Madrid, April 1st, 1992

The day Earth was invaded began just like any other day. It was dull and cloudy, a little unusual Chrissie thought, considering that she lived in the outskirts of Madrid, the very heart of Spain.

She didn't know that the cloud formations were being caused by a fleet of alien ships coming through the atmosphere and was just grateful for the slight drop in temperature. Whether it was measured in Centigrade or Fahrenheit, the result was the same – intense heat that just lately had been a little too much for her.

Summer seemed to have started early this year and the temperature had been heading towards forty degrees… Centigrade, she added mentally, glancing at her American friend. Sarah still insisted on using the old Fahrenheit measurements and in her parlance, it would be somewhere approaching a hundred degrees. The myriad differences between American and English terms were a constant source of amusement and friendly argument between the two girls.

Her friend had turned up unexpectedly a few days ago and announced that she planned to stay for a while. Sarah's husband was a chief petty officer on board the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise CVN65. They'd been planning a holiday together, but with the 'Augment Crisis', as the press were calling the current political problem, all leave had been cancelled. Rather than sit at home on her own, Sarah had got on a plane and come to visit her old friend in Spain.

Chrissie was glad of the company. Her mood darkened at the thought of her husband. A successful businessman, Diego was away on yet another business trip, something that just lately had been happening more and more. Something about it just didn't add up and she wondered, not for the first time, if he was cheating. No, she dismissed that thought immediately – not because she thought he wasn't, but because it was something more than that.

At the moment, as far as she knew, he was in Bogotá with his cousin; Chrissie had seen the airline tickets that he'd carelessly left lying on the desk in his study. What business were they doing that took them to Colombia? She shivered at the thought of her husband's cousin. Miguel scared her. He had never been anything but courteous to her but there was something cold and assessing about his gaze and she was convinced there was a gun concealed under the black leather jacket he habitually wore.

Chrissie sighed. For a while at least she had some peace. Again, she wondered why she had married him, but she'd been very young and naïve back then and flattered by the attention he had shown her, had quickly fallen in love with the handsome Spaniard. They'd married the Christmas after her graduation and just over a year later, their first child had arrived – a little boy they had named Antonio, a handsome child who was the image of his father at the same age. Two years later had seen the arrival of their daughter Josefina and now she was pregnant again… and how that had happened, she wondered in an uncharacteristic moment of self-pity, was anyone's guess considering how little he had been home in the last few months. Briefly, she considered leaving him, but pregnant and with two small children, where would she go? If he even let her leave…

"Earth to Chrissie…"

The voice of her friend cut into her thoughts, bringing her back to the here and now and she shook herself mentally. "Sorry, Sarah… I was daydreaming, thinking about the kids." That wasn't quite true – it was the children's father who was the cause of her dark mood, but she did not want to burden her friend with her worries.

"They'll be fine," Sarah told her. "A day out with their grandmother and cousins won't do them any harm. You wait and see… She'll bring them back this evening, tired and happy."

That was true enough, Chrissie conceded. Diego's mother adored her grandchildren, even if she strongly disapproved of the English girl her son had married. "I know," she admitted "I can't help it though. Fina is only two, I don't like being away from her." She shook herself mentally. "But anyway, what were you saying before?"

"I was saying…" Sarah repeated patiently, "that they are showing War of the Worlds if you're interested? It'll be on in a few minutes when the news finishes."

"Oh, brilliant." Chrissie cheered up at that news. Both girls were avid sci-fi fans, and the 1953 version of H.G. Wells' story was one of their favourites. Moving away from the window, she joined her friend on the sofa and settled down to watch. They were a little early in tuning in and the preceding news programme was not quite finished.

"…running battles are still being fought across the US between the augments and government forces. The rebel leader, Khan Noonien Singh and his soldiers are demanding talks with US president George H.W. Bush.

The democratic candidate, Bill Clinton, has stated that if he is elected, he will come to terms with the augments and ensure a peaceful solution. The republicans…"

"Ugh…" Chrissie shivered slightly as she listened. "The situation over there is scary at the moment."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Sarah said flippantly. "The media are overstating it as usual – I guess bad news improves their viewing figures. I spoke to Pete on the phone yesterday and he didn't seem bothered."

"Well, I suppose he would know," Chrissie conceded. "It must be fairly serious if his leave got cancelled though."

Sarah shrugged. "They just need a show of force. There's nothing out there that can take down the US military, they're the best in the world." Forestalling any disagreement from her friend, she blatantly changed the subject. "The movie will be starting in a minute, let's go get some nibbles."

Together the two old friends headed into the kitchen, fixing themselves a tray of mixed tapas, a couple of bowls of popcorn and some iced lemonade before settling themselves in front of the TV. They were just in time. As they put the tray down on the coffee table, the story was just beginning.

Sarah stiffened as a faint rumble began in the distance, felt rather than heard, but slowly becoming loud enough to be audible over the sound of the movie. The glasses on the tray began to rattle, the tiled floor shaking under their feet. Lemonade spilled from the glasses as the vibrations became more intense and then suddenly it was gone and all was calm again.

"Was that an earthquake?" Sarah asked her friend nervously, "I didn't think you got those here in Spain."

"We don't normally," Chrissie said practically, gesturing towards the television where the movie was still playing. "It's nothing to worry about though, there's no damage and we still have electricity." Getting up, she headed back to the kitchen to retrieve some paper towels to soak up the spillage. The mess cleaned up to her satisfaction, she settled herself down again to enjoy the movie, at the same time, reaching over and helping herself to a piece of home-made cake.

It must have been about half an hour into the movie as gigantic tripods moved menacingly across the screen, that the television suddenly flickered and went black before clearing again to show the interior of a news studio.

"…Troops on the streets, claiming to be from another planet and calling themselves 'Klingons' are taking control of government facilities, including The Houses of Parliament and Downing Street. We are also receiving reports that the White House and the Kremlin have been destroyed. The attacks were originally believed to be a major offensive on the part of the so-called Augments. Khan however strongly denies this and our correspondent on the scene has confirmed that Khan's rebels have united with official government troops against the threat. Sporadic fighting is still ongoing in major cities across the world…"

The two girls looked at each other in disbelief. "If that's meant to be an 'April Fool' it's not in very good taste," Chrissie said in disgust. "It's not even original."

Still edgy after the earth tremor, Sarah offered a slightly forced grin. "The response to the original radio play was hilarious, though. It's hard to imagine how people really thought they were being invaded by aliens."

Even as the news presenter continued to speak, the sounds of a scuffle, followed by shouts and a hastily muffled scream could be heard in the background. One of the so-called 'Klingons' came into view and backhanded the announcer out of the way, sending him straight into the wall behind him. The terrorist came into full view of the cameras, with several more of them visible in the background.

"You've got to admit the makeup is pretty good," Chrissie said thoughtfully. Reaching for the remote control, she changed the channel to CNN. To their surprise however, the news was more or less the same. Only the language spoken and the names and faces of the reporters differed. Beginning to wonder, she tried again, BBC Worldwide this time, only to find more of the same.

The ground shook again and the girls exchanged another look, no longer laughing. "I don't like this," Chrissie said. "There's definitely something wrong here. I don't think this is a joke."

As a third tremor struck, Chrissie got to her feet and went to the door and opening it, she stepped outside onto the patio. She turned to face the city and immediately wished she hadn't; the view was both horrific and terrifying. "Sarah!" she called, "I… you'd better come and look."

The city of Madrid was maybe sixteen kilometres southeast of Majadahonda, the little dormitory town where Diego and Chrissie had made their home. It had seemed a long way out of the city when they had bought the villa, but now it seemed far too close for comfort. The sound of explosions and the popping of gunfire was clearly audible and over the Spanish capital, the clouds were boiling as vicious, emerald-green streaks of… something... lanced down through the atmosphere, striking the centre of the city with deadly precision.

Chrissie was vaguely aware of Sarah coming to stand by her side and together the two women watched the attack for long minutes, frozen in shock.

"Come back inside," Sarah said eventually, pulling her friend back towards the door. "I want to see the rest of that broadcast. There might be something about the Enterprise."

The BBC news report was still running, and Chrissie did not bother to change the channel. She was beginning to realise that the features of the invader were not disguised by a mask or even makeup as they had first assumed. She no longer thought that these men were terrorists in costume. There was no escaping the possibility that these were genuine, highly advanced aliens.

The 'Klingon' began to speak, addressing the cameras in heavily accented but clearly understandable English.

"Attention citizens of Earth. Your armies have been defeated and your leaders and politicians arrested. You, your planet and your solar system are now subjects of the Klingon Empire. An imperial adjunct will be assigned to each of your major cities to ensure that you comply with our demands. We control everything and will accept nothing less than your immediate and unconditional surrender. Obey us and you will not be harmed. Resist and your cities will drown in blood! Glory to the Empire!"

Hands shaking, Sarah took the remote control from her friend, turning off the television. They sat quietly for several moments, neither of them knowing what to say or do as they struggled to process what they had just seen and heard.

When the phone rang, the strident noise tearing through the silence, both women jumped. Chrissie was almost afraid to answer it, but cautiously, as though it would bite, she picked up the receiver. It might be Diego, she thought hopefully, or maybe the children's grandmother. Oh God! The children! They were somewhere in the middle of all that.

"Si?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear. "Digame?"

The voice at the other end was that of her older brother, David, ringing from the London hospital where he practised medicine. She should have known it would not be Diego, Chrissie thought with a moment of bitter anger. Still, she was thankful to know her brother was safe.

"There's just been a major all-channels newsflash. Did you see it? Are you all right?"

"Yes, I saw it. David, I think it's genuine," Chrissie said, "I'm scared."

"It is genuine," David told her, the horror in his voice clearly audible through the phone line. "I'm still at the hospital. We've had casualties coming in all night; there's so many dead and injured we can't cope. And I've seen several of these... Klingons. Whatever you do, stay out of the city; London isn't safe and I can't imagine Madrid is much better!" He was quiet for a moment as someone in the background called to him. "Chrissie, I'm sorry. I have to go, there's another load of casualties coming in. I'll contact you again as soon as…"

The phone went dead.