Baley said, “Such aggressive behavior is stopped during adolescence, I suppose.”
“Gradually,” said Daneel, “as the level of harm that may be inflicted increases and as the desirability of self-control becomes more pronounced.”
Gremionis said, “By the time I was ready for higher schooling, I, like all Aurorans, knew quite well that all competition rested on the comparison of mental capacity and talent—”
“No physical competition?” said Baley.
“Certainly, but only in fashions that do not involve deliberate physical contact with intent to injure.”
“But since you've been an adolescent—”
“I've attacked no one. Of course I haven't. I've had the urge to do so on a number of occasions, to be sure. I suppose I wouldn't be entirely normal if I hadn't, but until this moment, I've been able to control it. But then, no one ever called me—that before.”
Baley said, “It would do no good to attack, in any case, if you are going to be stopped by robots, would it? I presume there is always a robot within reach of both sides of both the attacker and the attacked.”
“Certainly. —All the more reason for me to be ashamed of having lost my self-control. I trust that this won't have to go into your report.”
“I assure you I will tell no one of this. It has nothing to do with the case.”
“Thank you. Did you say that the interview is over?”
“I think it is.”
“In that case, will you do as I have asked you to do?”
“What is that?”
“To tell Gladia I had nothing to do with Jander's immobilization.”
Baley hesitated. “I will tell her that that is my opinion.”
Gremionis said, “Please make it stronger than that. I want her to be absolutely certain that I had nothing to do with it; all the more so if she was fond of the robot from a sexual standpoint. I couldn't bear to have her think I was j-j— Being a Solarian, she might think that.”
“Yes, she might,” said Baley, thoughtfully.
“But look,” said Gremionis, speaking quickly and earnestly. “I don't know anything about robots and no one—Dr. Vasilia or anyone else—has told me anything about them—how they work, I mean. There is just no way in which I could have destroyed Jander.”
Baley seemed, for a moment, to be deep in thought. Then he said, with clear reluctance, “I can't help but believe you. To be sure, I don't know everything. And it is possible—I say this without meaning offense—that either you or Dr. Vasilia—or both—are lying. I know surprisingly little about the intimate nature of Auroran society and I can perhaps be easily fooled. And yet, I can't help but believe you. Nevertheless, I can't do more than tell Gladia that, in my opinion, you are completely innocent. I must say ‘in my opinion’ however. I am sure she will find that strong enough.”
Gremionis said gloomily, “Then I will have to be satisfied with that. —If it will help, though, I assure you, on the word of an Auroran citizen, that I am innocent.”
Baley smiled slightly. “I wouldn't dream of doubting your word, but my training forces me to rely on objective evidence alone.”
He stood up, stared solemnly at Gremionis for a moment, then said, “What I am about to say should not be taken amiss, Mr. Gremionis. I take it that you are interested in having me give Gladia this reassurance because you want to retain her friendship.”
“I want that very much, Mr. Baley.”
“And you intend, on some suitable occasion, to offer yourself again?”
Gremionis flushed, swallowed visibly, then said, “Yes, I do.”
“May I then give you a word of advice, sir? Don't do it.”
“You may keep your advice, if that's what you're going to tell me. I don't intend ever to give up.”
“I mean do not go through the usual formal procedure. You might consider simply“—Baley looked away, feeling unaccountably embarrassed—”putting your arms around her and kissing her.”
“No,” said Gremionis earnestly. “Please. An Auroran woman would not endure that. Nor an Auroran man.”
“Mr. Gremionis, won't you remember that Gladia is not Auroran? She is Solarian and has other customs, other traditions. I would try it if I were you.”
Baley's level gaze masked a sudden internal fury. What was Gremionis to him that he should give such advice? Why tell another to do that which he himself longed to do?
13. Amadiro
52
Baley got back to business, with a somewhat deeper baritone to his voice than was usual. He said, “Mr. Gremionis, you mentioned the name of the head of the Robotics Institute earlier. Could you give me that name again?”
“Kelden Amadiro.”
“And would there be some way of reaching him from here?”
Gremionis said, “Well, yes and no. You can reach his receptionist or his assistant. I doubt that you'll reach him. He's a rather standoffish person, I'm told. I don't know him personally, of course. I've seen him now and then, but I've never talked to him.”
“I take it, then, he doesn't use you as a clothes designer or for personal grooming?”
“I don't know that he uses anyone and, from the few occasions when I've seen him, I can tell you he looks it, though I'd rather you didn't repeat that remark.”
“I'm sure you're right, but I'll keep the confidence,” said Baley gravely. “I would like to try to reach him, despite his standoffish reputation. If you have a trimensic outlet, would you mind my making use of it for that purpose?”
“Brundij can make the call for you.”
“No, I think my partner, Daneel, should—that is, if you don't mind.”
“I don't mind at all,” said Gremionis. “The outlet is in there, so just follow me, Daneel. The pattern you must use is 75-30-up-20.”
Daneel bowed his head. “Thank you, sir.”
The room with the trimensic outlet was quite empty, except for a thin pillar toward one side of the room. It ended waist-high in a flat surface on which there was a rather complicated console. The pillar stood in the center of a circle marked off on the light green floor in a neutral gray. Near it was an identical circle in size and color, but on the second one there stood no pillar.
Daneel stepped to the pillar and, as he did so, the circle on which it stood glowed with a faint white radiance. His hand moved over the console, his fingers flicking too quickly for Baley to make out clearly what it was they did. It only took a second and then the other circle glowed in precisely the same way. A robot appeared on it, three-dimensional in appearance but with a very faint flicker that gave away the fact that it was a holographic image. Next to him was a console like that next to which Daneel stood, but the robot's console also flickered and was also an image.
Daneel said, “I am R. Daneel Olivaw“—he faintly emphasized the “R.” so the robot would not mistake him for a human being—”and I represent my partner, Elijah Baley, a plainclothesman from Earth. My partner would like to speak with Master Roboticist Kelden Amadiro.”
The robot said, “Master Roboticist Amadiro is in conference. Would it be sufficient to speak to Roboticist Cicis?”
Daneel looked quickly in Baley's direction. Baley nodded and Daneel said, “That will be quite satisfactory.”
The robot said, “If you will ask Plainclothesman Baley to take your place, I will- try to locate Roboticist Cicis.”
Daneel said smoothly, “It would perhaps be better if you were first to—”
But Baley called out, “It's all right, Daneel. I don't mind waiting.”
Daneel said, “Partner Elijah, as the personal representative of Master Roboticist Han Fastolfe, you have assimilated his social status, at least temporarily. It is not your place to have to wait for—”
“It's all right, Daneel,” said Baley, with enough emphasis to preclude further discussion. “I don't wish to create delay by a dispute over social etiquette.”
Daneel stepped off the circle and Baley stepped on. He felt a slight ti
ngle as he did so (perhaps a purely imaginary one) but it quickly passed.
The robot's image, standing on the other circle, faded and disappeared. Baley waited patiently and eventually another image darkened and took on apparent three-dimensionality.
“Roboticist Maloon Cicis here,” said the figure in rather sharp, clear voice. He had the close-cut bronze hair that alone sufficed to give him what Baley thought of as a typical Spacer look, though there was a certain un-Spacerlike asymmetry to the line of his nose.
Baley said quietly. “I am Plainclothesman Elijah Baley from Earth. I would like to speak with Master Roboticist Kelden Amadiro.”
“Do you have an appointment, Plainclothesman?”
“No, sir.”
“You will have to make one if you wish to see him— and there's no time slot available for this week or next.”
“I am Plainclothesman Elijah Baley of Earth—”
“So I have been given to understand. It doesn't alter the facts.”
Baley said, “At the request of Dr. Han Fastolfe and with the permission of the World Legislature of Aurora, I am investigating the murder of Robot Jander Panell—”
“The murder of Robot Jander Panell?” asked Cicis so politely as to indicate contempt.
“Roboticide, if you prefer, then. On Earth, the destruction of a robot would not be so great a matter, but on Aurora, where robots are treated more or less as human beings, it seemed to me that the word ‘murder’ might be used.”
Cicis said, “Nevertheless, whether murder, roboticide, or nothing at all, it is still impossible to see Master Roboticist Amadiro.”
“May I leave a message for him?”
“You may.”
“Will it be delivered to him instantly? Now?”
“I can try, but obviously I can make no guarantee.”
“Good enough. I will make several points and I will number them. Perhaps you would like to make notes.”
Cicis smiled faintly. “I think I will be able to remember.”
“First, where there is a murder, there is a murderer, and I would like to give Dr. Amadiro a chance to speak in his own defense—”
“What!” said Cicis.
(And Gremionis, watching from the other side of the room, let his jaw drop.)
Baley managed to imitate the faint smile that had suddenly disappeared from the other's lips. “Am I too fast for you, sir? Would you like to make notes after all?”
“Are you accusing the Master Roboticist of having had anything to do with this Jander Panell business?”
“On the contrary, Roboticist. It is because I don't want to accuse him that I must see him. I would hate to imply any connection between the Master Roboticist and the immobilized robot on the basis of incomplete information, when a word from him might make everything clear.”
“You are mad!”
“Very well. Then tell the Master Roboticist that a madman wants a word with him in order to avoid accusing him of murder. That's my first point. I have a second. Could you tell him that the same madman has just completed a detailed interrogation of Personnel Artist Santirix Gremionis and is calling from Gremionis’ establishment. And the third point—am I going too fast for you?”
“No! Finish!”
“The third point is this. It may be that the Master Roboticist, who surely has a great deal on his mind that is of much moment, does not remember who Personnel Artist Santirix Gremionis is. In that case, please identify him as someone living on the Institute grounds who has, in the last year, taken many long walks with Gladia, a woman from Solaria who now lives on Aurora.”
“I cannot deliver a message so ridiculous and offensive, Earthman.”
“In that case, would you tell him I will go straight to the Legislature and I will announce that I cannot continue with my investigation because one Maloon Cicis takes it upon himself to assure me that Master Roboticist Kelden Amadiro will not assist me in the investigation of the destruction of Robot Jander Panell and will not defend himself against accusations of being responsible for that destruction?”
Cicis reddened. “You wouldn't dare say anything of the sort.”
“Wouldn't I? What would I have to lose? On the other hand, how will it sound to the general public? After all, Aurorans are perfectly aware that Dr. Amadiro is second only to Dr. Fastolfe himself in expertise in robotics and that, if Fastolfe himself is not responsible for the roboticide— Is it necessary to continue?”
“You will find, Earthman, that the laws of Aurora against slander are strict.”
“Undoubtedly, but if Dr. Amadiro is effectively slandered, his punishment is likely to be greater than mine. But why don't you simply deliver my message now} Then, if he explains just a few minor points, we can avoid all question of slander or accusation or anything of the sort.”
Cicis scowled and said stiffly, “I will tell Dr. Amadiro this and I will strongly advise him to refuse to see you.” He disappeared.
Again, Baley waited patiently, while Gremionis gestured fiercely and said in a loud whisper, “You can't do that, Baley. You can't do it.” Baley waved him quiet.
After some five minutes (it seemed much longer to Baley), Cicis reappeared, looking enormously angry. He said, “Dr. Amadiro will take my place here in a few minutes and will talk to you. Wait!”
And Baley said at once, “There is no point in waiting. I will come directly to Dr. Amadiro's office and I will see him there.”
He stepped off the gray circle and made a cutting gesture to Daneel, who promptly broke the connection.
Gremionis said, with a kind of strangled gasp, “You can't talk to Dr. Amadiro's people that way, Earthman.”
“I just have,” said Baley.
“He'll have you thrown off the planet within twelve hours.”
“If I don't make progress in straightening out this mess, I may in any case be thrown off the planet within twelve hours.”
Daneel said, “Partner Elijah, I fear that Mr. Gremionis is justified in his alarm. The Auroran World Legislature cannot do more than evict you, since you are not an Auroran citizen. Nevertheless, they can insist that the Earth authorities punish you severely and Earth will do so. They could not resist an Auroran demand, in this case. I would not wish you to be punished in this way, Partner Elijah.”
Baley said heavily, “Nor do I wish the punishment, Daneel, but I must take the chance. —Mr. Gremionis, I am sorry that I had to tell him I was calling from your establishment. I had to do something to persuade him to see me and I felt he might attach importance to that fact. What I said was, after all, the truth.”
Gremionis shook his head. “If I had known what you were going to do, Mr. Baley, I would not have permitted you to call from my establishment. I feel sure that I'm going to lose my position here and“—with bitterness— “what are you going to do for me that will make up for that?”
“I will do my best, Mr. Gremionis, to see that you do not lose your position. I feel confident that you will be in no trouble. If I fail, however, you are free to describe me as a madman who made wild accusations against you and frightened you with threats of slander, so that you had to let me use your viewer. I'm sure Dr. Amadiro will believe you. After all, you have already sent him a memo complaining that I have been slandering you, have you not?”
Baley lifted his hand in farewell. “Good-bye, Mr. Gremionis. Thank you again. Don't worry and— remember what I said about Gladia.”
With Daneel and Giskard sandwiching him fore and aft, Baley stepped out of Gremionis’ establishment, scarcely conscious of the fact that he was moving out into the open once more.
53
Once out in the open, it was a different matter. Baley stopped and looked up.
“Odd,” he said. “I didn't think that that much time had passed, even allowing for the fact that the Auroran day is a little shorter than standard.”
“What is it, Partner Elijah?” asked Daneel solicitously.
“The sun has set. I wouldn't have thought it.??
?
“The sun has not yet set, sir,” put in Giskard. “It is about two hours before sunset.”
Daneel said, “It is the gathering storm, Partner Elijah. The clouds are thickening, but the storm will not actually break for some time yet.”
Baley shivered. Dark, in itself, did not disturb him. In fact, when Outside, night, with its suggestion of enclosing walls, was far more soothing than the day, which broadened the horizons and opened space in every direction.
The trouble was that this was neither day nor night.
Again, he tried to remember what it had been like that time it had rained when he had been Outside.
It suddenly occurred to him that he had never been out when it snowed and that he wasn't even sure what the rain of crystalline solid water was like. Descriptions in words were surely insufficient. The younger ones sometimes went out to go sliding or sledding—or whatever— and returned shrieking with excitement—but always glad to get within the City walls. Ben had once tried to make a pair of skis, according to directions in some ancient book or other, and had gotten himself half-buried in a drift of the white stuff. And even Ben's descriptions of what it was like to see and feel snow were distressingly vague and unsatisfying.
Then, too, no one went out when it was actually snowing, as opposed to having the material merely lying about on the ground. Baley told himself, at this point, that the one thing everyone agreed on was that it only snowed when it was very cold. It was not very cold now; it was merely cool. Those clouds did not mean it was going to snow. —Somehow, he felt only minimally consoled.
This was not like the cloudy days on Earth, which he had seen. On Earth, the clouds were lighter; he was sure of that. They were grayish-white, even when they covered the sky solidly. Here, the light—what there was of it—was rather bilious, a ghastly yellowish-slate.
Was that because Aurora's sun was more orange than Earth's was?
He said, “Is the color of the sky—unusual?”
Daneel looked up at the sky. “No, Partner Elijah. It is a storm.”
“Do you often have storms like this?”