I got to tablet 4 last night. So this is basically Stechin's translation. I see you explained(quoted) how he changed the journey from meeting people to planets....but how does he translate some of it to "spaceships" and "pilots" and other out of place words?
Well to get the story away from its current "space travel" theme and more towards and "earthly" theme he would have had to change a lot more than people to planets. The story still refers to atmosphere and breatheable air, celestial charriots, eagle helmets, fish suits, etc