The Empire of Glass - Andy Lane [76]
"That one, over there," he continued, cutting across Steven's words and indicating the smallest bell, "is called the Maleficent. It's the one we use to signal executions." He smiled. "Please - your demonstration."
Steven's hands shook as he took the telescope from inside his jacket. "If you place the spyglass against your eye, your most Serene Excellency, and look out across the lagoon..."
The Doge took the telescope from Steven's outstretched hand and raised it to his eye. For a moment he gazed out of the bell tower and across the water. Steven turned to follow the line of the telescope. Far, far away, mere specks against the background of the sea mist, he could just make out the sail of a small ship. With Galileo's telescope, the Doge should have been able to recognize the faces of the crew, and Steven's heart missed a beat as he suddenly realized that the ship might be the one that the Doctor was sailing on, and the Doge might be staring straight into the unmistakable features of Galileo Galilei. That would sink his plans for good.
The Doge lowered the spyglass from his eye. His face was thunderous.
Steven prepared to sprint down the ramp as fast as he could, and hoped to God that he could outpace the Doge's guard.
"This device is worse than the one demonstrated to us by the Flemish merchant," the Doge said. "It is a toy fit only for children.
Friar Sarpi has misled us, and both you, and he, will pay for wasting my time."
The guard rested a hand on his sword. Through his helmet, Steven could see a smile of anticipation on his face. "Ah - your most Serene and... and Munificent Highness . .." he stammered, dredging up all of the flattery and flannel that he had ever heard, "I beg you to-"
Something about the telescope that the Doge was holding caught his eye. Something about its shape. Surely... surely when Galileo had demonstrated it to Steven, he had held the narrower lens against his eye and pointed the wider lens at the sky. The Doge appeared to have been holding it the other way around.
"Perhaps," he said hesitantly, "we could try it one more time...?"
When Braxiatel had gone, and Vicki could see him on the viewscreen, walking across the white surface of the Laputan landing pad towards the nearest tower, Vicki wiped a hand across her eyes. It came away wet, and her cheeks were suddenly cool as the thin film of tears began to evaporate. Memories were like minefields, she decided - you had to pick your way carefully across them, and sometimes you stepped on something unexpected and it exploded beneath you. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
And opened them again as something scrabbled in the hatchway.
She twisted in her seat. The headrest was in the way, and she had to slide sideways before she could see round it.
Into a pair of eyes on stalks.
"Albrellian!" she squealed. "You startled me!"
"Vicki." Albrellian"s voice was neutral. "Better your safety belt fasten had you: for a bumpy ride in are we."
"What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, Albrellian swung bis crab-like body into the seat that Braxiatel had vacated only a few moments before. The seat automatically adjusted itself to the odd contours of his body and wing-casings, and he ran his multiple claws across the controls.
"Albrellian, what's going on?" Anger sharpened Vicki's voice. "If this is another attempt at kidnapping me, Braxiatel won't be pleased."
The skiff shot straight up into the air, so fast that the ripple of turbulence was replaced within moments by a sudden explosive bang! as they broke the sound barrier. Vicki watched the screen disbelievingly as Laputa dwindled and vanished beneath them.
"Even less pleased will be Braxiatel," Albrellian announced grimly,
"when precious little island sanctuary in one great explosion disappears his!"
"An explosion?" Vicki couldn't assimilate the word. "What do you - I mean - an explosion? When?"
One of Albrellian's eyestalks rotated to glance at her. "In a few minutes" time," he said. "That's why leaving we are."
Steven