Beware the Star Gods

A tribal hunter witnesses a brilliant craft descend from the sky and sees fragile, pale visitors who wield unfamiliar power to subdue a great beast. He returns to his extended family and the village council, recounts what he saw, and is chosen to present a sacrificial offering to the strangers. The narrative alternates with scenes among the spacefarers as they debate exploration and expectations, exploring first contact, technological imbalance, cultural misunderstanding, fear mixed with wonder, and the burden placed on a single emissary to represent his people.