Page 428 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

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The Gdansk Shipyard strikers were careful to keep the international media fully briefed on their activities. Ironically, this was the best way to communicate with the Polish people. The Polish media were censored, but Western newspaper reports were picked up by the American-funded Radio Free Europe and broadcast right back into Poland. It was the main way Poles learned the truth about what was happening in their country.

Lili Franck followed events in Poland on the West German television news, which everyone in East Berlin could watch if they angled their aerials the right way.

The strike spread, to Lili's delight, despite all the government's efforts. The Gdynia shipyard came out, and public transport workers struck in sympathy. They formed the Interfactory Strike Committee (MKS), with its headquarters in the Lenin Shipyard. Its number one demand was the right to form free trade unions.

Like many others in East Germany, the Franck family discussed all this avidly, sitting in the upstairs drawing room of the town house in Berlin-Mitte, in front of their Franck television set. A rent was showing in the Iron Curtain, and they speculated eagerly about what it might lead to. If Poles could rebel, perhaps Germans could too.

The Polish government tried to negotiate factory by factory, offering generous raises to strikers who split from MKS and settled. The tactic failed.

Within a week, three hundred striking enterprises had joined the MKS.

The tottering Polish economy could not stand many days of this. The government at last accepted reality. The deputy prime minister was sent to Gdansk.

A week later a deal was agreed on. The strikers were given the right to form free trade unions. It was a triumph that astonished the world.

If the Poles could win freedom, would the Germans be next?

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Keith said to Cam: "You're still seeing that Polish girl."

Cam said nothing. Of course he was still seeing her. He was as happy as a kid in a candy store. Lidka was eager to have sex with him whenever he wanted it. Until now, few girls had wanted to have sex with him at all. "Do you like this?" she would say as she caressed him; and if he admitted he did, she would say: "But do you like it a little bit, do you like it a lot, or do you like it so much you want to die?"

Keith said: "I've told you that your request has been denied."

"But you haven't said why."

Keith looked angry. "I've made a decision."

"But is it the right decision?"

"Are you challenging my authority?"

"No, you're challenging my girlfriend."

Keith became angrier. "You think you have me over a barrel because Stanislaw won't speak to anyone else."

That was exactly what Cam thought, but he denied it. "It has nothing to do with Staz. I'm not willing to give her up for no reason."

"I may have to fire you."

"I still won't give her up. In fact--" Cam hesitated. The words that came into his mind were not what he had planned. But he said them anyway. "In fact, I'm hoping to marry her."

Keith changed his tone. "Cam," he said, "she may not be an agent of the SB, but she could still have an ulterior motive for sleeping with you."

Cam bristled. "If it's nothing to do with intelligence, it's nothing to do with you."

Keith persisted, speaking gently, as if trying not to hurt Cam's feelings. "A lot of Polish girls would like to go to America, you know that."

Cam did know that. The thought had occurred to him long ago. He felt embarrassed and humiliated that Keith should say it. He kept his face wooden. "I know," he said.

"Forgive me for saying it, but she could be deceiving you for that reason," Keith said. "Have you considered that possibility?"

"Yes, I've considered it," said Cam. "And I don't care."

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