"We may not be ahead of them," said Axel. "And even if they're intelligent, we might have things to fear. How would we receive Martians if they landed on the earth?" "We'd probably give 'em television contracts," I said. "Not at first," said Axel. "We'd take pains to contain them somehow--prevent them from causing us any harm. We'd make sure they had come to the earth with peaceful intent. And we'd be pretty slow to trust them even if they came unarmed." "Martians may be different," I said. "Why don't you tell Spartan? You know how he is. If he thought we held out anything on him, he might use his popgun on us." "That's what I've been going to do," said Axel. "But I wanted to make sure these signals came from Mars. Now I'm positive." He touched the buzzer signal on the big globe in the center of the room where all the ship's controls were located. Spartan's voice came over the intercom. "What's the matter now?" "We've picked up signals from Mars, sir," said Axel. "Nonsense." There was a click. A moment later Spartan came in through the bulkhead door. His eyes darted about suspiciously, as if expecting some trick. "It's sort of a carrier wave," said Axel as Spartan anchored himself on the floor. "Seems to be a kind of radar--as if we're being watched." It was obvious that Axel was awed by the new phenomenon. "It's utterly ridiculous," said Spartan. "Radar would indicate intelligent life. Mars is a dying world. The age of intelligent life ended there long ago." There was still that wary look about him and his lips curled into a sneer. "Perhaps it's a different kind of intelligence," I suggested. "What other kinds are there?" Spartan snorted. "Intelligence is knowing what is true and what isn't. A thing can either be true or false. There's not much difference between intelligences." I'd learned you couldn't argue with Spartan, who refused to recognize that truth is relative and that there are at least two sides to any question; that, more often, there are an infinite number of points of view, all true in a sense, none altogether false. "Anyhow, we've got signals," I said meekly, seeing the utter futility of arguing. "Signals. Bah!" He was almost snarling now, unwilling to admit any possibility which might interfere with his preconceived notions. "Doc, there are millions of stars and even if only a fraction of one per cent of them has conditions suitable to life, we might find intelligent beings there." "Granted. But Mars isn't a planet with the right conditions. Why, you're even inferring that these Martians might be more intelligent than we are. We on earth couldn't pick out an object the size of this ship so far away from our planet. Let me check these signals--" Spartan began twisting the dials controlling the directional antennae at the front and rear of the craft. "Might be something else; different from radar--" Axel's voice cut in. "Doctor! Look at _our_ radarscope!"