Back home in their Telegraph Hill apartment overlooking San Francisco Bay, Ray Brackett finishes a videophone call with his friend Stanley G. Weinbaum. Stan invented the flame-pistol, and now Ray asks him to adapt the gun to Martian conditions.
Later, Ray and Ceel Brackett entertain Ceel's parents - her mother Margaux Leiber and her stepfather Fritz Leiber. Fritz tells them of the new book deal he arranged for Ceel, and Ray explains their upcoming trip to Mars to Fritz and Margaux.
The archaeologist Dr. Michael Brackett runs out of fuel near a ruined temple in the dead sea-bottom of Mars. Seeking cover from pursuit, he hikes over to its statues, and is studying one when he is shot and falls off the platform.
A Martian warrior, who has been chasing him across the dead sea-bottom,holsters her pistols and draws her swords for the Close Combat. Dr. Brackett attempts to rise and fend off the warrior, but as she raises her blades we fade to black...