Encounters Out There

A cloaked flying saucer orbited Earth …

Nanobot-drones, invisible to the naked eye, roamed the planet and cataloged humans but intelligently marked only those interacting in groups of two or more non-household members.

“Progress?”

“Yes, sir, I’ve cataloged billions.”

The holotube streamed faces in a carousel.

“So, have you found a way to rescue the wise ones along with all lower-tier lifeforms before the asteroid impact?”

“Yes, sir, it’s very straightforward.”

“Do share. What’s your plan?”

“Well, sir, to our advantage, there’s a worsening global pandemic. If we recognize a face, we don’t teleport them.”

“That’s fantastic! A brilliant strategy!”