Uranium Fist | Page 9

frightened that I would be trampled in
the confusion.
"After some effort I managed to push my way through to the pavement,
where I leaned heavily against a wall. Once I got my breath back I
started to make my way down the street, desperately trying to avoid the
attentions of any more cops. An old man appeared for a moment in a

gap in the crowds, he looked terrified - a passer-by that stopped to
watch the commotion and then found himself caught up as things
turned ugly. I looked on in outrage as a cop appeared and punched him
savagely in the face. Down he fell, and the cop kicked him in the
stomach. I rushed over to the old man as fast as I could. He was
babbling where he lay, 'I'm not involved...' he said, 'I'm an old man. I'm
not involved.'
"I tried to pick him up and help him away but a gloved hand grabbed
the collar of my jacket and I was roughly dragged to my feet. Another
cop rushed over and grabbed me in a headlock before I could do
anything. Screaming abuse, the cops dragged me towards a waiting van
and roughly manhandled me into the back. The last thing I saw before
they slammed the door was a group of young militiamen. They were
frightened youths, called up for routine compulsory service. They didn't
know what to make of the situation.
"As for the old man, he was left to bleed on the street!"

Chapter 3
OVER the next few days, these ugly scenes were repeated all over
Greyermede as the police ransacked party offices and shut down
opposition newspapers. Not all these actions produced riots. For the
most part crowds gathered round to abuse the police. Otherwise, the
police were little hindered.
What was striking about the riots that did occur was their cross-class
nature. All social groups were united together to resist the government
clampdown. Whatever their differences, working class and middle class,
small businessman, and Greyermede capitalist, all united against a
common foe: Terran capital, the Colonial regime, and its machinery of
oppression.
Revolutions often begin with such a honeymoon period. When all
classes are united against their immediate enemy. During such a period,

the class struggle is focused on the governmental machinery of the old
order. Not until this has been dealt with does the class struggle boil
over between the different factions. Greyermede had not yet reached
this phase. The working class and the middle class organisations began
to come together in alliance against the Government, temporarily
forgetting their differences.
The working class did not trust their middle class allies, while the latter
hoped to nullify what they considered the excesses of working class
aims, and bring them into line behind an independent capitalist
programme. But for now the different class interests were submerged
beneath the need to deal with an oppressive Terran-backed state.
The developing Opposition Coalition lost little time in taking to the
streets to demonstrate against martial law, while strike activity
escalated across the planet. Yet, there were no clashes with the militia.
These armed troops assumed a more prominent position, but they did
little more than assist the police in their mundane duties.
The riot cops and the CIS5 conducted most of the counter-insurgency
operations. The militia was an unknown quantity. What were its views
- would it remain loyal to the government? Would it open fire on the
people? These were the sort of questions being discussed.
"BY May, the Government was as isolated as ever," Carter said.
"They'd increased the guards outside Colony House and strengthened
the fortifications. Machine guns covered the approaches to the building
and Terran troops could he seen mingling with the militia.
"Behind those fortifications it seemed they continued in the belief that
they were the sole authority on the planet, but whatever was going on
in there the people regarded as irrelevant. Preparations were still being
made for the election of a Colonial Assembly, in secret since political
activity was now illegal.
"Otherwise life went on as normal. People went to work, the transport
systems were running, shops and cafes still did trade. Art galleries,
cinemas, theatres still opened their doors to the paying public.

Politically things seemed quiet. Until a few days later, when the
demonstrations began."
"THOUSANDS of people gathered at Trafalgar Central Station for the
demonstration," Nidel said. "Some of the Coalition leaders were caught
in a dawn raid and arrested the week before. They were being held
somewhere in the city, but the police hadn't disclosed the position. The
other Opposition leaders still at liberty organised the protest to demand
their release.
"New Station Road was crowded with people. Banners and placards
were stacked everywhere, waiting to be handed out. The air