The military wanted to destroy it, conspiracy theorists theorised, protesters protested and reporters wove ever more fanciful stories.
At last a door opened, a small humanoid emerged and approached the waiting Prime Minister. The military aimed its weapons. The figure raised an arm, an over-eager soldier fired, and the spacecraft and figure instantly disappeared.
In the mother-ship, the captain reset the hologram projector, sighed and completed his report: ‘Still hopelessly unstable, with little progress. Make a fourth attempt in another hundred years.’