A cloaked flying saucer orbited Earth …

  Nanobot-drones, invisible to the naked eye, roamed the planet and cataloged humans but intelligently marked only those interacting in groups of two or more non-household members.

  “Progress?”

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  “Yes, sir, I’ve cataloged billions.”

  The holotube streamed faces in a carousel.

  “So, have you found a way to rescue the wise ones along with all lower-tier lifeforms before the asteroid impact?”

  “Yes, sir, it’s very straightforward.”

  “Do share. What’s your plan?”

  “Well, sir, to our advantage, there’s a worsening global pandemic. If we recognize a face, we don’t teleport them.”

  “That’s fantastic! A brilliant strategy!”