Starport. George R.r. Martin
GIMME A BREAK,
SARGE. THE GUY TOOK
OFF! WHAT THE HELL
WERE WE SUPPOSED
TO DO?
RUN HIM
DOWN–THE WAY
WE DID WHEN I
WAS ON THE
STREETS!
IT WAS A SIMPLE
PURSE-SNATCHING,
MORELLO. MAYBE IF
YOU SPENT MORE TIME
IN THE GYM AND LESS
IN THE DONUT SHOP,
RUNNING DOWN A
SUSPECT WOULDN’T
BE SO...
NO OFFENSE,
SERGEANT
MONDRAGON, BUT
WHEN YOU WERE ON
THE STREETS, THE
PURSE-SNATCHERS
DIDN’T HAVE
WINGS!
EXCUSE ME?
YEAH. HE
WASN’T RUNNING
AWAY. THE LITTLE
PISSANT COULD
FLY.
...AS I
SAID.
BUT WE’VE
ALREADY ASSIGNED
HALF A DOZEN MEN
TO THE HOTEL. AND I
CAN’T GIVE EVERY
VISITING DIGNITARY A
FULL DETAIL...
...I
UNDERSTAND,
BUT THAT WAS
THE POPE!
THEN TELL
TOPMAN TO CALL
THE MAYOR AND GET
US APPROVED FOR
MORE OVERTIME!
NO, I DON’T
NEED TO TALK TO
TOPMAN MYSELF.
NO REALLY,
THERE’S...
STAMM!
NO, I WASN’T
TALKING TO YOU,
AND I DON’T KNOW
WHAT THAT MEANS IN
YOUR LANGUAGE.
CAN YOU GIVE ME
A MOMENT,
PLEASE?
EMILE, IF
YOU LIGHT THAT THING,
I SWEAR I’M GOING TO
SHOVE IT RIGHT UP
YOUR–
NO, I’M STILL
HERE. I WAS
SPEAKING TO SOME-
ONE ELSE...YES, AND
TO YOU CHAY’ASH
LENAERHI. A PLEASURE.
THIS IS LIEUTENANT
KELLEHER.
YES, PROFIT
TO YOUR HOUSE,
TOO. YES, OF COURSE
WE UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF
THESE TALKS...
TOPMAN,
WE’LL DO EVERYTHING
IN OUR POWER TO
PROTECT THE TRADE
ENVOY, BUT YOU MUST
UNDERSTAND...
FINE. YOU SPEAK TO THE MAYOR! AND TO THE GOVERNOR.
HELL, YOU
MIGHT AS WELL
SPEAK TO THE
PRESIDENT. MAYBE
SHE’LL BE ABLE
TO HELP
YOU!
STAMM, I
WARNED YOU
ABOUT THAT
CIGAR.
SORRY,
LIEUTENANT.
I MUST NOT HAVE
HEARD...
I DIDN’T
WANT TO
EAVESDROP.
WORD IS
YOU’RE GOING TO
STICK ME WITH A
NEW PARTNER.
DETECTIVE
CHARLES K. BAKER, A
TRANSFER FROM THE
22ND. SEVEN YEARS ON
THE FORCE, JUST GOT
HIS GOLD SHIELD.
C’MON, L.T.,
GIMME A BREAK.
YOU KNOW I DON’T
DO VIRGINS.
STAMM, WHAT
I KNOW IS YOU GO
THROUGH PARTNERS LIKE
A HYPOCHONDRIAC GOES
THROUGH KLEENEX. BAKER
IS SUPPOSED TO BE A
GOOD COP.
YEAH, SO
WHERE THE
HELL IS THIS
PARAGON?
GOOD
POINT. HE’S
LATE.
JUST WHAT
WE NEED–A
DETECTIVE WHO
CAN’T EVEN FIND
HIS OWN DESK.
HEY, MAN,
WHY DON’T YOU
LOCK UP THE FREAKIN’
ALIENS INSTEAD?
YOU OUGHT
TO ARREST THEM
FOR SELLING
THAT CRAP!
EARTH
FIRST, EH?
YOU BOYS
LOOK GOOD
BEHIND
BARS.
EXCUSE ME,
OFFICER, BUT
THERE’S BEEN A
MISTAKE. I’M
A COP.
HELL,
YEAH. ME,
TOO!
YEAH, MAN!
AND I LOST MY
GUN AS WELL. CAN
I HAVE THAT
BACK NOW?
HEHEH...
SCREW
YOU. I’M WITH THE FBI!
MMM-
HMMM.