I'm hooked and ready for the Intro

Sounds good. And I always enjoy little guy and big guy stories so it's the thing of fable. Are you going to throw in a love story between martian and earthling with or without the romeo and juliet twists.  Right now the story plot aims to the adolescent male of any age but a good love story tied in would open it to the new generation of tomboy girl. This 'cliche' simply relates to their greater interest in relationships. Star Trek worked the relationship angle with Kirk and Spock, making that very adolescent boyish and then later Picard and the doctor appealed to more mature audience and the feminist twist was the female captain but the bad boy maca second in command.  I also liked when it was William as the ladies man, sex going out of favour in the politically correct neo victorian post aids times so that the leader Kirk (ie father) was no longer the lady's man per se but now Riecher the 'second in command" or elder son was ladies man while Picard (father) was least likely to fool around. And we never know if Jane, more of the church notion of a 'good' 'single mom' is anything but hard working.  So while I appreciate the greater political ramifications and war scenarios, at the microscopic level how are you going to work the characterization and relationships.

The whole independence thing is a cliche, I know, but it is only the backdrop for this short story. The actual reason for the attack on Earth runs much deeper than Mars' supposed desire for independence but that's for the prequel to sort out.