Return of the Argo - Bob Springett - Bog

The mission is complete, and now the Argo starts the journey back to report their activities and findings. What they are taking back is nothing like what was expected at the outset. On the way back, they leave some of their own crew on an abandoned human colony on Mars.As the Argo arrives in the Home System they receive a message from a mysterious vessel, apparently alien, warning them to be careful about how they approach their home planet. The warnings are proved right. The home government, appalled by their findings and fearful of civil unrest at news so radically unexpected, launches a probe to destroy their vessel and blame it on a meteor impact during the return. This probe is to continue back in time to destroy the Mars colony as well. The aliens then take action to inform the population of the Argo's achievements in a way that minimises disruption, and the Argo is eventually welcomed home after a peaceful revolution in quasi-religious attitudes. Eventually they discover the alien spaceship are the descendants of Mars Colony. They go back in time to destroy the probe sent to destroy the Mars colony, and meet the Creators. By this time, Creator technology is well behind what the Martians have achieved.