Rescue Mission to the Stars by Philip R Benge
Chapter Seven
Riots and Rescue
Twenty minutes later, the shuttlecraft moved almost silently towards the far perimeter fence and the darkening evening skyline. The Intrepid meanwhile was listening in on the airwaves to the ever-growing riots in all of the cities of Mazere. Captain Suárez was of the opinion that they should lift off immediately, as the blame for the riots would surely be laid at the feet of Captain Charlton, and as fellow earthmen, they would also come in for a share of the blame. However Ambassador Kennedy didn`t altogether agree that they should depart just yet, he had a feeling that they would serve Earth better by remaining on the surface of Mazere.
“Captain, while I agree that there may be some danger to the ship and her crew here in the space port, I am also just a little fed up with all of the holier than thou preaching we`ve had to endure from these people. Right now I want nothing more than to be here on this planet to see just how righteous they really are.” Ambassador Kennedy said. “But I do agree that we should take precautions against any attempt they may make to take out their frustrations on us. I suggest that you mount a watch to ensure that we are not taken by surprise, should any threatening moves develop outside. Rest the remainder of your crew for the moment but tell them to be ready to take us out of here at any time during the next twelve hours, just in case.”
In Plakara, particularly, the streets had become a dangerous place to be on as the state police tried to clear them of anyone who dared to move along them. Unfortunately following a national call to arms by someone who the authorities had been seeking now for three long years, someone who went by the tag of ‘Action against Tyranny’, the streets were now teeming with the ordinary populace who were demanding an end to the violence committed by the authorities against the worlds student population and their supporters. To put it another way, the civilian population had taken to the streets to protect their children, their families and their friends. In Plakara, Lexan Delong was pleased with his handiwork, for the state police were acting as expected, like savage animals, in their desire to control the streets of the capital. His work was done now and he slipped through the streets, he would be happy to get to his warm house as it had been drizzling now for fifteen minutes, and he was feeling rather wet and cold. Following along behind him like a shadow was a figure dressed in black, and not for one moment did Delong suspect his presence. Delong now turned off the quiet street and slipped across a darkened city park, which would take him home much quicker than the long circuitous trip around it. His shadow now decided to catch up with Delong, who at this moment was walking around a particularly large tree. His dark shadow, who was now in front of him, stepped out from behind the tree and silently and efficiently pushed a long thin dagger into Delong`s rapidly beating heart, death was instantaneous. Delong crumpled to the damp ground to lie in an untidy heap there, his blood staining the ground. With his death, the facts behind the recording that had shocked a world the night before were hidden from the people of Mazere, only the leaders of the planned coup knew this truth.
In more than a dozen cities and towns the state police were caught by surprise for once, the people filling the streets across the planet numbered in the millions this time, and not the thousands of three years before. In Plakara, two hundred thousand people marched on the Plaza of the People and many of them had taken the precaution of carrying a Phaser weapon along with them. The police sensibly disappeared from the streets to hide behind the doors of their numerous offices and barracks. The people, being left in control of Mazere now marched on all of the government buildings and demanded to speak to their leaders. Their leaders cowered in their offices and in turn demanded that their miniscule army be called to protect them, while they met to decide on a new policy that would placate their people, and allow them to keep their lucrative jobs. The army refused to take to the streets to confront the people of Mazere. In Plakara, the people had stopped before the government building and demanded to speak to the president, who in turn demanded answers from his ministers, who advised him to wait, for the people would soon tire of the cold and drizzle and return to their homes. Outside in the Plaza the people showed no sign of dispersing and in fact, they grew in numbers so that the throng filled not only the large square before the capital building but also all of the wide avenues that led towards it. Daylight was beginning to fill the skies above them, and the grey clouds were scurrying away to be replaced by a pale blue sky and a warming sun.
Johor and Lilliana Brecht were at the gates before the imposing building; with them were Carmen Toile and Staff Sergeant Roan Triage. They had led the march and had resisted the most violent of efforts to break them. Carmen was feeling very proud that she was there; her husband would be cowering behind the locked doors of his police station and knew nothing of her part in the march. Her mother had their son; Carmen had given the excuse of another night out with some friends, and her mother had agreed to mind him. Staff Sergeant Roan Triage had blood on his head, a result of a tussle with a state trooper who now wished he had left the ‘old man’ alone. Johor and Lilliana Brecht had looked after one another, as well as trying to keep their party of fifty university students safe, as they endured some of the worst of the previous nights violence. Ten of the students were now in hospital, and two had been killed when an armoured car had run them down as they attempted to flee from the scene of the riots.
On a military base near to Plakara, Admiral Stator and his fellow conspirators congratulated each other, for their plans were unfolding just as they were supposed to. Soon they were to meet with their troops, and then head across to confront the government where they would demand their unconditional surrender.