"We would need some way to distract them if we hope to get into that plantation," Commander Matsuo said.
"That we have, madam-I mean Commander," Major Dodger tapped on another part of the map. "Here is a fort we controlled last year, Fort Detroit on the Detroit River. Since we lost that, we have been pretty much hiding or running for our lives. We also had regular trade with the western Indians—mainly Crow, Hidatsu, and Pawnee, sometimes even the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne too. They liked trading with us, so we could count on their warriors to help us fight the Confederates from time to time. Now we haven't much to trade."
"So, no help from them," Commander Matsuo said.
"Not that they have any love for the Confederacy," Colonel Custer said. "The Confederate settlers are moving west into Indian lands now and some fools have found gold in Sioux mountains where they bury their dead. The Sioux rightfully fear another gold rush like happened in California and the Oregon territories."
"Yes, I can imagine that," Captain Parsons said. "But returning to your fort problem. You want my airship to take your fort back. Correct?"
"Yes, Captain Parsons. That's exactly what I want and need. Without it there is no United States of America."
"I see.”
"This will cause a distraction whereby General James might leave his plantation to lead troops against us," Major Dodger said. "Once he leaves, your Major Cooper can lead another group of marines and soldiers against the plantation to free Doctor Sakura and maybe sabotage the plantation."
"I suspect you have been planning this operation for some time, Colonel Custer," Captain Parsons said.
"Yes, Captain Parsons."
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
The Italian Nun.
After a light breakfast in her room, an old slave named Teddy escorted Momiji to a spot in the backyard where the nun and Ashton awaited. On her left, a line of oak trees ran from the side of the house to a pasture. On the right was a border of pine trees. Within the pasture a herd of horses, donkeys and a few mules grazed.
Ashton and the nun were dressed in western fencing uniforms. Each held an unusually long foil. Their stances were different from the side-facing style Ellie Jackson and other western fencers use. Teddy gestured to one of four chairs by a table and a slave girl curtsied to her. Momiji sat and watched the practice match. The slave girl stood by another table that held pitchers of drink and snacks on plates and trays.
"Does Miss want any refreshments?" the slave girl said.
"Tea would be nice."
"Cold or warm?" she asked.
"Warm," Momiji said and was soon handed a cup.
The nun was obviously the better of the two and that didn't take Momiji long to see. The nun had more experience and a killer instinct that Ashton didn't have. Momiji recognized it in the nun as she had seen it in Ellie Jackson and herself. The nun dodged a thrust by Ashton. Without adjusting her stance, she poked Ashton's inner thigh. Ashton foolishly relaxed and sighed. And like any good teacher Sister Annunziata-Maria stepped up and turned on the ball of her left foot to deliver a slap on the rear with the long metal blade.
"Ouch!"
Sister Annunziata removed her fencing mask. "Never give up because in a real duel your life and honor are on the line. Even if your opponent stabs a killing blow, don't just lie and wait for your death, but strike!"
Ashton removed her mask. "I'm sorry, Sister Annunziata. I won't do it again."
"Good. Oh look. Miss Momiji has joined us."
"Momiji!" Ashton said. "How wonderful you're here. Are you familiar with western fencing, or just your Japanese version?"
"I am more skilled in Kendo, which is our version of fencing," Momiji said. "I have learned a little western fencing, mainly the saber, but I thought your foils were shorter."
"Those represent court swords or small swords," Sister Annunziata said with distaste. "These are the longer and older sword called the rapier. They make bigger holes. Sadly these days few people want to learn how to use them, so the very few surviving rapier masters can only be found among monks and nuns, even in Italy."
"I'm sorry," Momiji said.
"Yes. I actually learned the small sword with my brother Michael when I was eleven. I've found the sister's version much more impressive. Though I fear I will never master it." Ashton laid her foil and mask in a case and was handed a towel by a slave girl. The nun smiled and laid her equipment in another case.
"You just need more practice, Ashton," Sister Annunziata said as the slave girl handed her a towel.
"You're too kind, Sister Annunziata." Ashton sat in a chair. "Oh, lemonade, Tilly,"
"Yes, Mrs. James," the slave girl said.
"I'll have some warm tea." Sister Annunziata waited for her cup of tea before sitting down.
"I've heard that Ellie Jackson-she's a colonel," Ashton said. "Her daddy is the president of the Confederate States of America and used to be our most senior general before he retired."
Not someone that I want to talk about! But Momiji knew better than to say it out loud.
"Yes, Ashton," Momiji said. "I know Ellie. We were roommates at boarding school. I met her father once or twice."
"I heard rumors you two were lovers," Sister Annunziata said, with a sharp disapproving eye.
"Sister!" Ashton snapped. "That's rude."
Momiji tried not to jump when she said it. Do we really have to talk about this?
"No, Ashton," Momiji said. "I don't mind. It's true. I have nothing to hide."
"Muph!" Sister Annunziata said.
"Now, sister," Ashton said. "You're both my guests and I don’t want any fights among you."
"My apologies, Ashton," Sister Annunziata said.
"I give my apologies as well, Ashton." Momiji didn’t wilt under the angry glare from the nun.
The nun's glare was quickly replaced by a calm gaze. "I heard that you and Colonel Jackson had a duel," she said. "Saber to...to...Japanese sword."
You just won’t quit will you?
"We call them katana, Sister Annunziata," Momiji said. "Yes we did have a duel many days ago south of here in the state called Illinois. I spared her life."
"And cut off one of her hands.”
"Yes."
"Why?" Sister Annunziata said. "Was there no love between the two of you, just lust?"
"No. I loved her once, but we've both changed. She couldn't deal with that. This whole damn world of ours is changing, Sister Annunziata. In case you haven't noticed."
"The world is always changing. New technology and science. Thankfully the true word of God is still the same."
"If you say so, Sister Annunziata," Momiji said. "But I have found that there are many gods and many words for them. And that is just on our world. How much more could there be elsewhere?"
"Please," Sister Annunziata laughed. "You don't seriously believe in life beyond Earth?"
"Yes. The Earth revolves around the Sun and…"
"Heresy," Sister Annunziata laughed. "And nonsense."
"Now, Sister Annunziata. Momiji," Ashton said. "Can't we talk about something else? Fencing, for instance."
Momiji and the nun acquiesced to Ashton's wishes.
"Maybe Momiji and I would have a friendly match...my style against her kin-doe," Sister Annunziata said.
"Oh yes. That would be wonderful!"
"Yes, Sister Annunziata," Momiji said. "I would enjoy that. I don't have any fencing equipment with me."
"Well, Momiji," Ashton said. "While I don't have any of your...uh, type of fencing equipment. I do have a bamboo sword. Shin-eye I believe you call it, and you can use my mask and the uniform I have on. Not exactly like your style uses, but still useful."
"I guess that sounds good to me, Ashton," Momiji said. "How about you, Sister Annunziata?"
"Excellent, Momiji. I would love a match with you."
The slaves brought out a large number of screens so Ashton could change from her fencing uniform and into a dress. Momiji got dressed in Ashton’s
fencing uniform. She tried not to think of how it had been previously worn, but that was hard because it was sweaty from Ashton's match a few moments ago. Yuk!
Come on, you can do this, woman. Momiji walked forward. Ashton came over smiling.
"You look wonderful," Ashton said. "I'm sorry I didn't have a clean uniform for you."
"No, Ashton," Momiji lied. "I hardly noticed."
"Hear is your...weapon, miss.” One of the slave girls held out her shinai.
"Thank you." Momiji took the sword in her hands. She liked the feel of the leather handle in her fingers. She stepped back from everyone to stretch a little and wondered what she was about to do. Should she do her best, or would that anger the nun and Ashton? If I don't try hard enough that could be just as bad.
Momiji performed some practice swings to limber up. She did it ten times. Luckily she had been practicing with the broken broomstick, so she wasn't too out of practice. She’d last sparred in Santa Barbara, California at the Kendo club. She sat on her knees and ankles in what was known as the seiza position used in traditional Japanese society. She breathed in all the way down to her dan tien or the spot below her navel and then breathed out. She did it several times to calm her mind and spirit, and to seek mushin. Mushin was a state of no-mind where a kendoka or kendo practitioner sought. It was believed that if you over--thought in a real sword duel that you would hesitate to make move out of fear for a true kendoka mustn't know fear. The idea originated from the friendship between a zen master named Hakuin and a samurai sword master named Yague.
Momiji stood up with her right hand holding the 'blade' part of the shinai and the fencing mask in her other hand. The nun watched calmly from a chair. Ashton looked a bit more nervous than the nun.
"Ashton tells me you own a cattle ranch in western California," Sister Annunziata said. "My family owns a little bit of land as well in Lombardy, Italy. We're known for our grapes and wine."
"How lovely," Momiji said.
The nun stood, one hand gripping her long foil, the other holding her mask. She walked to where she had been fencing with Ashton. Momiji joined her. They stood over twenty feet from each other.
Ashton stepped forward. "I guess you should put your masks on and salute or bow as wish before you begin.”
They donned their masks. Momiji moved her shinai and gripped the handle with both hands. Sister Annunziata held her long foil in one hand. She raised it then gave a quick swing downward in the western fencing salute. Momiji bowed and squatted then stood back up. As they came towards each other Momiji felt her bamboo blade tap Annunziata’s metal blade.
Sister Annunziata's stabbed at Momiji's foot that was smacked aside in time. Many Kendo practitioners would have been taken in by that move, but Momiji’s version permitted the bottom of the foot being a target.
She’s pretty fast! Momiji found her strikes knocked aside again and again. Momiji blocked high, low, high, high, and…
Momiji's attack to the nun's left ribs was deflected and she barely dodged the counterattack. Momiji charged with a downward cut and "Doh!" The strike went straight through air.
"Not bad a move," Sister Annunziata said. "If I had been a little slower you would have got me."
"Thank you," Momiji
Momiji lowered the point of her bamboo sword downwards to invite an attack. Sister Annunziata dashed forward to attack Momiji’s sword by pushing it down further. Momiji kept her balance and felt the nun stop forcing her shinai down. Momiji glanced and saw the nun sidestepped to the left and felt a painful smack on her knee. Momiji circled and backed up with her point facing the nun. Momiji stepped back again removed her mask and bowed.
"Good move," Momiji said. "I didn't know those swords could cut."
"Actually, they can't." Sister Annunziata removed her mask. "They can only slice something such as an artery or tendon. The stab is the only way to kill with a rapier, though a good slice can severely cripple an opponent."
"I see." Momiji smiled. "That makes sense now. Your style of fencing is different Sister Annunziata, but I am impressed by it."
"Thank you, Momiji-san." Sister Annunziata smiled. "You're an excellent fencer and not the first kendo stylist I have faced. Kendo is an excellent version of fencing so don't give up. You have great potential."
Momiji suddenly realized how much older the nun must be. She hadn't noticed before because of her impressive athletic ability but now she saw a wrinkled faced woman with short grey hair, with many years behind her and less in front of her. If Ellie Jackson had said that she would have been enraged, but with Sister Annunziata saying so, she felt honored by it. She bowed to the nun.
"Thank you, Sister Annunziata."
CHAPTER FORTY
Dangers of Alien Tech.
Hirohira and Wendy walked into the captain's cabin. The captain was waiting along with Lieutenant Commander Brice and Lieutenant McKeon. Hirohira saluted and bowed. Wendy did the same thing.
"Ah! Lieutenant Izuma and Ensign Montgomery," Captain Parsons said. "Come one in."
"Yes, sir."
There were more chairs than usual in front of the captain's desk. He’s ready for us. Whatever he wants the captain is ready. Just great! Am I not supposed to teach Jujitsu to Wendy? I never got an official teaching license in Izumo ryu Jujitsu. Could my family have found out? No that is silly.
"Tea?" the steward said.
The others had teacups so Hirohira and Wendy said yes.
"Well, to begin this meeting," Captain Parsons said. "I want to congratulate you again on a good job in finding that it was possible to connect our ship's AM and other MAMs to the satellites in orbit and through them to other MAMs."
"Thank you, sir," Brice said. "But I take it that you have a plan for us to do something else."
"Correct, Mr. Brice. These satellites have telescopes and cameras on them, correct?"
"Yes, sir. They're far more advanced of anything we humans have ever made. That applies to both the Martian and Venusian satellites."
"Good. I assume you have been concerned about them spying on us. How well can they see what we are doing right now?"
Brice nodded to McKeon, who said, "They are able to see our airship and where it is going, even at night. They can see the people outside the airship. They can see the horses. I'm not sure if they are able to see through the hull of our airship though."
"So, these satellites can see the placement of men, horses, cannons, wagons, forts and so on. Is that correct, Mr. McKeon?" Captain Parsons asked.
"Yes, sir.”
"Brilliant! Can you gentlemen...and lady, uh...patch into them and use them the way the aliens do?"
"Yes, I believe we could, Captain," McKeon said.
"Good. Here's what I want to do. We are planning to attack a fort that is probably well armed with soldiers, cannons, and Gatling guns. If we knew where the artillery was, then we could move the Kaede in under the cover of darkness and take them out. Maybe even drop some marines into the fort to open up their gates for Colonel Custer's men. Could we use the satellites as the eyes of the Kaede without having the lights on--"
"And catch the fort's soldiers with their pants down," Brice added. "Brilliant, sir. I think we could do that. What do you three say?"
"It sounds feasible to me, sir," McKeon bit his fingernail.
#
How much further to James' plantation, Seraphine Julie Le Trosne wondered as they finally got off the commercial airship in Michigan. Next they would take a horse-drawn carriage to the French embassy, and after some meetings they would leave for the James' plantation.
This is taking too long. Maybe I should just buy or steal a horse and take off. Now that would create an international incident that would put her husband's underthings in a bunch. Dammit! Fuckin' diplomats! Seraphine took a breath and ordered herself to calm down. If she didn't, her husband would suspect something.
"Something wrong, dear?" Furragus Gano Le Trosne, her husband and the French Ambassador to Canada asked.
/>
Fuck!
"No."
"We could stop for a minute if you're tired," he said.
"No." Seraphine wasn't sure how to encourage him to get to the plantation faster. "I'm fine, Furragus. I--"
"What is that?" Furragus pointed at the sky. "It must be a balloon or airship, but where is the top part of it where the helium or hydrogen is kept? What do they call it?"
Seraphine looked up surprised too, but for different reasons. She recognized it as an aerospace attack-shuttle. You idiot! The humans are going to see you! Many of them...and not just my husband!
"Oh dear God, what is that!" Furragus shouted.
The attack-shuttle fired a plasma particle lifter to pick them up. It held them in place and after a moment, lifted them off the ground. Seraphine, her husband, and the driver of the carriage along with the horses were pulled inside the cargo hold.
Seraphine was the only one to be released and she got out to look for the pilot of the attack-shuttle to give him a piece of her mind. Idiot! She opened the door that led to the cockpit.
"Greetings, sister of my mother's 3rd litter." Battle-Hammer stood before her on his three muscular legs. He spoke in Martian in the southeastern dialect of their clan, Black-Gore.
"Greetings, brother of my mother's 1st litter," Seraphine said. "Why have you come here with this vessel and in full sight of the humans? This is against procedure."
"I know. I was sent by Mother herself. You must help these humans of the Confederate States of America. She fears this secret airship will be a great danger to our plans, and she believes the Venusians have given the humans of the new alliance-the Imperial Union-advanced technology that they shouldn't be allowed to have."
"Surely Mother doesn't think these primitives could be a threat to our military might. We conquered the British homelands in a short time the rest will fall once we deal with the damn Venusians once and for all."
The Mighty Airship Kaede. (The Mighty Airships of Earth. Book 1) Page 17
