whether the laws of Giancola II say that I am required to tell you."
"Yes, sir, you are."
Jeff placed a disk on the counter. It began to glow as the robot scanned it with a long metallic forefinger.
"I am a licensed bounty hunter. As you can see, the particulars of my license are appended to my passport."
"Still checking . . ." murmured the robot. "Your passport and license are in order. I have transmitted this information to our local law enforcement officials, so that there will be no interference in the execution of your duties."
"Nice choice of words," remarked Jeff dryly.
"I do not understand, sir."
"That's all right. Check my friend's passport and we'll be on our way."
The robot examined Kinoshita's disk. "Sir, I must alert you that your bounty license will expire in forty-three days."
"I know," said Kinoshita. "I'll take care of it."
"You are cleared to pass through the spaceport. Enjoy your stay on Giancola II."
Jeff and Kinoshita, tired of eating in the ship's galley, stopped at a small restaurant in the spaceport, then took an aircar into the only city on the planet, which was also called Giancola, after the member of the Pioneer Corps who had originally opened and mapped the world.
"You'd better make a note to renew your license," remarked Jeff as they skimmed a few inches above the surface.
"I'm thinking of letting it lapse," replied Kinoshita. "If you ever need my help, we're in deep shit."
"Whatever makes you happy," said Jeff with a shrug. He looked ahead and saw they had almost reached the city.
"Take us to the best hotel in town," he instructed the aircar.
"I am incapable of making value judgments," replied the aircar.
"Okay, take us to the most expensive hotel."
"Yes, sir," said the aircar, altering its course and heading off to the southwest. In another moment it came to a halt in front of the Da Vinci Hotel and hovered motionless until its occupants stepped out.
A robot doorman walked up to take their luggage, then froze when it saw they didn't have any. Jeff walked by it without giving it a second look and approached the front desk.
"May I help you?" asked a middle-aged woman.
"A real live human being," said Jeff. "You're the first I've seen since I landed."
She smiled. "There are a lot of us, really there are. But the spaceport is fully automated. Have you a reservation?"
Jeff shook his head. "No. I'd like a suite if you have one available, and my friend will take a room." He pressed his thumb down on a Spy-Eye scanner. "Charge both and all extras to my account at the Far London branch of the Bank of Deluros."
"Yes, sir. Suite 319 will respond to your thumbprint or voiceprint. If your friend will please give me his print and say a word or two."
"Beautiful day," said Kinoshita, placing his thumb on the scanner.
"Room 320, sir," she said. "You'll be right across the hall from each other. How long will you be staying?"
"I'm not sure," answered Jeff. "I wonder if you could do me a favor?"
"If it's within my power," responded the woman.
"I'm looking for someone, and I have reason to believe he may be on Giancola II."
She glanced down at a hidden screen on her side of the registration desk, then looked up disapprovingly. "You are a bounty hunter, Mr. Nighthawk."
"My credentials are in order. I'm here after a very dangerous man."
"May I ask what he's done?"
"Murder, extortion, probably treason. He's killed at least nineteen people, including a couple of kids."
"He sounds like a terrible man," she said. "I wonder what makes someone do things like that?"
"I don't know," replied Jeff. "I tend not to meet them until after they've committed their crimes."
"It sounds like an awful way to make a living."
"It has its compensations. And its satisfactions. Anyway, let me give you his name and—"
"Just a minute, Mr. Nighthawk," she interrupted. "If he's all that you say, then he doubtless deserves whatever you're going to do to him. But we don't want any violence in the hotel. I'll
"Yes, sir, you are."
Jeff placed a disk on the counter. It began to glow as the robot scanned it with a long metallic forefinger.
"I am a licensed bounty hunter. As you can see, the particulars of my license are appended to my passport."
"Still checking . . ." murmured the robot. "Your passport and license are in order. I have transmitted this information to our local law enforcement officials, so that there will be no interference in the execution of your duties."
"Nice choice of words," remarked Jeff dryly.
"I do not understand, sir."
"That's all right. Check my friend's passport and we'll be on our way."
The robot examined Kinoshita's disk. "Sir, I must alert you that your bounty license will expire in forty-three days."
"I know," said Kinoshita. "I'll take care of it."
"You are cleared to pass through the spaceport. Enjoy your stay on Giancola II."
Jeff and Kinoshita, tired of eating in the ship's galley, stopped at a small restaurant in the spaceport, then took an aircar into the only city on the planet, which was also called Giancola, after the member of the Pioneer Corps who had originally opened and mapped the world.
"You'd better make a note to renew your license," remarked Jeff as they skimmed a few inches above the surface.
"I'm thinking of letting it lapse," replied Kinoshita. "If you ever need my help, we're in deep shit."
"Whatever makes you happy," said Jeff with a shrug. He looked ahead and saw they had almost reached the city.
"Take us to the best hotel in town," he instructed the aircar.
"I am incapable of making value judgments," replied the aircar.
"Okay, take us to the most expensive hotel."
"Yes, sir," said the aircar, altering its course and heading off to the southwest. In another moment it came to a halt in front of the Da Vinci Hotel and hovered motionless until its occupants stepped out.
A robot doorman walked up to take their luggage, then froze when it saw they didn't have any. Jeff walked by it without giving it a second look and approached the front desk.
"May I help you?" asked a middle-aged woman.
"A real live human being," said Jeff. "You're the first I've seen since I landed."
She smiled. "There are a lot of us, really there are. But the spaceport is fully automated. Have you a reservation?"
Jeff shook his head. "No. I'd like a suite if you have one available, and my friend will take a room." He pressed his thumb down on a Spy-Eye scanner. "Charge both and all extras to my account at the Far London branch of the Bank of Deluros."
"Yes, sir. Suite 319 will respond to your thumbprint or voiceprint. If your friend will please give me his print and say a word or two."
"Beautiful day," said Kinoshita, placing his thumb on the scanner.
"Room 320, sir," she said. "You'll be right across the hall from each other. How long will you be staying?"
"I'm not sure," answered Jeff. "I wonder if you could do me a favor?"
"If it's within my power," responded the woman.
"I'm looking for someone, and I have reason to believe he may be on Giancola II."
She glanced down at a hidden screen on her side of the registration desk, then looked up disapprovingly. "You are a bounty hunter, Mr. Nighthawk."
"My credentials are in order. I'm here after a very dangerous man."
"May I ask what he's done?"
"Murder, extortion, probably treason. He's killed at least nineteen people, including a couple of kids."
"He sounds like a terrible man," she said. "I wonder what makes someone do things like that?"
"I don't know," replied Jeff. "I tend not to meet them until after they've committed their crimes."
"It sounds like an awful way to make a living."
"It has its compensations. And its satisfactions. Anyway, let me give you his name and—"
"Just a minute, Mr. Nighthawk," she interrupted. "If he's all that you say, then he doubtless deserves whatever you're going to do to him. But we don't want any violence in the hotel. I'll
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