`` it 'd be a shame if something happened to these nice people . '' then the reply , four hundred twenty-six . he 'd been a founding member of the council , but his death had come shortly after its creation . in a situation like this , he normally would n't hesitate to take a girl 's hand , but he could n't bring himself to try it with her . a ghost of a smile tugged at her lips . dan gave her a smile but replied that he felt better not having been the one that started her . 