"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 tingle 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 a 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-Spacer like 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 Pane - "
"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."