What if an alien fighter-jet landed in the government's hands, intact? Its radical technology was a quantum leap forward and the key to instant air superiority, worldwide, in a time when just such a weapon was desperately needed. You would have to keep such a discovery secret at all costs, wouldn't you? What if the pilot spoke perfect English and turned out to be the inventor as well, but refused to reveal even a hint to how it worked. Not even the workings of a single bolt. In a time of war, how hard would any nation start to ask? Could any nation allow such a person to freely roam their streets? Could any government take the chance that the alien would fall into the wrong hands? When does protective custody become permanent captivity? What if it wasn't an alien, but a twelve-year-old girl?