Amour, Amour, Dear Planet!

In Short

A cynical space captain is abducted by "the Mohcans," a fanatical sect of anti-science zealots, and forced to fly them to an uninhabited world. The story tracks their forced landing on the planet Aphrodite, where both the crew and the captors struggle to adapt to gravity, isolation, and the influence of a telepathic, bird-like indigenous species. It serves as an exploration of how extreme ideologies shatter when faced with the raw, practical requirements of survival, ultimately favoring human instinct and cooperation over the ascetic, self-denying laws of the cult.

The Story

Spacecaptain Jan Obrien is nursing a hangover and a deep resentment toward a post-war Earth when he is kidnapped by the Mohcans. This sect, a blend of various religious and political philosophies, views science as an evil that allows a "handful of the elect" to abandon a dying planet. Under the leadership of a hawk-like, yellow-bearded Prophet, the Mohcans seize Jan’s rocket to find a sanctuary where they can live without the trappings of modern society. They force Jan to pilot them away from Earth, intent on building a new kingdom of God among the stars.

The journey to the uncharted planet Aphrodite is a study in friction. The Mohcans, bound by vows of celibacy and anti-pleasure, maintain a tense, suspicious distance from Jan’s non-Terran crew. Upon arrival, the Prophet reveals his ultimate, ruthless plan: he forces a crash-landing and intends to destroy the ship, trapping the survivors forever to ensure no one can ever spread the alarm. The ensuing explosion leaves the group stranded in a forest, forcing them to confront the brutal reality of their new environment.

On the surface, the Mohcans initially maintain their authority through violence and the threat of their blasters. However, they are being watched by the "lovebirds," a highly intelligent, winged race indigenous to the planet. These creatures possess the unique ability to influence human emotions and behavior through complex, musical song. Observing the Mohcans’ internal resentment and repressed desires, the birds orchestrate a psychological war. They influence the humans to turn on one another, fueling jealousy and violence until the cult is decimated.

The Prophet and the men who followed him are systematically killed, either through internal conflict or direct intervention by the birds. Eventually, only the crew and a group of surviving Mohcan women remain. Among them is Sister Ellen, a woman whose initial religious fervor gave way to a profound, quiet longing during the journey. Guided by the birds' songs—which now shift from instruments of hate to tools of harmony—the survivors abandon their previous conflicts. Jan reunites with Ellen, and the remaining men and women establish a new, polygamous society based on reason and mutual necessity, watched over by the bird-people who ensure they remain "reasonable."

How It Unfolds

The forced departure After a drunken crash on Pike’s Peak, Jan Obrien and his companion are captured by the Mohcans, who demand he pilot their exodus from Earth. The Prophet, a cold and calculating leader, successfully intimidates the crew into compliance, prioritizing the sect's survival over all human morality.

The arrival at Aphrodite The group lands on a world of islands and fresh-water seas, chosen specifically because it offers nothing of value to interstellar trade. The Prophet reveals his intention to destroy the ship, effectively sentencing everyone to permanent exile on the planet.

The war of song The bird-like locals observe the humans, identifying the toxic jealousy simmering beneath the Mohcans' pious exterior. By singing specific, manipulative melodies, the birds provoke the men into fatal disputes, rapidly dismantling the sect's hierarchy through chaotic violence.

The final harmony With the Prophet and the hostile men dead, the surviving crew and women are left to reconcile. Under the watchful, musical guidance of the birds, they transition into a new, functional society that prizes human connection over the Prophet’s rigid, anti-pleasure mandates.

The People

Jan Obrien is a weary, pragmatic space captain who relies on his extensive knowledge of the galaxy to survive. Though he initially views his captors with disdain, he is forced to adapt, eventually finding a sense of purpose and companionship in the ruins of the Mohcan mission.

The Prophet is a lean, hawk-faced man driven by a fanatical, self-serving interpretation of the divine. He represents the danger of absolute conviction; he views human life as expendable in the service of his "holy" mission and ultimately orchestrates the destruction of his own followers to secure his control.

Sister Ellen begins as a devout member of the sect, marked by a "calm, serious contemplation." Having lost her partner in the initial fighting, she undergoes a transformation from a woman of prayer to one who acknowledges her own human desires. She becomes the emotional anchor for Jan, representing the shift from the cult’s repression to the survivors' eventual embrace of life.

The bird-like species (the "lovebirds") are the true architects of the new world. They are highly intelligent, empathetic, and manipulative. While they possess no science, they use their music to enforce a social order, acting as both protectors and judges of the humans.

In Its Own Voice

"I have taken a vow of celibacy. We will found a new and better kingdom of Allah out there among the stars."

The Prophet explains his grandiose, restrictive mission to Jan shortly after they hijack the ship.

"I know that it isn't. The birds are telling us that it isn't, aren't they, darling?"

Jan confirms his bond with Ellen, acknowledging that their new, liberated way of life is sanctioned by the planet’s strange inhabitants.

What It's Really About

The book is a critique of utopian fanaticism. It argues that ideologies built on the denial of human nature—such as the Mohcans’ insistence on celibacy and hatred of science—are inherently unstable and ultimately destructive. The story suggests that when human beings are stripped of their complex social structures and forced into a survival scenario, they cannot sustain a life of forced purity. Instead, the narrative proposes that a stable society must be built on the acceptance of human desire and rational cooperation. The birds serve as a metaphor for the natural order, suggesting that humanity is better off listening to the rhythms of the world they inhabit than to the rigid, artificial laws of self-appointed prophets.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy mid-century science fiction will appreciate the brisk pacing and the unapologetically pulp-inspired premise. There is a distinct, rhythmic quality to the prose, particularly when the story shifts from the claustrophobia of the spaceship to the lush, alien landscapes of Aphrodite. However, a modern reader should be prepared for the period-typical, somewhat dismissive characterization of women—who are often categorized by their proximity to men or their physical appearance—and the casual, sometimes jarring violence that drives the plot.

The story’s true strength lies in its strange, dreamlike resolution. The depiction of the "lovebirds" and their musical manipulation of human behavior creates a haunting, ethereal atmosphere that lingers long after the book ends. It is a strange, compact read that avoids the over-explanation common in later science fiction, opting instead for a fable-like quality that feels both cynical and oddly hopeful. If you are interested in stories about the clash between religious extremism and the pragmatic necessities of life, this brief, strange encounter offers an intriguing and unique perspective on the resilience of the human spirit.