Mr. Rao, a scientist driven by an unwavering passion, spent his days and nights in the hushed confines of his laboratory. His mission was singular and ambitious: to discover materials capable of maintaining a house’s temperature without the constant drain of electricity. He knew of substances that melted and absorbed heat at higher temperatures, then solidified and released it at lower ones, but these phase-change materials weren’t quite right for regulating an entire home’s climate. The quest for something truly revolutionary consumed him.

One particularly quiet night, as the clock on the lab wall crept past 1:00 AM, a soft hum broke the silence. It sounded like a helicopter landing, yet utterly devoid of the usual roar. Mr. Rao, a man of science but still prone to human anxieties, first feared an unannounced VIP visit. But then, the door to his laboratory opened, and in walked figures unlike any he had ever seen. They were tall, with an unusual reddish hue to their skin, and their attire was, to put it mildly, peculiar. They certainly didn’t look like they were from any city on Earth.

Despite his initial surprise, Mr. Rao, ever the gracious host, greeted them and offered them a seat. Their politeness and composed demeanour struck him. “Yes, gentlemen, what can I do for you? Where are you coming from?” he inquired, his voice a mix of curiosity and caution.

A brief silence hung in the air before one of them responded, “Yes, dear, we are coming from Planet-X. This planet is far from yours.”

Mr. Rao was taken aback. “Please, no jokes,” he insisted, a smile playing on his lips, “Tell me the truth, which city do you belong to?”

But as the conversation continued, the truth, astonishing as it was, began to settle in. These were indeed space travellers, exploring the vastness of the multiverses, who had stumbled upon Earth quite by accident. Mr. Rao, a man who lived and breathed discovery, was utterly captivated. He promised to keep their identity a secret, and a strange, yet profound, friendship began to blossom.

The aliens, cooperative and incredibly friendly, then offered their assistance in his research. “We know the formula, and we have that technology on our planet,” they revealed, their words igniting a spark of hope in the scientist’s mind. 

Mr. Rao, excited by this incredible turn of events, invited them to his residence. However, their silent flying object, a marvel of otherworldly engineering, remained beside his lab. It wasn’t long before curious eyes spotted it. Someone informed the police, and like wildfire in a dry forest, the news of the UFO spread across the country.

Panic ensued. The government, fearing an alien invasion, put the army on high alert. Cities and villages buzzed with a mixture of fear and frenzied curiosity. A massive search operation was launched, but the aliens, tucked away safely at Mr. Rao’s home, remained elusive. The UFO, however, was retrieved for further study. It possessed a truly peculiar engine, one that seemed to derive its energy from something called “Ether.” Understanding its mechanism proved to be a daunting task, even for the world’s most brilliant scientists who flocked to study it.

Meanwhile, oblivious to the global commotion, the aliens were busy helping Mr. Rao. They shared their advanced knowledge, providing him with the formula and technology for permanently regulating the temperature of houses. “Sir, you may declare this technology after we depart from this planet,” they advised. “Because, if the humans know about us, they will put us in cages like animals.” The scientist, understanding their apprehension, readily agreed.

One quiet night, as silently as they had arrived, a UFO landed in Mr. Rao’s compound. The aliens said their goodbyes, a poignant farewell to their unexpected human friend. They boarded their craft and, with a soft whoosh, disappeared into the infinite expanse of the sky.

The very next day, Mr. Rao, his heart filled with a mixture of awe and gratitude, announced his groundbreaking discovery to the world. He publicly acknowledged the support and invaluable assistance he had received, though he carefully omitted any mention of his extraterrestrial benefactors. The new technology, a gift from beyond the stars, promised to revolutionise human comfort, allowing homes to remain cool in the searing heat and warm in the biting cold, all without the need for electricity. It was a discovery that brought immeasurable comfort to humanity, a silent testament to an extraordinary encounter and the limitless possibilities of the universe.