Since 1877 when canals were first observed on Mars, Empire scientists envisaged and yearned for contact with non human intelligent life from other worlds.

Most of these learned people assumed that alien life would be benevolent, generous and open to friendship with the human race.

The Britsh Empire’s military commanders assumed the opposite. They prepared for war. In the air, on the ground and in the sea.

Even so, initial reports of strange activity in the outer regions of the Empire were ignored as being superstitious nonsense.

Until the flagship Royal Aether Force dirigible ‘Queen Victoria’ was mysteriously lost with all hands … then the generals put down their whisky and cigars.

Not wanting to start a global panic, the Empire quietly asked its spies and informers for reports no matter how seemingly ridiculous.

The Empire war machine slowly runbles to life, with scout airships the first to encounter and describe the alien craft roaming around Earth and destroying any resistance with impunity.

And now begins the ‘secret war’, to repel the alien invaders before all human independence is permanently extinguished. The irony of the fight is not lost on the more enlightened.

There is every chance that life exists on Mars or on the other planets in our vicinity. There is no reason to expect this alien life to be hostile and every reason to extend the hand of friendship

Sir William Henry Mahoney Christie – Astronomer Royal

If intelligent life from other worlds comes to our shores, they will eradicate us as the irrelevant vermin they will come to know us as.

Sir Bindon Blood – Major General

Brains? I don’t believe in brains! You haven’t any, I know, Sir! Keep your talk of little green men from Mars within the taverns you frequent all too often!

Prince George – Commander-In-Chief

I can’t see life existing beyond our earthly shores, unless you mean our Heaven above.

William Barrett – Physicist, Royal Academy

There is no such thing as alien life, any such encounters or sightings are merely glitches in the brain.

John Ferriar – Journalist