New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Science fiction; Time travel -- Fiction
Gigantic business ramifications of Great New York. When they ceased,
within a day disorganization spread over the world like waves in a
pond. Confusion of industry everywhere. Everything to its smallest
detail was interwoven with Great New York. The world was in confusion.
The gigantic world-business machine of perfection was well oiled in its
every smooth-running part; but the paralyzation of Great New York threw
it all into disorder.
The world governments watched with amazement this sudden tragedy. Food
was brought by liners from Great London. There was one arriving at the
Tappan Terminal nearly every hour. Food, and fighting men, and such
weapons as this era provided.
* * * * *
I saw the mirrored scene as the sleek silver body of one of these
liners came in sight over the Long Island coast. The air over the city
roof had been occasionally invaded by marauding Turber ships. They
had dropped missiles, but with little damage. But they had frightened
off the food freighters and greatly impeded the local passenger ships
which--the first and second days of the battle--stood bravely trying to
transport the fleeing millions.
The transatlantic liner came like a giant silver flying-fish with
glistening outspread wings. Alan and I watched it on the mirror as
its image grew. This was at sunset of the battle's second day. The
sky in the mirrored scene was red and gold. Great fleecy clouds
lined with the vivid colors, with a background of deepening purple. I
had almost forgotten that there was a sky! The liner came speeding.
But from the south a Turber ship loomed up--a narrow thing of black,
a ship, fleet and darkly piratical of aspect. Like a wasp it came.
Catapulted missiles preceded it, but they fell upon the transport liner
comparatively harmlessly.
[Illustration: _Turber indicated high points of the vast
future-city._]
The Turber ship circled, but the transport came steadily on. We could
see its decks thronged with troops. It had been hastily armed in Great
London. Its cannon answered the Turber fire. But presently it came over
the city roof, and ceased its fire that the balls might not fall and do
damage. It slowed into a great lazy circle, preparing to land on the
Tappan stage.
* * * * *
The Turber pirate ship followed it. We gasped. The Turber ship plunged
for the liner; it kept on coming. They collided! Alan exclaimed:
"Look at this other mirror!"
A telescopic image of the scene, greatly magnified, showed on another
mirror. We saw the decks of the Turber ship. No one there! Its control
room held mechanisms only! There was no living soul on this Turber ship!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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