02463cam a22003253u 4500 18861 UtSlPG 20260610133436.0 m cr n 260607r2006||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Piper, H. Beam, 1904-1964 Temple Trouble Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2006 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Astounding Science Fiction, April, 1951. Release date is 2006-07-18 Produced by Greg Weeks, Sankar Viswanathan, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Temple Trouble" by H. Beam Piper is a science fiction short story published in the early 1950s. The narrative explores themes of time travel, religion, and the manipulation of belief systems through the lens of commercial interests. It focuses on a group of paratimers who strategically manipulate a local religion to secure mining concessions, illustrating the tension between ancient traditions and modern exploitation. The plot unfolds in the realm of the Proto-Aryan Sector, where Stranor Sleth operates as a resident agent for the Transtemporal Mining Corporation. A crisis arises when the local king, Kurchuk, begins to favor the worship of a new god, Muz-Azin, leading to unrest among the people. As the traditional rituals involving the worship of Yat-Zar fall into disfavor, and the sacred rabbits start dying from disease—a phenomenon that locals interpret as a divine punishment—Sleth, alongside Verkan Vall from the Paratime Police, must act. They orchestrate a dramatic intervention to rescue captured priests and restore Yat-Zar's influence, showcasing an intricate blend of deception, theology, and power dynamics. Ultimately, the story highlights the intersection of power, belief, and economic interests, raising questions about the nature of divinity and the lengths to which individuals will go to secure their objectives. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Produced from Astounding Science Fiction, April, 1951. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18861 60247 60247