Not in the Script

"Not in the Script" by Arnold Marmor is a science fiction story about a high stakes deception set during a tense period in Earth's history. When Martians threaten invasion, playwright Jules Barnes is recruited to stage a play so elaborate, it could fool an alien race. Tasked by Captain Colen Shratt, Barnes works with leaders and experts to portray Earth as weak in a desperate bid to avert war. As the play comes together, Barnes struggles with the ethical complexities of the mission, only to discover that the apparent victory is a prelude to an earth-led military attack on Mars. In the end, the fate of two worlds hangs in the balance, challenging the moral boundaries of deception and power.