six o'clock
Two men and a woman stepped aboard and moved to one side , then the doors closed and the elevator descended . When the doors opened again , Mandi nodded goodbye to the two men with the trunk and strode out of the elevator at almost a march step , in keeping with her mood , but had no particular destination in mind . The lobby of the Rivage Hotel seemed crowded with people in various costumes . Mandi asked a nearby woman in an alien costume what was going on and was informed that preliminaries for the first costume contest of the convention were about to be filmed for the local six o'clock news . Someone heralded the arrival of a camera crew and equipment and shepherded them to one side of the doors to a ballroom , where they began setting up their lights , reflectors , and other gear . Two hotel employees wheeled a big-screen TV to the same area and plugged it in , then left . Oh , great .