"Yes. A play. And every industry on earth will be a participant. You will write and direct. The world will be the stage. Don't you see? You will write and direct every move that will convince the Martians we are backward, we are nothing, we are insignificant. They must be convinced our industry doesn't compare with theirs, our brains are childish to theirs, our leaders are weak and ineffectual, our weapons mere toys. You must write this play before they get here. It will be your greatest triumph. It will be the play of all plays. It will be the play that will save the world from destruction. It must be written within a month. That's what we want you to do."
"Within a month? That's impossible."
"A month to write the play. A month to rehearse. Not even a month to rehearse. You have to get busy on it right away."
"But how far are you advanced? Can you conquer space tomorrow?"
"Of course not."
"Then why go to all this trouble? Just let them see for themselves the way things really are. We can't possibly hurt them now. Why bother putting on an act for them?"
"We are advanced to some degree, of course. Progress can't be stopped. But we don't want them to know exactly how advanced we are. They are our enemy, you must remember that. We have to show them we are weaker than we really are."
"I see your logic."
"Good. You will cooperate with us, then?"
"Of course."