Peter Hamilton - The Dreaming Void

Probationary constables were not permitted genistar support. Thankfully, Chae kept a discreet silence about Edeard's ge-eagle, which now lived with two others in the station's rooftop aviary.

Jeavons was a pleasant enough district. It even had a small park in the centre which a team of city ge-monkeys kept in good horticultural order. There was a big freshwater pond in the middle, with exotic scarlet fish measuring a good two feet long — they always seemed sinister to Edeard who disliked their fangs and the way they looked up at everyone who stood by the rail watching them. But the park had a football pitch marked out, and he occasionally joined the games at weekends when the local lads ran a small league. He rather enjoyed the fact that Jeavons didn't house many grand families; its buildings were on a relatively modest scale, though the mansions along Marble Canal were regal enough. The carpenters, jewel smiths, and physicians all had their Guild headquarters there. It was also the home of the astronomical association, which had been fighting for Guild status for seven centuries, and was always blocked by the Pythia, who claimed the heavens were a supernatural realm, and astronomy verged on the heretical. Boyd, of course, was full of gossipy facts like that as they walked the winding streets; he probably knew the layout better than Chae.

Today Chae led them over Arrival Canal and into the smaller Silvarum district. The buildings here were oddly curved, as if they were once clusters of bubbles that had somehow been compressed. Squeezed-up insect hives, Boyd called them. None of them were large enough to be palaces, but they all belonged to wealthy families — the smaller merchants and senior Masters of professional Guilds. The shops all sold goods far beyond Edeard's dwindling coinage.

As they passed over the ornate wooden bridge Edeard found himself walking with Kanseen.

'So you're not going out tonight? she enquired.

'Nah. I don't have much money left, and I really need to study.

'You're serious then, about turning this into a career.

'Ask me again in a year's time. In the meantime I'm not going to blow it by being stupid. I need to graduate.

'All of us do, she said.

'Humm. Edeard eyed Macsen, who was lingering on the end of the bridge, exchanging some good-natured words with a gondolier passing by underneath. The gondola's benches had been removed, replaced by a simple slatted platform carrying a pile of wooden crates. 'For someone supposedly thrown penniless on the street, Macsen seems to have a lot of coinage.

'Didn't you hear? she said with a superior smile.

'What?

'His mother has been taken up by a notorious Master in the Musician's Guild. She's living in a nice little maisonette in Cobara district. Apparently he's a hundred and ten years older than her.

'No! Edeard knew he shouldn't be interested in this gossip, but such talk was Makkathran's second currency. Everybody had some piece of hearsay or rumour about the District Master families that they couldn't wait to share. And scandal was the hugest currency of all.

'Oh yes. He used to be in one of the travelling bands which tour round the Iguru and villages in the Donsori Mountains. She leant in closer to murmur. 'Apparently he had to stop touring some while ago because there were so many offspring in those villages. Now he just tutors apprentices at the Guild building and plays for the families.

Some little memory surfaced in Edeard's thoughts; late night talk in a tavern several months ago that he wasn't supposed to hear, and she had said notorious. 'You're not talking about Dybal?

Kanseen's smile was now victorious. 'I couldn't possibly say.

'But… wasn't he caught in bed with two of the Lady's novices?

'That's part of his myth. If he wasn't so popular with his satire songs they'd have thrown him out of the Guild decades ago. Apparently they're very upbeat. The younger members of noble families idolize him, while the older ones want him to wind up in the bottom of a canal.

'Yeah, but… Macsen's mother?

'Yes.

Kanseen seemed disturbingly pleased with herself, mainly because of his incredulous reaction. That was the way with her, always coming on just that little bit superior. He didn't buy it, that was just her way of coping with the probationary period, establishing a reasonable barrier around herself. It couldn't be easy being a girl in the constables; there certainly weren't many.

Chae started off heading directly for the plaza where the Chemist Guild headquarters was situated. The pavements between the buildings were a reddish brown in colour, with a central row of thick cones rising to waist height. They were filled with soil and planted with big saffcherry trees whose branches created a verdant roof between the bowed walls on either side. Pink and blue blossom was just starting to fall, forming a delicate carpet of petals. Edeard tried to keep searching the pedestrians for signs of criminal activity the way Chae kept telling them. It was hard. Akeem's memory had remained crystal clear and true on one aspect of city life: the girls. They were beautiful. Especially those of the noble families, who seemed to use districts like Silvarum to hunt in packs. They took a great deal of care about how they appeared in public. Dresses which had plunging necklines, or skirts with surprising slits amid the ruffles; lace fabric which was translucent. Hair styled to look carefree. Makeup skilfully applied to emphasize smiles, cheekbones, huge innocent eyes. Sparkling jewellery.

He passed one gaggle of maidens in their mid-teens who wore more wealth with the rings on one hand than he would earn in a month. They giggled coyly when they caught him staring. Taunted:

'Can we help you, Officer?

'Is that really your truncheon?

'It's a long truncheon, isn't it Gilliaen?

'Will you use it to subdue bad people with?

'Emylee is very bad, Officer, use it on her.

'Hanna! She's indecent, Officer. Arrest her.

'Does he have a dungeon to throw her in, do you think?

Third hands performed indecent tweaks and prods on private areas of his body. Edeard jumped in shock before hastily shielding himself, and turning bright red. The girls shrieked amusement at his behaviour and scuttled off.

'Little trollops, Kanseen muttered.

'Er, absolutely, Edeard said. He glanced back — just to make sure they were causing no trouble. Two of them were still checking him out. More wild giggles rang down the street. Edeard shuddered and faced front, hardening his expression.

'You weren't tempted, were you? Kanseen asked.

'Certainly not.

'Edeard, you're really a great bloke, and I'm glad to be in the same squad as you. But there's still a lot of the countryside in you. Which is good, she hastened to add. 'But any family girl would eat you for breakfast and spit out the pips before lunch. They're not nice, Edeard, not really. They have no substance.

Then how come they look so gorgeous? he thought wistfully.

'Besides, Kanseen said. 'They all want District Master first sons for husbands, or guildsmen or, if they're desperate, militia officers. Constables don't come close, not in status or money.

After the plaza they made their way along to the markets. There were three of them just a couple of streets away from the Great Major Canal which boarded Silvarum's northern side. Open areas not quite as big as the plaza, packed full with stalls. The first one concentrated on fresh food. A quilt of canvas awnings formed an undulating ceiling, stitching all the stalls together, whilst providing a strangely warm shade underneath. The still air was heavy with scents. Edeard stared at the piles of fruits and vegetables with mild envy as the stallholders called out their prices and promises of taste and quality. It had been a long time since he'd sat down to a truly decent meal like he used to eat at the Guild compound back in Ashwell. Everything at the station hall came wrapped in pastry; and none of the ge-chimps in the kitchen had ever been instructed in the art of making salad.