The Temporal Void (ARC)

by Peter F. Hamilton

  'And are required to pay compensation to its owners for loss of business,' Gachet mocked. 'Here's hoping your fiance is understanding, else you will be handing over your pay for the next hundred years.'

  'We'll get Master Solarin to deal with this,' Dinlay said. 'He'll have the warrant invalidated within five minutes.'

  'Perhaps,' Master Gachet said. 'Until then: officers,' he gestured at the two court officials who looked dreadfully uncomfortable, 'attend to your duties.'

  'Go with them,' Dinlay said.

  The court officers stood nervously on either side of the Waterwalker, and escorted him out of the station, with Dinlay, Kanseen and Master Gachet accompanying them. Constables appeared along the corridor, to glower at the procession. Master Gachet did his best to ignore them, but the anger directed at him was intense.

  It was a long walk across Jeavons to the Outer Circle Canal. Word was soon out that the Waterwalker had been arrested on Buate's connivance. People hurried out into the streets to sec Edeard being taken to the Courts of Justice. He smiled in that way he always did, but never spoke.

  * * * *

  Edeard slid up through the floor of the house in Padua and cast off his concealment. His third hand was only holding one barrel of jamolar oil. It wasn't a big house. Edsing gasped in surprise as he appeared. Mirayse, his wife stiffened, rushing to their three children and clutching them protectively.

  Edeard crushed the barrel. Oil sprayed out, streamers looping across the room to soak furniture. A long cascade rushed out of the door and split into three, with each strand washing through a bedroom.

  Edeard stared unflinchingly at Edsing, hardening himself against the distressed whimpering of the children. 'You will leave this place,' Edeard ordered. 'You will take those you command with you, or I will burn them out of their homes. Tell them that. Now go. The fire will start in half a minute.'

  Edsing lined a finger up on Edeard, his features wound up in a snarl. 'You—'

  'Twenty seconds.'

  'This is our life!' Mirayse shouted.

  'And it is now over,' Edeard informed her. 'Fifteen seconds.' He glanced pointedly at the children.

  'Out out,' she shrieked, and jostled them along.

  Edsing let out a howl of frustration and anger before running after his family.

  Edeard held his hand above his head, and sank away. Just before his fingers disappeared beneath the floor, a single spark spat out.

  * * * *

  'There is a twofold error here my lords,' Master Solarin said to the three judges hearing the application to dismiss. 'Firstly, I draw your attention to the malicious suit bill, with reference to its application for those employed by the city authority. The Waterwalker, as we know, is most prominent in the effort of ridding the city of actively violent criminals. Now, this campaign has caused a great deal of personal conflict between the Waterwalker and Buate, which my learned colleague knows full well.'

  'Objection!' Master Cherix shouted.

  Master Solarin chortled. 'Dear me, I hope I don't have to mention a recently dismissed case of aggravated psychic assault between my client and the prosecution.'

  'Objection!'

  * * * *

  Edeard flew along the brightly lit deep tunnel, his arms held wide as if they were wings. Air drove against his face, whipping his hair about. His mouth was open to whoop ecstatically.

  * * * *

  'Furthermore, in the case of Barclay versus Polio it was deemed that nominated evidence must be independently verified in order for a warrant to be validated.'

  'My lords I must protest that the defence is procrastinating,' Master Cherix said. 'The evidence is fully verified. I gathered the confirming testimony myself.'

  'I have no doubt of that my lords. However, as my learned council is also fully aware, and has chosen to overlook, tin-testimony in this case is invalid.' Master Solarin bowed benevolently at the two girls from the House of Blue Petals who war sitting behind the prosecution bench. They giggled back at him. 'These quite delightful ladies upon whose testimony the prosecution's entire case is based on are themselves employed by the establishment owned by the plaintiff. Impartiality in these circumstances must be discounted, as established by Rupart versus Vaxill, and with it, validation. I would ask for your immediate ruling on this.'

  * * * *

  Hallwith's home was on the fifth floor of a bridge in Cobara. Two barrels hung in the air beside Edeard as he fixed the glowering gang lord with a relentless stare.

  'Leave this place,' the Waterwalker commanded.

  Oil poured out horizontally as the barrels splintered, forming a sheet of glistening liquid poised half way between floor and ceiling.

  * * * *

  'They were not employed by the House of Blue Petals,' Master Cherix said, radiating great weariness, as if he were sad to point out such an obvious flaw. 'They are free agents who pay a percentage of their earnings to the house. As such Rupart versus Vaxill does not apply.'

  * * * *

  Side tunnels flashed past at bewildering speed. Edeard had his hands gripped together in front of him, as if he were diving off a bridge into a deep pool of water. He rolled exuberantly as he hurtled onwards, wondering idly where all the branches led to.

  * * * *

  'Which leads us to positive identification. Buate's testimony clearly states that the intruder was illuminated from behind. Contention is that, under such circumstances, a visual identification is impossible.'

  'My lords, the honourable gentleman is making a poor joke. The Waterwalker is perhaps the most readily identifiable man in all of Makkathran.' Master Cherix frowned in annoyance as several people at the back of the court began whispering. A mental bustle of excitement spilled out. Edeard, Kanseen and Dinlay did their best not to smile and turn round. Boyd crept in at the rear of the chamber, carrying a canvas bag. He sat behind his squadmates and leant forward to whisper to Dinlay. Everyone sitting on the prosecution bench did their best to ignore him. The murmurs of surprise at the back of the chamber were getting louder.

  The senior judge banged his gavel for order.

  'I believe my learned colleague has just answered his own question, my lords,' Master Solarin said. 'Yes the Waterwalker is renown, which makes such allegations all the easier to perpetrate. Which I believe brings us right back to the malicious suit bill.'

  Dinlay rose to whisper into Master Solarin's ear. On the other side of the judges, Master Cherix was receiving an equally urgent message from a junior lawyer on his team.

  'My lords, I beg your indulgence for a slight recess,' Master Solarin said. 'It would appear there is some evidence forthcoming that will completely exonerate my client.'

  Tin* senior judge nodded agreement, and banged the gavel.

  'Court will reconvene in one hour. The defendant is not to leave the building.'

  * * * *

  Edeard concealed himself as he stepped nimbly through the cloisters that wove through the Courts of Justice. The squad was waiting in a lawyer's preparation room just off the court chamber where the hearing was being conducted. They turned round in surprise when the door opened seemingly by its own accord. It shut, and Edeard materialized in front of it.

  Kanseen ran over and gave him a quick kiss.

  'How did it go?' Dinlay asked.

  'I visited seven of them in person,' Edeard said. 'And I managed to longtalk warnings to another twelve.'

  'That ought to do it,' Macsen said, taking off the splendid jacket.

  'It wasn't easy,' Edeard said as he shrugged into the jacket. 'Three of them had children.'

  'We've been through this,' Kanseen said forcefully. 'Nearly all their victims have families, and they get hurt very badly.'

  'I know.'

  Macsen sighed in relief as he pulled off Edeard's boots. Hi' wriggled his toes, smiling. Boyd opened the canvas bag and took out Macsen's boots. The old pair Edeard had worn were placed inside.

  Boyd inspected the pair of them. 'Good to go,' he decided.


  * * * *

  'My lords,' Master Solarin said with a formal bow. 'As you arc probably aware by now, there have been several regrettable incidents of arson throughout the city this afternoon. To In-precise, during this very annulment hearing. In each instance, the people concerned emerged from their homes claiming it was the Waterwalker who had threatened them and ignited the fire. People who by strange coincidence are named in exclusion warrants. Clearly, this is a serious criminal conspiracy mounted by undesirable elements of the city, deliberately aimed at wrecking my client's reputation.'

  'Objection,' Master Cherix said. 'Hearsay. I believe we were earlier indulged in a lengthy legal argument over verification. I resent the hypocrisy now being practised by opposing counsel.'

  'My lords, I lodged no motion. I am simply informing you of a sequence of events. It is for your Lordships to weigh the particulars of the case and decide if the court's time and expense are to be wasted on trivia that will not last the first hour of a trial.'

  The senior judge motioned both lawyers to sit. He conferred briefly with his two fellow judges.

  'Application for the dismissal of the warrant is approved. Waterwalker, you are free to go.' The gavel was banged to end the session.

  * * * *

  The dome on the eastern side of the Parliament House was one of the highest. It had a gallery running round the outside with a bulbous white balustrade that only came up to the knee of a grown man. The squad stood back from the railing, looking out across the city to the Port District. It was late in the afternoon, with the sun already starting to dip behind the rest of the Parliament House domes behind them.

  Edeard's eyes were closed as he scoured the city with his farsight. He was focusing on Edsing and his family, who were trudging across the centre of Pholas Park on their way to Sampalok. They carried a couple of small bundles - all they'd salvaged from the fire. Mirayse hadn't stopped berating Edsing the whole way. Judging by his mental hue, Edsing was on the verge of striking her. 'They're moving,' Edeard informed the others. 'I make that over sixty are on their way to Sampalok.'

  'Is that enough?' Kanseen asked.

  'No,' Edeard said. 'I want the majority in there. I'll longtalk the others this evening, deliver the same warning. In two days' time we'll arrest the Hundred.'

  'I sensed Buate as we left the court,' Boyd said. 'His shield was loose for a moment. He was very confused.'

  Macsen grinned at tin- vast city before them. 'Another legend of the Waterwalker safely established. You can be in many places at once.'

  'About that,' Dinlay said. 'Edsing lives in Padua.'

  'Yes,' Edeard said, guessing what was coming.

  'But Hallwith lives in Cobara; while Coyce is in Ilongo; the others are equally spread out. Yet you visited seven of them.'

  Macsen was frowning now.

  'We were only in the court for an hour and a half at best,' Dinlay said. 'How did you get round all of them in that time?'

  'That running I do each morning, it keeps me in good shape. You should join me.'

  'Nobody runs that fast.'

  Edeard withdrew his farsight, and smiled at the four inquisitive faces looking at him. 'I'm the Waterwalker,' he told them mysteriously. His cloak flowed dramatically around him.

  * * * *

  What was about to happen was no secret. The city's gossipmongers had been busy the evening before reporting on how the constables in every district station were being called in and told to prepare. All of Makkathran knew this was the day.

  Edeard sensed more people than he could number farsighting, him as he walked out of the tenement that morning. He was taking a break from his running. It was going to be a long day.

  'Be careful,' Kristabel had said as she kissed him goodnight after the party in Zelda the previous evening.

  'I will be,' he assured her.

  'No, Edeard,' she said, and placed her hand on his arm, grey-blue eyes beseeching him. 'No light-hearted pledges. Please. Be careful. What you are proposing tomorrow is dangerous. This is the crucial point in your fight, and everyone in Makkathran knows it. So I'm asking you, be on your guard. Warpal and his people must know that Argian has confessed all to you. If they see an opening they will strike like a fastfox.'

  He took her hands. 'I know. I make light of it because I don't want you to worry. Now remember what you promised me?'

  She sighed and rolled her eyes. 'I will stay at home, on the top floor, and I will suffer the extra guards Homelt assigns.'

  'No matter what.'

  'No matter what,' she agreed.

  As he closed the tenement gate behind him, Edeard checked the Culverit ziggurat with his farsight. Sure enough, Kristabel was there having breakfast on the hortus with Mirnatha and their father; all three of them anxiously casting their farsight towards Sampalok.

  His squad were waiting for him on the street outside. He tried to remember that first morning they'd stumbled down into the Jeavons station small hall to be shouted at by Chae. A bunch of stupid, semi-idealistic kids, none of whom really knew what they were letting themselves in for.

  Now he could barely recognize those nervous eager youths in his friends. Macsen, who was dressed almost as smartly as Edeard, still the most self confident of the group. Boyd, whose height no longer made him appear gangly, wearing his uniform with complete authority. If he told you to stop these days, you'd do it out of respect for the office he represented. Dinlay who still couldn't quite be considered well turned-out, despite the new uniforms he wore these days, but who'd gained self-reliance and a realistic understanding of human nature. But then getting shot would do that for most people. And Kanseen, who smiled a whole lot more these days; as always the most solid and reliable of them all.

  Edeard grinned round at them, knowing he could depend on them no matter what. Guessing he'd probably have to before the day was out. 'Let's go.'

  There was a gondola waiting for them on Arrival Canal. It took them down to High Pool and turned on to the Great Major Canal. Edeard deliberately didn't look at the big ziggurat as they passed by, his attention was all on Sampalok up ahead.

  Buate was already awake and up. After the fire at the House of Blue Petals he'd moved into an unclaimed building on Zulmal Street, halfway between the mansion of the Sampalok District

  Master and Mid Pool. It had five rooms with strange convex curving ceilings. Two rooms made up the ground floor, then the remainder were stacked one on top of the other, making the whole edifice resemble a bulbous chimney with the stairs spiralling up a narrow cylinder along one side. The triangular roof terrace was besieged by the shaggy vines which carpeted the entire outside. A carpenter had installed a front door for him, and a few pieces of furniture had been assembled downstairs. Clothes and other essentials were still in the boxes they'd been delivered in. A lone ge-monkey performed domestic duties for him. Buate had tried to get the poor creature to climb the vinos and prune them away from the windows, with little success. It was something of a come-down from the luxury and service he was used to at the House of Blue Petals. Edeard suspected that was deliberate.

  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.