Landing On A Planet

The Peregrine, CHAPTER XV. 

James Blish's Okies control gravity and therefore can land their flying cities on planetary surfaces. New York winds up on New Earth in the Greater Magellanic Cloud.

Often, in sf, large interstellar vessels remain in orbit around a planet while crew or passengers descend by other means. Star Trek has "transporters"/teleportation transmitters, thus avoiding the extra trouble of scenes with ship's boats although the Enterprise does have boats for specialized missions in interplanetary space. A few characters can be shown in action away from the others.

In Ensign Flandry, Flandry hijacks a ship's boat which even has hyperspace capacity.

In the Peregine, a boathouse contains a boat and some "fliers" (?) The latter are soon explained. For the landing, two fliers each bear two men while a boat carries twenty. Although the planet is terrestroid, indeed apparently paradisal, elementary precautions are taken. Ten spacesuited men leave by an airlock which is sterilized while the outer lock is open. One of the crew members who remain on board analyzes the atmosphere, bacteria and spores. The ten return with soil, plants, water and insects to be sterilized in the airlock, then analyzed on board. Nothing is harmful. Then, four parties of four explore in different directions while others remain by the boat and fliers. Each party has maps taken from the air, local details to be added, and will collect samples. Bodies are protected by coveralls, boots and skin-tight gloves. Each explorer carries wrist radio, gun, canteen and medical kit except the non-human Ilaloa who is confident that there is no danger and refuses to wear any extra clothes. She speaks as if she knows the planet:

"'This is the home of peace.'" (p. 131)

Nicki comments on Ilaloa's:

"'...nerve - or foolishness...'" (p. 133)

- but should really be suspicious of her confidence.

A climax approaches.