When the meal had been completed, Oraze began to relate his observations of Earth, not minimizing the difficulties which he had encountered in achieving satisfactory results, for it had, indeed, been much more difficult to observe the Earth from a Martian observatory than the reverse.
During the closest approach of the two planets and when Mars was in the full rays of the Sun and easiest to observe, Earth was between Mars and the Sun and turned a pitchblack surface towards the Martian astronomer. To a Martian, Earth was the morning and evening star, as Venus is to the Earth. Only when at a considerable angular distance from the Sun could Earth be successfully observed. The naked Martian eye then saw her as a bright double star, due to her large Moon, in the morning or evening twilight. In a telescope, however, she showed as a fine sickle which grew finer the closer the planet approached the Sun in angle. Only when Earth had receded almost as far from Mars as the Sun himself, did she reveal a half illuminated disc. The extent of her illumination increased as she continued to recede on her more rapid voyage, but when her face was almost completely lighted, she was so far distant and so close to occulting behind the glare of the Sun that but little of value came from observing her.
Despite this handicap, and the frequent and extensive cloud banks which often obscured Earth, Oraze related some remarkable results. Martian astronomers were well up on terrestrial climates, seasons and temperatures. They knew the composition of the atmosphere far better than Holt had known the Martian one, and they were entirely convinced that a Martian could live easily on Earth's surface without the elaborate pressurization to which he was accustomed. They had no doubt that Earth was inhabited, and inhabited by surface creatures who could move freely around their planet as the Martians had been able to do in former ages, before the oxygen in their air was reduced and their water began to disappear. But in general, Martian researchers had held no very high opinion of the intelligence of Earthlings.
Nothing they could see on the surface had betrayed traces of intelligent creatures.
There were mountains, zones of snow which melted in Spring, vegetation which bloomed when the snows melted, but there were also vast deserts, even near huge supplies of water, which never changed. To the Martians, for whom water was the most priceless of all natural gifts, a planet rich in moisture could not be inhabited by creatures of intelligence if deserts were allowed to exist year-in and year-out!
Holt was but little edified by the poor reputation of his fellow Earthlings and with a trace of asperity changed the subject by asking Oraze just how an impending visit by a deputation of such ignorant creatures became known in Ahla, not forgetting to mention his own surprise when the Martian in the southern pumping station played him the record of the radio conversation with Knight.
Oraze informed him that intercepted radio messages had in fact been the first intimations of the Earthlings' nearness. Holt concluded that this must have taken place as early as the final adaptation maneuver. The Martians had caught no more mysterious messages for the following two days, and the rumors that radio messages had been received from space thereupon sank beneath the waves of public ridicule. Subsequently, however, the great observatory of Nibilo on the Gigas Canal had reported ten fast-moving stars in an orderly row which slid into the early dawn against the background of the fixed stars. When the observatory computed their orbits, it was realized that the luminous objects were quite small and were circling the planet along an orbital path, their luminosity stemming from their reflection of solar rays against the dark background of the twilight heavens. Other observatories confirmed Nibilo's conclusions the following day.
According to Oraze, suspicion that the novel phenomenon might resolve itself into space ships was strengthened by their orbital path being in the plane of the ecliptic, and it was generally assumed that they must come from Earth. Then directional radio-receiving antennae had been bracketed upon the mysterious objects. This immediately and entirely confirmed the source of the radio emanations as intercommunication between the stranger space ships. The flight path of the landing boat had been followed quite accurately by the same method and the outlying south polar pumping stations had been advised of the impending visitation.
Holt inquired whether they had nurtured any suspicions that the visitors might have hostile intentions. At this the old man smiled tolerantly.
"I hope you'll forgive us if we doubted the intelligence of Earthlings until we came together with you. But we really never thought you could be stupid enough to attack a whole planet with a handful of men…"
This sally brought good-humored laughter from all the listeners, including Holt himself, who felt that this might be an appropriate moment to put out feelers as to any Martian urges to visit the Earth.
Oraze immediately penetrated the meaning of the delicately put question. "You may set your mind at rest on that subject," said he. "We Martians have no desire to storm the heavens. Troglodytic as we have become through the centuries, we seldom indulge in stargazing, either actually or spiritually."
"Nevertheless, you are a religious folk in whom Heaven has kindled a powerful light…"
"Our Martian God does not live in Heaven. His abode is in the hearts of our more worthy people, but I regret to say that He leads a sorrowful existence in the minds of the majority, for the God of the Martians is old and weary."
Holt tried once more. "But your whole planet abounds with creative power," said he, "and the people seem to rejoice greatly in each technical achievement as it comes to fruition. It would seem to me that your adventurers might well be tempted by a neighboring star which might, in many ways, offer greatly improved living conditions…"
"Adventurers are an infrequent manifestation of the culture of Mars," answered Oraze in a tone of regretful resignation. "During the short time you and your friends have been here, I know that you have been deeply impressed by many of the superficial things.
When you have observed our people for some time, you will realize that an age-weary, languid, satiated culture lies hidden behind all the mechanical refinements with which our technicians have overwhelmed us.
"Not long ago, it was my privilege to hear you describe how a few Earthling pioneer races extended civilization over your planet only a few centuries ago, and then, consumed from within by the ardor of their mission, prepared the way for new races.
"Tens of thousands of years ago, the same development took place here also. Here, too, there were battles and wars until there arose a planetary government. Then came the long flowering of a beautiful culture. Standards of living rose higher and higher, despite the increasing depredations of global drought and erosion. Fine arts progressed to unthought-of perfection. Production of consumer goods on a vast scale well-nigh leveled the difference between rich and poor.
"But the extirpation of contrasts and of the asperities of life decreased those tensions which theretofore had supported the ebullience of our inner drives. Now our planet is the home of a peace-seeking and easeful race, reposing upon the deeds of their ancestors.
Everything is well organized; too well, indeed, to breed adventurous thoughts or actions."