Stranger in a Strange Land

When Duke, one of Jubal’s employees, refuses to eat with Smith—he is offended by Smith’s “cannibalism” (Martians consider it a supreme honor to consume the body of a water brother after death)—Jubal warns him that the Man from Mars is not a helpless, docile creature but fully capable of making Duke vanish if he wishes. When they watch the film footage of the tests, they see the objects not vanishing per se but receding to an infinite point. Jubal then explains the Martian ritual of death and consumption as “utterly civilized,” a chosen, peaceful death whereby the deceased joins their ancestors. Jubal suggests Duke become a water brother also, but warns him that if he does, he must be ready to defend Smith to the death.

Jubal tries to call the Secretary General but cannot get through. Frustrated, he asks for Berquist, certain this will get Douglas’s attention. A police officer finally answers, asking about Jubal’s business with the Secretary General, but Jubal, citing legal precedent, refuses to answer. He’s achieved his goal—he’s gotten the attention of the higher-ups.

Later, he notices Duke is missing. He is moderately concerned, given their prior conversation. Smith, having watched a televised religious service, recounts to Jubal what he understands of human religion (little, apart from dictionary definitions) and how they compare to Martian rituals (not at all). Jubal, an agnostic, ponders the strangeness of organized religion—especially the New Revelation Fosterites. He considers religious explanations of the universe only slightly more reasonable than random happenstance. When he asks Smith who created the universe, Smith responds, “World is. World was. World shall be. Now” (140). When Smith self-identifies as “Martian,” Jubal informs him that he is a man; Smith doesn’t understand. Jubal defines Man as a creature “who laughs”—by that definition, Smith decides, he is not a man. He does, however, argue that Jubal, along with Gillian, himself, and anyone that “groks,” is God.

Just then, Jubal notices two Federation police cars landing on his property. He orders Smith to hide in the pool. An officer steps out and serves warrants for Jubal, Gillian, Smith, and Berquist. Jubal parses the warrants carefully, arguing that none of the charges will stick.

Smith lies at the bottom of the pool, trying to grok the concept of God, a concept so fundamental to Martians that they needn’t think about it, but elusive in Terran language. Sensing trouble above, he leaves his physical body and rises to the surface, observing the exchange between Jubal and the officers. When he realizes the officers all have guns—guns have “wrongness”—he debates destroying the car and discorporating the officers, but he eventually opts for a wait-and-see approach. When the officers move toward Gillian threateningly, Smith disappears them all. He returns to his body, and when Gillian swims down to summon him to the surface, he kisses her, an act similar to water sharing, but “it had something else, too…something he wanted to grok in perfect fullness” (153).

To his relief, Jubal realizes that no news outlets have witnessed the incident (equipment failure), although he suspects more police are on their way. Desperate to speak to Douglas, he phones Madame Vesant, Agnes Douglas’s astrologer, who agrees to broker a conversation between the two men.

Jubal reveals to the Secretary General that Smith is his “client,” and that the Federation’s “S.S. hooligans” are breaking into his home. When Jubal insists he’s ready to negotiate, Douglas orders the officers to leave and cancels the outstanding warrants. Douglas balks, however, when Jubal wants the press in attendance (specifically, Caxton). Douglas fears publicity, but Jubal demands it. Douglas eventually agrees, wanting to create the appearance of transparency.

Tom Mackenzie, an executive at New World Networks, calls after Larry (one of Jubal’s staff) and informs him Jubal is sitting on “the biggest story since the Fall of Troy” (169). Mackenzie interviews Smith over the phone. After dinner, Douglas calls back to inform Jubal that Caxton has been found and will be delivered to Jubal’s estate. The “negotiations” with Smith are scheduled for the next morning. A short time later, a Federation officer leaves a doped and groggy Caxton at Jubal’s doorstep.