“This is 999, what’s the nature of your emergency? — Yes, ma’am,
that’s fine, your local Lensman will be with you shortly. — No ma’am,
I couldn’t say just when. The coatings on the new nonferrous speeders
make them 99.999999999999999% undetectable, which means we can’t
detect them either, as our hardware’s only good to six figures. –
Yes, ma’am, that’s the government for you. — Of course he’ll have
identification, ma’am. He’ll hold it up to the peephole for you.
Plus the wide-open 2-way that follows may clue you in. But one thing,
ma’am. When he lets you in, don’t do like you do with the cable guy
and the gas man and try to hold his ID yourself. — No, ma’am. –
No, it’s nothing like that, ma’am. It’s just that his ID will kill
you.

“Yes, ma’am. — That’s how you tell he’s for real, ma’am. If anyone
tries to wear a Lens and they’re not a Lensman, it kills them. — No,
honestly, ma’am, it’s a really nice ID, especially when it coruscates.
It’s polychromatic, and — No, ma’am, we don’t let them near
children. — Yes ma’am, I know that children do teethe, and if a
Lensman — No, ma’am. No. No, sorry, ma’am, a female Lensman
wouldn’t make any difference. No, I’m sorry, ma’am, we can’t send
her, she’s busy. — Ma’am, I don’t think this can realistically be
considered a discrimination issue. You see, Mentor — uh. I mean, a
certain entity — Ma’am– No, I really don’t think writing to
John Ashcroft would help, ma’am. If he saw how our one lady, er, I
mean woman Lensman was dressed right now, he’d have a — No, ma’am,
it’s just that on Lyrane — Ma’am, please, would you just tell me,
where is your cat at the moment –”