The Alien Invasion Survival Handbook: A Defense Manual for the Coming Extraterrestrial Apocalypse (22 page)

We know it only takes a single blast from a heat ray to blow your home to kingdom come, so there is little point in boarding up the windows. Although some of the simple precautions here and in chapter 2 may prove effective against alien abductions, alien military attacks are a whole different ball game. Domestic, commercial, and industrial buildings will be a focus for their attacks. Basements may offer some degree of protection at the outset of an invasion, but your best defense is to leave your home, or any other dwelling, as soon as possible after the initial attack. Make sure you have all your provisions ready to go. A well-prepared survival kit will be essential and should include:

 


• supplies and tools to keep you warm against the elements (e.g., space blanket, raincoat, waterproof matches)
  

 


• enough freeze-dried food to last at least a week, a canteen, and a water filter
  

 


• a first-aid kit
  

 


• navigation equipment, including maps and a compass (remember, global positioning systems probably won't work)
  

 


• an MP3 player and ample spare batteries for each member of your party
  

 


• lightweight weapons (e.g., handgun, knife, machete), for when things get rough
  

Pets may become valuable allies during an alien invasion. Their keen senses may alert you to the presence of extraterrestrials long before visual contact can be made. This must be weighed, of course, against the possibility that the family dog's barking may expose your position, thus making it easier for the aliens to track you.

The safest place to be during an alien invasion is away from major urban centers. The world's cities and towns will be the focus of an initial alien attack, followed by mop-up operations in smaller regional centers. The farther you are away from other people, the better. Head for isolated rural locations or wilderness areas. Back-country cabins and remote rural homesteads will provide sanctuary for a while, but also be prepared to evacuate these at a moment's notice. Expect competition from other refugees for accommodation. Your biggest threat, apart from the aliens, will be from desperate gun-toting brigands who will want to take advantage of your preparations. Avoid the fleeing masses as much as possible.

FIGURE 5.1:
Major cities will likely be the focus of initial alien attacks during an invasion.

As electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) can permanently immobilize vehicles with electronic ignitions and control systems, we must assume that you won't be able to make a quick getaway in your SUV after an alien invasion. Don't bother changing the solenoid in your vehicle, as EMPs usually only damage electronic circuitry, and it would most likely be unaffected.

You and millions of other people will all be attempting to get out of the major urban centers at the same time, probably on foot. Your escape will need careful planning and preparation. Consider the use of older vehicles without electronic circuitry. Also consider the use of man- or animal-powered vehicles. Now is the time to oil that rusty bicycle chain.

Whenever you're fleeing from alien pursuers, the most straightforward route is never the safest. Similarly, following a crowd of your neighbors is just asking for trouble. During an alien invasion, there will be no safety in numbers. In fact, quite the opposite will be true. Use the road less traveled. Minor country roads, forestry tracks, and even waterways offer greater chances of escaping unscathed. Remember, your goal is to isolate yourself from the mass of humanity as quickly as possible.

Subterranean environments, such as caves and mining shafts, make ideal fortresses against invading aliens. They provide protection not only from being located, but also from “death rays” and other forms of alien weaponry. They can also act as a base from which to launch your guerrilla campaign against the alien invaders. Forays can be made above ground for food and other essentials.

Those who have, for whatever reason, remained behind in the city can utilize underground drainage and sewage systems for shelter. Don't wait, however, until the invasion begins to try and locate these underground facilities (see “Familiarize Yourself With Local Infrastructure” on page 168).

Apart from the Rosenberg incident in 1953, there have been few documented cases of humans coming in direct contact with “force fields” during alien encounters. Most of us would be familiar with the concept of alien defense shields from such notable science-fiction films as
War of the Worlds
,
Independence Day
, and the various reincarnations of
Star Trek
. Sometimes depicted as being electromagnetic in nature, these defensive shields typically form a protective and often invisible barrier around alien spacecraft that is impervious to all forms of conventional weaponry.

As this technology has not, as yet, been developed on Earth (to our knowledge), it is impossible to provide a detailed analysis of how force fields work or comprehensive strategies for combating them. This should not preclude us from devising contingency plans for the situations in which we may encounter them, however. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Here are some points to remember:

 


• Attempts at penetration are futile. Force fields are, by their very nature, designed to be formidable obstacles in combat situations. There is little point in the average person trying to discover ways to penetrate them. That is a job best left for the military. We do not have the time or the resources to cross technological swords with our alien foes. We must rely solely on our wits.
  

 


• Attempt infiltration. Rather than trying to batter your way through a brick wall, simply walk around it. The easiest solutions are usually the best. While going through a force field may be well nigh impossible, sneaking around the edges of one is feasible. Use your imagination. Allow yourself to be captured and taken onboard, disguise yourself as an alien, and bypass alien security checkpoints. It may just work; it does in Hollywood. Your most important resource is your adaptability and your will to succeed.
  

 


• Strive for total sabotage. Getting onboard is only half the battle. You still need to disable the force field. This is a task in which you cannot afford to be too subtle. It is reasonable to assume that you do not know where the “off” button is, and will, therefore, need to take more drastic steps. The generators responsible for producing the force fields are never near the hull, so you will have to go deep inside the ship. You would probably not recognize a force field generator if you saw one, so the most prudent course of action is to destroy as much of the hardware you encounter as possible. How you do this will depend on the resources you have at your disposal and on your own ingenuity.
  

  

 


• Get out alive. You needn't worry about going down with the ship if you destroy the wrong machinery; those who are willing to sacrifice all for the good of humanity usually make it out alive at the last moment. It would, however, be worth your while to take careful note of your route while penetrating the maze of corridors in the inner sanctum. Your departure will be made in great haste with a horde of pissed off aliens in hot pursuit. The last thing you want under these circumstances is the inconvenience of having to stop and decide if you should take the passage to the left or the one to the right.
  

Death rays are a type of directed energy weapon that have long been portrayed in science fiction. They have been known under a variety of names, including heat rays, ray guns, phasers, blasters, and laser guns. First described in H.G. Wells's 1898 book,
The War of the Worlds
, they have in recent years become the focus of military research and development. Although current prototypes are not to the stage of instantly vaporizing their targets, tactical lasers are showing great potential as a defense against enemy missile and artillery attacks.

Alien death rays, however, are another story. This highly developed alien technology is a formidable weapon and should not be underestimated. Here are a few strategies that can be employed to reduce the chances of getting fried.

 


• Avoid the line of sight. Death rays travel in a straight line, which means that if you are not in an alien's direct line of sight, you cannot be hit. However, that is not to say that there is no danger of being struck from flying debris or shrapnel from nearby objects that are hit.
  

 


• Monitor your surroundings. Not being able to see an alien gunship doesn't necessarily mean that you are safe. Ray guns can be fired from incredible distances with pinpoint accuracy. Death rays travel at the speed of light, and once they are fired, you can be fried before you know what's going on. A general rule of thumb is to watch what's going on around you. If others are turning to dust before your eyes and buildings are exploding in flames around you, it's probably a good idea to run for cover.
  

 


• Seek appropriate shelter. Your best chance of surviving an attack from alien death rays is to seek immediate shelter. Some degree of discrimination must be demonstrated in what you choose to hide behind. Death rays are capable of slicing through most buildings, but the majority of a death ray's energy is dissipated on the surface of the object it hits. Therefore, if a ray hits the outer wall of a building, it must burn through that before it can hit an inner wall. Death rays have only limited ability to penetrate to any great depth through many solid materials unless the beam is concentrated on the one spot for an extended period. As this will rarely happen in the chaos of a combat situation, the safest shelters are the ones with the thickest barriers. If you must take temporary shelter behind less substantial barricades, you may sustain severe burns if you are in direct contact with a heat conductive material. There is also the danger that the material you are sheltering behind is combustible and may ignite under the intense heat of the death ray. If you're in an enclosed location, you must also consider the toxic fumes that may be given off by any such fire. Again, the best refuge during a death ray attack is underground.