{"product_id":"2940014087117","title":"Earthmen Bearing Gifts","description":"Dhar Ry sat alone in his room, meditating. From outside the door he\u003cbr\u003ecaught a thought wave equivalent to a knock, and, glancing at the door,\u003cbr\u003ehe willed it to slide open.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt opened. \"Enter, my friend,\" he said. He could have projected the idea\u003cbr\u003etelepathically; but with only two persons present, speech was more\u003cbr\u003epolite.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEjon Khee entered. \"You are up late tonight, my leader,\" he said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes, Khee. Within an hour the Earth rocket is due to land, and I wish\u003cbr\u003eto see it. Yes, I know, it will land a thousand miles away, if their\u003cbr\u003ecalculations are correct. Beyond the horizon. But if it lands even twice\u003cbr\u003ethat far the flash of the atomic explosion should be visible. And I have\u003cbr\u003ewaited long for first contact. For even though no Earthman will be on\u003cbr\u003ethat rocket, it will still be first contact--for them. Of course our\u003cbr\u003etelepath teams have been reading their thoughts for many centuries,\u003cbr\u003ebut--this will be the first _physical_ contact between Mars and Earth.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKhee made himself comfortable on one of the low chairs. \"True,\" he said.\u003cbr\u003e\"I have not followed recent reports too closely, though. Why are they\u003cbr\u003eusing an atomic warhead? I know they suppose our planet is uninhabited,\u003cbr\u003ebut still--\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"They will watch the flash through their lunar telescopes and get\u003cbr\u003ea--what do they call it?--a spectroscopic analysis. That will tell them\u003cbr\u003emore than they know now (or think they know; much of it is erroneous)\u003cbr\u003eabout the atmosphere of our planet and the composition of its surface.\u003cbr\u003eIt is--call it a sighting shot, Khee. They'll be here in person within a\u003cbr\u003efew oppositions. And then--\"","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079871938800,"sku":"2940014087117","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940014087117_p0.jpg?v=1763600413","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014087117","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}