A Transmutation of Muddles

"A Transmutation of Muddles" by H. B. (Horace Bowne) Fyfe is a science fiction story set in the early 1960s, about a Terran judge named Louis Mayne sent to Kappa Orionis VII to solve a delicate problem. A Terran spaceship called the "Gemsbok," has landed on the planet, causing tension with the local Kappan tribe who believe it's a sign from their gods, leading them to seize it. Judge Mayne steps in to negotiate and tries to handle the insurance claims, the worth of the ship, and the cultural differences of the alien tribe. He works with both the humans and the Kappans to come to an unexpected agreement, balancing power, belief, and survival in this science fiction setting.