Willie's Planet

"Willie's Planet" by Mike Ellis is a mid-20th century science fiction novella that grapples with humanity's connection to nature against the backdrop of space exploration. The narrative unfolds as a spaceship crew, captained by Bart, encounters a pristine, lifeless planet filled with ferns. While the crew debates colonizing this new world, Willie, the ship's navigator, yearns for a solitary farming life and chooses to remain. Conflict arises when Bart threatens to report Willie, leading to a tragic accident where Willie is fatally shot during an escape attempt. In his dying breath, Willie finds peace believing he can bring life to the planet, and as he perishes, the protagonist Tom contemplates the impact of Willie's sacrifice.