We dissect the retro-mammary pocket, and as soon as we've accom- plished hemostasis, we close the incision with several layers of sutures, leaving a large needle as a cannula into the pocket. Then we fill this large syringe here with liquid methylpolysiloxone mixed with stannous octoate as a catalyst, lock the luer into the cannula and inject the mix- ture. We simply put in enough to accomplish the degree of development we want in your case approximately six hundred fifty milliliters, I should say, and withdraw the cannula. The stuff will polymerize in about an hour or so, depending on the amount of catalyst we use and there we are. Simple, what? And after you are done with your mum- ming, we simply reverse the procedure-and there you are. This sub- stance shouldn't cause any harm for the amount of time you'll need it -there haven't been any ill effects in the experiments that have run over several years. So any more questions?"

"Yes. One more. There's one very fine point you haven't covered yet." Ian's professionalism made him think of the last logical detail- the event that should he ever be bodily searched might well cause some embarrassment.

"Ah! That little point has given us more than a bit of a problem, I can assure you. However, you needn't have any apprehensions, we have that well-covered. And that's exactly what we're going to do. Our peo- ple in prosthetics came up with this." and he opened a small box and as he explained the use and function of "this," the veteran agent who had lived on intimate terms with every sort of person actually began to blush! When the SMO had finally ended the explanation, including a rather detailed account of hygenic procedure, Ian was thoroughly, soul- shatteringly embarrassed. "Oh, I say." he muttered. "Aren't you the very damned bit of thorough, though!" The SMO merely looked at him.

*

A tallish, slender, very pleasantly proportioned young woman strode through the corridors of Standard Imports, Limited. It was, of course, Ian. Several of those he met in the corridors were inquisitive in their attitudes, but no one said anything; all the operatives carried a card identifying them as employees of Standard Imports and stamped into the material of each card was a magnetic pattern that automatically opened the electronic locks on those doors that were allowed open to that barrier and just as effectively failed to open those for which the card was not programmed.

14