“Who do you think I am? I will take her soul, as promised. I will deliver it on time, as promised. And I will have my life back again. As promised. Do I make myself clear, Tremon?”

But there was no response, for Tremon Philippe was gone.

Of course the toad would imagine such nonsense! He was a demon, and no demon could know what Shizuka heard in Katrina’s playing. Even now, reliving that day in the park made Shizuka’s breathing quicken, her body quiver, as if receiving epiphany.

Charity? A soul was a soul. That she was a runaway, queer, transgender, survivor—was irrelevant.

Yes, Shizuka was being gentle with this one. But there was no need to be cruel before harvest. Shizuka walked back into the house. Downstairs, she could hear Katrina and Astrid.

“You’ve been working since dinner. Why don’t you come to the kitchen?” Shizuka heard Astrid say.

“Just a little while longer?”

“Very well, I will leave you a snack on the table.”

“Thank you, Miss Astrid. And thank you for letting me practice like this.”

Shizuka paused, then continued upstairs without saying a word.

An explosion.

Overhead floated a cruiser on the Imperial Fleet.

“Wait! We have a permit! WAIT!” Lan pleaded.

No response.

“We’ve got to leave, we’ve got to leave, we’ve got to leave!” Aunty Floresta stumbled to the front of the store.

There was a flash and horrible sound. Aunty Floresta was gone.

The Big Donut was reduced to twisted metal and ash. Ever more ships materialized overhead. Soldiers appeared everywhere, weapons drawn, smashing the donut racks, breaking the windows.

Lan needed to protect her family; she was their captain. She was their mother.

“Get to the shuttle!”

But Markus turned toward the soldiers.

“You can’t do this! My father—”

He never finished the sentence.

Lan rushed to retrieve Edwin and Windee, but one of the soldiers already had them. They screamed, just before they disappeared.

Another soldier aimed his weapon at one of the customers. She was dressed in red, and was holding half of an Alaska Donut.

“Mother. Mother.”

“Shirley?”

“You were talking in your sleep,” Shirley said.

“A dream?”

“Yes, you were asleep at your desk.”

Her mother nodded stiffly. “Okay then, nothing to worry about.”

Shirley was not convinced. Her mother had been working steadily for the past thirty-eight hours.

“Mother. These bodies are more fragile than the ones you are used to. You yourself warned the crew to monitor their exertion.”

“No time. We have the morning customers.”

“Mother, it’s already nine A.M.”

“What?” Her mother rushed to the elevator. “I expect you to let me know when I am needed in the front! How are sales?”

“Fine, Mother.”

“Any emergencies?”

“No, Mother.”

“The replicators?”

“Fine,” Shirley said. “Mother, everything is fine.”