My War of the Worlds Sequel- WoTW: Aftermath.

[richardburton]

Fantastic stuff Nerfy! And thanks for the cameo! I hope I don't get killed off too soon

[jeffuk13]

top story keep it up cheers ;D

[EvilNerfherder]

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS: AFTERMATH.


20. How It Would be Done.



Churchill, I later discovered, had been an MP before the War. He had become disillusioned with his party and was on the verge of changing allegiance when the Martians had landed.
He had immediately decided to spring to his countries defence and had taken up arms. As a war correspondent during the Boer War, he had seen battle before and slipped into the military life with comparative ease.
He stood now, puffing on a cigar and speaking of the plan for the assault on the Martians undersea. I did not wonder at his previous vocation, as his voice was steady and confident.
‘Our plan is to use the larger force as a diversion. These men will attack the Cylinder from several sides whilst our little force of commandos here slip in quietly and enter the base separately. Of course, we know little of what we will be facing and much will need to be decided on the field. At any rate, our smaller force will, if possible, set charges within the Martian base and slip away again. With luck and the grace of god, we will blow the blighters to kingdom come!’
I did not think this much of a plan and said so.
‘But there are so many unknown factors, are there not? The Martians are not to be underestimated.’
‘Indeed,’ said Churchill looking me squarely in the eye. ‘But the basis of the plan is sound and the rest will come as we discover more.’
‘What weapons do we have?’ I asked.
Cavendish stepped in here.
‘All in good time, Smith. For now we are keeping our cards closely to our chests. Needless to say, we will not be embarking on this endeavour half cocked. We feel sure we can defeat these creatures and win the day.’
This show of confidence brought murmurs of approval from the men. I sincerely hoped that this bravado was not misplaced and wondered what Horton would have thought of this plan.
‘So this small group of men will destroy the Cylinder?’ I said. ‘Again I mean to offence, but it still strikes me as suicide! Why there are only six of them.’
‘Seven, actually,’ said a familiar voice from the doorway.

Many times, incidents in my life have taken me by surprise. In times of war, perhaps, this is not so unusual. Events in war themselves are far more unusual than in peacetime. However, since the War began, my life had been an unending succession of bad luck, horror and coincidence. It is little wonder, perhaps that I fancied, at times, that the Gods were using me as some kind of plaything.
The man standing at the door was another reason for my mind to reel once more with the pure strangeness of it all.
‘Ah, Sergeant!’ Cavendish said. ‘Come in.’
‘My god!’ I spluttered finally as the man sauntered into the room. ‘The Artilleryman!’
‘Sergeant, actually,’ said the man grinning and pointing at the stripes on his uniform. ‘Done well for myself haven’t I?’
The man came over to me and pumped my hand just as he had so long before.
‘Don’t look so shocked, my friend,’ he said. ‘I find the fact that we keep meeting to be a good sign.’
‘Yes, of course,’ I said, simply. I was not so sure that I agreed with his thoughts but I saw his point. We had both lived through much and continued to survive to meet again.
‘So what do you think of this motley bunch?’ he asked sweeping a hand grandly at the men seat around the room. ‘A finer lot I couldn’t wish to see. We’ll show the Martians a thing or two, eh?’
The men around the room gave a small cheer and I was reminded of when I had last seen this man in the public house.
‘Thank you, Sergeant,’ Churchill rumbled. ‘We were just informing our guest of our plan.’
‘Ah,’ said the Sergeant. ‘I take it you are coming with us?’
‘I am,’ I said.
‘Excellent. It will be like old times, eh? This man, Lieutenant, is a survivor. Just the sort we need with us.’
‘He will not be fighting. Sergeant,’ Churchill said levelly. ‘Smith is here purely to observe.’
‘It doesn’t matter. It’s good to see him nonetheless.’
This exchange seems to have quietened the men’s suspicion of me and, from then on, they looked at me in a much more friendly fashion. It seemed that the Sergeant vouching for me meant that I was all right by them.

[EvilNerfherder]

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS: AFTERMATH.


21. Waiting for the off.



The next week was spent in preparing for the voyage. I was escorted around the base and saw the men training. A few times the men went outside of the compound. Many vehicles took them, large wagons, which travelled quite quickly. I gathered these were derived from the machinery that the Martians had left behind and some contained men and the backs of others were covered with tarpaulins. Cavendish told me vaguely that they were going for training that could not be done at the base.
I counted ten human Fighting Machines staggering about the compound in clouds of steam and noticed that they had odd boiler shaped tanks fitted to their backs.
They also had tubes on either side that looked like some kind of weapons but not like the Heat-ray cannons.
After much questioning from me, Cavendish finally admitted that the human Machines had been refitted for use underwater and would be carried on the ‘Nautilus’ as part of the assault. He also intimated that there were more ‘wonders’, as he put it, yet to be seen but would say no more.
Seeing the whole force on parade in the middle of the base was a most impressive sight. I had been assured that these men had all been handpicked from the cream of His Majesties forces and they certainly looked an army to be reckoned with.
I just hoped that the Martians would be as easy to defeat as everyone seemed to believe.
The Sergeant came and visited me in my cabin, after dinner one night, and we played cards. He regaled me with tales of his exploits since I had last seen him and we talked briefly about the time of the War.
I reminded him of his dreams of an underground Utopia but he changed the subject. I think he found his behaviour then a little shameful and wished not to talk about it. I, in light of my own hardships since the War, thought I understood him better now than I had before.

Whilst preparations carried on, reports came in of harassment of shipping in the North Sea. Cavendish told me that ships had been attacked and sunk and strange machines had been sighted speeding away in those waters. There had also been a further two Remote Walker attacks on land; one successful, the other repelled using the Human Heat-ray. The Martians were evidently still trying to disrupt things as much as possible.

I did not escape the training. Even though I was only an observer, I had to be taught how to use the underwater suits that had been developed, from existing and new technology, for this mission. Apparently, even Cavendish had learned this new skill and the thought had amused me greatly.
These strange suits would allow members of the force to be underwater for an extended length of time. I was a very good swimmer but, for my own safety, it was decided that I had to learn how to use them in case of emergency. I was sure I would be aboard the ‘Nautilus’ throughout the mission but submitted to the training anyway.
The base had a large water tank that was used for training and testing and a soldier was assigned to help me into the suit and show me how to use it.
The suits were lighter versions of the suits that deep-sea divers use and seeing them reminded me of Verne again. The helmet was fashioned out of brass with little portholes around it and there was a large tank, for air, to be worn on the back. I spent some hours learning to control my breathing in the helmet and how to walk in the great heavy boots that were made to allow the wearer to walk on the sea floor. I hoped, sincerely, that all of this was a waste of time.

Soon came time for the voyage to begin. Cavendish woke me at eight one morning and told me we would be off at dawn the next day.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach that day. I had seen and experienced much but the fear of the unknown still had an effect of me.
The rest of the base, too, seemed effected. The men were quiet throughout the day and there was none of the usual joking and raucousness that could be expected in a great gathering of fighting men.
Final tests were carried out on the machines and I heard explosions coming from the far side of the base. I gathered that the weaponry was being tested as well.
The day passed quickly and I retired early but slept little.

[Poyks]

Fantastic Nerf! Loving the historical parallels.

[Commandingtripod]

Nice stuff Nerfy.

I see the artillery man - sorry, 'Sergeant' - is rejoining us. ;D

[jeffwaynefan]

Its looking good, its going good. Were getting great stories here at WOTWOnline.

[EvilNerfherder]

Thanks.
This is a pretty tough balancing act. Trying to keep it exciting and adding new elements without taking it too far away from HG's original is hard work! I do wonder about that at times. Ah well.

[wotwfan48]

;DI anderstand you EvilNefherder,we are in 2006, so sometime it is hard to stay back on thoses years. I started to write real Chapter, for my book, and boy, I have to go to the future with the science. I have to think about everything, And rewrite, and so on, because even if it is a Science Fiction, it have to look credible.

But dont worry your work is fabulous, you'll make it.chantale.

[Luperis]

I've just got around to reading the last couple of chapters... amazing and gripping, as always.
The re-addition of the artilleryman is especially interesting. Well done.

[EvilNerfherder]

Yeah, I felt that TA had to be involved somehow, although I tried to leave him out of it! Honest!
Looks like I'm headed into steampunk territory.. but I can't really help that. A modern mind writing an Edwardian fantasy story is bound to turn out a bit messed up, I suppose and it's fun exploring the effect Martian technology has on the innovations of the day. I don't think Wells wouldn't have written it this way but he didn't have the same benefit of hindsight that we do.
I wonder what Wells' sequel would have been like if he'd written one?
Anyway, more soon.

[Herulian Martian]

A few weeks ago on a friend's DVD, I watched Wild, Wild West in which an eight legged "tripod" is created by a bad-guy to kill the president...and two heroes save the day. In the end, the two heroes ride off with the "tripod" The story takes place in the late 1800s or early 1900s...but it is not overtly related to Martians...the machine is very much earth-made, but it walks very well!

[Thunder Child]

That mechanical spider kicks *ss!! You can't help thinking of a Tripod when you see the legs of that machine stomping around and crashing horse carts :-)

[wotwfan48]

About the tripods, I saw photo of H.G.wells, and is tripods on a magazine right after is book was wrote, And The tripods especially the legs and tentacules, where the same or so of SP wotw 2005. When I have time i will go back to try to find this site to send the photos. I guess others saw it to.chantale.
I juste find it it is Carioka Avatar. tks for reading me
chantale, ;D

[Herulian Martian]

thunderchild3 said:

That mechanical spider kicks *ss!! You can't help thinking of a Tripod when you see the legs of that machine stomping around and crashing horse carts :-)

I wonder if we have the tech for that now... Also, I hope to see much more of this fanfic.

[richardburton]

Just back from a holiday in Spain and fantastic to see me old mate has churned out another two excellent chapters. Well done, Nerfy. Love the reintro of TA and the change in opinion that Smith develops towards him. With the introduction of highly advanced technology into a society far from achieving it, the natural result would be some kind of steam punk hybrid technology. Keep it coming!

[FALLINGSTAR]

First time I've read that and very good it is too Nerf!

[EvilNerfherder]

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS: AFTERMATH.


22. Bon Voyage!




The next morning, I stood nervously in the docking bay watching the final pieces of equipment being loaded onto the ‘Nautilus’.
There was much light-hearted chatter from the men of the commando squad and the Sergeant turn occasionally to wink or grin at me as if to allay my, seemingly obvious, fears.
Churchill stood alone silently watching operations and puffing on his ever-present cigar, but seemed to me like a coiled spring, as ready to get going as his men.
The main body of troops were next stowed away deep in the belly of the huge submersible and it soon became our time to board.
The front of the machine was open, like the jaws of some massive undersea beast, and I entered with trepidation. I felt some primal fear that this enormous thing would swallow me whole and I would never be seen again.
Inside, it was not unlike being within the Cylinder on Horsell Common. That same sickly glow emanated from the metal walls and no man-made lighting was either needed or in evidence. As Cavendish and I crossed the threshold, the ‘jaws’ started to slowly close with a high-pitched whine.
The human fighting machines were secured against the walls of the vessel as we walked on and there were other bulky shapes covered in tarpaulins. Soldiers and crew went busily around the area carrying weapons and equipment here and there.
We were eventually ushered, past a bewildering array of unknown machinery and controls, to our cabins and I saw that the human touch had, unexpectedly, been added. My quarters were almost as opulent as those I occupied in the underground laboratories in Kensington, all wooden panelling, brass fittings and superfluous curtains. This amalgamation of human decor and Martian superstructure struck me as vaguely unsettling.
After a short time of trying to acclimatise to these odd surroundings, Cavendish came as asked if I wished to stand on the bridge of the vessel whilst we put out to sea. To get there, we had to negotiate many corridors and staircases which, I was told, had been adapted for human use as had much of the inside of this alien craft.
The bridge was yet another large space lined with lit up instrumentation. Around twenty sailors stooped over dials or manipulated levers on these instruments. Cavendish said some things about this technology, but much of it, I confess, went over my head.
Cavendish steered me towards a tall greying man in naval uniform who stood barking orders before a large viewing window. I wasn’t sure if this window was real or was, perhaps, a projected image like those ‘portholes’ I had seen in the cylinder. I could see the entrance to the docking bay through it.
‘Smith,’ Cavendish said motioning towards the man. ‘This is the Captain of the ‘Nautilus’. Captain, this is Smith.’
‘Smith,’ grunted the Captain and brusquely shook my hand. ‘Welcome aboard.’
‘Thank you, Captain,’ I replied. ‘This is a most impressive vessel.’
‘Indeed she is,’ the Captain said, simply.
Cavendish steered me away from the Captain and we stood a little away as he returned to his duties.
‘I have to tell you,’ Cavendish said in a low voice. ‘The Captain had a special reason for requesting this mission. His brother was also a naval man and commanded a ship you may have heard of.’
‘Really?’ I said. ‘Which vessel is that? I confess to not knowing much about these things.’
‘Nevertheless, this one will mean something to you. The vessel the Captain’s brother commanded was ‘’HMS Thunder Child’’.’


A dull rumbling deep within the ‘Nautilus’ signalled the start of our journey. Through the viewing window, we could see the docking bay slip away to either side and soon we were heading to open sea. I saw that we were being escorted by heavily armed Ironclads, four of them, and they were all seemingly carrying Heat-Ray funnels. I hoped that we would not hit trouble this early in the voyage.
If it hadn’t been for the distant rumble and whine of the engines and the view through the window, I would have been hard pressed to know if were actually moving at all. I have never before, or since, travelled in such a smooth fashion. I had expected the vague feeling of nausea or disorientation that had accompanied all my previous sea journeys but there was nothing of that sort on board this vessel. I marvelled at how something so huge could slip through the water like a hot knife through butter.
So now, for better or worse, we were on our way.

[Poyks]

This is what I've been waiting for, the ‘Nautilus’ in action! More soon please Nerfington! :-)

[Luperis]

Great stuff. Another amozing chapter!
Can't wait to find out what happens next.