Patrol

In Short

Set on a quiet, distant planet, this science fiction story follows a patrol of four men whose mission is to ensure the safety of a world already deemed "safe" by advanced technology. The men, who believe humanity has achieved absolute control over reality, are suddenly confronted by inexplicable suffering—sickness, injury, and fear—that their sophisticated equipment cannot fix. It is a cautionary tale about the arrogance of a society that has discarded its history and forgotten its place in a larger, potentially spiritual, order.

The Story

MacMartree and his three younger patrolmen, Abner, Phillips, and Cole, are stationed on a peaceful, grass-covered planet to ensure its safety for future colonization. They spend their days in a state of bored, high-tech comfort, relying on a force-screen and advanced medical devices to render their lives entirely free of danger. MacMartree, the eldest, often regales the younger men with stories from ancient books, explaining that humanity is now "omnipotent," having eliminated the wars, illnesses, and pains that plagued their ancestors thousands of years ago.

The monotony is shattered when Phillips suddenly becomes violently ill. The men are bewildered; they have no concept of sickness, as their civilization has supposedly bred the capacity for it out of the human mind. Their attempts to treat him with standard equipment fail, and their confusion quickly turns to terror when Abner, trying to assist, suffers a broken arm and experiences agonizing pain. As the patrolmen watch in horror, MacMartree realizes that he is witnessing "hurt"—an archaic, terrifying sensation they were never meant to feel.

As the men descend into panic, their technologically advanced weapons and shields abruptly cease to function, revealing their total vulnerability. MacMartree, observing his men paralyzed by fear and physical agony, finally recognizes the source of their torment. He concludes that humanity’s pride in its own omnipotence has provoked the wrath of a "jealous God," a deity he once dismissed as a mere character in myths.

Realizing they are utterly defenseless, MacMartree suggests that their only recourse is to abandon their reliance on technology and attempt to communicate with this entity. They offer the first prayers humanity has spoken in a thousand years. As the sun rises, the men find their suffering abated; Abner’s broken arm is miraculously healed, and they are left in a state of awe. MacMartree, moved to tears, realizes that while God is a powerful force of judgment, He is also capable of mercy. The men are left humbled, having traded their hollow sense of self-sufficiency for a profound, newfound connection to the divine.

How It Unfolds

The patrol’s monotony MacMartree and his crew pass the time on a quiet planet, complaining about the boredom of their mission. They pride themselves on living in a world where technology renders all danger obsolete.

The onset of suffering The illusion of control vanishes when Phillips falls ill and Abner suffers a broken arm. The men are terrified by these "obsolescent" conditions, which they only know from MacMartree’s history books.

The failure of technology As the patrolmen attempt to use their medical serums and force-screens, the devices fail completely. They are left defenseless against an invisible, encroaching force that they cannot understand or fight.

The confrontation with the divine MacMartree realizes that their plight is not a scientific anomaly but a spiritual one. He identifies their adversary as God, whose jealousy was triggered by humanity’s claim to omnipotence.

The act of surrender With no weapons left, the men turn to prayer as a final, desperate act of humility. Their suffering is instantly resolved, leaving them changed by the realization of a power far greater than their own.

The People

MacMartree is the seasoned leader of the patrol. He acts as the repository of human history, possessing the books that explain the "archaic" concepts of sickness and pain. While he initially represents the pride of his species, he is the first to accept the reality of God, moving from a position of arrogant certainty to one of humble faith.

Phillips is a young patrolman who embodies the restlessness of his generation. He is bored by the safety of his life and longs for something to happen. When he becomes the first to fall ill, he serves as the catalyst for the group's transition from comfort to terror.

Abner is a companion to the others, defined by his inability to reconcile his modern, shielded life with the sudden, raw reality of physical injury. His broken arm and his subsequent agony represent the fragility of the men once their technological "veil" is stripped away.

Cole is the most vocal in his frustration with the patrol's dullness. His descent into fear—a feeling he has no name for until MacMartree labels it—highlights the psychological vulnerability of men who have never had to face true adversity.

In Its Own Voice

Regarding the patrol's mission to ensure the world is safe for colonization, MacMartree explains their purpose:

"We're here on the one chance in a hundred million that somewhere on this little world, there's a being or an element that might bear enmity toward mankind."

After the technology fails and the men are left in the dark, MacMartree identifies the nature of their tormentor:

"Our Enemy," MacMartree told them, "is God."

Reflecting on the change that comes over the men at the end, MacMartree acknowledges a forgotten quality of the divine:

"I forgot," MacMartree said softly. "I forgot that He is also merciful...."

What It's Really About

The book functions as an argument against the dangers of human hubris. It suggests that when a society declares itself "omnipotent" and detaches itself from its history and the spiritual realm, it becomes fragile. The core conflict is not between men and a physical monster, but between human self-sufficiency and the existence of a higher power. It questions whether humanity can ever truly outgrow its need for the divine, or if such progress is merely a dangerous illusion. By framing the return of "sickness" and "hurt" as an act of divine intervention, the narrative posits that true wisdom begins with the admission of one's own limitations.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy mid-century science fiction—characterized by its focus on ideas rather than complex world-building—will appreciate this short, punchy narrative. It captures the specific mid-century fascination with "the next step" of human evolution, while simultaneously subverting it with a traditional, almost fable-like moral.

The prose is clean and direct, though it reflects the period’s tendency toward didactic dialogue, particularly when MacMartree lectures his subordinates. Some readers may find the leap from high-tech sci-fi to religious revelation abrupt; the story moves quickly, and it does not spend much time explaining the mechanics of the "omnipotent" society beyond stating that they have mastered the universe. However, this lack of detail actually aids the story’s pacing, keeping the focus squarely on the characters' internal transformation.

What stays with you is the eerie transition from the sterile, glowing safety of the force-screen to the cold reality of the stars. It is a quiet reminder that even in a world of absolute comfort, the fundamental human experiences of fear, pain, and the search for grace remain just beneath the surface. It is a brief, thought-provoking read that works best as a meditation on how quickly our most confident certainties can be upended.