After a Roswell-type saucer crash in the Rocky Mountains, the US military has captured four small aliens. The top-secret project led by the US Dept. of Defense to gain space tech is running into a problem: the tiny aliens aren't talking. John Preston, the linguistics professor called in to communicate, is getting nowhere until they bring in his wife, Dr. Sandra Preston, to deal with their injuries. Sandy, while she feels that the whole idea of holding them until they give up their space secrets is offensive, perceives the aliens as scared, emotionally vulnerable and angry about being locked up. With the unique bedside manner she developed in treating children and her saving of the most injured one of them, the tiny humanoids soon look to her as a compassionate mother figure. Since she has never had children, she bonds deeply with the nerdy, childlike beings. And then with a rapport finally established, the aliens make Sandy and John a startling offer, which makes a profound impact on the future of Earth.