Isaac Asimov's Robot City: Robots and Aliens Book 2: Renegade by Cordell Scotten

Author:Cordell Scotten [Scotten, Cordell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction
ISBN: 0441731287
Publisher: Ace
Published: 1989-11-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

BEARER OF GLAD TIDINGS

When he heard Axonius announce the favorable results of the unanimous vote, Synapo immediately took flight, circling up and up into the calm sky, matching that calmness with the cold detachment he had induced in himself as Sarco was speaking.

He was not surprised when Sarco joined him, and he was grateful to Sarco for the power of his oratory, but he wanted to be alone, and he had been on the point of ensuring himself that solitude when he detected Sarco close behind.

With Sarco close at hand, expecting some kind of dialogue, he could not balloon himself into isolation as he had intended; that would show neither tact nor the genuine gratitude he felt.

So he merely climbed to a safe ballooning altitude and then started circling in position, waiting for Sarco to catch up.

“I know you want to be alone,” Sarco said, “and I’ll not intrude on your time but for a brief moment, just long enough for a word of warning.”

“You’re not intruding, old friend,” Synapo said, “and rushing off as I did may have made me appear ungrateful for the service you rendered at the gathering. But I am truly grateful and might not have won the endorsement of the elite if you hadn’t made that impassioned speech. You deserve to be where you are, Sarco, the very antithesis of Petero’s Principle.”

“I didn’t come up here to be praised, you old jet, but to warn you about Neuronius.”

“You and the elite have taken care of him, Sarco.”

“For the moment, perhaps, but maybe not even for the moment. He’s dangerous, Synapo.”

“Neuronius? Dangerous? To himself maybe. He certainly confirmed that today.”

“No, to you, Synapo.”

“I think not. He’s devious, and a liar, and not to be trusted, but hardly dangerous otherwise.”

“He was standing in back of you,” Sarco said. “You couldn’t see his body language, his undisguisable reaction to that last bit of terse, indirect language Axonius used to describe his competence to guide the caucus.

“But I was watching him intently, Synapo, then and again when I gave my harsh assessment of him. He may even be dangerous to Axonius and to me, but he’s going to hold you responsible for his downfall, and you’re the target he’ll be focusing on.”

“Perhaps, but there’s little you or I can do about that,” Synapo said. “His danger to the future of the tribes, at least, has been eliminated by his departure from the elite. That was my primary concern.”

“He’s still a danger to the tribes so long as he can get at you and me. And what about Axonius? Where does he stand in the elite now? He helped save your hide.”

“I’m not sure at this point. This has been a rather full day. I’m too exhausted to think clearly now.”

“I was impressed with his handling of the caucus, Synapo.”

“And so was I.”

“I’ll leave you now. May Petero guide your deliberations.”

“You agree that the alien proposal for cohabitation should be given a fair trial?”

“I’ll not argue that,” Sarco said, “not after what you’ve been through.

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