Into the Slave Nebula Read Online Free PDF Page B

knew he was in very great danger, and to have been found in possessionof it would have sealed his fate however well he might otherwise have disguised his identity.”
    “But why to you?” Horn demanded. “Did you know him well?”
    “I’d never seen him before.”
    “Then …” No, this wasn’t making sense. He tried another tack. “Who was he hiding from? Did he know someone was hunting him—did he know who? And if you know, why didn’t you mention this to Coolin?”
    “For the same reason I don’t propose to tell you.” Dordy smiled.
    ‘Then you do know!”
    ‘I know nothing I could prove,
sir.”
This time the irony was unmistakable. “I could name a name and feel certain it was right, and not be able to provide evidence in a hundred years.”
    “I think you’re stalling,” Horn said suddenly. “I think—yes, I see how it might be! It isn’t anything to do with
me
, is it—not me personally? It’s all because of your
friend
the floor manager who got killed! You saw me being sympathetic to him, and I guess you probably thought, ‘Ah-hah! Here’s Derry Horn, of Horn & Horn the rich robot manufacturers—if I play my cards right I can maybe get him to lean on the lawforce a bit and here’s one android killing that won’t get handled the way the law lays down’! I don’t think you give a damn about Talibrand. I don’t even believe he gave you this certificate of his. I think you probably took a quick look through his belongings before Coolin and his team got here, and made off with this because it might be important.”
    He tossed the grey wallet with its amazing booklet on to a nearby table, and got up.
    “Well, I’m not going to be used, hear? It’s the job of the lawforce to do whatever is to be done in a case like this, and if Coolin doesn’t happen to be all that goodat his work I’m shot if I’m going to make myself responsible for his failings! The hell with it all–I’m going out and have myself some fun!”
    He was at the door when Dordy, who had not made a move, called after him.
    “Mr. Horn!”
    He glanced back, not speaking.
    “You’re wrong to say I don’t care about Talibrand. He was a good man.”
    “Sure—that booklet says he was some kind of walking miracle! But in whose opinion? He wasn’t anything to anyone on Earth.”
    “You’re wrong there, too. Incidentally, there’s no point in leaving his pass with me. It’s useless except to a human being. I can’t do any good with it at all.”
    “Nor can I,” Horn said harshly, and went out.
    A mobile fountain was rolling slowly past the entrance to the hotel when he reached the street. He hurried after it and swigged two or three mouthfuls of the various fruit-flavored euphorics streaming from its multiple spouts. At once a heady artificial gaiety took possession of him. He bought a mask from a passing vendor who had reserved the most resplendent of his creations for his own face, and ducked behind it into anonymity.
    At the curb waited bubbletaxis, pastel-colored, lemon, pale green, pink, sky-blue. Their patient automatics hummed at the edge of audibility, awaiting passengers. As Horn strolled unhurriedly to select one for his own use, another which had been chartered elsewhere in the city settled to rest nearby, bearing a young couple making passionate love. Passers-by hooted with laughter at their annoyance as they perforce had to leave their vehicle and climb into the next in line to resume their airborne courtship. They took the one Horn had been intending to use. Gravely he bowed and gave themprecedence, and the girl—it could be seen she was very pretty for she had removed her mask to make kissing easier—promised drunkenly that he could have her any time they met during the carnival, provided she was on her own.
    It didn’t seem likely.
    He entered the bubbletaxi they had just vacated, and it took the air with a gentle bobbing motion, like a drifting feather. The seats were still warm from the former