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in front of naked people.
    Thirty armed men and women, as many LitVid agents, Chancellor Connor, and Governor Dauble herself stood in the dining hall, Connor and Dauble and their entourage well away from the offending students. We clustered in bathrobes near the serving gates, the twenty-eight who had gone out with Sean and Gretyl, criminals caught in the act of sabotage. Those left behind in the trench domes had been collected as well. Dauble and Connor were about to celebrate their victory on LitVid across the Triple.
    Medias and Pressians, my father called them: the hordes of LitVid reporters that seemed rise out of the ground at the merest hint of a stink. On Mars reporters were a hearty breed; they learned early to get around the tight lips of BM families. Ten of the quickest and hardiestseveral familiar to me stood with arbeiter attendants near the Statist cluster, ear loops recording all they saw, images edited hot for transmission to the satcoms.
    Diane stood in a group across the hall. She waved to me surreptitiously. I did not see Sean. Charles was five or six meters from me in our pack and did not appear injured. He saw me and nodded. Some from his group had sustained bruises and even broken bones. Blue boneknits graced three.
    We said nothing, stood meek and pitiful. This was our time to be victims of the oppressive state.
    Dauble came forward flanked by two advisors. A louder curled on her shoulder like a thin snake. Folks, this has gone much too far. Chancellor Connor has been courteous enough to supply the families of these students
    Banned students! Oliver Peskin shouted next to me. Others took up the cry, and another chorus followed on with, Contract rights! Obligations!
    Dauble listened, face fixed in gentle disapproval. The cries died down.
    To supply all of their families with information on their whereabouts, and their status as arrested saboteurs, she finished.
    Wheres Gretyl? I shouted, hardly aware Id opened my mouth.
    Wheres Sean? someone else called. Wheres Gretyl?
    Family advocates are flying in now. The train service has been cut, thanks to these students, and our ability to up-link on broadband has been severely curtailed. These acts of sabotage
    Illegal voiding! another student shouted.
    Constitute high felonies under the district book and United Martian codes
    Wheres SEAN? Wheres GRETYL? Oliver shouted, hair awry, flinging up his hand, fingers splayed.
    Guards moved in, shoving through us none too gently, and grabbed him. Connor stepped forward and raised her arm. Achmed Crown Niger ordered the guards to release him. Oliver shrugged their arms away and smiled back at us triumphantly.
    Dauble seemed unaffected by the confusion. These acts will be fully prosecuted.
    Wheres SEAN? Wheres GRETYL? several students yelled again.
    Seans dead! Gretyls dead! shouted one high, shrill voice. The effect was electric.
    Who says? Who knows? others called. The students cried out and milled like sheep.
    Nobody has been killed, Dauble said, her composure suddenly less solid.
    Bring SEAN!
    Dauble conferred with her advisors, then turned back to us. Sean Dickinson is in the university infirmary with self-inflicted wounds. Everything possible is being done to help him. Gretyl Laughton is in the infirmary as well, with injuries from self-exposure.
    The reporters hadnt heard this yet; their interest was immediate, and all focused on Dauble.
    How were the students injured? asked one reporter, her pickup pointed at Dauble.
    There have been several small injuries
    Inflicted by the guards?
    No, Connor said.
    Is it true the guards have been armed all along? Even before the sabotage? another reporter asked.
    We anticipated trouble from the beginning, Dauble said. These students have proven us correct.
    But the guards arent authorized police or regularshow do you justify that under district charter?
    Justify all of it! Diane shouted.
    I dont understand your attitude, Dauble said to us after a few moments of careful