Stranger in a Strange Land

Jubal lands in New York, where he is taken to a hotel—the cab driver greets him as “Brother Jubal” and offers him water. In his hotel room, he finds Patricia and Ben, who tell him that Smith has escaped from jail and is in deep meditation just down the hall. They avoid detection because Smith owns the entire hotel, and the staff never visits the top floors where Smith and his “family” are located. Ben explains that all of Smith’s miracles are possible once an initiate learns the language. He also speculates that the temple was bombed by “the Syndicate,” an affiliation of corrupt casino owners. As members come and go—treating Jubal with deference—Ben reminds him he is considered a myth within the Church, but Jubal scoffs at the notion. Ben reports that Federation authorities are searching for Smith, but he disappears their weapons and vehicles as soon as they land.

Gillian wanders in, and she, Jubal, Mahmoud, and Miriam (now married), catch up. Madame Vesant—Jubal’s old friend Becky—is also a member of the church, and Smith groks that she is gifted with “the Sight.” Mahmoud, still a devout Muslim, then argues that Islam and Smith’s philosophy are perfectly compatible, that one is a natural complement to the other. Smith and Mahmoud, in fact, are currently translating all of Smith’s Martian wisdom into English. Over dinner, Sam (one of the inner circle) predicts massive social and economic restructuring when Smith’s ideas upend established conventions. The institution of marriage, however, will only grow stronger. All of this change, Sam claims, requires discipline and learning, but the results are well worth the effort. After dinner and conversation, Jubal turns in for the night. Before he falls asleep, Dawn enters and offers to “grow closer.” He refuses at first, but when she cries—Gillian’s suggestion—he finally relents.

The next morning, Gillian tells Jubal that his night with Dawn was the Nest’s way of welcoming Jubal—“a full Sharing-Water” (409)—into the inner circle (although he’s been a de facto member since the beginning). Gillian also mentions that she’s pregnant. While she goes off to acquire—via trance state—more Martian language for the Church’s dictionary, Jubal heads to the dining room. While he eats, Smith walks in and hugs and kisses him. They retire to a private room, and Smith tells him that the process of downloading and translating all of his Martian knowledge is now complete. He confesses to Jubal that he’s been used as a spy by the Old Ones and that they have accessed all his knowledge of humanity. He tells Jubal about the destruction of the fifth planet—now a cluster of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter—and about his fear Earth could suffer the same fate; the other possibility is that the Old Ones will “remake” humanity in their image, a contingency which, Smith believes, will surely kill them. However, despite humanity’s many flaws—wars, famine, hatred—physical and emotional love are its greatest asset. Just then, a sky car touches down on the hotel’s landing pad, but it immediately vanishes. Smith explains that disappearing someone is not the same as killing them, merely sending them to the back of the line for a fresh start.

Smith fears that his religion, although it works with a few select initiates, will never remake humanity writ large. The species are too different. Most humans won’t accept the responsibility of godhood, and won’t acknowledge the divine within themselves. Jubal argues that Smith needs to be patient, and that, over time, the evolved humans will survive and the others will not.

A large crowd surrounds the hotel. Inside the Nest, a sense of tension and expectancy fills the air. Jubal is nervous, but Smith—along with Duke and Anne—heads down to meet them. The members of the inner circle watch it play out on the news, a biased account labeling Smith a “false messiah” and a “half-human monster” (427). As he approaches the mob, his clothes vanish. The angry crowd begins to throw rocks, bruising and bloodying him. Through it all, he offers his message of love, of the divinity in all people. The mob surges forward, beating him to the ground until, at last, with a smile on his face, he discorporates.

As the crowd sets fire to Smith’s body, the mood inside the Nest is calm, even jovial. Smith has not died, after all, but is still with his brothers. Heartbroken, Jubal locks himself in his room and overdoses on medication. However, he is roused by Smith’s spirit and told his time has not yet come. With Smith’s help, he vomits up the pills and joins the others for lunch. He finds Duke in the kitchen, stirring a broth made from Smith’s discorporate body. He and Duke share the broth. As the members prepare to go their separate ways, Jubal offers his estate as “Nest number two” (433). He orders Anne to purchase the piece of ground on which Smith died and to bury him there. Smith’s wealth—bequeathed to all his water brothers—will be enough to fund additional branches of his church. As the bus departs with the inner circle, Jubal dictates a new story: “A Martian Named Smith” (437).

While the Old Ones have grokked a serious wrongness with humanity, in the end, they will not destroy it. Meanwhile, in “Heaven,” Foster leaves on assignment; Smith is now in and notes many things he wants to change.