Serena Joy hurries to Fred's side. "Yes, dear? Your ties are-- what is that?"

"As you can see, by the grace of God, my closet door has turned into a doorway to an extradimensional bar and I have made first contact with aliens. We're talking immigration procedures."

"I'm going to need a theologian, a bitoxiphosphene expert, and some people who have thought about aliens. The best you can find on short notice. Oh, and tell Nick."

"Tell Nick so he can... reschedule your meetings...?"

"No, tell Nick because he's a member of the secret police."

"Nick is a member of the secret police?!"

"Yes, obviously. I'm a Commander, of course I'm being watched by the secret police. You're a smart woman, you can come up with some excuse to tell him. Let him disappear afterward for as long as he wants, and don't send in anyone until he's returned with whomever he wants on the team. If this first contact is going to go well, the Eyes have to be on board."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"Not at all. As soon as I close this door, I believe it will turn back into a closet; please don't be alarmed, I can open the door from this side. Goodbye, my love." He pecks her on the cheek and closes the door. 

"You have a secret police?" asks Avalor.

"Don't know why they're called secret when everyone knows about them. They're called the Eyes of God, they root out heresy and treason."

"Heresy? - Also, I believe you're wrong about how the door works. The bar said that time would be stopped in our worlds; I think that means my uncle and your - assistant? - can't make progress without us standing here with the doors open. I just think we should do that for a period of time that means none of them have to wait while we do."

"Serena Joy is my wife, heresy is believing things about God that aren't true, and are you thinking 15 minute shifts?'

"Depends on how quickly they make progress. If Uncle Bar needs to tell someone to get to my city via six hour train ride, and Serena only needs to go next door, I should hold the door for quite a while before you."

"Fifteen minutes at a time for now and we'll change it up when we have a better idea how long it will take?"

She nods. She goes to the door and opens it. Her uncle is still nearby. "Uncle," she calls, and he pauses to look behind him. "Please also have the greys block off this corridor and send me - Anda be-Sogin, please, to hold the door for me and be a last guard between the rest of the building and the door just in case."

"Of course," Secretary Bar replies.

Avalor waits. A minute later a woman with steely grey hair in a uniform, white with blue trim, appears. "Governor," she says, making a gesture similar in tone to a salute.

"Anda. Please, stand here and keep the door open, and keep an ear out for anyone approaching, I want to control this news."

"Yes Governor." Anda takes the door.

Fred settles down with his book. 

Avalor was going to explain what greys are but there will be time for that later. She sits and keeps an eye on her device. Eventually, "My uncle's estimating two hours until everyone arrives, but it's more likely to be longer than shorter."

"Let me ask Serena."

He gets close enough to the door to use his phone, takes it out of his jacket pocket, and texts her. After some time of reading books and occasional pings from his phone, he announces, "Serena says six hours, so it'll be five and a half."

"She pads her estimates?" asks Avalor.

"She makes reasonable estimates, but then once she says them out loud they're a goal, and Serena Joy would never be satisfied simply meeting a goal."

"Ah, I see," says Avalor. "You can take two or three turns at the door to Anda's one, then. Is there any other basic information we should exchange before our help arrives?"

"Not that I can think of."

So Avalor chats with Anda softly instead while they wait.