On shaky legs, Ellie edged past three people in her row and entered the aisle. Something’s gone wrong, she thought. The escape has been foiled. They’ve found the cache and somehow- know that I’m involved.

The policeman took her to a small conference room on the side of the auditorium. “I’m Captain Franz Bauer, Mrs. Turner,” he said. “It is my job to dispose of your mother’s body after she has been executed. We have, of course, arranged for the customary cremation with the undertaker. However… “At this point Captain Bauer paused, as if he were carefully selecting his words.”…in view of the past services that your mother has rendered for the colony, I thought perhaps that you, or some member of your family, might like to take care of the final procedures.”

“Yes, of course, Captain Bauer,” Ellie replied, weak with relief. “Certainly. Thank you very much,” she added quickly.

“That will be all, Mrs. Turner,” the policeman said. “You may now return to the auditorium.”

Ellie stood up and discovered that she was still shaky.

She put one hand on the table in the middle of the room. “Sir?” she said to Captain Bauer.

“Yes?” he replied.

“Would it be possible for me to see my mother alone, just for an instant, before…?”

The policeman studied Ellie at length. “I don’t think so,” he said, “but I will ask on your behalf.”

“Thank you very—”

Ellie was interrupted by the ring of the telephone. She delayed her departure from the conference room long enough to see the shocked expression on Captain Bauer’s face. “Are you absolutely certain?” she heard him say as she left the room.

The big digital clock on the stage read OSM. “Come on, come on,” the man behind Ellie grumbled. “Let’s get on with it.”

Ellie forced herself to stay calm. She glanced around at the restive crowd. Captain Bauer had informed everyone at five past eight that the “activities” would be delayed “a few minutes,” but in the last half hour there had been no additional announcements. In the row in front of Ellie, a wild rumor was circulating that the extraterrestrials had rescued Nicole from her cell.