Prologue

Four billion years ago

No one would've believed four billion years ago that the planet
Mars was on a parallel track to truly be Earth's sister world.
Not the devilish red planet that we now observe but a shining
blue pearl in the cool sea of night. Far in advance of Earth's
own natural development. Extensive oceans teeming with life
gently lapped the shores of fertile continents. Another oasis in
the dark vast vacuum of space.
Millennia after their first aquatic air breathing brethren boldly
crept forth upon land. Fourteen monumental asteroids impacted
Mars with such ferociousness that the planet was left
permanently lopsided.
Superheated the crust melted. A catalysis that started an
irreversible doomsday catastrophe. Half the southern
hemisphere became a boiling pot of magma. The remaining
surface water vaporised. The basic key ingredient for
sustaining life incinerated.
Once the outer mantle temperature exceeded its liquid metal
core Mars' convection shut down. Its protective global
magnetic field lost forever. Solar storms stripped the planet of
its fragile exposed atmosphere. The skies ablaze with escaping
ions. The universe never fails to put on a mesmerising show,
condemning the once beautiful celestial body to its now bitter
cold barren eternity.
Evolving lifeforms decimated. The fortunate perished instantly.
Scattered survivors fought disease, starvation and eventually
cannibalism. Slithered back deep within the bowels of their
dying world.

Their first attack against Earth failed. Slain by the minutest

organisms upon our planet after all man's devices had proven
useless, bacteria. Germs that had taken their toll on humanity
since the dawn of life. Our pre-human ancestors endured a
billion deaths earned our birthright to inhabit this world.
By virtue of this natural selection we've developed an immune
systems. The common cold, a discomfort for an ordinary
gentleman but has fatal consequences for an outer space
invader.
Directly the Martians arrived, drank and fed our microscopic
allies began to work their overthrow. Irrevocably doomed.
Ignorant that they were rotting inside their towering killing
machines.
Defeated. A final messaged transmitted back to base containing
one word. Contamination!
******

Prologue:Appendix I
A brief summery of key events during the aftermath
--- ONE --A French and German coalition attack us. We thought the
flotilla of ships steaming across the channel carried our
returning refugees. That our European neighbours transported
aid for our untold wounded, support for enabling us to rebuild.
We were so wrong. Their cargo, opportunity. There's no greater
hunger than man's quest for power and territories.
Unchallenged their naval battleships sailed directly into our
ports. Demoralize population offered no resistance. Internment
camps issued food and shelter, the influx of numbers quickly
overwhelmed supplies. The majority actually thankful for
protection from foreign soldiers, unlike our troops that had fled
among the helpless civilians. This continental army willing to
fight. They hadn't bore witness the true extent of what the
Martian's awful heat-ray was capable of. Never confronted or
suffered under this merciless foe. No concept of the mindless
brutality inflicted indiscriminately upon men, women and
children.
Europeans joked that les goddams, backward and inbred alike,
had gone quite mad. Believed that their beloved British Isles
was sinking as the tide naturally came in. Foolishly took every
boat and floatable craft from shore in order to flee. Many
coastal towns had missing front doors from where desperate
folk ripped them off hinges for use as life-rafts. How the
foreigners laughed, made merriment around camp fires at our
expense. Teased and humiliated fettered soldiers by throwing
buckets of river water over their heads.

Soon accounts of the invaders strength and weaponry reached

high command, not taken lightly, orders were immediately
given to secure and confiscate Martian machines at all costs.
Return to Cherbourg for analysis. Three motionless tripod
guardians straddled in the English Channel toppled, floated on
barges. Towed back to port. Mankind's third greatest leap
forward since the discovery of fire and the wheel. A new era of
steam power fused with alien technology had dawned.
--- TWO --The fight for our capital and sovereignty short lived. The dead
Martian red weed soaked into our soil. Nothing new grew.
Poisoned fertile farmlands. A permanent residue of their total
lack of empathy towards our existence. The ghostly creeper
spread as far west as Cardigan Bay made Wales uninhabitable.
The industrial canal network that'd brought so much wealth and
prosperity now efficiently carried this unearthly blight as far as
Manchester. The spine of Briton diseased.
One hundred miles farther north Hadrian's Wall became the
back-marker for England's resettlement. It's defences fortified.
Scotland welcomed those that carried on travelling across her
border. The Isle of Anglesey, Devon and the Isle of Man
escaped airborne toxic spores. The rest of contaminated Briton
became barren. In some iron rich clay areas the resilient weed
re-sprouted, unaffected by bacteria, grew forest like. Barbed
feelers poised to snare unsuspecting victims.
Ireland declared their independence from England. The
Confederate of Ireland. Refugees laden ships heading towards
Dublin given warning shots across their bows changed course
for Belfast or Scotland's western shores. The Isle of Man a gobetween. Privateers changed for night landing on more

secluded stretchers of Ireland's coastline, some passengers

forced to swim the treacherous final two hundreds yards.
Civil war ensued as the predominate English migrates of
Northern Ireland fought against the significant larger numbers
of the south's true indigenous clans. They held out for almost
three years until the French and German alliance test-bedded
their new legions of alien-hybrid-steam-tanks. Unable to
replicate certain Martian alloys, Marsuminium. The three
countries signed a treaty. Ireland in return for allowing forward
bases, expeditions against mainland England, received
advances in technology.
The wild infestation of red weed turned out to be our best
defence. These attacks were called the years of flames. Ironclad
caterpillar steamrollers crushed the vines while hypnotic blue
gas incendiary devices torched what was left. I've heard strange
tales that the red weed exhibited a degree of cunning.
Unshackled tracks, ripped open riveted seams, sneaked inside,
tore apart operators at the controls. Plants with intelligences.
The aggressors called themselves The Free Lands Movement.
No declaration of war issued. Their goal, requisition all
remaining tripods and cylinders. Convinced concerned world
leaders that the British army were in fact entrenched,
withholding vital information that could potentially defeat a
worldwide Martian invasion.
Only Norway offered assistance to what remained of the once
solvent United Kingdom. Allowed stricken families safe
settlement in their country. The Free Lands soon blockaded the
North Sea. Cutting England off from the rest of the world.
******

Prologue:Appendix II
Artilleryman's brave new world
--- ONE --He was the one that lead the battle against the French. The man
that people naturally rallied behind. Our government nonexistent. The population needed leadership. Do you know what
he was after the Martian's devastating invasion? Alive! No
other qualifications other than a uniform, perhaps he just found
those clothes? Government records, along with the rest of the
pompous establishment burnt to ashes. He'd somehow managed
to scale a fighting machine, a trophy hunter looking for a prize?
Draped an Union Jack over the beast's flanks. Found a way
inside. Turned its weapon funnel upon the French as they
matched towards London. He'd be damn if he'd let them any
closer.
Took several direct hits from our own scattered forces
believing him to be a surviving Martian fiend before they'd
realized he'd commandeered the tripod. Joined the
bombardment against the advancing foreign troops. After been
so woefully powerless gave our discouraged platoons a channel
for all their pent-up rage and frustration. Outnumbered 7-1.
Fought with such tenacity that they drove the French and
German occupiers swimming for their anchored fleet. Regained
our coastal battlements. Rained hellfire on their retreating
ships.
--- TWO --The country lawless, rapidly regressed to the dark ages.
Consequences for brutal acts went unpunished unless a leach

mop banded together. Boroughs ruled by gangs, the toughest

thug reigned supreme. Common folk having to pay tributes for
protection. Tilbury Fort became the pit of Essex's most deprave
gang, the West Blockhouse Boys. Eventually everything above
ground succumbed to the red weed, no exceptions. A graveyard
of civility.
Chain of command along with regimental rank that stood
before the invasion meant nothing. Accounts of bravery now
the credentials of merit. Artilleryman had an army behind him,
no challengers. He wasn't interested in controlling a few streets
or blocks. Inherited London, what was left of it, without
spilling a single drop of blood. Word spread that he had a plan.
People fleeing bandits and self proclaimed governing marshals
flocked to his territory. Thus giving him the willing work force
he required for his bold vision.
Protection. Safe structured civil environment. Do you know
where? Underground. The Martian's heat-rays utilised as
tunnelling equipment, effortlessly curving huge caverns.
Artilleryman got everything working. Engineers and scientist
became the forerunners for a brand new civilization under HIS
authority. New London built beneath the very foundations of
the old.
As our island evidently drowned, sowed with infectious red
weed compost, our self-sufficient metropolis marvel became
the home for over two million obedient residents. The Martians
had actually given us the means for a better future. Crime
almost non-existent yet the military police an unmistakable
force, present on every corner. Artilleryman's Bill of Rights,
prevention is the single most important factor of maintaining
law and order.

Makes you wonder why would anybody wish to leave the

security of Eden? They did you know, leave. People just
vanished without a word?
******