Earth Flight (22 page)

‘No,’ said my cousin, Caius. ‘The glass is one way. It looks just like the wall from the other side.’

The front two rows of seats down in the hall were empty, presumably reserved for those actually taking part in the ceremony, but the rest were filled with people. Fian’s mother was easy to spot because of the shiny clothes that were fashionable in Delta sector. Candace was sitting next to her.

‘You could sit down.’ Caius gestured at where Drago and Jaxon were sitting.

I shook my head. I was far too tense to sit still, so I paced round the room, watching several Military officers working at the banks of equipment that controlled the security system, vid bees, lighting and sound in the hall below.

‘Shouldn’t we be starting?’ I asked.

‘We’re about to open the live link for the newzies.’ Drago nodded at the glass wall. ‘The lights are already dimming.’

I realized he was right. The lights in this room were staying at full brightness, but the hall below was gradually getting darker.

‘Opening live link now,’ said one of the Military officers. ‘We have three Beta sector newzie channels connecting. Make that five, ten … Military links to Kappa and Zeta are open. Alpha channels joining now. Delta. Gamma. Here comes Epsilon. We’ve over a hundred channels open already and more still joining. You’ve got one of the biggest live audiences in history for this.’

Great, I thought. No pressure, no pressure at all!

Drago tapped the side of his face, and I heard his voice through the jewelled pins in my hair. ‘All right, everyone. Other sectors have been getting their ideas of us from the gutter sex vids for far too long. Let’s show them the real Beta sector. Let’s show them Fidelis!’

Those words ended on an inspiring note, then there was a short pause before he continued in a more business-like voice. ‘Music cue clan in three, two, one. Now!’

I heard the sound of drumbeats in the ominous rhythm that was the start of the Thetis March. I should have guessed the clan of Tellon Blaze would use that music. I moved closer to the window, and looked down at the almost total blackness in the hall.

‘Positions for entry of the clan,’ said Drago. ‘Torches in three, two, one. Now!’

There was a dramatic flash of light by the entrance to the hall. Flaming torches hovered in midair around a column of perhaps thirty men and women wearing togas. The first two held the poles of banners that fluttered out in a non-existent wind. The banners of Beta sector and of the Tell clan.

The music grew louder as the column of people moved slowly down the central aisle, and climbed the steps to the platform. They formed into a semi-circle facing the audience, with the flaming torches around them and a banner at each side. Drago’s father, Dragon Tell Dramis, was in the centre, a step or two ahead of the others. The Thetis March reached a dramatic peak and then there was sudden silence.

‘The Tell clan welcomes the clans of the Military alliance,’ said Dragon Tell Dramis.

‘Music cue alliance,’ said Drago. ‘Clans enter in three, two, one. Now!’

This time the music was the hymn of humanity, and there were no flaming torches, just spotlights on groups of figures, each led by someone carrying their clan banner.

‘The Ray clan,’ said Dragon Tell Dramis. ‘The Tar clan. The …’

I glanced at the wall vids and saw they were showing close-ups of the banners. If I hadn’t been a mass of nerves, I would have been fascinated by their history.

Dragon Tell Dramis ended the roll call of the Military clans. Their members placed the banners in holders along the wall at the left side of the platform, forming a vibrant mass of colours, and went to sit down in the reserved seats.

‘The Tell clan welcomes the fifty banners of Beta sector,’ said Dragon Tell Dramis.

‘Music cue Beta sector,’ said Drago. ‘The Fifty enter in three, two, one. Now!’

The music changed to the Beta sector anthem, and a line of fifty elderly men and women entered, all dressed in identical white togas trimmed with imperial purple. They carried their banners down the aisle in solemn procession, then placed them at the right side of the platform and sat down in the front row of seats.

‘If anyone hasn’t heard the news yet,’ said Drago, ‘we’ve some unexpected guests. Try not to look too shocked, because the Beta sector newzies will be replaying this moment for days.’

‘The Tell clan welcomes the August clan,’ said Dragon Tell Dramis.

I could see heads turning in the audience below, some people even standing up to get a better view of the man carrying the August clan banner, and the young woman beside him with the baby in her arms. I had to admire the way the man and woman appeared calmly unaware of everyone staring at them.

Drago tapped me on the shoulder, and pointed a finger at the portal in the corner of the room. I gulped. There would be some more clans of the August alliance, and then me!

Jaxon joined me at the portal, and we stepped through into a dimly lit room. A young man in a toga began rapidly gabbling instructions.

‘You go through the door opposite, and stand in the centre aisle. Nobody will see you in the darkness. When the torches either side of you come on, you start moving towards the platform. Don’t touch the torches, they’re being controlled remotely.’

We went through the door into blackness, and Jaxon startled me by speaking in a harsh, emotional voice.

‘I’m sorry. I was a selfish kid back then. I threw tantrums about how moving to Earth would affect my schooling, my future career, my … It was all about me. I never stopped to think about you.’

I didn’t know what to say, and there wasn’t time to say anything anyway because Drago’s voice was giving us instructions again. ‘We’re back on script now. Music cue Thetis march. Jarra, Jaxon, you’re on in three, two, one. Now!’

Torches flared either side of us, and I saw vid bees skulking around in the shadows sending images out to the newzies. We paced slowly past the rows of seats packed with people, reached the platform, and stood facing Dragon Tell Dramis.

‘Who comes to the clan?’ he asked.

‘Jaxon Tellonus Galad, son of Marack Tellonus Galad, son of Jarra Tellona Morrath of the line of Tellon Blaze,’ said Jaxon.

‘Why do you come to the clan?’ asked Dragon Tell Dramis.

‘I come to present my youngest sister to the knowledge and kindred of the clan of her birth,’ said Jaxon. ‘Let it be heard …’

There was a pause, a long pause, and then Drago’s voice spoke in my ear. ‘Let it be heard in the halls.’ He waited before speaking again in an urgent, pleading voice. ‘Come on, Jaxon. This is no time for one of your guilt trips. You were no more to blame than all the rest of us. The clan broke faith with one of its own, the clan shares the shame, but we’re making things right for Jarra now.’

I glanced sideways at Jaxon, and saw the years of pain in his face. I hadn’t realized … I’d had to live with the fact I’d been abandoned at birth, but my clan had had to live with the fact they’d abandoned me.

I’d been gradually learning about Fidelis, and what it meant to Betans. My clan had broken Fidelis when they handed over one of their children to Hospital Earth. Other clans might be able to cope with the guilt and dishonour of that, but it was much harder for the proud descendants of the legendary hero Tellon Blaze. That was why they’d defied all the opposition to hold this ceremony. That was why they’d decided to have vid bees sending coverage out to the newzies. That was why they’d invited the banners of Beta sector as witnesses.

This ceremony wasn’t just about giving me the family I’d never had, or about gaining sympathy for the Handicapped so the Military could find us new worlds. It was also about restoring the honour of my clan.

Jaxon was still mutely standing there. Nothing Drago could say would get through to him. Only I could do this.

I took my brother’s hand. ‘It’s time to forget the past and concentrate on the future. We’re making this right for all of us.’

‘Let it be heard in the halls,’ Drago’s voice prompted again.

‘Let it be heard in the halls.’ Jaxon’s voice was shaking and there were random pauses between his words. ‘I present the noble born Jarra Tellona Feren, daughter to Gemena Raya Feren and Marack Tellonus Galad, who was son of Jarra Tellona Morrath of the line of Tellon Blaze.’

The blur of names confused me for a moment. Tellona and Tellonus were the full female and male versions of our clan prefix, that a Military clan would only use on formal occasions, but why the surname Feren? Had Jaxon messed up or …

No, he was right. That would have been my original birth name by Betan naming conventions. I belonged to the Tell clan because it was higher ranked than the Ray clan, but a female child took her mother’s surname.

Jaxon had his voice back under control now. ‘Let it be heard in the halls that the noble born Jarra Tellona Feren is Honour Child to the noble born Jarra Tellona Morrath and in custom bears her name.’

Dragon Tell Dramis spoke now, with a hint of relief in his voice. ‘Let it be heard in the halls that the Tell clan acknowledges the noble born Jarra Tellona Morrath and welcomes her to the kindred of her clan.’

A flurry of drumbeats followed his words, and a woman stepped forward to put a toga round my shoulders and tug its folds into place. Someone else was putting a delicate wreath of green laurel leaves on my head, carefully adjusting its position.

I was part of the clan of my birth now. I had a family, and Lolia and Lolmack would be celebrating back at the dig site dome. One of the Handicapped had been welcomed into a clan of the
gentes maiores
of Beta sector. That meant their daughter, and all the children like her, would have the chance of a family too.

20

I became aware of a tugging at my arm, and Drago’s voice speaking in my ear. ‘Jarra, wake up! Turn to face the audience. Face the Fifty.’

Jaxon’s hand tugged at my arm again, and we both turned to face the audience. The Fifty, in their white and purple togas, were standing in front of us.

‘Let it be heard in the halls that this is the noble born Jarra Tellona Morrath of the clan of Tellon Blaze,’ said Dragon Tell Dramis.

Drumbeats sounded.

‘Let it be heard in the halls that this is the noble born Jarra Tellona Morrath of the clan of Tellon Blaze,’ he repeated.

Drumbeats sounded again.

He said the same words a third time, and I remembered Drago telling me about his marriage to Marlise. You said things three times to bind them under clan law.

‘I’ll count you down, and then you both bow to the Fifty,’ said Drago. ‘Three, two, one. Bow!’

We bowed, and the men and women of the Fifty bowed formally in return. Drumbeats sounded a final time, and the Fifty sat down again.

‘Now turn and join the clan,’ said Drago.

I saw the gap in the ranks where Jaxon and I were to stand, went to my place, and people came to hug me and murmured words in my ear. I was lost in a nardle haze of emotion, but then Dragon Tell Dramis came to hug me, and being hugged by a General shocked me back to sanity.

The clan formed their semi-circle again, and the anthem of Delta sector, with all the fancy rippling notes, started playing. I hadn’t heard Drago giving a music cue, so presumably he’d taken me out of the comms circuit. A spotlight focused on a lone figure walking down the centre aisle.

Fian looked perfectly calm and composed, his long blond hair reflecting the light, and his simple tunic and leggings a stark contrast to the ornate togas of the clan. I’d been scared stiff when all I had to do was stand silently at Jaxon’s side, but Fian would have to do his own talking. He wasn’t even doing this for himself; he was doing it for me. He was totally zan!

He reached the platform and glanced towards me. I had a breathless moment as I saw him smile before he faced forward again. A woman was in the centre of the clan semi-circle now.

‘Who comes to the clan?’ she asked.

‘I am Fian Andrej Eklund.’

‘What is your clan?’

‘I have no clan,’ said Fian. ‘I am of Hercules in Delta sector.’

‘What do you beg of us, outlander?’ She said the last word in a harsh, unwelcoming voice.

‘I beg from no one,’ said Fian.

‘What do you gift us, outlander?’

‘I bring no gift.’

‘What service do you pledge us, outlander?’ This was the third time she’d used the word ‘outlander’, and the way she said it made it clear it was an insult.

‘I serve no one,’ said Fian.

‘If you neither beg, nor gift, nor pledge service, then you trespass among us, outlander!’

The woman’s arm swept up. I heard myself gasp as I saw she held a sword levelled at Fian’s throat. In different circumstances, I’d have been wondering if it was genuinely ancient or a reproduction, but right now I was only worried about how sharp it was.

‘I do not trespass among you,’ said Fian. ‘I was summoned as Paul was summoned by Kairos.’

The woman kept the sword aimed at his throat. ‘Who summoned the outlander?’

Drago’s father stepped forward to stand on Fian’s right. ‘I am Dragon Tellonus Dramis and I summoned him. A daughter of our house was lost, as Helena was lost, and he stood with her as Paul stood with Helena.’

‘You would offer welcome to an outlander?’ asked the woman.

‘This is no outlander,’ said Dragon Tell Dramis. ‘This is my son under Fidelis and I challenge for him.’

‘This is no outlander.’ Jaxon moved to stand on Fian’s left. ‘This is my brother under Fidelis and I challenge for him.’

‘Who stands against?’ asked the woman. There was a long silence, and she repeated the question. ‘Who stands against?’ Another wait, and she repeated it again. ‘Who stands against?’

‘None stand against him but you,’ said Dragon Tell Dramis.

The woman finally lowered her sword. ‘Then I accept the precedent of Paul summoned by Kairos, and do not stand against him.’

There were drumbeats again. This time I saw where the sound was coming from. A man at the side of the platform was playing a genuine drum, hanging in a harness from his shoulder like something from far back in the days of pre-history, but I couldn’t spare more than a single glance for him. Fian was being wrapped in a toga, and crowned with a green laurel wreath. He turned to face the audience, and Dragon Tell Dramis stood next to him.