What was there was not a great deal. Some vegetation did exist, and there was a thin coat of snow spread over the few scraggly trees. Commander Boone surveyed the surrounding land through his spyglass, then suddenly lowered it with a set expression on his face. "There's a city to the North," he announced. He checked the group's immediate enthusiasm with a harsh bellow. "There's no movement there," he barked. "And from the looks of the buildings there's been no life there for centuries. However, if there is intelligent life, we will find it there, but it may not be friendly."
Boone studied the buildings to the North for another moment, then turned to Nance and Braun. "We three will explore the city," he rasped into the thin air. "You others will fan out in other directions and meet back here in an hour." He paused emphatically. "If we do not come back, bring every weapon in the ship when you come to get us. I repeat, life here, if any, may not be friendly. That is why we can't afford to risk the whole party on an expedition to the city."
Nance and Braun followed the stern old General as he set out on foot in a northward direction. The other parties went their own way. The three men spoke sparingly during the hour's walk to the buildings. Mars was too quiet, almost like a funeral parlor, Nance thought, and perhaps the corpses were waiting on their slabs in the city now rising before them. The air was tolerable but cold, and the sun was fighting a losing battle with a heavy fog. Nance finally made out the form of the structures when they were only a mile away. As they drew nearer, he noticed that the buildings were made of solid stone, apparently, and rivaled the pyramids in height. There were gigantic cracks in the walls of many, and a few had crumbled to the ground.
As the three entered the city, Nance dropped to his knees and examined the stone closely. "Good Lord," he gasped. "Mars must have been deserted for thousands of years. It would require that long for stone like this to deteriorate."
Boone stared at the winding street between the fallen buildings. "Then no intelligent life exists here," he said.
Braun looked up from a small flower which he'd found. "I challenge that statement, Commander," he said. "Life could exist here today. Perhaps the life that is here just doesn't know how to keep house very well, and let the work of its ancestors go to ruin."
"Well, then, let's investigate," Boone ordered. He led the way into the nearest structure, a gnarled hand falling close to the automatic which hung at his side. But there was nothing in the building save the rubble of a dead civilization and rusted machines which once must have given life and meaning to Mars.
They left and went on to the second building. Here they found life.
Life was in a back room that had one small window to admit light. Nance entered. The light was so dim that he did not see it at first. He saw it when it moved, slowly, clumsily in a far corner, as if awaking from a long sleep. Nance quickly shone his flashlight over the room and onto the life.