One Murder Mystery, Solved Before It Happens

Mr. Delmarre turns an even paler shade of white -- a rather nice trick, considering that he already looked about as scared out of his wits as I've ever seen a human being look... And, believe me, that's saying something. With a strangled cry, he bolts from the room, and I realize that it's not B'elanna's shouting or any perceived threat to his life that's sent him off like that, it's the mere thought of actually being in the same room with anyone other than his wife. Gladia is visibly shaken, too, as the same realization crosses her own face. She retreats from us, dropping the robot arm to the floor, but she seems reasonably able to tolerate our presence. They'd probably consider her disgustingly perverted for that here. Weird society, Solaria.

"You're... You're not robots, are you?" she says.

"No," I reply. Daneel almost looks ready to correct me, then obviously thinks twice about it. Good for him. He's learning to accept the fact that he's not a robot any more.

Gladia flinches a little at this, but manages to hold her ground. Good for her, too. If she works out that little homicidal rage problem, there's hope for her yet.

B'elanna, however, is clearly not impressed. "I said, 'What is wrong with you?' You were going to kill him!"

"N-no, I wasn't!"

"Yeah, you were," I sigh, picking up the discarded limb and re-attatching it to the robot now standing immobile in the corner. She's not fooling me. I've read this book, too.

Gladia stifles a sob. "I... I don't know what came over me. I really didn't want to hurt him! I was just angry. You must believe me!"

"I believe her," says Baley. I attempt to hide a smile. Of course he does. Even under these circumstances, it's obvious that the good detective is rather... taken... with Mrs. Delmarre.

"In any case," he continues, "there hasn't actually been a crime committed."

"And you won't do anything like this again, will you Mrs. Delmarre?" says Sigin in his most authoritative voice (which, I have to admit, is really rather impressive). Gladia shakes her head emphatically. Heck, I believe her, too.

"Well," says E'eysha, "now that we have averted this domestic catastrophe, shall we get on with what we came here to do?"

1. "Oh, I think we already have," says the Doctor, directing our attention to the all-but-forgotten robot in the corner.

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