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THAKUR-NA

A Terran Empire story

by Ann Wilson

Copyright (C) 1992 by Ann Wilson

Sandeman, 2624 CE

It was midafternoon before Dana's hunger overcame her excitement atbeing on Sandeman, hiking with her chosen lord--her thakur, in theSandeman term she preferred--and trying to track a balik. She hadn'tgotten within two hundred meters of the wolflike predator, and hadfinally realized she wasn't going to, so the two found a small clearingwith bare rocks which made decent seating. Jason dug hot-cans of trailfood out of his hiking pack, Dana did the same with cold-cans offortified milk, and they sat eating and drinking in silence. They wereputting the empty cans back in their packs when Dana began lookingaround, frowning. 

"What is it?" Jason asked. 

"I thought I heard something . . . Brushing against branches, snowfalling . . . But no other predators would invade a balik's territory, and it's probably kilometers away by now. "

"Other tourists, maybe. Clan Torrance is supposed to have a huntingparty in the area, but they aren't due till tomorrow noon. "

Dana made a face. "I was hoping we wouldn't see anyone else till wegot to the pickup point. "

"So was I--but not even I can have everything my own way all thetime. "

"No, " Dana agreed with a chuckle, "you just come close. Maybe if weleave now?"

"I think it's too late. " Jason stood as half a dozen men entered theclearing. "Good afternoon, gentles. "

"Not for you it isn't, " the obvious leader said. "You don't goanywhere without a couple thousand credits petty cash, MisterJason--hand it over. "

"In the mountains?" Jason laughed. "Not even I carry cash wherethere's nothing to buy and no bodyguards. "

"Like hell, " the leader said pleasantly. "Hand it over, Jason, or wetake it out of your hide. "

"I told you, I don't have anything to hand over. "

"Then we'll take what you don't have. " The leader gave a hand signal, and his men surrounded Jason. He grunted and swore at them, his voiceholding a mixture of disgusted anger and pain. 

"NO!" Dana shouted, jumping on the back of one man and wrapping herleft arm around his throat, her right hand against the back of hishead, her left reaching for her right elbow for a neck-breaking hold. 

She was pulled off before she could complete it, held securely despiteher struggles while the attackers gave her thakur a fast frisking. 

"Hell, he was telling the truth, " the leader finally said in disgust. "No trace of a wallet or anything that'd hold that kind of cash. " Hebackhanded Jason, almost casually. "You've been one hell of a lot oftrouble, Jason, for no return. Want to try convincing us we shouldn'tkill you for it?"

"You can't kill him!" Dana exclaimed, horrified. "He's-- You justcan't!" She took a deep breath; these men would need more than heremotions to discourage them. "Jason Interstellar's Security peoplewouldn't quit till they found you, and they'd make sure you werepunished. "

One of the two holding her fondled her roughly. "Maybe have some funwith the fem before we kill both of 'em, Ca--Boss?"

Dana was too angry to be frightened; she twisted to give him a scornfullook, then glared at the leader, who gave her a frightening smilebefore he pointed to two of his men. "You, you--knock him out, thentie him to a tree; he'll be found before he starves. "

Dana took comfort in the knowledge that he would be; the Torrancehunting party should find him the next day, before he even got reallyhungry. Then the designated ones did as they were told; Jason slumpedunder an expertly-applied baton to the base of his skull, then wassecured to a small tree. 

Dana had time to wonder at the use of a baton--criminals didn'tnormally use that sort of weapon--before the leader approached her, holding another one. He looked at her consideringly, then nodded. "I've seen better, but you're not too bad. I like redheads, they tendto be spunky. " He grabbed her jaw, forced her mouth up for a roughkiss. 

She took advantage of that; as soon as he was within reach, she bithim. 

He swore, backhanding her, then signaled the two holding her to let go. "Spunk's one thing, lady, but you've just bought yourself more hurtthan you've ever had. Fight if you want to; that'll just make it morefun. "

Dana moved back, licking blood from a split lip as she dropped into anawkward protective crouch. She really should have paid more attentionto the unarmed-combat lessons Chief Hanson had insisted she at leastwatch . . . But it was too late now, facing the leader's feral grin andtwirling baton. Fear was a coppery taste in her mouth, and sweattrickled down her back under the enviro-suit. 

The leader could obviously tell he had an inexperienced opponent, because his grin became a laugh. Then he moved with smooth, deceptiveswiftness, and before Dana could back away or defend herself, his batonlashed out, seeming to do no more than tap her forearms--until shetried to move them. 

She gasped with the pain, somehow managing not to cry out, trying tofocus on the use of batons by thieves. The pain did have an advantage, though; it helped her distract herself from what took place next. Shekept fighting, but it was by pure reflex, and she couldn't keep herselffrom being stripped, or ignore the sudden cold air against skin nolonger protected by an enviro-suit, or the other pain and humiliationas six men took turns using her body. Neither the pain nor the oddweapons were enough, though. She couldn't concentrate on themsingle-mindedly enough to block out everything the attackers were doingto her, and before they were done, she heard herself whimpering. By thetime they finished the rapes and began a general beating, she could nolonger control her reactions; she fought and screamed and wept, to noeffect, until she felt consciousness starting to depart, and welcomedit. 

Shouts and weapon-fire interrupted her descent into peace, somethingshe resented even as she knew it meant safety for her thakur andperhaps for herself. Then someone knelt beside her, and even with painblurring her vision, she could tell it was a Sandeman; that dark skinand blond hair didn't belong to any of their attackers. "Warrior . . . "she managed to whisper. 

"Yes, Garvey DarTorrance. And you?"

"Dana Manfredi, thakur-na to Richard Jason. He's all right?"

"Unconscious, but not hurt. "

"Good. " Dana sighed, relief letting her outraged body take over; shepassed out. 

 * * * * *

The time Dana spent unconscious was less peaceful than it should havebeen. She dreamed, bits and pieces of her relationship with RichardJason, from meeting him shortly after her college graduation, toswearing fealty, to the mountain hike that had ended so disastrously. 

She woke slowly, realizing as she did that she had been reliving adream become nightmare, that she was actually in a hospital; the smellwas unmistakable. Her next awareness was that she was blissfully freeof pain, and she spent several minutes enjoying something she had takenfor granted before. 

Then she heard the room's door open and stirred herself to look towardit. The one who came in was a Sandeman, a warriors'-woman from thegold-gemmed ring she wore; Dana inclined her head in the closest shecould come to a bow. 

"Good afternoon, Dana, " the w'woman said. "I am Mona, a warriors'-womanof Clan Lewies and your doctor. How do you feel?"

"Better than I would've thought possible when the warrior Garvey foundme, " Dana said. "Thanks for everything you've done for me. "

"My pleasure, " the w'woman said. "Fortunately you were found beforeyour attackers did anything life-threatening to you, though some ofyour injuries could be classified as moderately serious for a Terran. I do have you on rapid-heal, since there was no infection. Except foryour broken bones, you should be recovered in two weeks; those willtake three to four. "

Dana nodded, the reference to her broken bones bringing the casts onher arms to her attention, and she wondered again about theirattackers. "How's my thakur? And what about the ones who attackedus?"

The doctor frowned. "Your thakur is fine, and wants to see you. Iwill permit that tomorrow morning; right now you still need to rest. As for your assailants, they are dead. Clan Torrance is particularabout the safety of its guests, and the warrior Garvey caught them inthe act. Two were kept alive long enough to question, and--" Shebroke off. "Garvey is an honorable man and would report what he wastold accurately, but his prisoners might easily have lied to stop theinterrogation. "

 Dana felt a sinking sensation. "What . . . What did they say?"

 The doctor hesitated, clearly unwilling to tell her, but honesty wastoo deeply ingrained in Sandemans for her to avoid it. "They said yourthakur's chief representative here had hired them to ambush you, do ... What they did, and worse, then leave you to die of your injuries andexposure. "

Dana swallowed past the lump that had appeared in her throat. That fitin all too well with her earlier feeling that they hadn't just beencriminals. One starting to call his leader what sounded like "Cap, "their avoidance of names, the leader's expertise with the baton . . . "Were they carrying any ID?"

"No. "

And that fit the theory she was starting to evolve, too. They soundedlike a mercenary commando team--but her thakur wouldn't do such athing! He wouldn't set her up for a particularly unpleasant death. . . Would he? Suddenly she wasn't sure. One of the less pleasant thingsshe had done for him was to set up a--well, not a frame, the man hadbeen guilty--but a trap for someone who had gotten in Jason's way. Ithad, indirectly, led to the man's death . . . 

"I'm disturbing you, " the doctor said. "And that is something you donot need. A tranquilizer, if you permit, would help. "

Dana felt a brief flash of amusement at a doctor asking permission fora treatment--but this was Sandeman, where medical treatment was kept asunintrusive and respectful as possible even with an unconsciouspatient, and never went beyond that permitted by a conscious one. Shenodded. "I think I'd like that, Doctor. Thank you. "

"None needed. " The doctor went to a wall cabinet, prepared aninjector, and used it, then left as her patient fell asleep again. 

Dana didn't recognize the w'woman who was in her room the next time shewoke, but she didn't have time to ask for an introduction; she saw herthakur sitting beside her bed, scanning a tape. 

Monitors apparently alerted the w'woman; she turned to Jason. "Your'na is waking, Mr. Jason. If you wish to speak to her alone, I canmonitor from outside. "

"You needn't bother, Nurse, " Jason said, putting down the tape-viewerand standing to look down at Dana, his expression mildly regretful. "It's too bad we had to be rescued early, thakur-na. I did try to giveyou a heroic death; sorry it didn't work out. "

"Thakur?" Dana didn't want to believe what she was hearing, eventhough she'd half-suspected it. "I don't understand. Have I donesomething wrong?"

"No, at least nothing you could help, " Jason said calmly. "You'vesimply outlived your usefulness. I thought I owed you the satisfactionof a trip here, then the belief that you were dying to save me; youwere worth that much effort. Still, the fact remains: I wish you toleave me. I no longer need you. "

Dana was stunned by the cold finality in his voice. He knew what hewas saying, too, what he was doing--he was condemning her with anImperial English paraphrase of the High War words that were a thakur'sway of telling his 'na, "Thou hast dishonored me. "

But maybe he didn't know exactly what that meant. "Thakur--what am Isupposed to do?"

Jason shrugged. "That's up to you. Whatever a Sandeman 'na does when@'s no use any more, I suppose. Mentally you've always been moreSandeman than Terran anyway . . . Yes, that would be best. Imitateyour Sandeman idols again. " He started to turn away. 

"Yes, Thakur. " Dana went as cold as his voice had been, wishing shehad died back in the mountains, never had to hear this. 

"Mister Jason!" the w'woman snapped. 

He turned back. "Yes? You don't approve?"

"I do not, but I cannot interfere between thakur and 'na. So long asyou both live and she wears your mark, however, she is yours; no oneelse may be involved in what you order for her. "

"Oh? All right. " Jason took a folding knife from his pocket, openedit, and bent over his 'na. 

Dana felt cold sharpness against her cheek, and she gasped. Then theknife bit, four quick shallow slashes, followed by a tugging, and shecried out more in loss than in pain. By the time the tugging stopped, she was sobbing quietly, the salt of her tears accenting the pain ofher missing tattoo. When she was able to see again, Jason was gone andthe w'woman was standing over her, cleaning her cheek. 

Dana raised the head of her bed, trying to think. Her thakur--herformer thakur--had admitted seeking her death, but he had that right; a'na's gift of @self was absolute. She had even imagined circumstanceswhere she would welcome death at his hands, or give him his own--butthose had been honorable circumstances, where death was preferable tothe alternative. This was . . . She shied away from the thoughtmomentarily, then forced herself back. 

Her thakur had ordered her to die, in humiliation and agony, even as hehad said she had done nothing to deserve such a death. Then he hadtold her to do whatever a Sandeman 'na would do under the samecircumstances. And she had absorbed enough of their ways to think thata proper response--except that, as far as she knew, similarcircumstances had never arisen. 

For the moment, at least, she was too stunned to be really afraid. Sheturned to the w'woman. "Lady--can you help me?"

"Help you how?" the w'woman asked. 

"To do what's needed--except that I don't know what is needed!" Shehesitated. "I mean . . . I've been dismissed, but he said I haven'tdone anything wrong!"

The w'woman shook her head slowly. "Nothing like this has everhappened before. All I can tell you is that custom says a 'na who hasbeen dismissed must make atonement for allowing @'s thakur to acceptone who proved unworthy. "

 Dana was silent for a moment, absorbing that, then she nodded. In hermisery, it didn't seem too unreasonable that she should have to diejust for being of no further use. She had tried to live by Sandemancustom; she couldn't change that now, simply because it became. . . Inconvenient. "You're right, of course. But I can't do it myselfright now, and I don't have a clan-chief to help me. "

The w'woman looked at her with what seemed to Dana like approval. "Perhaps a clan-chief can be found for you. "

"I'd . . . Appreciate that. " Dana licked her lips, fear beginning toemerge from her stunned misery, but her mouth was so dry it was littlehelp. "I should talk to them myself, I suppose--at least if they'lltalk to me--but I can't dial the phone. Would you, please?"

The w'woman nodded. "What clan?"

"I don't think it matters that much, " Dana said. "Alanna first, if Ihave to pick one. If their chief won't help, just keep going until wefind one who will. "

"A good choice. " The w'woman dialed the bedside phone, obviously afamiliar combination, then spoke to the warrior who answered in HighWar Speech. Dana could understand only an occasional word of thatvariant of Classical Russian, though she could read and write itfluently; all she could gather was that the w'woman was asking for theAlanna. 

A few moments later, a man wearing the arms of Alanna's chief appearedon the screen, introducing himself as Killian. The w'woman started tospeak, but before she'd said more than a few words, Killian frowned andinterrupted with a question. She answered with a "Da, Glavniy, " thenthere was a brief conversation Killian closed with a decisivestatement. The w'woman stepped aside, and Dana found herselfconfronting the image of a stern-faced clan-chief. 

He let her wait a few seconds, then spoke in Imperial English. "Thelady Arden tells me that your thakur has dismissed you and that yourequire a clan-chief's aid to atone. "

"Yes, Chief, to both. " Dana turned her face so he could see the rawspot on her cheek, and raised her cast-enclosed arms. "As you cansee. "

"The lady Arden mentioned extenuating circumstances. "

Dana hesitated, but she had spent so long trying to be Sandeman in allbut body that her response was more by reflex than by thought. "Iclaim none, Alanna, " she said formally. "Custom says none exist. "

"True. " Killian's expression became remote, almost frightening. "Verywell, I accept the responsibility of acting for the clan-chief you donot have. Alanna warriors will be there as soon as I can contact onesnearby, and they will bring you to our clanhome. You will be treatedas befits the oathbreaker your thakur's actions proclaim you; if you donot understand what that means, ask the lady Arden. I will see you inapproximately six hours. "

Six hours, Dana thought as Killian's image disappeared. That meant shemight live seven or eight, depending on how badly the beating hadweakened her. 

"Do you understand?" Arden asked. 

Dana turned to the w'woman, fear growing as her shock faded. "What'sin the text-tapes, yes. Not the details of the . . . Execution. "

"Those can vary; they depend on the clan-chief. " Arden looked almostsympathetic, Dana thought. "You know, then, that you will receive nomore pain medication, that no one will speak to you unnecessarily, andthat when your escort arrives you will be placed under restraint. "

"Yes. " The restraints were a formality, especially in her case--a signof condemnation, like the silent treatment--but the lack of medicationwould have her uncomfortable, at least, even before the executionbegan. 

 "Chief Killian has granted one concession, since you were hurt beforeyour thakur dismissed you. If you wish, I can give you a stimulant tocompensate for your injuries. "

Dana thought about that offer briefly before she spoke. "Let me try tostand and walk. I'll take the stimulant if I can't. "

"Reasonable. " Arden moved to help as Dana sat up and swung her legsover the edge of the bed. That brought on a wave of dizziness, andwhen she cautiously slid off the bed, her knees gave way. Arden caughther and helped her back onto the bed. 

"It looks like I'd better take it, " Dana said shakily. She hadn'trealized she was so weak--it wouldn't do at all for her escort to haveto carry her! "A strong dose, please. "

"A twelve-hour dose, as strong as you can tolerate, " Arden agreed. "Are you allergic to energine?"

"No, that'll be fine. " Dana would have refused such a dose if she'dexpected to have to go through the aftereffects; energine would keepyou going through almost anything, but you paid the price later--andshe was also on rapid-heal, which made demands of its own. But bothwould be academic in a few hours. She watched Arden prepare aninjector, her thoughts going to what would be happening to her shortly. She didn't know the details, no, but she was fully aware that it wouldbe at least as painful as the attack--and more humiliating, because shecared about the Sandemans' opinions as she hadn't about the attackers'. 

Arden gave her the injection, then said, "It will take effect in a fewminutes, and once it does, I will also have to start treating you as anoathbreaker. However, I told the Alanna that there was more to thisthan appears on the surface, and he has agreed to contact Torrance forthe interrogation reports, then watch a copy of the monitor tapes fromhere that I will send with his warriors. That will probably have noeffect, but this is an unprecedented situation; it could make adifference. " She hesitated, then went on in a low voice. "I breakcustom by saying this, but I don't think you dishonored. I pray thegods will grant you a swift death, then rebirth as a warrior-casteSandeman to you can earn a place in their ranks. " Then she turnedaway, leaving the room before Dana could frame a reply. 

As the energine took effect and her strength returned, Dana clung toArden's words. They meant there was still a trace of hope forher . . . If Clan-chief Killian agreed with the lady Arden. 

But that trace of hope wasn't all good; it was easier to hold fear atbay if you had no alternative to what you were afraid of. That traceof hope, tiny as it was, let the fear start to grow again. She beganpracticing one of the pre-combat calming exercises she'd come across inher studies of Sandeman, pleased to find that even with her lack ofexperience it helped. 

The next time she tried to stand, she felt almost normal. She had noidea how long it would take the Alanna warriors to get to her--she hadno idea where she was, other than in a hospital--so she decided she hadbetter get dressed. 

Doing so replaced what fear her exercises had left with sheerfrustration. To begin with, bandages made clothes that had fitcomfortably before so snug they would have been hard to get into evenif she'd had her hands free instead of in casts. As it was, the effortof just getting them on, not to mention closing the buttons and zippersshe preferred to magseals, was more of a challenge than she appreciatedright then. 

Not too long after she managed to make herself presentable, fourwarriors wearing Alanna arms on their drab coveralls--and more heavilyarmed than usual for peacetime--entered her room. She bowed to them, acutely conscious of the scab forming on her cheek. They didn't returnthe courtesy, of course; instead, two of them secured her arms behindher back. They weren't especially gentle, but she was obscurelypleased that they also weren't as rough as she'd expected them to bewith an oathbreaker. 

And during the flight to the Alanna clanhome, she was both pleased anda little puzzled by the warriors' continuing lack of overt hostility. Even given the ingrained politeness of a Sandeman, she would haveexpected some jostling, or unpleasant comments. 

The flight also gave her time, and energine gave her strength, to thinkback on the attack and Jason's dismissal of her. She still didn't wantto believe that the man she'd chosen to devote her life to had set herup for such a painful, degrading death, even to give her the illusionof dying for the best reason a thakur-na could have. But she couldn'tavoid the truth: from all the evidence she had, that was precisely whathe had done. And then when that had failed, he had deliberatelysentenced her to the death of an oathbreaker. 

She shifted in her seat, trying to find a comfortable position with herarms fastened behind her. She failed, and that discomfort combinedwith the wearing off of the painkiller to make her begin to resent herformer thakur. Maybe she did deserve to die, she thought bitterly. Notfor the dishonor he admitted she wasn't guilty of, but for hermisjudgment of him--when it came down to first causes, that was why shewas being flown to her death. While Jason would live, as wealthy, comfortable, and influential as ever . . . 

 * * * * *

Dana wasn't able to appreciate either the crisp autumn weather or thefunctional beauty of Alanna's clanhome when the plane landed and herguards, their weapons drawn, escorted her into the warriors' hall. Themixture of fear about what was to come, anger at Jason, and the ache ofher injuries had her irritable, wanting to get the whole mess over withso she wouldn't have to think about it any more. 

Killian was waiting for her, sitting at the judicial-looking Chief'sBench at the far end of the hall. Some clans had theirs ornamented, tovarying degrees, but Alanna's was plain: glossy jet-wood, the onlycolor on it the arms of Alanna's chief. 

Dana's heart sank as she realized that Killian was clad in leather asblack as his Bench, again relieved only by his arms, rather than theusual warrior-drab. She hadn't known he'd earned that--been acclaimedby his peers as having honor so uncompromising it couldn't bequestioned. So much for the lady Arden's--and her own--hope of someclemency, Dana thought. Yet Arden must have known the Alanna wasentitled to honor-black . . . 

Urged forward by one of her guards, Dana approached the Bench and, before she could be prompted, knelt. A Sandeman knelt only to the godsand to @'s thakur, if @ had one, but this was a special case; Killianwas acting on Jason's behalf, so she had to show him the same degree ofrespect. She heard a quiet sound of what seemed like approval from thewarriors and w'women beginning to gather in the hall, but didn't darelet it reawaken her hopes. 

She returned Killian's silent gaze. She would continue to abide by thecustoms she had tried so long to observe--she still didn't see how shecould change that now, whatever the circumstances--but she had decidedduring the flight that she had done nothing to be ashamed of, andwouldn't act as if she had. 

Killian nodded once, then accepted the tape her senior guard handed himand slipped it into a viewer in the Bench. Dana could hear only amurmur from the speaker as he played the tape, but she could seeKillian's face clearly, and she had seldom seen such an expression ofrevulsion. Surely she hadn't done anything disgraceful enough to meritthat!

When Killian looked up from the Bench screen, his face was set and grimenough to make Dana shiver. He looked at her steadily for severalseconds, then rose and came around the Bench to stand in front of her, gesturing to one of the bystanders. 

"Da, Glavniy?" the w'woman who approached said. 

"Speak English, " Killian said. "Contact the Miklos for me, please, andtell him that a serious question of custom has arisen that must bedealt with immediately. I would like him to call a conference of allavailable on-planet clan-chiefs as soon as possible, for that purpose. "

"May I give him details?"

"Show him the tape I just watched; that will be more than enough. "

"Yes, Chief. " The w'woman went to the Bench and took the tape, thenleft. 

"Please stand, Ms. Manfredi, " Killian said, startling Dana--andstartling her even more when he took her shoulders and steadied her asshe obeyed. "I regret that I must continue to observe the formalitiesof treating you as an oathbreaker for the moment; custom, as you haveshown you understand, should not be broken easily. But I want you toknow that I believe you acted honorably and should not have the kind ofdeath he sentenced you to. I do not feel that honor would permit me tocarry out that sentence. "

Dana was as stunned as she had been when Jason spoke the formula ofdismissal. "Chief--"

He raised a hand to silence her. "What to do about your situationcannot be decided by a single clan-chief, even the chief of the FirstClan. But I doubt that you--or I--will be left in suspense long, oncethe Miklos sees that tape and has called the conference I requested. It should be an hour, perhaps a little less, and in the meantime I willhave you made as comfortable as your status permits. " He nodded to thesenior of her guards. "See to it, Bowie, and bring her to the com roomas soon as the conference convenes. "

 * * * * *

Dana spent most of the next hour wondering what in Chaos was going on, even as she appreciated Killian's actions on her behalf and the way herguards managed to observe the letter of treating her as an oathbreakerwhile at the same time wordlessly letting her know they didn't thinkshe could be, after Killian's endorsement. 

Eventually they got word the conference was convening, and took her toAlanna's com room, where she recognized Miklos' arms on the screen. Asfar as she knew, the last time that communications-specialist clan hadagreed to call an all-planet conference was just before Sandeman wasbrought into the Empire; it was difficult to believe she was the reasonfor calling another. But it was impossible to disbelieve, especiallywhen the Miklos arms on the comscreen were replaced by Clan-chiefHurley's face. 

"Thank you all for your time, " the Miklos clan-chief said. "Thisconference was called at Alanna's request, concerning a situation forwhich no custom exists, and for which Miklos agrees that one must beestablished quickly. "

He paused, then gave the background: Jason and Dana's vacation and theTorrance interrogation reports, then he said, "The next part consistsof monitor tapes from the Shangri-La Continental Medcenter. At thispoint, it still seemed that Jason's actions, peculiar as they were, might have had some justification. "

With that, the picture changed to show a hospital room, its onlypatient a red-haired Terran woman. Dana recognized herself, wincing atwhat the Sandemans must think, but she remained silent. 

The hospital room was replaced by Hurley's face again. "That tookplace this morning, medcenter time. Dana's situation has no precedent;only clan-chiefs can decide the proper way to deal with it, with her, and with Jason. Chiefs, Miklos awaits your responses. "

As chief of the First Clan, Killian was entitled to speak this morning, medcenter time. "Dana's situation has no precedent; only clan-chiefs candecide the proper way to deal with it, with her, and with Jason. Chiefs, Miklos awaits your responses. "

As chief of the First Clan, Killian was entitled to speak first; heused the coder combination that opened the conference for discussion. 

"Killian of Alanna, " Hurley recognized him. 

"Is this 'cast going to the screen in Jason's suite?"

Hurley looked off-screen for a moment, then nodded. "It is. What isAlanna's word?"

"None, yet; first, Alanna wishes Vader's opinion of what we have allseen. "

"As Alanna wishes. Donovan of Vader. " Hurley recognized the chief ofthe first clan founded after Sandeman overthrew the Shapers, named forthe figure in the Saga who had regained his and his family's honor byoverthrowing his oppressor. The most delicate questions of honor werereferred to Clan Vader, and their decisions were considered final. "What is Vader's word?"

"Vader says this. " Donovan's face held grim determination. "DanaManfredi has acted in full honor at all times. Although it has neverhappened, Vader says the proper procedure for a thakur to release a 'nawithout dishonor to either would be for the 'na's tattoo to be barred, exactly as if honorable service had been ended by the thakur's death. In attempting to have her killed, especially in the way he did, andthen by dismissing her to seek the death of one who has hurt ordishonored his thakur, Jason has forfeited all claim to honor. "

The two men in Jason's hotel suite looked at each other, and the headof Jason Interstellar's Sandeman operation said feelingly, "Oh, shit. That tears it, boss. We won't do a centi's worth of business here fora year. "

"They'll get over it, Gunter. We'll make up the loss elsewhere, andyou can keep things going until business picks up again here. I'll seeto it that your pay doesn't suffer--though you'll probably have to cutstaffing for a while. "

"I can live with that, I guess. Not that I'll have any choice. "

Killian spoke again. "Alanna thanks Vader, and Alanna says this. " Hehoped Jason could read Sandeman expressions better than he could theirway of thinking. Obviously he didn't realize that Miklos controlledtwo-way access to any set tuned in to a conference call, and that hisconversation had been heard in all the clans. "There is precedent fora clan to give countenance to an off-worlder, and others have adoptedour customs; our Earl Klaes and his family even use the clan-prefixesoffered them by Shona. "

He paused, turning to Dana and smiling. "Dana Manfredi. "

Dana was startled to hear herself addressed, but she responded quickly. "Yes, Chief Killian?"

"Will you accept Alanna's countenance?"

Would she accept the First Clan's countenance? Dana could feel tearswelling up, though she managed to keep her voice under control. Shehad been rejected by her thakur, had a planet-wide conference called todiscuss her fate, been commended by the arbiters of honor, and nowoffered membership in the First Clan! Thank the gods they didn'tconsider tears a sign of weakness . . . "I would be honored, Alanna. "

"Good. " Killian smiled at her, then sobered. "The Terran woman knownas Dana Manfredi has accepted Alanna's countenance. Be it known thatshe is henceforth Dana, a clanswoman of Alanna. As chief of her clan Isay her actions deserve not punishment but praise; the honorableservice she gave was to one unworthy of it, and he had no right toorder her death. It is my personal belief that Dana merits the blackand a place in the warrior caste, but that decision is not mine alone. 

"It is my decision, however, that Clan Alanna take appropriate actionagainst Richard Jason and every thing or person associated with him. To that end, I claim Chief's Right on behalf of my clanswoman Dana. "He paused, and when he spoke again, it was to one man. 

"Jason. That means that anything of yours on Alanna property will bedestroyed, anyone who serves you will be killed unless they renouncethat service, and your life is forfeit if you enter Alanna territory. I find myself hoping you do; I would enjoy making you suffer the fateyou ordered her to seek. "

After a brief interval, Hurley began recognizing other clan-chiefs. "Odell of Leras. "

"Leras agrees that Alanna's clanswoman Dana should wear black. Lerasalso concurs and will cooperate with Alanna in other respects; Jason iscurrently in Leras territory, and as an off-worlder, we must give himtime to leave. But his property will be destroyed, and should he remainhere after one standard day, he will be delivered to Alanna for Chief'sRight. "

"Shona concurs and will cooperate. "

"Lewies concurs and will cooperate. "

"Vader concurs and will cooperate. "

 * * * * *

"Miklos concurs and will cooperate. "

As the litany came to an end, Dana realized Killian--her clan-chief!--wasbehind her, releasing the restraints and easing her arms into a morecomfortable position. "Welcome to Alanna, lady, " he said gently, removing the heavy woolen cloak that was part of his ceremonial blackgarb and draping it around her shoulders. "The true oathbreaker willdo no more business in this sector, or in any where honor is morevaluable than greed, even if he manages to get offworld. You should bestarting to feel the aftereffects of the energine, so Meara, our seniorw'woman, will care for you until you wake--and when you are recoveredenough, we will have a party to welcome you into Alanna, the warriorcaste, and the ranks of those who wear honor-black. " He smiled, andDana could almost feel the lightening of the clan's mood. "You havedone something as unprecedented as what was done to you, did you knowthat?"

Dana's strength was ebbing as the energine wore off, and she wasn'tquite sure what her clan-chief meant. "I'm sorry?"

Killian laughed aloud. "Why doesn't that surprise me? Dana, you doneed rest now--but try to remember you were able to force a change inone of our most sacred customs by strict adherence to that samecustom!"

END