In 1907, a motley group of Æthernauts, bent on avenging the invasion of Earth, struggle to reach Mars using left behind technology only to choose between carrying out their mission or saving the Red Planet.

SYNOPSIS:

Overview: WAR OF THE WORLDS meets DUNE in a limited, 1-hour, serialized drama meant as a sequel to H. G. Wells’ novel. Blending fictitious and real persons, Earth harnesses Martian technology to send a group to Mars. The goal is to avenge the invasion and prevent another. Through a series of unplanned events, an unprepared, yet intrepid group find themselves on Mars. The social tensions of the time don’t help. Once there, they discover an advanced culture in the midst of a civil war. Each then struggles as they reevaluate their role in the mission and the once comfortable, if not myopic, Earth-centric beliefs.

Themes/Why Now

Examines the issues of freedom and nationalism, more relevant now than ever. Believing we’ve made progress against societal prejudice, we now stare into the mirror darkly, into revived hatred, cheered on by neo-demagogues. The fringe, viewing freedom/ difference as a weakness, envision destruction of current society to build a brave new world. They can only view freedom through their eyes and are afraid to see it through others.

Comps: The Man in the High Castle. Battlestar Galactica. The Magnificent Seven.

World

While the invasion altered many events as we knew them, this is not a steam/tech-punk world. As affected countries rebuild from the devastation of the Martian invasion, signs of normalcy and destruction mix within the depopulated nations. While most Martian technology is useless (due to power requirements), a thriving illegal trade develops using it. The Great Powers of the US, UK, France, Russia, Japan & Germany, combine with other intellectuals to study and use such left behind tech, if not for their own ends. All are determined to understand, and defeat, the Martians if they return. They create agencies and laws to control the illegal trade and tech. Untouched parts of Earth and early 20th Century technology continue as normal. Racism, sexism, anti-suffrage and xenophobia are still strong (as sadly, they are still today). Societal movements like women's suffrage and anti-imperial rebellions continue across the globe.

Main Characters

Percival Longfellow (33): Of the UK. Lieutenant & now a Special Agent in the King’s service. A proper, quick-witted Englishman. Feelings for Katherine get in his way. When she’s drafted into the mission, his goal of her safe return gets in the way of those of the mission.

Katherine (Katy) Darcy (27): A strong-willed Aussie studying chemistry in London when the war came. Her dead fiancé was Percival’s fellow officer. He recruits her as an advisor.

Ethan Poe (34): Major, US Army. Former Rough Rider, now part of the US Secret Service regulating Martian tech. He prefers the individualistic approach vs being a team player. Endures the dismissive value of American officers and must prove them wrong.

Helmut von Heinz (29): Captain, Imperial German Army. Pilot in the fledgling Zeppelin Luftkorps. Efficient but insecure due to a war wound. Must continually prove himself.

Mei-Li Kuang (20): An enigmatic Chinese woman who can more than handle herself. The English dragoon her and other Chinese to work the Martian launch site.

Synopsis

Grasping the discovery of an abandoned Martian ship and launch facilities, King Edward VII of England leads a plan with other nations: combine resources and send a picked team to Mars on the derelict vessel. In addition to a small army of scientists, the Great Nations each send a man to form a mission team. Edward selects Percival, who enlists Katy, ostensibly as an advisor. President Roosevelt sends Ethan and his old, but estranged friend Princeton professor EMANUEL. Kaiser Wilhelm sends Helmut. France and Russia will send officers as well. Their mission: learn about Mars and infect it with the microbes dooming the invaders on Earth. Ethan. His failed attempt at reconciliation with Emanuel adds to his growing doubts about his role and grasp of the technology. Katy deals with arrogant but brilliant professor GAIUS PEARL, head of the scientific project. Percival comforts her, whose disillusionment with the male-centric world only grows due to grief over losing her fiancé. Helmut’s gun-ho, enamored by the technology. Emanuel cultivates Mei-Li, noting her grasp of modern machines. All come to know REVEREND ABBOT, a local minister, who’s not told why they are there. When observations show Martian preparations for another attack, the eighteen-month time table’s move to two. Filling spots the French and Russians cannot, Gaius suggests Katy, coming to acknowledge her intelligence, if not her treatment. Percival attempts to prevent this, for more reasons than her hatred of the Martians, desire for vengeance and their destruction.

Days before the launch, an unknown force attacks the base. Orders are for an immediate launch. Emanuel, mortally wounded, reconciles with Ethan. He asks Mei-Li to continue his work on understanding the control of the ship. Ethan drags her thereon, believing she is a suitable replacement for Emanuel (which she turns out to be). Under fire, the five successfully launch. The leader of the attackers -Reverend Abbot- is revealed, speaking into a device in a different language. Unaware of attack damage, a controlled crash brings them down into an uninhabited part of the planet and no way to relaunch.

Bent on their mission, they set out to find the Martians. To their shock, they discover humans, descendants of the Sumerian civilization on Earth, having discovered space travel in antiquity. Factions of humans and native Martians are in revolt against the ever-oppressive rulers rationing out the dying resources of Mars, who created a caste society from a once enlightened culture.

The team also discovers a great irony: Humans rule Mars and plan to destroy or enslave the Earth humans, seen as inferior, to set up a new home, leaving those against them to their fate on Mars.

The situation puts them in a dilemma: infecting Mars would kill many opposed to Earth’s invasion; to let the rebellion run its course may lead to their defeat, or delayed long enough to launch the next invasion. With no way to get back home, their only hope is to help in a massive attack on the palace and bring down the monarchy. Then, if victorious, help getting back to Earth.

Style/Tone

The story’s told partially through Percival’s diary, with all the euphemisms and outlook of the period. Once on Mars, old Earth views clash with modern realities when they discover an advanced culture in the midst of a civil war. These interactions come to question abstract ideals like pride, honor and vengeance.

Idea

A fan of H.G. Wells and history, I asked what if: What would Earth look like after such an event? Beginning in 2016, bending real historical trends and possible ones, I began writing the novel Afterwar. Delving into screenwriting in 2020, I witnessed the sharp rise of ethnic and cultural nativism across the world, and in the US, mirroring the trends existing around 1900. I now bring the story back to life as an allegory of today’s fractured world, with characters that -conscious or unconsciously- exhibit all we thought humans had left behind and what we dream of achieving.

WORLD WARS