"Very well, sir. New windows and everything shining, sir."
"Good man. You're dismissed."
"Yes, sir!" Jeeves turned and walked out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
His Child.
One morning Hirohira got on a taxi carriage and told the driver to drop him off at the Buddhist/Shinto shrine. He was surprised to see more Indios people here today than before. He had learned from the Red Badger brothers that many were Ojibway. It seemed an old Nichiren Buddhist priest had gone among the Ojibway people and preached to them the teachings of Lord Buddha and Nichiren chanting. It seemed to have caught on with the Ojibway people.
Paul Red Badger approached. "You look well today, Hirohira-san."
"I feel amazing, Paul-san," Hirohira said. "Your grandfather and you save my life. I'm in your debt."
"Thank you, Hirohira-san." Paul gestured to a woman with a prepubescent girl beside her. "This is my wife, Anna Red Badger and our daughter Talia."
Hirohira politely greeted them.
"Our son Ian is out fishing with his uncle," Anna said. "Or he would be here too."
"Ian always has fish on his mind," Talia said.
Hirohira laughed, as did her parents.
"Hirohira-san!"
Hirohira looked for the shouter and saw Sheiko walking up to him with a girl by her side.
Hiroko! That's Hiroko, my daughter!
"Hello, Sheiko-san," Hirohira said.
"I was told that you were better. But I barely believed it!"
Much to his surprise, Sheiko hugged Hirohira and then hugged Paul and Anna. She also gave little Talia a peck on the cheek. Talia blushed and ran behind her mom. Sheiko looked back at Hiroko who had been hiding much like Talia.
"This is my daughter and apprentice Izumo Hiroko," Sheiko said.
"Hello, Hiroko-chan," Hirohira said.
"Hello, Hirohira-san," Hiroko said.
The Red Badger family greeted her too but had to go. They said their goodbyes. Hirohira found himself alone with them. Sheiko told Hiroko to go play with the other children near the temple, thus leaving them alone.
"Did you come to pray?" Sheiko asked.
"I don't know why I came," Hirohira said. "Maybe to pray, maybe to see you, maybe...I don't know."
"You've been through a great ordeal, Hirohira."
He noticed she didn’t use a title or honorary suffix as before. "We also need to talk about us and our daughter."
"You gave her my surname and not yours?" Hirohira said.
"Do you object?" Sheiko asked.
"No."
I should have stayed away from Seraphine after Sheiko had showed up, Hirohira thought. I spent the night with her again last night. Maybe I don't deserve to be saved from castration, even if it only would have been one and not both.
"Maybe you should speak with Priest Nakamura," Skeiko said. "You could ask for a ritual cleansing that could help focus your mind."
"Yes." Hirohira looked deeply into her eyes like he had done many times long ago in Okinawa.
When was the last time we made love? It was before I told you that I had accepted the assignment in Hawaii that separated us for so long. I remember you crying on my shoulder as you fell asleep. Maybe I shouldn't have left, but I had orders. I couldn't have disobeyed them. Could I?
Hirohira wanted so much to speak those thoughts out loud to her, but instead he kissed her lips. Hirohira felt Sheiko put her arms around his waist as they kissed and he pulled her closer. They held each other for a long kiss that had been held in for too long. Afterwards, Sheiko took him by the hand and led him away from the temple and the worshipers to the forests, far from everyone else. Sheiko boldly unbuckled his gun belt; he unwound her obi sash. He kissed her ear and she kissed his neck. Clothes and more were tugged on and untied. He kissed her belly and his hands ran up her hips. He kissed his way down to the mound of hair where her manko hid. She ran her fingers through his undone hair as he moved between her thighs to please her with his lips, tongue and his very heart. She moaned loud enough to attract wolves, deer and the spirit of the forest. Hirohira’s heart pounded in his throat as he entered her. He came alive from within as if he was a part of her and the forest around them.
"You were never like that before, Hii-chan," Sheiko said. She giggled.
"I've never felt this way before, Shei-chan! I love you! I love you!"
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Meeting the Jameses.
Momiji was blindfolded, gagged, and brought outside. She didn't know where she was, but she felt the sun shining down on her. She listened closely to what was going on. Seraphine said goodbye to the Confederate spies who had her in their custody. The actor Booth seemed to have gone too. Thus, she was in the custody of Jesse James and Belle Starr. She recognized the smells and sounds of an airport: grease, smoke, and burning coals and oils, along with the sounds of roaring, puttering, or dying engines. People shouting and screaming. She could have been passing right by the airship Kaede and wouldn't even know it.
"Up the steps, miss."
Momiji thought it was Jesse who had spoken to her. She found steps with her feet and went up. At the top she was lightly pushed through some sort of doorway or hatch. Clank! Squeak! Clank! Tink! Momiji heard strange noises around her that she assumed was the workings of the airship.
The blindfold was pulled off and she could see again. They were inside what looked like the control car of an airship that was much smaller than the Kaede.
"Welcome aboard the Confederate States of America's top secret airship," Bell Starr said. "Oh, she's not as big and powerful as that giant of yours. But she is fast."
"Yup," Jesse said. "Though cramped as fucking hell!"
"Jesse James! Do I have to shoot your ear off?" Bell said. "Now, apologize to us ladies."
"I'm sorry ladies for my French," Jesse said, sheepishly.
"That's better. Are we ready to go?"
"The airport official gave permission to leave our dock," Jesse said. "We just need to start up these engines and tell the work chief to unhook our guy-wires."
"Wonderful, Jesse. Soon we'll be back in Dixie, or at least the new northern part of our country."
In the meantime, Momiji was tied to one of four chairs, while Jesse sat up front to pilot the airship. Belle sat behind him beside Momiji. Within minutes, the engines started and the airship was released from the docks. Momiji saw through the forward windows that they had taken off. She felt a jolt as powerful jet engines came on blasting them through the sky.
"Are you okay, Doctor Sakusa?" Belle said. "I should have warned you about those jet engines. They are pretty powerful. Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to take your gag off. There! Is that better?"
"Yes, Mrs. Starr, it is." Momiji rotated her jaw a little, but she was mostly fine. "So are you planning on torturing me when we get there, or do have some sort expert for that?"
"My goodness, call me Belle. I hope we don't have to bring any torture into the situation. Especially being that our two nations are not at war or anything. We just would like you to meet Jesse's brother, General Frank James and his charming wife Ashton."
Momiji didn't at all trust Belle's word, but wasn't sure she had any other recourse. Bell seemed very much the southern lady, who was married to a wealthy Cherokee plantation owner named Sam Starr.
"Maybe after you meet the James family, I might introduce you to my dear husband, and give a tour of our wonderful plantation. He's a member of the Cherokee nation. They're one of the more civilized Indians of North America--not like those dreadful Nez Perce that you Japanese seemed to have befriended. They're not very trustworthy, Momiji. If I may use your name?"
"Well, that's odd, Belle. The Nez Perce say the same thing about you Confederates. You may call me Momiji."
"Very kind of you, Momiji. It is sad about them. We just wish them to be civilized. Some can be very barbaric, much like the Moducs that you had a serious problem with a while back."
"That was our seco
nd war with the Moducs, Belle. The Nez Perce once again helped put a stop to them, though it is odd that they seemed to think Confederates were supplying the Moducs with guns and munitions."
"Really, Mojiji? Just because a few of my less honorable fellow Confederates sold such things to the Moduc doesn't mean our government had anything to do with it."
"Oh, of course, Belle. I'm sure that's true."
Eventually the Confederate secret airship returned to the James' home in Fort Michigan. General Frank James and Ashton were waiting for them outside. Several of their African slave men tied the mooring lines to heavy iron spikes in the ground.
"Belle! James! How are you two?" Frank shouted. "You seem to have brought a friend with you."
"Hi, Frank!" Jesse laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "This charming lady is none other than Miss Sakusa Momiji of the Sakusa Ranch near Santa Barbara, California."
"Doctor Sakusa," Belle said, "is a respected woman scientist and inventor, much like our Ashton. Only she works for the Imperial Union's new intelligence agency."
"Charming indeed," Frank said.
"Greetings, General James." Momiji bowed politely. "It seems like I'm your prisoner, though I've been told I'm not."
"Life can be like that, Miss Sakusa," Frank said.
"You two didn't damage my ship, did you?" Ashton said.
"Don't worry, dear," Belle said. "We were never fired upon, and Jesse never once ran into a tree."
"What?" Jesse held his hand over his heart, pretending to be offended.
"He'd better not have." Ashton seriously gave the airship a quick look over before turning to Momiji. "I've read some of your papers on aerodynamics and possible forms of propulsion. Very impressive. Do think tha--"
"Now, Ashton," Frank said. "The ladies just got here. I'm sure they are very tired."
"Oh yes," Ashton said. "That was rude of me. I can be a little absentminded when I'm focused on something."
"I understand, Mrs. James," Momiji said. "I've done the same from time to time."
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Confessions of Love.
Wendy finished her watch and crawled into her small bed in the women's officer's quarters. Work helped keep her mind off things, but as she stared up at the ceiling she thought about Momiji. She turned and cried quietly into her pillow so the others wouldn't hear.
"Wendy? Wendy?" whispered Lieutenant Elisabeth Stone.
Wendy wiped her eyes before she turned to face her friend.
"You okay?" Elisa whispered. "What did those bastards do to you?"
"Th-they used me, Elisa," Wendy whispered. "But I also feel horrible about Mo-Doctor Sakusa being kidnapped. It's all my fault."
"It is not your fault. You shouldn't put that on your shoulders to bear. You were kidnapped yourself, remember? You had no options."
"I just keep thinking of what I should have done. It’s all my fault."
"That attitude is not going to help anyone, Wendy. You're an officer of her majesties Elizabeth II and Noriko, and you should act like it."
"I think I love her."
"What?" Elisa whispered. "Who?"
"Momiji." Wendy was shocked by her own honesty. "I love her not as a sister, but like a woman would love a man."
"Oh," Elisa whispered.
"Hate me?"
"Kid, if I did then I would be a hypocrite." Wendy gave a quiet laugh at Elisa's words. "Considering the many times that I've been accused of being tribid for wanting to be an officer in the air navy."
Wendy smiled. "Thanks."
"Feeling better?" Elisa whispered.
"A little bit."
"Good. Now get to sleep before our roommates strangle us for keeping them awake."
"Goodnight, Elisa."
"Goodnight, Wendy."
#
Hirohira kissed and nibbled the back of Sheiko's neck as he made love to her from behind. Her hands were flat against the wall of her room as she pushed back at him. Their sweat and scent of sex filled the small room. Most likely others nearby heard what they were doing, but none openly complained to anyone around the temple.
Their bodies moved in sync without much effort on their part. It was as if they were one and the same person. Each movement seemed perfect, without wasted effort, and each move had its proper purpose as if divinely inspired. It was as if the kami of the temple had come down and taken possession of their bodies to push them over the edge of human abilities and endurance.
Hirohira’s heart exploded as he finally heard Sheiko's orgasmic scream. He realized that his own cry had joined hers. They lay together in their sweet smelling musk as their hands and lips still slowly explored each other's bodies.
"Do you think anyone suspects?" Sheiko said.
"That we're fucking in here?" Hirohira nibbled at a nipple. "Possibly."
"Mmmmmmm. I don't care."
"Neither do I."
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Old School and New School Spying.
The next morning Hirohira left the temple and Sheiko behind, though she was still in his thoughts. But another woman was there too, and as he journeyed back to his room at the hotel Custer's Hope, he thought about Seraphine. He needed to tell her it was over between them. As he was turning the corner from one street to another he rehearsed what he wanted to say so as not to hurt her feelings.
He almost missed seeing her coming out of a ladies' hat shop. He quietly cursed himself; his old shinobi sensei wouldn't have approved of his absentmindedness. He was about to shout to her when a Chinese boy with a shoulder length braid raced up to her. She spoke to the boy and then followed him.
Hirohira's instincts told him to follow them with the stealth of his training. He remained at a distance. At one point, he passed some old clothes on a line, stole an old western woman's straw hat, and wrapped a blanket around him. He stuck his sandals in his jacket. With his red Japanese topknot and clothes hidden, he continued after them pretending to move like an elderly Indios person. This was the secret of shinobi invisibility and not make-believe magic.
Hirohira trailed them to a small noodle shop in Chinatown. The two went inside. He remained outside peering into the window. The shopkeeper waved them to the back of the shop where they disappeared. Hirohira quickly realized that there were people around acting as lookouts for police, and too-curious people. He wandered along and found a place to hide…to wait for Seraphine to come outside. He crouched in a dark corner in the dirt and pretended to sleep. It was a few minutes past noon. A few hours passed; he focused on his breathing and ignored that he was hungry.
Many hours passed and the sun began her journey downward. Most people would feel nervous and frightened as the darkness came, but Hirohira's shinobi training had taught him to welcome the dark as a safe place to hide from danger.
A white woman walked out of the shop alone with a lighted oil lamp in-hand and a closed umbrella in the other.
Seraphine? That must be her. I wonder what she's been up to. I wish I could get closer, but I don't want her to know I've been sneaking after her.
Hirohira tried to beat his brain to figure out how to get closer when she stopped, crossed the street and turned into a dark alley. She set her umbrella and lamp down to pull something else from her purse. As she looked intently at it the object lit up in a way that reminded him of something, but he couldn't recall what.
I shouldn't do this. But I need to get closer.
Hirohira did a quick cartwheel from one side of the street to the other and squatted, hoping he hadn't been seen. He peered into the alley to see Seraphine looking at a device somewhat similar to the MAMs they had on Kaede. Where did she get that?
Hirohira couldn't see the screen, but someone was speaking in a weird language. Seraphine spoke back in that strange language. He ran the language over in his mind trying to remember if he recognized any of it. Eventually, though he wasn't sure, he thought it was some form of Martian language.
Is she working for the Martians? Of
course, the French had a peace treaty and trade agreement with them, so it shouldn't surprise me too much. But dammit!
As Hirohira wrestled with those thoughts, he forgot to stay hidden. Seraphine turned off the device and suddenly noticed him. "Who's there?" She stepped out of the alley with a revolver in her hand.
Hirohira pulled out an eggshell full of a special mixture of pepper and other ingredients. He cracked the paper seal that covered the hole and flung the stuff in her eyes. He rolled away and ran from Chinatown and Seraphine, leaving her to scream and wipe her eyes.
Hirohira walked back to his hotel room and lay in the bed to think of everything he had just seen. He wondered what to do about it.
Has she been milking me for information all this time? Hirohira struck the bed with the side of his fist. Of course she has, you idiot! Dammit! I need to tell the captain, or the commander, about this and see if we can do something about it.
Hirohira sighed and left the hotel to hail a carriage cab to the airport.
At the Kaede he saw a lot of activity going on. The marine guards by the door to airship had been doubled. He was permitted in and turned toward the first petty officer that he saw: a man named Jeeves who saluted and bowed to Hirohira. Hirohira returned them. "What's going on?"
"Commander Matsuo and others just returned with prisoners, sir," Jeeves said. "The kidnappers."
"That's wonderful!"
"Doctor Sakusa wasn't with them. I don't why. Sorry, Lieutenant Izumo."
"Thanks anyway, PO Jeeves. Carry on."
"Sir!"
Hirohira walked throughout the Kaede and found the captain and the commander were very busy with the prisoners. Eventually, he located Ensign Montgomery and talked to her about Seraphine.
"That sounds pretty big, sir. I'm about to get a late supper at the officer's mess hall. How about you, sir?"
"Yes," Hirohira said. "I haven't eaten since breakfast."
They sat at a table to eat.
"Do you think Seraphine had something to do with all the kidnapping?" Wendy said.
The Mighty Airship Kaede. (The Mighty Airships of Earth. Book 1) Page 12
