"Error?" Stanton smiled bitterly. "You of all people should know better. It was Lloyd's plate in the slot when the Vote was cast, all right. The Brain can't be wrong on that. The alternative solutions to the problem--alternatives to his making a _deliberate_ Vote against the interests of good government, I mean--are very few: One--He was not paying attention to the screen. Two--He struck the _con_ button by accident. Three--He let somebody else use his plate. Any one of which reasons is in _itself_ grounds for Readjustment!" "Fred, you wouldn't...." "Of course not, Bodger. I had the incident erased from the memory circuits immediately. This is the only copy of his Readjustment order. You can keep it, tear it up--_Frame_ it, if you like! That's not why I'm here." "You don't have to tell me," Bodger sighed. "In the past sixteen hours, the son of the Secondary Speakster has blithely violated the social and political ethics of the Hive, to the extent that his destruction--" "_Bodger!_" Stanton flared. "You have a rotten habit of--" "Pretty words don't alleviate the truth of the situation. _You_ know, and _I_ know, what Readjustment is! A one-way trip down the incinerator chute!" "All right, we know it! So shut up about it, and let's keep it to ourselves! What I'm here to find out is--What the hell are you going to do about this idiot son of yours? This is _twice_ he's had to be covered for, in a damned short time, Bodger. I can't spend my time rescuing Lloyd from something I'm starting to think he may well deserve!" "Aw, Fred, you wouldn't let--" "The hell I _wouldn't_! I like Lloyd, and I like you, but if it starts shaking up my position in the Hive, the _two_ of you can go to blazes! Do I make myself clear?" "I--I'll talk to him, Fred, really I will." "You mean you _haven't_!?" Stanton exploded. "What's the idea of coming home here in the middle of the day, then? I thought you were going to--" He took a closer look at the other man, then scowled. "Say, are you all right, Bodger? Your color's kind of funny. You're not ... _sick_?" "Of course not!" Bodger snapped. "I'm _shaken_, if you must know. I came right home here to chew Lloyd out for last night's episode with the Horton girl, and when I couldn't find him, I got so mad that I thought I'd better lie down and cool off. I don't want a scene if I meet him in a public place. _That would_ get the word out in a hurry, wouldn't it!" "Still, you look kind of--" Stanton halted, and gave the subject up with a sigh. "Maybe I'd be, too, if I got a couple of jolts like you did. Okay, Bodger. See you back at the office, later." He turned and went out. * * * * * Bodger stood listening until he heard the front door close. Then, still shirtless, he went into the hallway and threw open the door of Lloyd's room without knocking. It was empty. But there was the elusive memory of a sweet fragrance still hovering in the air there.