"Juliet, the truth is, you are very gifted," Dr. Rudolph Metz praised Juliet Parrish, "Research comes quite naturally to you."
Julie, a four-year medical student, flushed under Dr. Metz's praise. Coming from a renowned biochemist like him, it was an extraordinary compliment, and it meant the world to her.
Glancing over at Ruth Barnes, another biochemist, and her friend, Julie's flush deepened when she heard the older woman add her own praise to Dr. Metz's.
"Furthermore, Ruth and I are going to try very hard to steal you away from the med school so you can devote your studies full time to biochemistry." Dr. Metz added.
Before Julie could respond, the laboratory door slammed open with a bang, making all of them jump. Silhouetted in the doorway, was an out of breath Dr. Benjamin Taylor. Concern flooded through Julie. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, when he blurted out,
"Have you heard about them?"
"Heard about what, Ben?" Dr. Metz was puzzled by the younger doctor's question.
Ben crossed the room to a television set on a small corner of a sterile, metal counter, and flipped it on. Dan Rather's grave countenance filled the small portable's face, reporting on the multiple sightings of UFO's around the world.
Julie's eyes widened as the screen filled with an image of a saucer shaped vessel looming across San Francisco Harbor. It hovered above the Golden Gate Bridge, and was so vast that it made the famous icon look like a Tinker Toy.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this picture is coming to you live from San Francisco!" Dan Rather's excited voice informed them, "I'm also getting confirmation of similar craft appearing in cities around the world."
Julie glanced over at Ben, "Do you think?"
Ben didn't get a chance to answer before they all heard a low, pulsing hum, barely audible to their human ears. The laboratory mice began to race around their cages, emitting high pitched shrills that pierced Julie's ears and made her wince.
All four scientists gazed at each other in stunned disbelief. It was Ruth who summed up what they were all feeling with a three word exclamation, "Oh my God!"
