"The practice is called suttee," Smoke said. I looked at him. He stood straight up and wore a slimy grin. "When a man dies his wife joins him on his ghat. If he dies away from home she joins him in death when she learns of it."

Oh? "Those women are building pyres where they can commit suicide if their husbands have been killed?"

"Yes."

"A damnfool thing to do."

Smoke's smile grew. "It's a custom as old as Taglios. With the force of law."

I didn't like the way he was getting happy. He thought he had a tool to use against me.

"A waste. Who takes care of the children? Never mind. I don't care." The concept was so alien I discounted it. I'm not sure I even believed him.

The Radisha said, "The custom is revered by everyone, even those who aren't Gunni."

"There are crazies everywhere. It's a hideous practice. It should be abolished. But I'm not here to change any social sillinesses. We're at war. We've suffered a setback. A lot of our men are trapped in Dejagore. It's not likely we can save them. More are in flight. We can save some of those. And we have to raise new levies so we can cling to what we've gained."

Swan said, "Sweetie, you're missing the point."

"I got the point, Swan. It's irrelevant." The Radisha said, "You're a woman. You have no friends. Every man of any substance in every priesthood is going to make a point of your relationship with your Captain. A large point of your failure to commit suttee. That will weigh heavily with a large portion of the population."

"It may be the custom. It's an idiot custom and I'll bet it's not universal. I shan't dignify the suggestion-unless I decide that for bringing it up the suggester will be delivered to his suggestion." Smoke's grin faded.

His eyes narrowed and clouded. His jaw dropped for a second. He was staring at my hand. I realized I'd picked up Narayan's tic, was fingering the bit of yellow cloth peeping from my waist. Smoke's color turned ghastly. I said, "Radisha, ask these two about my background." I indicated Swan and Mather. They'd emigrated from my empire while I was at the pinnacle of my power. "Some of the Company have fallen but our contract remains in force. I intend to execute the undertaking."