Read Online Earth 2788 by Janet Edwards - Free Book Online Page A

council prefers, then we will happily remove them.”
    “Unnecessary,”
said the woman seated in the centre of the three Breck clan chairs. I’d seen
enough images of her, to instantly recognize the formidable Marissa Breck
Thane. Despite rejuvenation treatments, her skin was delicately lined with age,
and her black hair had threads of silver in it. That meant she was over 80,
automatically entitled to respect in age conscious Beta sector, but Marissa
Breck Thane would be treated with respect anyway. She’d been the Breck clan
leader, presiding over meetings like this, since before I was born.
    She turned to
look at Arden. “An alliance council meeting should be a dignified affair. You
will refrain from petty insults and deliberate provocation.”
    “I apologize,”
said Arden, “but you must surely understand my anger at this situation. Lolek
has made false accusations in front of the entire alliance council, accusing my
own son of second level assault on a woman, and producing a fake vid as
evidence. Such behaviour cannot be tolerated in this alliance. The gutter clan
must go!”
    Marissa Breck
Thane lifted her hand to stop him. “For the second time, and for the formal
record, I warn you to refrain from further use of insults, particularly the
word ‘gutter.’ You will follow the convention agreed by alliance council to
deal with the issue of having a clan in the alliance that has no true clan
name, and use the phrase ‘Lolek’s clan.’”
    Arden
reluctantly bowed his head in acceptance.
    “Two years ago,
you argued the case for admitting Lolek’s clan to this alliance,” continued
Marissa Breck Thane. “They made vids, so their business interests were in line
with those of the alliance, but given those vids were of a low class nature
designed solely for the export market …”
    There was a
meaningful pause before she continued. “Alliance council had reservations but
finally agreed to your request. The admission of Lolek’s clan has, on the
whole, been advantageous to the alliance, opening up new export opportunities,
but now you demand we expel them.”
    She pulled a
face. “You have said we must understand your anger at this situation. Equally,
you must understand our displeasure. Marriages between members of alliance
clans have broken down before, and the resulting issues have been resolved
amicably even when complex business mergers and property transfers had been
linked with the marriage contract. It has never been necessary to remove a clan
from the alliance.”
    “This case is
very different,” said Arden. “Lolek’s accusations have pushed things beyond the
point where an amicable resolution is possible. Clan Eastreth isn’t formally
allied with the reactionary faction, but we agree with their protective
attitudes to women. My son would not do something as dishonourable as
assaulting any woman, let alone one who was, at that time, his own wife!”
    “This alliance
is formed around common business interests,” said Marissa Breck Thane in an icy
voice. “Alliance council’s position on politics is strictly neutral. Your
reference to reactionary attitudes to women is, at a minimum, inappropriate.
Given reactionary views on women holding positions of authority in clans, it
could even be regarded as insulting to the female members of alliance council.”
    Her right
forefinger twirled in the circular gesture that meant the same thing on every
Betan world. The discussion was over. Arden’s expression was that of a man who
knew he’d just made a big mistake.
    “Let it be
formally recorded that the Eastreth clan refuse to withdraw their demand for
the expulsion of Lolek’s clan,” said Marissa Breck Thane. “Both clans have
agreed to submit this entire issue to the judgement of alliance council rather
than involve outside officials.”
    That didn’t
surprise me. The Eastreth clan would find a police investigation embarrassing,
because they were highly respectable. My clan would find a