September, 1999
They came in their pearl white cross-shaped ship.
As they landed, the tax exempt interior shelves collapsed, and every heavy black book, and every pamphlet fell to the floor, or the wall, or the ceiling, for gravity was relative on the government paid, confidential rocket.
The ten crew members woke up from their cryogenic induced sleep, they had advocated against it at first, but naturally, they changed their minds when they heard the journey to the red planet would take more than 120 earth days.
But of course, they had refused space travel and even the existence of their destination at first, "we will never get a man into space" the prophets use to say, "the Earth is a man's sphere and it was never intended for him to get away from it", but after the expeditions went public, the statement was clearly clarified as metaphor.
"Rise and shine, my sons!" said Captain Archbishop Romney, sliding the preservation capsule glass door. "There is much to do".
In the next few minutes, nine glass doors were opened, and a Cardinal, a Bishop, two Priests, the early rising Archbishop and five experienced evangelists where up and flexing their joints with all the energy the clerics could gather.
Engineer Priest Mittens turned up the satellite radio communicator installed on the main board, a screen lit up showing the words "Connection Established, secure channel 7" in red.
"Hello?" Sounded a low pitched voice, echoing all over the ship
Everyone looked at the Cardinal, the highest authority present, the old man opened his mouth and closed it again, doubtful, he inhaled deeply and took a step forward.
"My name is Cardinal Orson Pilgrim, gladly reporting that, God be praised, the First Evangelist Expedition has successfully landed on Mars".
The SRC speaker fell silent for a few seconds, then buzzed "Thank you, My Grace, this message will be directed to the Pope, you may proceed with your mission".
The clergy members and evangelists cleared out the mess the collapsing shelves had made, picked up a Bible and a pack o pamphlets each and stepped outside.
The sight was unbelievable, the dark orange tinted dirt expanded as far as the eye could see, the weather was calm, arid and dry. And just half a mile from them, laid a small Martian town, with no more than a thousand habitants.
In just an hour walk, the men where at the plaza at the center
"Meet here at noon?" Asked Priest Winchester with a smile spreading from ear to ear.
Everyone agreed.
Each walked on a different direction, Priest Aberforth was the first to get to a building that resembled a house, yet the proportions did not seem right. He rang the doorbell, and a few seconds later, a tall Martian man appeared opened the door, amazed to see skin so white.
"Hello sir" Said the Priest, handing him over a pamphlet "Could you spare a moment for Jesus?"
A year later, without notice, a cross-shaped rocket landed on Earth, the crew members have sent a distress call a year before, and had never attempted to communicate again.
Air Force Commander Nicholson approached the ship carefully, bewaring of what might wait him inside, but once he and his platoon entered, they found it empty, and impeccable.
Only a message glowed on the main board screen
"You came to our land again, and we welcomed you with our arms open, but you came with your Bibles open, and tried to eliminate our beliefs and customs, imposing your own, and you answered our rejections with violence, called us godless and heretics, and condemned us with eternal punishment, if there is a Heaven full with your kind, then we accept hell.
But the next time we will not be welcoming, the next time you come, we will be ready".
The Third Mars Expedition commanded by Captain John Black had launched a month before the message was found. There was no turning back. The message was not spoken of again.