Author's Note: I'm an avid Sherlockian who also enjoys science fiction, especially the works of Verne, Wells, Doyle, and Asimov. It occurred to me the other day to wonder what Holmes and Watson did during the Martian invasion of The War of the Worlds. This is the result. If it looks like I borrowed from someone else's story on this idea, I promise I didn't. In fact, I haven't read any other Doyle/H. G. Wells crossovers.

But who shall dwell in these worlds if they be inhabited?…Are we or they Lords of the World?…And how are all things made for man?

-Kepler (quoted in The Anatomy of Melancholy)

A STUDY IN SURVIVAL

Prologue: The Eve of the War

May 13, 1901

Sherlock Holmes was bored.

He lit his long cherrywood pipe and paged impatiently through the Daily Telegraph. The newspapers had been barren for some time, and today was not an exception. No summons came from Scotland Yard; the police were having either a fit of competence or a spell dry as the recent papers.

Holmes prepared to toss the Telegraph aside with a snort when a notice caught his eye. Curious in spite of himself, he maintained his hold on the paper and scanned the few lines of print.

"'As many people are no doubt aware, the planet Mars is approaching opposition, the portion of its orbit that brings it closest to the earth. At approximately midnight last night, the noted astronomer Lovell of Java observed a singular outbreak of incandescence from the red planet. His spectroscopic analysis revealed it to be a mass of flaming gas, chiefly hydrogen, moving with an enormous velocity towards Earth. Lovell compared it to flaming gasses rushing out of a gun,'" he read aloud.

"Holmes," said Dr. John Watson, "I thought you were indifferent toward astronomy." He shifted his position on the sofa and looked up from the Clark Russell novel in his hand.

"Under normal conditions," said Holmes, slapping the Telegraph onto the table, "I have no interest in astronomical phenomenon whatsoever. The fact that I am reduced to pondering volcanic activity on Mars, for no doubt that is the cause of these flaming gasses, further strengthens my inclination to retire from detection and take up some less demanding line of work."

"Really, Holmes, there is no need for such sarcasm," remonstrated Watson. "You mustn't—" he paused, eyebrows drawn down in thought. "Are there volcanoes on Mars?"

"It makes not a pennyworth of difference to me whether there are volcanoes or glaciers," snapped Holmes, throwing himself into an armchair. Watson may have a point, though, he admitted to himself. If volcanic activity is unknown on Mars, what could cause an 'outbreak of incandescence'? Perhaps this Lovell was more nearly right than he thought in likening it to 'flaming gasses rushing out of a gun'. If so, I find it unpleasant to consider what Martians might fire off at the earth.

AN: I don't own any characters you recognize, I do own any new characters I invented. Disclaimer, disclaimer, blah blah blah. Yes, other chapters will be longer. Please review!