Pariah Planet

"Pariah Planet" by Murray Leinster is a science fiction story about a medical officer named Calhoun and his companion, Murgatroyd who travel to a world called Weald plagued by a health crisis and prejudice. The book explores themes of fear and misunderstanding, especially toward the "blueskins"—survivors of a plague from Dara seen as a threat. Introduced, piloting his Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty—grapples with a society consumed by fear, shaping cruel policies against the blueskins as he prepares to land. A recent tragedy, potentially tied to the blueskins, has intensified fear and tension, leading to societal unrest. Calhoun must confront humanity's darker instincts.