Peter Hamilton - The Temporal Void

Boyd nudged him as they passed through Forest Pool. 'Looks like everyone is up early today.

Following Boyd's mental directions, Edeard's farsight observed Master Cherix walking over the central wire and wood bridge between Golden Park and Anemone. It was the route the lawyer had to take every day to reach his Guild offices in Parliament House now he was excluded from Jeavons.

'Even he can't get a law revoked, Edeard said. He'd consulted Master Solarin about the articles of arrest, who assured him then twenty-two days holding period remained legally applicable, providing they had a deposition of suspicion from the arresting constable. It was an aspect he'd emphasised repeatedly when met with the station captains yesterday to organize the arrest.

As he swept his farsight back from Anemone to Sampalok saw the constables making their way across Pholas Park to Tosella. There were hundreds of them marching in from the station in the city, divided into arrest teams and bridge reinforcement squads. Dozens of ge-dogs trotted alongside, while eagles swarmed the clear sky overhead.

As they passed through Mid Pool Edeard felt a familiar farsight focus on the gondola.

'Salrana? They hadn't spoken since that day in the caravan pens. His few attempts to longtalk her had been met by an icy mental shield.

Now, her directed longtalk spoke to him alone in the gondola. 'Edeard, people are afraid. Many families have come to the church this morning. What you are doing is scaring them.

'I know. But once today is over, their fear will be gone.

'You can't know that.

Such doubt wasn't like her. Salrana used to be the one cheering him on the whole time. 'I can hope that, can't I? Where are we without hope?

'You are becoming a politician, Edeard.

'I will be Mayor, and you will be Pythia, he replied warmly.

'We are not children any more. Your pride has pushed you into this ridiculous showdown.

'It has not! he told her irately. 'You know full well we cannot live with the gangs casting such a blight over everyone's lives. You see the suffering as much as I do, if not more. I am trying, Salrana. This might not be a perfect way for us to be rid of them, but it is something. The Lady will sympathize with that; as much as She would despise me for standing by and doing nothing.

'Don't tell me what the Lady will think. Her farsight abruptly withdrew.

Edeard turned to stare with exasperation in the direction of Ysidro. He refused to send his own farsight towards the Lady's church in that district, where Salrana was assigned.

She'll see , he told himself. After today, she'll see I am right .

Their gondola pulled in at a mooring platform on the edge of Mid Pool. Edeard and the squad went up the wooden stairs to the broad concourse surrounding the pool. It was eerily deserted. The buildings that formed the far side were four or five storeys high, all of them independent from each other, tall and narrow as were most of the structures in the district, with irregular bulges on their sides. Windows protruded out of them like insect eyes. More than anywhere in the city, Sampalok's structures scorned based on some organic formation.

Edeard could see entire families lined up behind the bubbles of crystal, staring at them. Trepidation filled the air like a noxious fume.

'He's this way, Edeard said, and headed off towards the top of Zulmal Street. His farsight observed the constables gathering at every bridge into Sampalok, ready to prevent anyone from coming out into the city, especially rioters. There were almost no gondolas moving on the canals around the district.

He walked on for almost ten minutes along the twisty litter-strewn street. Always in the shade of the dark plant-swathed houses. The few people abroad gave him and the squad sullen glances before they hurried off down side alleys. A couple of them spat contemptuously. Edeard kept watching Bise's mansion, a lofty stepped tower surrounded by a thick rectangular wall with only three gates. There were a lot of people inside, but none were coming out. The big iron-bound gates were all firmly closed. He wasn't quite sure if any of the Hundred were inside. If they were, getting them out would be the task from Honious. Probably not worth it .

Edeard directed his longtalk to a single figure skulking down one of the side alleys they passed. 'Have you seen anything?

'Eight of my people walk Sampalok today, Argian replied 'They're not using concealment, not yet. That would draw your attention to them.

'Why are they here?

'I spoke to Pitier. Of all of us, he holds views most similar to my own. He said they have been told to observe, but to hold themselves ready.

'I see. Thank you.

Buate was sitting calmly on one of his two chairs when the squad arrived outside. Edeard knocked loudly on the door. His farsight examined the man closely as he came to the door, Inn he carried no pistol or blade.

'Waterwalker, Buate said in a jaded voice. 'Have you come to escort me to the financial court?

'Nothing that pleasant. You are under arrest.

'On what charge?

'Suspicion of extortion. We intend to hold you while we gather corroborating evidence.

'Are you sure you want to do this?

'Yes.

'Very well. He closed his eyes, and longtalked strongly. 'This is it my friends. Go forward!

Edeard quietly asked the city to bring the remaining jamolar barrels up from the tunnel running under Zulmal Street. They slithered up quietly in the gaps between the swollen knobbly buildings, sitting unnoticed in the shade of the creepers and trees, displacing some of the rubbish cluttering the gutters.

The squad moved back out of the house, surrounding Buate. Doors were starting to open all along Zulmal Street. Men emerged, carrying long clubs or knives, hammers, pokers, broken bottles. Edeard ignored them, concentrating on the five barrels that had emerged at the side of Buate's house. His third hand detached the tops of each one.

'You won't make it ten yards, Buate gloated.

On either side of the street, the men began to edge their way forward. They were giving Edeard and the squad nervous glances, but slowly and surely they kept moving. There was a great deal of longtalk slithering among them.

'Go on, go on, was the most common phrase. 'Keep going. There's hundreds of us.

'Stand back, Edeard instructed loudly. A rock came whirling out of the sky, thrown by someone at the rear of the swelling mob. Macsen's third hand swatted it away easily.

Buate started to laugh. 'Not quite the people's champion you thought you were, eh, Waterwalker?

Edeard's third hand sucked the oil out of all five barrels, consolidating it into a giant globe. He sent it streaking forwards. As it flew a couple of yards over his head he held up a hand. A single thread of light crackled out from his extended index finger.

The oil ignited with a loud roar, spitting out fat globules of flame. Edeard guided it down to a yard above the street then sent it racing on ahead of him. The men lining the route yelled in fear and dived aside. Great droplets of flaming oil splattered onto the street, hissing and fizzing in its wake.

'This way, Edeard told a startled Buate politely. They began to walk back down Zulmal Street. The would-be mob were keeping their distance now, watching the fireball anxiously as Edeard began to draw it back. 'I never got to thank your dear brother for this idea, he said to Buate. 'It was a good one.

'It's a long way to Parliament House, Buate growled. 'And we're not there yet. He was using his longtalk to issue a fast stream of instructions.

Edeard's farsight showed him people taking to the streets all across Sampalok. He was ready for that. The constables had been instructed that under no account was anyone from the district to get across a bridge and spread their brand of disturbance into the rest of the city. From what he could perceive, the bridge reinforcement teams were holding well. None of the rapidly forming crowds were getting close to the end of a bridge. He picked out several of the Hundred directing people, goading them onwards. Stones and bottles were starting to be thrown and telekinetically guided on to the constables. Blade discs were also skimming through the air.