Short Fiction · Chapter
II: An Incredible Story explained
Neil, Bull Mike, and Sukune capture a Martian scout who reveals that an artificial asteroid, built from four joined Martian ships, is hurtling toward Earth with 600,000 troops and 2,000 raiding ships.
What happens
Neil, Bull Mike, and Sukune capture a Martian scout who reveals that an artificial asteroid, built from four joined Martian ships, is hurtling toward Earth with 600,000 troops and 2,000 raiding ships. After using jiujitsu to force a confession, they return to Earth, report to intelligence, and the Martian's story is verified by truth-ray. The high command organizes a 6,000-ship expedition to intercept the asteroid in early March 2676, and the three friends are secretly assigned to the raiding group.
Themes in this chapter
Science vs. Superstition
The Martian's incredible story is verified through truth-rays and scientific calculations, contrasting with the initial disbelief of the Terrestrials.
Fear and Control
The threat of a hidden Martian invasion creates a climate of fear, leading to strict secrecy and military control over the captured prisoner and the planned counterattack.
Characters to notice
- Neil Andresson
Leads the interrogation of the Martian, calculates the asteroid's trajectory, and returns to Earth to report.
- Bull Mike Tishinev
Knocks out the Martian with a punch, guards the prisoner, and participates in the return to Earth.
- Sukune
Uses jiujitsu to torture the Martian into confessing, controls the ship, and helps bring the prisoner to Earth.
- Yaxa
The captured Martian scout who reveals the artificial asteroid and the invasion plan.
- Commander Scholom Raws
Officer of the space-scout squadron who hears the story, arranges the intelligence debriefing, and later informs the trio of their role in the raiding group.
Key passages
“The Earth revolves around the sun every three hundred and sixty-five days, Mars in twice that. They will not come into opposition again for fully an Earth year from now. Naturally, Earth feels secure. Her mighty ships of war are idle, her millions of manpower loll in peaceful repose. They do not dream that this little artificial world may be dangerous.”
Earth is complacent because the next Mars opposition is a year away, unaware that an artificial asteroid is approaching much sooner.
The Martian explains Earth's false sense of security.
“It will come into opposition with unthinking Earth in one hundred and fifty days, as I approximate it.”
The artificial asteroid will reach Earth in about 150 days.
Neil calculates the timeline of the invasion.
“I do not condone your absence without leave although it may have chanced to bring fortune to our cause. Yet the high command feels that there is some reward due you.”
Commander Raws acknowledges their unauthorized mission but says they will be rewarded with a role in the upcoming battle.
Raws informs the trio of their secret assignment.