This is a short story ID question that has been lingering on another forum, so I thought I'd try here. The plot is that a team of explorers land on a planet that is inhabited by human-like beings that have a "special quality" about them. The aliens are kind to the explorers and welcome them, gladly taking the explorers on a tour of their largest city.
From time to time, there are earthquakes, but none of the aliens will discuss these with the explorers. At the climax, it is revealed that the planet is heaven (and the aliens by implication angels) and that the earthquakes are caused by the Creator, who has unfortunately had to be locked up at the center of the city because he's no longer mentally stable.
I'd say that the story had a 50s/60s feel to it, but that's a tentative guess based on certain conventions, e.g. I think (but am not sure) that the explorer's ship was a rocket that lands tail first, and I think (but again am not sure) that the exploration team has a military command structure to it.
From time to time, there are earthquakes, but none of the aliens will discuss these with the explorers. At the climax, it is revealed that the planet is heaven (and the aliens by implication angels) and that the earthquakes are caused by the Creator, who has unfortunately had to be locked up at the center of the city because he's no longer mentally stable.
I'd say that the story had a 50s/60s feel to it, but that's a tentative guess based on certain conventions, e.g. I think (but am not sure) that the explorer's ship was a rocket that lands tail first, and I think (but again am not sure) that the exploration team has a military command structure to it.
