"That was a kindly thought on his part. I thank him."
R. Daneel bowed gravely in acknowledgment. "Dr. Fastolfe also felt that the meeting would give in" - the robot paused "appropriate sensations - "
"Pleasure, you mean, Daneel."
"Since I am permitted to use the term, yes. And as a third reason - and the most important - "
The door opened again at that point and R. Giskard walked in.
Baley's head turned toward it and he felt a surge of displeasure. There was no mistaking R. Giskard as a robot and its presence, emphasized, somehow, the robotism of Daneel (R. Daneel, Baley suddenly thought again), even though Daneel was far the superior of the two. Baley didn't want the robotism of Daneel emphasized; he didn't want himself humiliated for his inability to regard Daneel as anything but a human being with a somewhat stilted way with the language.
He said impatiently, "What is it, boy?"
R. Giskard said, "I have brought the book-films you wished to see, sir, and the viewer."
"Well, put them down. Put them down. - And you needn't stay. Daneel will be here with me."
"Yes, sir." The robot's eyes - faintly glowing, Baley noticed, as Daneel's were not - turned briefly to R. Daneel, as though seeking orders from a superior being.
R. Daneel said quietly, "It will be appropriate, friend Giskard, to remain just outside the door."
"I shall, friend Daneel," said R. Giskard.
It left and Baley said with some discontent, "Why does it have to stay just outside the door? Am I a prisoner?"
"In the sense," said R. Daneel, "that it would not be permitted for you to mingle with the ship's company in the course of this voyage, I regret to be forced to say you are indeed a prisoner. Yet that is not the reason for the presence of Giskard. - And I should tell you at this point that it might well be advisable, Partner Elijah, if you did not address Giskard - or any robot - as boy."
Baley frowned. "Does it resent the expression?"
"Giskard does not resent any action of a human being. It is simply that 'boy' is not a customary term of address for robots on Aurora and it would be inadvisable to create friction with the Aurorans, by unintentionally stressing your place of origin through habits of speech that are nonessential."
"How do I address it, then?"
"As you address me, by the use of his accepted identifying name. That is, after all, merely a sound indicating the particular person you are addressing - and why should one sound be preferable to another? It is merely a matter of convention. And it is also the custom on Aurora to refer to a robot as 'he' - or sometimes 'she' - rather than as 'it.' Then, too, it is not the custom on Aurora to use the initial 'R.' except under formal conditions where the entire name of the robot is appropriate and even then the initial is nowadays often left out."
"In that case - Daneel," (Baley repressed the sudden impulse to say "R. Daneel") "how do you distinguish between robots and human beings?"
"The distinction is usually self-evident, Partner Elijah. There would seem to be no need to emphasize it unnecessarily. At least that is the Auroran view and, since you have asked Giskard for films on Aurora, I assume you wish to familiarize yourself with things Auroran as an aid to the task you have undertaken."
"The task which has been dumped on me, yes. And what if the distinction between robot and human being is not self evident, Daneel? As in your case?"
"Then why make the distinction, unless the situation is such that it is essential to make it?"
Baley took a deep breath. It was going to be difficult to adjust to this Auroran pretense that robots did not exist. He said, "But then, if Giskard is not here to keep me prisoner, why is it - he - outside the door?"
"Those are according to the instructions of Dr. Fastolfe, Partner Elijah. Giskard is to protect you."
"Protect me? Against what? - Or against whom?"
"Dr. Fastolfe was not precise on that point, Partner Elijah. Still, as human passions are running high over the matter of Jander Panell - "
"Jander Panell?"
"The robot whose usefulness was terminated."
"The robot, in other words, who was killed?"
"Killed, Partner Elijah, is a term that is usually applied to human beings."
"But on Aurora distinctions between robots and human beings are avoided, are they not?"
"So they are! Nevertheless, the possibility of distinction or lack of distinction in the particular case of the ending of functioning has never arisen to my knowledge. I do not know what the rules are."
Baley pondered the matter. It was a point of no real importance, purely a matter of semantics. Still, he wanted to probe the manner of thinking of the Aurorans. He would get nowhere otherwise.
He said slowly, "A human being who is functioning, is alive. If that life is violently ended by the deliberate action of another human being, we call that 'murder' or 'homicide.' 'Murder' is, somehow, the stronger word. To be witness, suddenly, to an attempted violent end to the life of a human being, one would shout 'Murder!' It is not at all likely that one would shout 'Homicide!' It is the more formal word, the less emotional word."
R. Daneel said, "I do not understand the distinction you are making, Partner Elijah. Since 'murder' and 'homicide' are both used to represent the violent ending of the life of a human being, the two words must be interchangeable. Where, then, is the distinction?"
"Of the two words, one screamed out will more effectively chill the blood of a human being than the other will, Daneel."