Over the week, leading media man Ralph Harrison and his camera crew followed the Visitors across the district, as they finally chose the various chemical plants to retool to make the life saving chemical compound gas the aliens needed to save their dying world.

The biggest one was in nearby Baltimore, and it's Chief Executive Alex Fisher shook hands with Commander Gerald and plant co-ordinator for the re-tooling project, Adam.

The Flagship Commander smiled warmly at Alex, " We have inspected your plant thoroughly Mr Fisher and I am pleased to inform you that its protential to retool is excellent - congratulations"

 Alex was over the moon, as Ralph recorded an interview with him to be transmitted later that day.

VVV

With the start of the retooling project at the Baltimore plant set for the following week, Gerald came over to Ralph as he packed up the camera crew, "Mr Harrison....I was impressed with the way you handled the media coverage today..."

Ralph smiled back at him in the October sunhine, he was gradually getting used to the vibratiing undertone of the aliens voices.

"It's 15 years experience, that's all I guess - but thanks, I appreciate it"

Gerald placed a cool hand firmly over the news mans shoulder, "We will be needing a camera crew with us in the next few weeks...and I think I have just found it"

Ralph swallowed down nervously - not quite believing it, "you mean....I get to go up there again?", he pointed towards the Washington flagship above.

Gerald chuckled as they both strolled towards the AT&T van that stolled the equipment, "All in good time Ralph...please us...and we will graciously reward you...."

VVV

Ralph Harrison was busting with excitement over the news - and walked into the news studio with a great big cheesy grin on his face. 

His colleague and fellow news anchor person, Susan Feldman turned around in the chair after wrapping up a news broadcast, "So what's put a smile on your face then?"

Ralph handed over the VTR tapes over to a couple of techncians and turned to her, "I might end up doing a feature aboard the flagship here in Washingtion..."

Susan shuffled her papers and looked up at him abit taken aback, "Huh? Who told you that?"

Ralph sat at the news desk opposite her, "the Commander of the flagship of course...he told me that he needs a camera crew for the next few weeks...you know with all the good will tours and that"

Susan turned her chair in her neat trouser suit, to front the news desk. She and Ralph were usually a team - a make up artist quickly powdered her face before the next broadcast.

"well.....it's okay for some...", she managed to utter.

Ralph glanced at her - was it too selfish of him wanting this for himself? Usually they worked as a team.

No.....Ralph decided, as the director was counting down to begin the cameras to roll for the next broadcast, not if you wanted to further your career, he decided.

VVV

Edward Kennedy came out of a meeting with Morgan Mason at the Pentagon, and jumped into his limousine. He was surprized to see Cole Landsbury sitting in the back.

"Hi...this is an unexpected surprize", gasped Edward warmly, nodding for the driver to head on through the busy traffic.

"Yes...as is the fact that the President has given the aliens the full run of the White House, it seems", moaned Cole - he didn't look too happy about it.

Edward turned to him with a smile, "So? You cannot expect the Visitors Supreme Commander to go slum it aboard the mothership, besides, he is probably the same rank as our President amongst his own people..."

"That doesn't make it right - we are too easily being led into the palms of their hands!", heeded Cole, staring out to the traffic. 

Edward stared out his side to the traffic briefly, before turning back to his colleague in office, "We are just putting out the welcome mat that's all - making the Visitors feel at home, it cannot be easy being cooped up aboard those UFOs of theirs...", he suggested in earnest.

Cole glanced up to the giant saucer over the city, "it's three miles across and there are 50 of them - surely they cannot be that desperate"

Edward shook his head trying to get through to him, "look...on Friday we are having a drinks party...a few of our Visitor friends will be there - you just need to get to know them, that's all"

Cole nodded slumping back into the leather limo seat - he decided that he would attend this little party - the Kennedy's always knew how to put on a good spread.

"yeah...I guess you are right", he accepted, "it will also give me a chance to question our alien friends further, " he added.

VVV

 At a bar across town, Toni Morrell, Ross Morrell and Amy Appleton had drinks.

"I really want to get into their DNA", teased Amy as she rose her glass of white wine to her lips, "I mean really!"

Toni laughed and told her, "Well, Ross is starting work with the Visitors next week - they're gonna start retooling the plant"

Ross chuckled as he downed his beer, "It's not that exciting girls - these aliens are not exactly E.Ts are they? They are just regular guys with strange voiceboxes", he stood up, "anyways, they must be a real bore to the scientific world - they are just like us"

Amy frowned as she looked at Toni, "There must be something different about them"

Ross collected up the empty glasses to get another round of drinks in, when he looked up to see Sam Walker walk in through the bar doors with a girl on his arm.

"Hey Sam!", he called.

The girl grabbed a seat over near the window as Sam approached the bar, "me and the girlfriend are having a quiet drink man, sorry"

Ross glanced over to the girl, "She's new...how long have you been seeing her for?"

Sam laughed as he ordered in his drinks, "a couple of months - then she moved in!"

"you don't change!" remarked Ross with a knowing smirk. Sam shook his head, "no, no...things are different with Kath....she's real special"

VVV

It was getting late at the Memorial research center. Dr Vincent lee looked up from his microscope to see Dr Phyllis Fraser remove her white laboratory coat to go home. Vincent looked up to the wall clock, it was getting rather late, 10 in the evening.

"Are you sure I can't give you a ride home, Phyllis...it really is no bother"

Phyllis shook her head, as he gathered up her jacket and purse, "Oh yeah...and meaning you have to go several blocks out of your way...", she chuckled warmly removing her half moon spectacles, "...it's a kind offer - but I'm going down to central filing to file these slides before I leave...I'll see you in the morning Vincent"

Vincent removed his lab coat and hung it around the back of his chair, "Well...if you are sure....take care and don't be too long"

Phyllis smiled at him - and after a brief wave, Vincent snatched up his keys and vacated the laboratory.

VVV

Vincent left the brightly lit foyer of the Abraham Lincolm Memorial research center, and strolled across the somewhat dark parking lot. As he passed by the rows of parked cars he noticed a Visitor squad shuttle squatting in a parking bay with it's lights off. It was all silent and dark.

He glanced over to it for a second as he unlocked his Ford Granada, and after getting in,  he turned the key and set off home.

VVV

Phyllis Fraser slid the filing draw shut with a clang and locked it. She went to the exit and looked about the room before switching the light off and went down the corridor.

Securing her purse, she walked down the low lit corridor that lead to the back exit parking lot that gave her a short cut to her street. She did this routinely every night.

As she reached the stairwell she paused and looked behind her....was that footsteps that she could hear?

"Hello? Is there anybody there?", Phyllis called out, her voice echoed about the stairwell.

There was no reply.

She started to make her way down the stairwell not noticing a shadowery shilhouette watching her from the landing above...

VVV

Dr Vincent Lee poured himself a whiskey from his crystal decantor just as the phone started to ring. With a sigh and wondering who could be calling him this late at night, he reached for the TV remote and lowered the volume down for tonights edition of 'Capital Talk'

He answered the phone and put the reciever to his ear, "hello..."

"Vincent...it's...it's Phyllis..."

Vincent was suddenly alerted to Phyllis' voice...it was rather shakey.

"Phyllis? What is it? Are you alright?"

"no, I'm at a call box....I think I am being....................................."

Without warning the line went dead.

"Phyllis? Phyllis?", he repeated. He pressed the connection button several times but the line wouldn't reconnect.

Slowly replacing the reciever to the cradle, Vincent picked up his glass and sipped the whiskey, "That's strange...."

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