"I don't know what you're talking about."
From the front of the room Sanderson's voice caught her ears, pulling her attention to him.
"All of you know that we have sincerely hoped that this would not happen. However, we have always considered the possibility that it might happen. Thus, we have made our plans down to the last detail."
Again the thin buzz and the blast of emotion went through the room.
"Miss Tweedham," Sanderson spoke. "Come forward, please."
His voice lifted her to her feet and took her to the front of the room. "Yes? What do you want?"
His face made a smile. "Since you are new here, and not one of us, you will want to leave."
She was confused. She felt it inside her and it showed on her face.
"It is impossible to call a taxi from the space port. We do not have radio facilities. However, we can provide a thlat for you to ride, and food and water for a week. In that time you can reach the space port. It will not be a comfortable trip but it will be more comfortable than staying here."
"I'm sorry but this is the best we can offer you. Our facilities here are primitive."
"What happens if I don't want to leave?" Miss Tweedham blurted out.
"Eh?" Sanderson was startled. He looked again at this rather big woman with the pleasant, tolerant face. "Do you mean that?"
"Well--" Sanderson coughed. "In that case, you will be assigned duties."
"Without asking what they will be?" He seemed suddenly uneasy, and yet at the same time he seemed pleased.
He blinked at her, then nodded as if he was even better pleased. "Take your turn in line, please."
Men were already moving to the front of the hall. They lifted a large slab of stone from the floor there, revealing a box-filled cavity beneath. A man dropped down and began to hand up the boxes. A line was forming. Miss Tweedham moved into it. Sanderson was taking small objects from the boxes and was handing one to each person in line. Miss Tweedham did not see what the objects were until one was handed to her. Then she saw.
"But these are bum-bum guns!" she said. She did not take the weapon.
"Move on, Baby, you're holding up the line," Big Marie said.
"Do you know how to operate it?" Sanderson said.
She turned the weapon in her fingers. "Yes, I know how to use it."
