Within the day, it was back, in the company of eleven other Gods. They landed. Joyfully, mortals went forth to meet them.
It was quite a battle while it lasted.
Joy quickly ended, as the Gods died one by one, each of them showing the holes eaten in their sides by the insatiable plllnks.
Likewise, eventually, died all the plllnks, which presumably had killed the Gods. They fought with strange white flares and crackling blue flashes, which only tickled the hides of the faithful. Then they were shredded.
Religious beliefs on Phobos underwent certain basic changes. Such as: the Gods, or at least their Messengers, were known not to be immortal.
Nor were the special variety of plllnk which afflicted them....
On Earth, twenty years afterward, word is anxiously awaited of the 4th Mars Expedition.
END