The Book Of The Stars by Ian Watson

Author:Ian Watson [Watson, Ian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

It was at this point that a riot broke out in the Basilica of San Marco.

Part Three

The Rose Show On The Moon

Black smoke billowed above the Basilica. Fountains had begun to blossom from the Piazza. Motor boats of the fire brigade clustered at the nearby quay like flies busy at a cowpat.

We were fleeing—not very fast—in a commandeered vaporetto, Bernardino at the helm.

Maybe we’d have done better to escape into the alleys of the city. But Paxmen had begun popping up all over. By the time we did decamp, slumbering bodies already littered the Piazza San Marco. The Paxmen were gassing everyone with their mercycans.

There may not have been any riot in Venezia for centuries; or anywhere else for that matter. But the ability to riot obviously hadn’t been lost …

I wasn’t too clear about the exact sequence of events, though I guess that’s in the nature of riots, especially when they’re being deliberately fomented. But anyway, the sudden eruption of brawling throughout the Basilica caught the two Paxmen off balance. Interrupted in their attempt to arrest me, they tried first to quell the congregation. Tough as those two servants of peace were, they were quickly overwhelmed and beaten senseless. Oh it was chaos in there; not least from the point of view of a little girl. All those big adult bodies crashing about. Then Bernardino appeared, picked me up bodily and forged through to the exit. When we got out into the Piazza, that was in turmoil too. But the fires of violence had already been lit out there. What spilled out of the Basilica was only extra oil to add to the flames.

Just as Bernardino set me down, Prof and Luigi happened by. “They’re ruffians!” Prof was shouting at Luigi. “You’ve hired ruffians!”

“Hired? They’re volunteers of the Underground, that’s who! Well, most of them. So maybe some people have had a few drinks. But use your eyes, man! It’s the normals who are berserking. The sheep have got their dander up at last.” Luigi danced aside to shove somebody into someone else. This someone-else swung round and punched his supposed attacker.

Prof grabbed Luigi by the arm to stop him from slipping away. “There’ll be a dire come-back for this!”

“It’s worth it.” Even thus impeded, Luigi stuck out a foot to trip a careering youth, who cannoned into the two brawlers. “Paxmen can’t arrest a thousand people. Won’t! This thousand will remember. Think of the news value. Journals pick this up all over Europa. After we phone ‘em.” Shaking loose, Luigi kicked a stout matron in the butt. She plunged screaming and flailing, claws out. Bernardino sheltered me.

Luigi cried, “It’s a huge spontaneous explosion of protest at Yaleen’s revelations! Needn’t have happened if those Paxmen hadn’t tried to shut her up. That’s what angered everyone.”

“They’ll find our leaflets in there, you idiot!”

“Will they? Will they? Don’t count on it! Anyway, we’ve drawn the Godmind into the open. We’ve called its bluff!”

Just then Patrizia, fiery and radiant, came wading through the melee with Tessa in tow.

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