Starlitz examined the scraped and greasy rifle-grenades. The cylindricalexplosive tubes looked very much like welding equipment, except for thestenciled military Cyrillic. "Those been kicking around a while?"
"The Basques swear by them. They work a charm against armored limos."
"Basque. I hear that language is even weirder than Finnish."
"You carry a gun, Starlet?"
"Not at the mo'."
"Take one little gun," said Raf generously. "Take that Makarov nine-millimeter.Nice combat handgun. Vintage Czech ammo. Very powerful."
"Maybe later," Starlitz said. "I might appropriate a key or so of thatplastique. If you don't mind."
Raf smiled. "Why?"
"It's really hard finding good Semtex since Havel shut down the factories,"Starlitz said moodily. "I might feel the need 'cause ... I got this certainpersonal problem with video installations."
"Have a cigarette," said Raf sympathetically, shaking his pack. "I can see thatyou need one."
"Thanks." Starlitz lit a Gauloise. "Video's all over the place nowadays. Banksgot videos ... hotels got videos ... groceries ... cash machines ... copcars ... Man, I hate video. I always hated video. Nowadays, video is reallygetting on my nerves."
"It's panoptic surveillance," said Raf. "It's the Spectacle."
Starlitz blew smoke and grunted.
"We should discuss this matter further," Raf said intently. "Work in theStruggle requires a solid theoretical 'grounding. Then you can focus thisinstinctive proletarian resentment into a coherent revolutionary response." Hebegan sawing through a wrapped brick of Semtex with a butterknife from thekitchen drawer.
Starlitz ripped the plastique to chunks and stuffed them into his baggy pockets.
The door opened. Aino had returned. She had a companion: a very tall and