Earthmen Bearing Gifts

Mars is waiting for Earth to arrive—but its surviving civilization has more to offer than a welcome. In a lone city of fewer than a thousand inhabitants, leader Dhar Ry and his people have mastered telepathy, empathy, and the social sciences, eliminating crime and war for fifty thousand years. Their world is dying, however, and they need Earth’s science and technology to restore it.

On Earth, the first mission to Mars is about to begin with an atomic “sighting shot,” designed to analyze the planet’s atmosphere and surface from afar. The Martians know what is coming through their telepathic teams, but distance prevents them from sending a warning or an invitation. As both worlds watch the historic blast, hopes for a mutually beneficial exchange face the awkward realities of communication, misunderstanding, and getting a gift safely delivered across millions of miles. This compact science-fiction tale combines dry wit with a thoughtful look at first contact and the different kinds of knowledge civilizations may value.