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                           the contact point

                            By JACK SHARKEY

                     _Somewhere on Mars there had
                   to be a meeting of the minds...._

           [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
              Worlds of If Science Fiction, January 1961.
         Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
         the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]


Lieutenant Lloyd spotted the first alien in the ruins of the strange
red Martian city on the second day of exploration. His first impulse
was to call out to the other men--but then, afraid his voice would
startle the creature down at the end of the rubble-strewn street, he
silently unholstered his military service pistol and crept forward
toward the back (he hoped it was the back) of the alien, his breath
rasping behind his faceplate.

He 