Chapter 2

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

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

Dana's heart sank as she realized that Killian was clad in leather as black as his Bench, again relieved only by his arms, rather than the usual warrior-drab. She hadn't known he'd earned that--been acclaimed by his peers as having honor so uncompromising it couldn't be questioned. So much for the lady Arden's--and her own--hope of some clemency, Dana thought. Yet Arden must have known the Alanna was entitled 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 gods and to @'s thakur, if @ had one, but this was a special case; Killian was acting on Jason's behalf, so she had to show him the same degree of respect. She heard a quiet sound of what seemed like approval from the warriors and w'women beginning to gather in the hall, but didn't dare let it reawaken her hopes.

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

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

When Killian looked up from the Bench screen, his face was set and grim enough to make Dana shiver. He looked at her steadily for several seconds, 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, and tell him that a serious question of custom has arisen that must be dealt with immediately. I would like him to call a conference of all available 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, then left.

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

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

He raised a hand to silence her. "What to do about your situation cannot be decided by a single clan-chief, even the chief of the First Clan. But I doubt that you--or I--will be left in suspense long, once the 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 will have you made as comfortable as your status permits." He nodded to the senior of her guards. "See to it, Bowie, and bring her to the com room as 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 her guards managed to observe the letter of treating her as an oathbreaker while at the same time wordlessly letting her know they didn't think she could be, after Killian's endorsement.

Eventually they got word the conference was convening, and took her to Alanna's com room, where she recognized Miklos' arms on the screen. As far as she knew, the last time that communications-specialist clan had agreed to call an all-planet conference was just before Sandeman was brought into the Empire; it was difficult to believe she was the reason for calling another. But it was impossible to disbelieve, especially when the Miklos arms on the comscreen were replaced by Clan-chief Hurley's face.

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

He paused, then gave the background: Jason and Dana's vacation and the Torrance interrogation reports, then he said, "The next part consists of monitor tapes from the Shangri-La Continental Medcenter. At this point, 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 only patient a red-haired Terran woman. Dana recognized herself, wincing at what the Sandemans must think, but she remained silent.

The hospital room was replaced by Hurley's face again. "That took place 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 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 first; he used 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 is Alanna's word?"

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

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

"Vader says this." Donovan's face held grim determination. "Dana Manfredi has acted in full honor at all times. Although it has never happened, Vader says the proper procedure for a thakur to release a 'na without 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, and then by dismissing her to seek the death of one who has hurt or dishonored his thakur, Jason has forfeited all claim to honor."

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

"They'll get over it, Gunter. We'll make up the loss elsewhere, and you can keep things going until business picks up again here. I'll see to it that your pay doesn't suffer--though you'll probably have to cut staffing 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." He hoped Jason could read Sandeman expressions better than he could their way of thinking. Obviously he didn't realize that Miklos controlled two-way access to any set tuned in to a conference call, and that his conversation had been heard in all the clans. "There is precedent for a clan to give countenance to an off-worlder, and others have adopted our customs; our Earl Klaes and his family even use the clan-prefixes offered 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 tears welling up, though she managed to keep her voice under control. She had been rejected by her thakur, had a planet-wide conference called to discuss her fate, been commended by the arbiters of honor, and now offered membership in the First Clan! Thank the gods they didn't consider tears a sign of weakness . . . "I would be honored, Alanna."

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

"It is my decision, however, that Clan Alanna take appropriate action against 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 be destroyed, anyone who serves you will be killed unless they renounce that service, and your life is forfeit if you enter Alanna territory. I find myself hoping you do; I would enjoy making you suffer the fate you 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. Leras also concurs and will cooperate with Alanna in other respects; Jason is currently in Leras territory, and as an off-worlder, we must give him time to leave. But his property will be destroyed, and should he remain here after one standard day, he will be delivered to Alanna for Chief's Right."

"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!--was behind her, releasing the restraints and easing her arms into a more comfortable position. "Welcome to Alanna, lady," he said gently, removing the heavy woolen cloak that was part of his ceremonial black garb and draping it around her shoulders. "The true oathbreaker will do no more business in this sector, or in any where honor is more valuable than greed, even if he manages to get offworld. You should be starting to feel the aftereffects of the energine, so Meara, our senior w'woman, will care for you until you wake--and when you are recovered enough, we will have a party to welcome you into Alanna, the warrior caste, and the ranks of those who wear honor-black." He smiled, and Dana could almost feel the lightening of the clan's mood. "You have done something as unprecedented as what was done to you, did you know that?"

Dana's strength was ebbing as the energine wore off, and she wasn't quite sure what her clan-chief meant. "I'm sorry?"

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

END