War of the worlds.

by HanSolor2d2

Rating: teen
Tags: Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad, Princess Luna, Original Character, Rainbow Dash, Science Fiction, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 5165

Equestria is attacked by an alien fleet armed with tripods and heat rays. Based of H.G Wells's War of the worlds.

No pony would have believed
That pony affairs where being watched from the timeless worlds of space.

No pony could have dreamed we were being scrutinized as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.

Few ponies even considered the possibility of life other planets

And yet across the gulf of space minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded Equestria with envious eyes and slowly and surely they drew their plans against us.

Cast
My OC: the journalist.
Rainbow Dash: the artilleryman
Twilight: carry
Celestia: parson Nathaniel
Luna: beth the parson's wife.

This was a British story based in london so the film with tom cruise in is not correct

Published 2015-09-13 16:10:03 UTC
Last updated 2015-09-15 16:04:34 UTC

The eve of the war

The eve of the war

*Mars*

"The equines' are ruthless and in constant war with each other," a Martian said to his comrades "They don't deserve their planet "

"I agree we will destroy the ponies with our tripods," The other Martian said.

"What about their weapons," another asked, "These so-called elements of harmony what will these do to our mighty tripods."

"Nothing they shall be burnt by the heat ray," the first Martian replied "And any other resistants is futile."

"We will take this planet for our own and kill the equines," The second Martian said "Let us begin the war of the worlds."

*Equestria*

No pony would have believed that hat pony affairs where being watched from the timeless worlds of space. No pony could have dreamed we were being scrutinized as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few ponies even considered the possibility of life other planets. And yet across the gulf of space minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded Equestria with envious eyes and slowly and surely they drew their plans against us.

Midnight the 12th August a huge explosion of green gas erupted from Mars and sped towards Equestria. Across two hundred million miles of void invisibly hurtling towards us was the first of the missiles. This was bringing the instruments of death and destruction. As I gazed through my telescope I saw another flash. Another missile on its way. A green flare sprouted from Mars. Bright green, drawing a green mist behind it. A beautiful but somehow disturbing sight.

Dr whooves the astronomer assured me that we were in no danger. He was convinced that nothing could be living on that remote forbidding planet.

"Kaiber my friend the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one." he said.

'The chances of anything coming from mars are a million,' to one I thought, 'but still they come..'

Then came the night the first missile approached Equestria. It was thought to be an ordinary falling star. Until the next morning, there was a huge crater in the middle of Everfree common. Whooves came to inspect what lay there: a cylinder, thirty yards across, glowing hot. I heard faint sounds of movement from within.

Suddenly the top began moving. Rotating. Unscrewing. Whooves feared there was a pony inside, trying to escape. He rushed to the cylinder, but the intense heat stopped him before he could burn self on the metal.

Again I found myself thinking the same thing over and over.

'The chances of anything coming from mars are a million to one but still they come!

The chances of anything coming from mars are a million to one he said

The chances of anything coming from mars are a million to one but still they come!

Yes, the chances of anything coming from mars are a million to one but still they come!'

It seems totally incredible to me now that every pony spent that evening as any other From the railway station came the sound of shunting trains, ringing and rumbling, softened almost into melody by the distance. It all seemed too safe and tranquil...

chapter 3 The artillerymare and the fighting machine

chapter 3 The artillerymare and the fighting machine

*My home*

The hammering from the pit and the pounding of guns grew louder. My fear rose at the sound of someone creeping into the house. Then I saw it was a young artillerymare, weary, streaked with blood and dirt.

"Hello, anypony there?" She called. She was a young pegasus mare with a cyan coat and a rainbow mane with a tail to match.

"Yes in here come in," I said pouring a glass of water for her, "Here drink this."

"Thanks, mister," She said after drinking the water.

"What happened?" I asked.

"They wiped us out," She said instantly grabbing my shoulders "Hundreds dead maybe thousands."

"The heat ray?" I asked taking her hooves of my shoulders.

"The Martians! They were inside the hoods of machines they'd made massive metal things on legs!" The mare said, "Giant machines that walked, they attacked us! They wiped us out!"

"Machines?" I asked a bit skeptical.

"Yes, fighting machines! Picking up men and bashing 'em against trees." She replied "Just hunks of metal but they knew exactly what they were doing."

  "Mmm, there was another cylinder that came last night," I said kind off intrigued by these fighting machines.

"Yes," She said to my surprise "It looked bound for Canterlot."

Canterlot! Twilight! I hadn't dreamed there could be a danger to Twilight and her father (my uncle), so many miles away.

"I need to get to Canterlot quickly," I said in shock, fear. Truthfully I didn't know how I was feeling but I was in a panic. The artillerymare coughed getting my attention.

"I got to go to," She said smiling "Got to report to headquarters or what is left of it."

I thought about this and decided it would be safer than going alone. So we set off.

*A day later a day walks away from Canterlot.*

We came across an abanded Inn.

"Is everypony dead?" The artillerymare who I came to know as Rainbow Dash asked sadly.

"Not everypony look a battalion of guards with cannons standing by," I Answered pointing at the platoon.

"Bows and arrows against the lightning," She sighed as we walked on but then she remembered what  they would face. "They haven't seen the heat ray yet!"

We hurried along the road heading closer to our destination. Suddenly, there was a heavy explosion. The ground heaved and gusts of smoke erupted into the air.

"Look there they are!" Rainbow shouted "What did I tell you?"

Quickly, one after the other, four of the fighting machines appeared. Monstrous tripods, higher than the tallest steeple, striding over pine trees and smashing them. Walking engines of glistening metal. Each carried a huge funnel and I realised with horror that I'd seen this awful thing before.

A fifth machine appeared on the far bank. It raised itself to full height, flourished the funnel high in the air — and the ghostly terrible heat ray struck the town. As it struck, all five fighting machines exulted, emitting deafening howls that roared like thunder.

"Ulla! Ulla!"

The six guns we had seen now fired simultaneously, decapitating a fighting machine. The Martian inside the hood was slain, splashed to the four winds, and the body, nothing now but an intricate device of metal went whirling to destruction. As the other monsters advanced, ponies ran away blindly, Rainbow Dash among them, but I jumped into the water and hid until forced up to breathe. Now the guns spoke again, but this time the heat ray sent them to oblivion.

"Ulla!"

With a white flash, the heat ray swept across the river. Scalded, half-blinded and agonized, I staggered through leaping, hissing water towards the shore, I fell helplessly, in full sight of the Martians, expecting nothing but death.The foot of a Martian came down close to my head, then lifted again, as the four Martians carried away the debris of their fallen comrade, and I realized that by a miracle I had escaped...

Chapter 4 thunderchild

*Mt Canter base*

For three days, I fought my way along roads packed with refugees

the homeless, burdened with boxes and bundles containing their

valuables. All that was of value to me was in Canterlot.

By the time I got to her home. Twilight was gone.

In my sadness, I sat down and started to sing a song my mother sang at my father's funeral...

"The summer sun is fading as the year grows old and darker days are drawing near. The winter winds will be mutch colder. Now your not here.

I watched the birds fly south across the autumn sky and one by one they disappear. I wish that I could be flying with them. Now your not here.

Like the sun trough the trees you came to love me. Like a leaf on a breeze, you blew away.

Trough autumn's golden gown we used to kick away. You always loved this time of year. Those fallen leaves lie undisturbed now you're not here.

Now you're not here.

Now you're not here.

Like the sun trough the trees you came to love meLike a leaf on a breeze, you blew away. A gentle rain falls softly on my weary eyes as if to hide a lonely tear. My life will be forever autumn

Now you're not here."

A fire suddenly leaped from house to house. The population panicked and ran and I was swept along with them. Aimless and lost without Twilight. Finally, I headed east on for the ocean and my only hope of survival, a boat out of Equestria.

As I made haste through Canterlot gardens, and unicorn range. More and more ponies joined the painful exodus. Sad, weary mares with their foals stumbling and streaked with tears their husbands bitter and angry. The rich was rubbing shoulders with baggers and outcasts. Here and there were wounded soldiers walked just as helpless as the rest of us.

We saw tripods wading up the river cutting trough bridges as though they were paper. One appeared above Canterlot castle.

"ULLA!!"

Never before in the history of Equestria had such mass of ponies moved and suffered together. This was no disciplined march it was a stampede without order and without a goal six million ponies unarmed and unprovisioned driving headlong. It was the beginning of the rout of civilization and the massacre of ponykind. A vast crowd buffeted me towards the already packed steamer. I looked up enviously at those safely onboard straight into the eyes of... Twilight. At sight of me she began to fight her way along the packed deck to the gangplank, at that very moment it was raised and I caught the last glimpse of her despairing face as the crowd swept me away from her.

Like the sun trough the trees you came to love me. Like a leaf on a breeze, you blew away. Trough autumn's golden gown we used to kick our way. You always loved this time of year. Those fallen leaves lie undisturbed.

Now you're not here.

"ULLA!!"

The steamer began to move slowly away

but on the land in horizon appeared the silhouette of a fighting machine

Another came and another striding over hills and trees pulling far out to sea and blocking the exit of the steamer. Between them lay the silent gray ironclad Thunderchild. Slowly it moved towards shore. Then with a deafening roar and whoosh of spray it swung about and drove at full speed towards the waiting Martians.

Like ponies always do in times of crises members of the huddle of ponies started to sing.

"There were ships of shapes and sizes scattered out along the bay and I thought I heard they're calling. As the steamer pulled away the invaders must have seen them. As across the coast, they filed standing firm between them.

There lay *ThunderChild***

Moving swiftly through the waters. Cannons blazing as she came brought a mighty metal warlord crashing down in sheets of flame. Sensing victory was nearing. Thinking fortune must have smiled. Ponies start cheering.

'Come on *ThunderChild***

'Come on *ThunderChild*"

The Martians released their black smoke. But the ship sped on cutting down one of the tripod figures

Instantly the others raised their heat rays and melted the ThunderChild's valiant heart.

"Lashing ropes and smashing timbers with flashing Heat Ray hits the deck. Dashing hopes for our deliverance. As we watched the sinking wreck with the smoke of battle clearing. Over graves in waves defiled Slowly disappearing.

Farewell *ThunderChild***

Slowly disappearing

Farewell *ThunderChild***

Farewell *ThunderChild***

Farewell *ThunderChild*"

When the smoke cleared the little steamer had reached the misty horizon and Twilight was safe. But the "Thunder Child" had vanished forever taking with her Equestria last hope of victory. The leaden sky was lit by green flashes cylinder following cylinder and nopony. and nothing was left now to fight them.

Equestria belonged to the Martians...

chapter 5 the red weed

chapter 5 the red weed

*The next morning Everfree forest*

The next day, the dawn was a brilliant fiery red and I wandered through the weird and lurid landscape of another planet for the vegetation which gives Mars its red appearance had taken root on Equestria. As ponykind had succumbed to the Martians. Now, our land now has succumbed to this red weed. Wherever there was a stream the red weed clung and grew with a frightening voraciousness. It's claw-like fronds choking the movement of the water and then it starts to creep like a slimy red animal across the land covering field and ditch and tree and hedgerow with living scarlet feelers, crawling, crawling...

I suddenly noticed the body of the princess lying on the ground in a ruined castle. I felt unable to leave her to the mercy of the red weed and decided to bury her decently.

"Celstiaaaa," I heard somepony shout "Celestiaaaaaa!"

The princess's eye's flickered open. She was alive.

"Celestia are you alright," A blue alicorn asked. I realised it was princess Luna, "I saw our old castle burst into flames."

"Don't touch me!" Celestia hissed at Luna.

"But it's me, Luna," Luna said in shock "Your sister."

"No your one of them," Celestia shouted "You're a changeling."

"She's delirious," Luna said to me as I stood in awe.

"LIES," Celestia shouted "I saw Chrysalis's sign."

"What did you see?" I asked intrigued.

"The green flash in the sky her minions were here all along. In our homes and towns just waiting for a sign from him. Now they are destroying Equestria." Celestia explained.

"But they are not changelings," Luna countered "They are Martians."

"We must leave here," I said.

Luna nodded in agreement. "Look, a house still standing," She said pointing to Fluttershy's cottage.

We took shelter in the cottage and black smoke spread hemming us in. Then a fighting machine came across the fields spraying jets of steam that turned the black smoke into thick black dust.

"Dear Faust, Help Us!" Luna pleaded.

"ULLA!"

For some reason, this made Celestia angry. "The voice of the invaders are heard in our lands," She said.

"Listen do you hear them drawing near in their search for the sinners.

Feeding on the power of our love and the friendship within us. The incarnation of Discord's creation of all that we dread. When the demons arrived those alive would be better off dead!!" Celestia sang.

"There must be something worth living for. There must be something worth trying for. Even something worth dying for. And if one mare can stand tall there must be hope for us all. Somewhere, somewhere in the spirit of Faust."

"Once there was a time when I believed without hesitation! That the power of harmony could conquer all in the name off salvation! Tell me what kind of weapon is harmony when it comes to the fight!. And just how much protection is truth against all Sombra's might!"

"There must be something worth living for. There must be something worth trying for. Even something worth dying for. And if one mare can stand tall there must be hope for us all. Somewhere, somewhere in the spirit of Faust...."

"Ponies loved and trusted you," Luna sobbed "They would come to you for help."

"Didn't I warn them that this would happen? Be on guard! I said... For the evil will never rest I said exorcise the Changelings!

But no, they wouldn't listen, the demons inside our homes grew and grew. Until Chrysalis gives her signal and destroyed the World we knew!!"

"No Tia!, oh no Tia! No Tia no, there must be more to life. There has to be a way that we can restore to life. The harmony we used to know. No Tia No, there must be more to life. There has to be a way that we can restore to life. The light that we have lost"

"Now darkness has descended on our land and all your prays can not save us. Like foals, we let the Discord take command of the souls that Faust gave us! To the altar of evil like lambs to the slaughter, we're led. When the demons arrive the survivors envy the dead."

"There must be something worth living for!"

"No! there is nothing!"

"There must be something worth trying for!"

"I don't believe it's so!"

"Even something worth dying for. And if one mare can stand tall there must be hope for us all. Somewhere, somewhere in the spirit of Faust....

"Forget about goodness and mercy - there gone! Didn't I warn them! Pray, I said! Destroy the chaos I said! They wouldn't listen! I could have saved Equestria! But now it's too late, TOO LATE!!

"No Tia!, oh no Tia! No Tia no, there must be more to life. There has to be a way that we can restore to life. The harmony we used to know. No Tia No, there must be more to life. There has to be a way that we can restore to life. The light that we have lost"

There was an almighty crash as the roof caved in. It was another cylinder.

"Dear Faust! A cylinder's landed on the house! And we underneath it - in the pit!" Celestia quivered in fright.

The Martians spent the night making a new machine. It was a squat metallic spider with huge articulated claws. But it too had a hood which a Martian sat. I watched it pursuing some ponies across the field. It caught them nimbly and tossed them into a great metal basket upon his back.

"Luna!" Celestia screamed "She's dead! buried under the rubble. Why!! Why did you take one of your own?"

"There is a curse of ponykind. We may as well be resigned

To let the Discord take the spirit of Faust...

As time passed in our dark and dusty prison Celestia wrestled endlessly with her doubts. Her outcries invited dead for us both and yet I pitied her.

Then on the ninth day of the invasion we saw the Martians eating. Inside the hood of their new machine. They were draining the fresh living blood of mares and stallions and injecting it in their own veins.

"AAAAAGGHH!!! It's a sign! I've been given a sign! They must be cast out and I have been chosen to do it!" Celestia screamed "I must confront them now!"

"No Celestia no!" I warned.

"Those machines are just changelings in another form! I shall destroy them with the elements! I will burn them with magic! I shall....."

Before she could finish I knocked her out. I saw the curious eye of a Martian appeared at the window slit and a menacing claw explored the room. I dragged Celestia down to the coal-cellar. I heard the Martian fumbling at the latch In the darkness I could see the claw touching things walls, coal, wood, and then it touch my boot! I almost shouted! For a time was still and then, with a "click" it gripped something, Celestia! With slow, deliberated movements her unconscious body was dragged away... And there was nothing I could do to prevent it.

After a while, I crept to the blocked window slit and peered through. The Martians and all their machines where gone, trembling I dug my way out and clambered to the top of the mound. Not a Martian in sight. The day seemed dazzling bright after my imprisonment and the sky a glowing blue. Red weed covered every scrap of ground, but a gentle breeze kept it swaying and oh...! The sweetness of the air!

chapter 6 old faces

*A desolate road*

Again, I was on my way to Canterlot through towns and villages that were blackened ruins totally silent, desolate, deserted. Our empire had passed away. Taken swiftly and without error by these creatures who were composed entirely of brains. Unhampered by the complex systems which make up ponies. They made and used different bodies according their needs. They never tired, never slept, and never suffered having long since eliminated from their planet the bacteria which caused all fevers and other morbidities.

"HALT," I heard a mare shout "Who goes there?"

"Er - A friend," I said into the mist.

"Be on your way," She said appearing from the mist. It was Rainbow Dash "This  is my territory."

She carried a rifle and had noticeable scars on her face that made me slightly intimidated.

"Your territory?" I asked, "What do you mean?"

"Wait a minute it's you, the pegasus from ponyville!" she realised.

"Good heavens Rainbow," I said with fake surprise, "I thought you surely burned!"

"I thought you surely drowned!" Rainbow countered.

"Touché," I said not having a comeback, "Have you seen any Martians?"

"Everywhere," She replied "we're done for all right."

"We can't just give up." I sighed.

"Course we can't. It's now that we've got to start fighting. But not against them 'cos we can't win." She said as if we was a football team at half time "Now we've got to fight for survival and I reckon we can make it. I've got a plan..."

"We're gonna’ build a whole new World for ourselves. Look they clap eyes at us and were dead right?. So we gotta’ make a new life where they'll never find us." She explained "You know where? Underground. You should see it down there, hundreds of miles of drains sweet and clean now after the rain, dark, quiet, safe. We can build houses and everything and start over again from scratch. And what's so bad about living underground eh? .It's not been so great living up here."

She grinned.

"If you want my opinion," She said as she started to sing.

"Take a look around you at the World we've come to know. Does it seem to be much more than a crazy circus show? But maybe from the madness something beautiful will grow. In a brave new world. With just a hand full of mares. We'll start - we'll start all over again! - all over again! - all over again! - all over again!"

She then went back to coach mode.

"We'll build shops and hospitals and barracks  right under their noses, right under their hooves. Everything we need - bank's, prisons and schools... We'll send scouting parties to collect books and stuff and ponies like you will teach the kids" She said "Not poems and rubbish- science. So we can get everything working. We'll build villages and towns and.... and.....We play each other at cricket!"

I wasn't really amused at the teaching part. Science reminded me of twilight.

"Listen maybe one day we'll capture a fighting machine eh? Learn how to make 'em ourselves and then wallop! Our turn to do some wiping out!" She said starting to sound insane "Whoosh with our Heat Ray! - Whoosh! And them running and dying, beaten at their own game! Ponies on top again!"

"Now our domination of the Earth is fading fast and out of the confusion the chance has come at last. To build a better future from the actions of the past. In a brave new World. With just a handful of mares. We'll start all over again!"

"Look! - we are born in freedom, but we soon become slaves. In cages of conventions from cradle to the grave. The weak fall by the wayside but strong will be saved! In a brave new World. With just a handful of mares. We'll start all over again!"

"I'm not trying to tell you what to be, Oh no! oh no! not me... But if ponykind is to survive. The ponies left alive. They're gonna’ have to build this World anew. And it's going to have to start with me and you!"

"YES!!"

"I'm not trying to tell you what to be. Oh no! oh no! not me... But if ponykind is to survive. The ponies left alive. They're gonna’ have to build this World anew. Yes and we, will have to be, the chosen few!"

"Take a look around you, at the World you've loved so well and bid the ageing empire of Equestria a last farewell. It may not sound like Heaven... but at least it isn't Hell... It's a brave new World. With just a handful of mares. We'll start! - we'll start all over again! All over again! - all over again! - all over again!"

"I'VE GOT A PLAN!!" She said on the verge of crazy "Can't you just see it? Civilization starting all over again - a second chance. We'll even build a railway and tunnel to the coast. Go there for our holidays! Nothing can stop ponies like us. I've made a start already. Come on down here and look."

In the cellar was a tunnel scarcely ten yards long. That had taken her a week to dig. I could have dug that much in a day, and I suddenly had my first inkling of the gulf between her dreams and powers.

"It's doing the workin' and the thinkin' that wears a mare out. I'm ready for a bit of rest." She said whilst sitting on a chair, "How about a drink eh? Nothing but Champagne now I'm the boss."

We drank and then she insisted upon playing cards. With our species on the edge of extermination and with no prospect but a horrible death. We actually played games.

Later she talked more of his plan. But I saw flames flashing in the deep blue night. Red weed glowing, tripod figures moving distantly and I put down my Champagne glass. I felt a traitor to my kind. I knew I must leave this strange dreamer.

"Take a look around you at the World we've come to know. Does it seem to be much more than a crazy circus show? Maybe from the madness something beautiful will grow....."

Chapter 7 the end?

*Canterlot*

There were dozens dead ponies on the road. Their outlines softened by the black dust. All was still. houses locked and empty, shops closed... But looters had helped themselves to wine and food and outside of a jewelers shop some gold chains and a watch were scattered on the pavement.

"ULLA!"

I stopped, steering towards the sound. It seemed as if that mighty desert of houses had found a voice for my fear and solitude.

"ULLA!"

The desolating cry worked upon my mind. The wailing took possession of me. I was intensely weary, foot so, hungry and thirsty Why was I wandering alone in this city of the dead? Why was I alive? When Canterlot was lying in state in its black shroud. I felt intolerably lonely, drifting from street to empty street, I was drawn inexorably towards that cry.

"ULLA!!"

I saw, over the trees on Starswirl Hill the fighting machine from which the howling came. I crossed the canal. There stood a second machine, upright, but as still as the first.

"ULLAAAAA....!"

Abruptly the sound ceased. Suddenly, the desolation, the solitude became unendurable. While that voice sounded, Canterlot had still seemed alive. Now suddenly there was a change the passing of something and all that remained was this quiet.

I looked up and saw a third machine. It was erect and motionless, like the others. An insane resolve possessed me. I would give my life to the Martians here and now.

I strode  recklessly towards the titan and saw that a multitude of black birds was circling and clustering about the hood. I began running along the road. I felt no fear, only a wild trembling exultation.  As I ran up the hill towards the motionless monster. Out of the hood hung red shreds at which the hungry birds now pecked and tore.

I scrambled up to the crest of Starswirl Hill and the Martian's camp was below me. A mighty space it was, and scattered about it, in their overturned machines were the Martians. DEAD...slained after all Equestria's devices had failed. Killed by the humblest things. Bacteria. Minute, invisible, bacteria!

When the invaders arrived and drank and fed, our microscopic allies attacked them. From that moment, they were doomed.

The torment had ended. The people scattered over the country

desperate, leaderless, starved... The thousands who had fled by sea (including Twilight) all would return. The pulls of life growing stronger and stronger would beat again.

As life returns to normal the question of another attack from Mars causes universal concern. Is our planet safe? or is this time of peace merely a reprieve? It may be that across the immensity of space they have learned their lessons and even now await their opportunity. Perhaps the future belongs not to us, but to the Martians...

Everfree common and the heat ray

Everfree common and the heat ray

*Everfree common*

The next morning a crowd gathered on the Common hypnotized by the unscrewing of the cylinder. Suddenly two feet of shining screw projected when suddenly the lid fell off. A set of Two luminous disc-like eyes appeared above the rim. A huge rounded bulk larger than a bear rose up slowly

glistening like wet leather. It's lipless mouth quivered and slavered with snake-like tentacles writhed  as the body heaved and pulsated.

A few younger stallions crept closer to the pit. A tall funnel rose then an invisible ray of heat leaped from pony to pony and there was a bright glare as each was instantly turned into fire. Every tree and bush became a mass of flames at the touch of this savage unequestrian heat ray.

Ponies clawed their way off the Common

and I ran too. I felt I was being toyed with that I was on the very verge of safety.

This mysterious death would leap after me and strike me down.

At last I reached ponyville and in the dim coolness of my home I wrote an account for my newspaper. Soon after I sank into a restless haunted sleep.

*The next morning*

I awoke to alien sounds of hammering from the pit and hurried to the railway station to buy the paper. Around me, I saw the daily routine of life. Ponies were working-eating-sleeping was continuing serenely as it had for countless years.

On Everfree Common the Martians continued hammering and stirring sleepless indefatigable at work upon the machines they were making.

Now and again a light like the beam of a warship's searchlight swept the Common and the heat ray was ready to follow.

In the afternoon, a battalion of royal guards came trough and deployed along the edge of the Common.

That evening there was a violent crash

and I realize with horror that my home was now within the range of the Martians heat ray. At dawn, a falling star with a trail of green mist landed with a flash like summer lightning. This was the second cylinder...