the profound despair of the androids' fate, challenging the crew to confront the moral complexities of their presence and the impact they had on the planet.