Jules Barnes' assignment was to write a play which would save Earth from an invasion; he wrote well--and yet the crucial scene was-- Not In The Script By Arnold Marmor [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy December 1955 Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] Colen Shratt studied his image in the silver-framed mirror. His mustache was neatly clipped, his face clean shaven and well talcumed. His captain's uniform--light blue--was pressed and looked as if it had just been bought. He was fastidious in everything he did. He looked away from the mirror as the valet approached. "Mr. Barnes is ready to see you, sir," the valet said. "Good." Captain Shratt was ushered into a study where Jules Barnes was waiting. "Won't you be seated?" Barnes invited. The captain sat, laid his cap on his knee. "A drink?" "No, thank you." "Mind if I have one?" "Of course not." Barnes fixed himself a drink. He seated himself on a sofa, leaned back and said: "Now what's it all about? What would an intelligence officer want with me?" "I'm not only representing the Americas at this moment, Mr. Barnes, but all of earth as well. I'm here to ask you to do a service for the world." "A service?" Barnes sipped at his drink. "You must be mistaken about me captain. I'm just a playwright." "But I haven't made a mistake, Mr. Barnes. And you _can_ save the world. Just by writing a play." "Oh, come now." "Mr. Barnes, within two months we shall have a visitor from Mars." Jules Barnes finished his drink. "You don't say?" "I do say." "Are you sure you won't have a drink? Or have you had too many?" "Mind if I use your phone?" "Go right ahead." The captain dialled a number, said into the mouthpiece: "General?... Shratt. I'm at Barnes.... Yes. Of course. Have the President put on, will you?" The captain turned to Barnes. "You'd recognize the voice of William Livingstone, the President of the Americas, wouldn't you?" Barnes nodded his head silently. He took the receiver from Shratt and listened gravely. The captain watched the playwright put down the receiver. "Well?" he said. Barnes sat down, gulped noisily. "I'm listening." "We're going to have a visitor from the planet Mars. Now supposedly, they will be on a friendly mission. But that will not be so. Their purpose is to determine our strength. If they decide we are ahead in nuclear physics and rocket-ship expansion we will be attacked. If they decide we are behind in experiments then we will be safe." "I don't understand. Why shouldn't they attack us if they know we are weak?"