Ulan visits a headstone, is threatened by blinkers

Ulan took a dirigible to the Independent Republic the next day.

While she was settling in her private cabin, uRsula appeared in one of the chairs. “Where are you off to, now?”

“The Patriarch has died,” Ulan said. “That only leaves two people on the cleared list for Becca's headstone.”

“You should leave that to Huri Cemal,” uRsula said. “It's her mother.”

Ulan leaned back in her seat and looked out the portal. “I was put on the list for reason. With things as they are now, I have to make sure that there will be a proper line of succession. We don't know what Huri will do.”

“If there's any threat, we sgian dubh,” uRsula hissed. “You know the drill. We're not taking any chances. The Dana said.”

“I'm aware of Dana's concerns,” Ulan said, and delicately fingered the blinker-belt activation button in her left palm. “She does not need to be concerned. I have more at stake than she does. You and your sisters are protected by the Shipping Authority.”

uRsula frowned. “It not just sisters. We have more at stake than you could understand.”

Ulan smiled and nodded.

( I suppose they do, considering. Now, what was that about a headstone? )