Poetic Retribution from Mars

In a bid to divert attention from the atrocities of its system of Government, a country sent a team of world-renowned scientists to the moon to undertake a year of make-believe research. However, the spaceship, which had been hastily put together and was controlled directly from Earth could not make its moon landing neither could it re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. Catapult back into space and travelling away from Earth at increasing speed, the fate of the four scientists seemed certain and fatal.

Unexpectedly after a year of travel, the spaceship was brought to land on a planet that turned out to be Mars. What the travellers discovered, however, was dramatically at odds with what was known on Earth about this planet. There is advanced life on Mars. But the Martians treasure isolation and have managed to create an optical illusion of their planet for outsiders-a very desolate lifeless planet. With the real nature of their planet discovered, the Martians realised they could no longer remain isolated. But what they had learnt about the socio-political conditions on Earth displeased them enormously. They therefore sent the Scientists back with an ultimatum for the world's leadership, asking Earth to change its ways so that an acceptable interplanetary discourse could be established. The governments of the world rejected outright the space-borne demands and prepared a secret mission to destroy Mars.

But in a war of the planets does Earth stand any chance of surviving? Does it even deserve to survive?