Sister of the Sun by Clare; Coleman Page B

that his guards saw nothing. Where had they been looking?  
    To her left sat an elder from her own Ahiku Clan. Rongo Clan's people came next, providing a slight buffer between Ahiku and its longtime rival, Varoa Clan. Rongo's chief was beardless as a boy and fat as an overfed Tahitian, Tepua thought. He had come here despite the fact that he did not acknowledge her leadership.  
    Beside him sat Cone-shell, Varoa's chief, and close kin to Natunatu. Cone-shell, who had long ago taken on the role of Umia's protector, also refused to acknowledge Tepua's authority. Yet he was here, and made an impressive sight. He was heavily built, a man of solid strength, though aging. Beneath his thick black brows glittered eyes that missed nothing. He wore a string of dolphin teeth braided into his short, dark beard, and another string around his neck.  
    Among the others, Tepua thought that only Heka of Piho Clan might be counted as her ally. She felt out of place here. It was Kohekapu who should be sitting regally on this seat, she thought, his calm but powerful gaze keeping order.  
    Varoa's chief eyed Tepua with unconcealed distaste as he spoke. "We of Varoa do not accept Tepua-mua's claim that the foreign vaka and its spoils fall under her control." He leaned forward as he spoke, making the teeth in his necklace rattle against each other.  
    "Varoa is forgetting the traditional right of the high chief," Tepua answered.
    Cone-shell glowered at her. "Traditional right! This daughter of Ahiku Clan dares to invoke such tradition when everyone knows that she is but a pretender. If the rightful heir of Kohekapu were on that seat—"  
    "He would still need his mother to wipe his nose," interposed Heka, evoking a few laughs from the others. "Cone-shell," she added, "will you stop dragging that stinking fish around the beach? Regardless of what may come later, Tepua rules us now. And it was to her clan's shores that the foreign vessel came."  
    "Respected Heka," growled Cone-shell. "You have not seen Umia lately or you would be choking on your jest. It is only because of your ignorance that I let the insult pass." He gave another fierce rattle of his necklace. "As for the right we dispute, let me remind you that the foreign vaka was not wrecked on the reef. It was captured by your brother Paruru and brought into the lagoon. If any clan has rights to the spoils, it is your own."  
    "The kaito-nui can have no loyalty to any clan," Tepua objected, feeling an edge creep into her voice. "Paruru was serving his high chief. He renounces any claim Piho Clan may have. Is that not so?"  
    "It is, ariki ," Paruru replied, but Tepua sensed his reluctance. And why not? From what she had seen, the vaka and its contents were a great prize.  
    She turned to the circle of faces before her. "Paruru acted for the benefit of us all, not just for one clan. It is my duty to say what will happen now."  
    "I know what your decision must be," said Cone-shell. "To share the goods among the chiefs."
    At this a hubbub rose, but Tepua quelled it with a sharp gesture. "These foreigners are now my guests," she said. "We do not take the belongings of a guest. And even if the outsiders offer us gifts, I am not ready to accept them."  
    "And why is that?" Cone-shell demanded.
    "Think of the dangers! Ask yourself what we know of these foreign things! Perhaps they are offensive to the gods, or have been tainted by evil spirits. Would you endanger your people because of greed?"  
    This touched off another round of furious discussion, which Tepua again had to silence.
    "The priest has conducted purification rituals," said Cone-shell.
    "But how do you know that his power is strong enough to cleanse an unknown evil?" asked Heka. "I support Tepua's caution." The arguments raged back and forth until one of Faka-ora's assistants appeared and asked to speak. His master, he said, had completed his examination of the strangers' goods. He was ready to