The Terrible Answer

In Short

This science fiction story follows a small team of ambitious men who land on Mars, convinced that the indigenous population will make ideal, submissive labor for a new human empire. Under the guidance of their ruthless leader, Larkin, they perform a series of tests to establish dominance, culminating in an act of cold-blooded violence. However, the men soon learn that the Martians’ perpetual, enigmatic grins were never a sign of stupidity, but a mask for a terrifying, patient autonomy that ultimately turns the colonizers' own methods against them.

The Story

The seven men descend upon Mars with clear, predatory intent. Led by Larkin, a man consumed by the greed for empire, they immediately dismiss the green-skinned, grinning Martians as little more than useful animals. To ensure their control, they set up camp and begin a methodical, psychological campaign to break the Martians' spirit. While a younger man named Smith watches with a mixture of detached observation and cynicism, the others—particularly a psychologist named Cleve—insist on establishing a hierarchy of master and servant.

They treat the Martians as a resource, ignoring their dignity and testing their reactions to commands. Cleve forces a Martian to pick up a cigar butt to gauge his obedience; the Martian complies with a grin that neither the men nor Smith can fully interpret. As the days pass, the atmosphere of the camp grows increasingly tense. The men demand labor, forcing the Martians to dig useless ditches, and Larkin takes sadistic pleasure in using a whip to ensure compliance.

Convinced that they have successfully cowed the population, the men decide to perform one final, definitive act of dominance. Cleve and Larkin argue that they must prove their absolute power to ensure a smooth transition into large-scale colonization. Larkin, seeking to solidify his authority, marches to the trench where the Martians are working. He singles one out and, in a sudden burst of rage, shoots the Martian dead in front of his peers. The remaining Martians do not revolt; they stand in silence, waiting for further instruction.

The men are jubilant, interpreting this lack of reaction as complete, submissive acceptance. They congratulate themselves on the success of their experiment, discussing the immense wealth and progress that will follow now that they have effectively "broken" the natives. However, the victory is short-lived. A tall Martian approaches Larkin from behind, pins his arms, and takes the gun from his pocket. The other Martians calmly push the screaming leader into the grave he had forced them to dig. The remaining Earthmen, paralyzed by terror and realization, scramble back to their ship. As they lift off, they leave behind a planet that was never theirs to claim, realizing too late that the Martians had been waiting for the perfect moment to reclaim their world with the same cold efficiency the humans had taught them.

How It Unfolds

The arrival The seven men land on the Martian surface with their technology and a shared, singular desire for imperial wealth. They immediately encounter the local population, whose strange, permanent grins intrigue and irritate them.

The establishment of hierarchy Larkin and Cleve, the group's self-appointed leaders, initiate a process of dehumanization to prepare the Martians for forced labor. They treat the natives as mindless tools, using basic commands and pantomimed threats to assert their authority.

The test of labor The men force the Martians to dig a purposeless ditch to see if they will submit to menial, back-breaking work. As the men drink beer and watch, Larkin uses a whip to escalate the pressure, finding satisfaction in his own growing brutality.

The act of violence Believing they must prove their absolute control, Larkin executes a Martian in front of the others. When the remaining Martians continue to stand silently, the men interpret this as complete, successful subjugation.

The reversal The Martians use the very lessons of force and hierarchy the men provided to turn the tables on their oppressors. The story concludes with the death of the leader and the terrified, hasty retreat of the surviving invaders.

The People

Larkin is the driving force of the group, a man whose ambition is matched only by his cruelty. He views everything through the lens of power and is the primary architect of the men's downfall, as he mistakes the Martians' patience for lack of intelligence. Cleve, the psychologist, provides the intellectual framework for their oppression. He believes he can scientifically manipulate the Martians into total submission, and his arrogance prevents him from seeing the danger until it is too late. Smith is the outlier, a wealthy young man who observes the proceedings with a detached, sardonic eye. While he initially agrees to be part of the empire-building, he is the only one who senses the absurdity and the hidden potential of the Martians. He remains a spectator to his own group's destruction, ultimately realizing that the "stupid" creatures they intended to enslave are, in fact, their masters.

In Its Own Voice

"To hell with color or the shape of their mouths."

Larkin dismisses the physical reality of the Martians to focus entirely on his own desire for wealth.

"The mass is nothing more than a collection of individuals."

Cleve explains his psychological theory of control, proving that his own hubris blinded him to the collective strength of the Martians.

"They've got the grave dug, they're waiting for orders."

The men congratulate themselves on their success moments before the Martians enact their own final order.

What It's Really About

At its core, this story is a critique of colonial arrogance and the dehumanization inherent in the pursuit of empire. The characters' failure lies in their inability to recognize the humanity—or at least the intelligence—in others. By viewing the Martians only as "labor" or "cattle," the men strip away their own humanity, becoming the very things they despise. The "terrible answer" is the realization that those who seek to rule through violence and contempt will eventually be destroyed by the very systems of oppression they create. It is a cautionary tale about the blindness of power and the dangerous assumption that the "other" is incapable of resistance.

Why Read It Today

This story remains a sharp, unsettling piece of mid-century science fiction that favors psychological tension over technical gadgetry. Readers who enjoy cautionary tales or "first contact" stories that invert the traditional power dynamic will find this particularly rewarding. It moves with a swift, brutal efficiency, wasting no time on exposition and heading straight for its grim conclusion.

The prose reflects the era of its publication, particularly in its depiction of "empire builders" and the blunt, mid-century masculine dialogue. While the tone is undeniably cold and the attitudes of the protagonists are intentionally abrasive, these elements serve the story's purpose: to make the reader uncomfortable with the men's casual, bureaucratic approach to tyranny. It is a brief, punchy read, but the image of the grinning Martians and the silent, patient reversal of roles is likely to linger. It is not a comforting story, nor does it offer a heroic perspective; instead, it offers a stark reflection on what happens when a group of people views the universe solely as a resource to be plundered. Those who appreciate a story that refuses to coddle its characters—or its audience—will find much to consider here.