se people is on record at Central Cybernetics.
How do you suppose you're going to get away with the phony adoption of a
non-existent child? The first time you have to take it to a baby clinic,
they'll find it has no card."

"I thought of that," Lucy said, "and it can be done, because it must.
Frank, for heaven's sake, use your wits! You're a newsgatherer. You know
all sorts of people everywhere."

"I don't know any machines. And it's machines that handle the records."

"Machines under the supervision of humans."

"Sure," I said sarcastically. "I just go to my ex-newsgatherer pal who
feeds the records to Io or Ceres and say, 'Look, old fellow, do me a
favor, will you? My wife wants to adopt a baby from your colony, so just
make up the names of two people and give them a life-check, invent their
ancestors back to the time Central Cybernetics was established, and then
slip in cards for their marriage, and the birth of their child--I'll let
you know later whether to make it a boy or a girl--and then their
deaths; and then my wife and I can adopt that made-up baby.'

"What kind of blackmailing hold do you think I have on any record
official," I asked angrily, "to make him do a thing like that and keep
his mouth shut about it? I could be eliminated for treason for even
making such a suggestion."

"Frank, _think_! Surely there must be _some_ way!"

* * * * *

And then it struck me. "Wait! I just got an idea. When I said 'treason,'
just now--It might barely be possible--"

"Oh, what?"

"It would have to be Mars, the North Polar Cap colony. The K-Alph
Conspiracy messed things up there badly."

"I remember, Mr. Sturt!" Bet said excitedly. "They wrecked everything in
the three months before the rebellion was crushed, didn't they?"

"Everything including their cybernetics equipment. Central doesn't want
it known, but I have inside information that it's still not in going
condition. That colony is full of children who have never been
registered. And I doubt if it will be in 100 per cent shape for the best
part of another year. Those hellions really did a job. Let's see--this
is the end of Month Two. We'd have to get away around Month Eight at the
latest and the baby would be born--when exactly, Bet?"

"Early in Month Twelve. We could all be back here again by the first of
next year, or even by the end of Month Thirteen."

"Well, I have enough accumulated leave for that and I guess you h