The evening was in full swing over at the Kennedy's place in George town. Edward and Rosemary had invited the flagship commander, Gerald and his closest staff members  to their mansion for welcoming drinks.

Rosemary was in her element as she offered the alien flagship commander a silver service platter of duck meat rollets - but the alien politely declined them with a wave of the hand.

 Robyn Colburn of the Presidents office crossed over to her in an overly glamerous dress that Rosemary, in her opinion, thought it was mutton for, they both watched as Gerald moved across the room to chat to a few other important guests.

"The Visitors don't seem to like what you are serving up Rose...It's abit unusual, isn't it? Your spreads normally go down a treat"

Rosemary chuckled at Robyn, but not taking her eyes off Gerald, "their scientists haven't yet given the all clear whether their digestive systems can accomindate our food consumptions - it's all routine I'm sure...", and with that she picked up her glass of champagne and and strolled off.

Her daughter Angela crossed the landing upstairs and came down the oak staircase, and stopped dead in mid flow. There was four alien guests standing in the great hall way mingling with the other guests. The male Visitors could only be described as movie stars.

Commander Gerald with his blond waves combed neatly back and then there was a younger Visitor guy she didn't know the name of yet, he was flashing a gorgerous smile over in her direction.

Her friend Kerry Laden stood at the base of the staircase as Angela continued her way down with her hand on the oak rail.

"I wonder what it would be like to go out with a Visitor? See how the same physically we really are!", Kerry teased.

Angela smiled at her - she was sharing those same thoughts herself.

Senator Cole Landsbury turned to Edward where they stood over at the bay window, "I thought the President was going to be joining us?"

Edward felt like his tight collar was going to strangle him as he answered, "no, he called a little while ago, and left a message - he's in a meeting with the Visitors' Supreme Commander. He said he'd stop by if the meeting ended early enough"

Cole was disappointed - it clearly was caste all over his face, but he mustered up a thin smile as he looked up, "well...I do hope this meeting sorts out a few matters...I heard today that John demanded some changes to be made at the presidency office to accommerdate some of his Visitor officials - I hope he told them that they are the guests on Planet Earth and not us - damned cheek - we're really got to advise Neil to keep a firm hand with these people"

Sub- Commander Michele was stood nearby with the Visitor relations officer, Deborah. Michele narrowed her eyes at them and looked across to Gerald who in turned looked at Cole and Edward, who was now speaking.

"Look Cole, I'm sure Neil knows what he is doing - he is the President after all -and anyway, John hasn't demanded anything - he's requested some changes, that is all - it's Neil's call, not ours, so lighten up will you.....

VVV

Cole Landsbury decided to stay until midnight. He called it a night when it became clear that the President wasn't going to make it after his meeting. Edward and Rosemary bade him farewell on the door step, "I am so glad you came...it's a pity that Neil never made it", smiled Edward.

Cole put his jacket on, "never mind - but I did do what I told you - I had a chat with our Visitor friends - you know - reminding them that it is them who are the Visitors here, and not us"

Rosemary and Edward glanced at one another, so Cole waved a hand, "in the politest way possible of course! Hey, where is your sense of humour guys?"

"Good night"

Cole nodded and headed out across the gravel driveway away from the lights of the house. 

"Dear, I hope he wasn't too rude to them, you know how aloof he can come across at times", worried Rosemary.

Edward took her arm and led her back inside to the party, "I'm sure the Visitors won't be too offended by him - I'm sure they will just take it like a pinch of salt"

As the front doors closed both of them hadn't noticed Gerald staring out of the bay window. He had witessed Cole's exit. Rosemary turned around and smiled as she went over to him, "Gerald there are some more guests I don't believe you have met..."

Gerald smiled back at her and let himself be led away from the window...."

VVV

Cole looked back to the house as he neared the gate. Maybe he was a touch on the rude side - but within the few short weeks the Visitors had been on Earth - they had made themselves a little too at home for his liking.

He paused to light up a cigarette, and was then aware of footsteps crunching down onto the gravel in the darkness - but he was standing on the spot so it wasn't himself.

Was he being followed? He turned around but he couldn't see anybody in the darkness of the driveway - nothing but limousines and expensive cars - and of course - a squad vehicle that belonged to the flagships commander and his party.

After lighting his cigarette, he hurried over to his car - fumbling with the keys he was aware of a shadow in the dim street light that shone through the line of back conifers. 

Turning his head, there was nobody - until out from litually nowhere, a black gloved hand suddenly clamped around tightly on his mouth from behind -

....and it stopped him from crying out for help.....

VVV

Alex Fisher clapped his hands together proudly as he squinted in the morning sun. He stood upon the catwalk of the Baltimore plant looking down as his foreman, Ross Morrell, was yelling out instructions to the other workers as they readily attached the hose to the Visitor tanker shuttle.

The first batch of life-saving chemical was being loaded into the tanker craft, the mix of human and Visitor techncians both proud of their hard work.

Adam, the Visitors lead techncian, glanced around as the plant cylinder dial was drifting towards the empty. Once the chemical was all on the craft, he signalled for the men to dettach the hose from the tanker.

In doing so, the super-cooled gases wofted about the vicinity of the tanker craft. Alex came down the metal stairwell and watched as the hose was completely detached - there was a sudden cheer from both humans and aliens alike, Alex came to Ross's side and proudly patted him on the back, "Well...I'm gathering out first shipment is ready to transport to the mothership..."

Ross shook his head, removing his yellow hard hat to mop his browe, "Yes...it feels like such an achievement!"

Adam came forward and straightened his cap, "No...you have excelled yourselves today - you are all really a true saviour of lives..."

Ross in turn, patted the young Visitors shoulder, "that's okay mac...it's a pleasure...and anyways, your people are giving us so much in return!"

Again there was cheers and a mass applause as the mixed crowd of human workers and Visitor techncians watched as the cargo tanker started to lift up into the blue skies over the chemical plant - and rose towards the mothership over nearby Washington.

VVV

Toni Morrell and Amy Appleton strolled down the steps to Lincolm Memorial. The needle like asp pointing up to the belly of the huge Mothership in the sky.

Amy bit into her sandwich and turned, "So....Dr Lee hasn't heard from Phyllis at all?"

Toni nodded her head as they came to a bench to sit to finish their lunch, "no...it's been over a week now since anybody spoke to her...."

"maybe she's just gone away on vacation?", suggested Amy - but even she had to admit that was pretty much unlikely, especially with Phyllis being such a social person - it was out of her character to just up and leave without telling anybody, let alone her work that she loved.

"I'm sure she'll turn up...", reasoned Toni, "....I mean nobody just vanishes off into thin air do they?"

Amy agreed and broke into a smile, "Oh, Dr Lee said that the Visitors will be beginning their science seminars in a couple of weeks, that should be exciting, huh?"

She really wanted to attend one, everyone did, so Dr Lee had too work out a rota system so everybody at the laboratory could attend.

Toni shook her head and looked up to the vast gigantigan saucer above them, "Ross is so lucky working at the plant, he gets to meet the Visitors on a day to day basis, he's even made a few friends amongst them, how cool's that, huh? And then there's us - what chance do we get being cooped up in a lab all day!"

There was disappointment in her tone.

Amy leaned forward and teased, "hey...why not get Ross to invite them around one evening and have a couple of swabs handy!"

Toni was opened mouthed at the sheer suggestion of it, " I couldn't do that! What would it look like - anyways as you've just said, the seminars will kick off in a couple of weeks, we'll meet our fair share of Visitors there, right?"

Amy stood and binned her trash, "yeah...I suppose....come on, we better start heading back to work..."

VVV

The Visitors Supreme Commander, John, looked at the office in the White House.

Cole Landsbury stood next to his secretary Rachel Spencer, "as I said...the President and his immediate team have no objections at all having you here at the White House, Supreme Commander - in fact it is a real pleasure..."

Rachel watched as the alien leader entered the vast ornate office with a huge bay window and turned around - the trademark smile warm as always, "why thank you Mr Landsbury, you and your staff have been so very kind to us since our arrival"

Cole was bashful, "no, no...the pleasures all mine, Supreme Commander"

 Rachel smiled too - but there was something niggling her mind - her boss.

Cole Landsbury was never the most cheeriest of men she had the pleasure to work for, infact he 'didn't do' cheery at all period...until a few days ago...it was all so unsettling.

"well, I must thank you again for accomindating us...it's good to know that we are being accepted into your society"

With that, John raised his arm and Cole and Rachel parted aside to let a Visitor team enter the office with a huge banner - the aliens draped it over the oak table.

Rachel was taken aback abit - talk about blantantly making yourselves at home.

"please....treat this as a second home Supreme Commander - I'm sured to think the President would say the very same thing, " told Cole.

John stood looking at the table with his aids and then turned around, "yes....as you see....I already have....."

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CONTINUED IN PART TWO, LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP......