Such honesty was most refreshing and I was beginning to like Vulkann almost as much as the boys liked Dee. I hated to spoil our fun with business—but that was why we were here.

"We need a luxurious hotel," I said.

"We have thousands."

"We would like one that is close to the Church of the Seekers of the Way where we are meeting some friends."

"You are indeed in luck for also located on Grotsky Square is the Rasumofsky Robotic Rest. A fully automated hostelry without a human employee, that is wide open and wonderful both day and night and never closes."

"Suits our needs," I said. "Lead the way."

"Your rooms are ready and waiting," she said as our taxi stopped in front of the hotel.

"Welcome! Welcome!" Irritatingly cheerful bellboybots chimed as they seized our bags.

"These are for you," Dee said, placing a jeweled flower on each of our shirts. "I will leave you now but I will never forget you. You have but to speak my name into your flower and I will return as quickly as I can. I bid you only to enjoy! Enjoy!"

"We will, we will!" we chorused in return and let ourselves be guided to our rooms. Before we went to work I checked for messages back on Lussuoso. Nothing discovered, no trace of Angelina. I had the gut feeling that we were right to take her advice and follow the trail offplanet.

"Nice," Bolivar said as he spun the cutter against the window and removed a neat disc of glass. The glass cutter clicked back and became a pocketknife as he fixed the camera, that was more than a camera, with its lens projecting through the opening. "Now we can not only photograph them as they come and go, but we can get their voices on the record as well."

"Very good," I said, peeking through the viewfinder. I set the controls, and turned it on. "All automatic now."

"Memory?" James asked.