Momiji stood for a few moments. Everyone in the room was silent. Well now I’ve done it. No going back on this.
"My people's dueling customs are kind of different from yours," Momiji said. "But I do understand what that meant. As a prisoner, I don't know if I have permission to enter into a duel."
"She should," Mrs. Le Trosne said, which surprised everyone, except for General James.
"It's none of your concern, Mrs. Le Trosne," General James said.
Mrs. Le Trosne opened her mouth and looked at the general, but then shut it.
Ellie smacked Momiji again and again and again. Until she drew blood from Momiji's nose.
You just won’t quit will you? You will go after Wendy, unless I do something about it?
"Stop her!" Ashton shouted. "This is enough!"
Momiji grabbed the hand holding the glove. She snatched the glove away. It had a little blood on it. She smacked Ellie in the face once with it. No one else in the room spoke.
"Is that what you want, Ellie?" Momiji said. "Are you sure that is how you want to end our relationship?"
"There is no other way, Momiji-san," Ellie said.
"She doesn't have a sword," Ashton said. "She and Sister Annunziata-Maria fought a duel with practice swords. Is that acceptable?"
"No!" Ellie said.
"Do you have a Japanese sword for her, Mrs. James?" Sister Annunziata-Maria said.
"I-I..."
"The truth, Ashton," Sister Annunziata-Maria said. "Our Lord God does not like half-truths. Even if it is done in kindness."
"Yes," Ashton said. "Frank has a Japanese sword."
"Yes, I do," General Frank James said. "I'll get it."
Everyone watched General James shuffle to his study to get the sword. He returned with the sword in a traditional black lacquered wooden sheath. He handed it to Momiji who pulled out the sword and held it up. The swordmaker's name was inscribed in Japanese characters on the blade.
"A Sakamoto Ono sword," Momiji said. "A good choice. His grandmother, Sakamoto Yoko is still considered one of the best swordmakers there ever was."
"I contacted him about purchasing one of his swords and found myself on a very long list," General James said. "It is a superb blade and well worth the wait. I went all the way to Kyoto to pick it up."
"And probably the only reason he wanted to vacation in Japan," Ashton complained.
"Oh."
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
The Duel.
Everyone walked out to the backyard of the plantation house. There was a light breeze in the air. Momiji pulled her long hair back and tied it with a yellow cloth. Here we go, Ellie. What are you after? Do you really love me or do you just want to possess me? I love her. I love Wendy.
Momiji walked beside Ashton, who held the Japanese sword. Mrs. Wang carried the saber Ellie had brought with her. The first thing Momiji did was remove her sandals and socks. It would be better to be barefoot than with socks on for it would be too easy to slip in them. The sandals would be a little better, but barefoot was closer to the earth, nature, and the kami. She felt the cool grass under her bare feet and was happy that it hadn't snowed recently.
Momiji saw Ellie stretching out her limbs and torso to loosen up. Ellie was dressed in a western workingman's slacks and buttoned shirt with boots on her feet all of which showed off her strong and feminine figure. Momiji remembered touching and loving that figure and the woman behind it.
I wonder what happened to that woman. What happened to us? Was it because we lost touch that we drifted so far apart? Get control of yourself, Momiji, she wants to kill you and Wendy!
Momiji finished her own stretching and sat in a kneeling position and to clear her mind with Zen meditation. She focused on her breathing and the spot below her belly called Dan tien. She felt Ashton's hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ready, Momiji?" Ashton said.
"Almost." Momiji pulled out the notepad and pencil Ashton had given her to write on in her room. She wrote a haiku that came to her. It read:
"Suzushisa wo Making the coolness
Wa ga yado ni shite My own dwelling, I lie
Nemaru nari Completely at ease."-(1)
Momiji handed the paper and pencil to Ashton and stood up. Ashton was acting as her second so she walked to the middle of the area to General James, who would act as referee. Mrs. Wang was there as Ellie's second. Around them, many people watched. The crew of the Hell-Beast had left the airship to watch the duel; even the slaves had gathered around.
According to western rules, General James asked if a non-violent alternative could be considered by the two women and was told it was not possible. He officially examined both swords and agreed to let the duel happen.
The two women acting as seconds returned the swords to Momiji and Ellie. Momiji drew the sword and tossed Ashton the sheath and Ellie something similar. Momiji held the sword in both hands and made some practice swings to get the feel of the blade.
"Fight with honor!" General James said. "Begin!"
General James, Ashton, and Mrs. Wang stepped back out of the way as the two swords-women stepped cautiously forward.
Momiji hefted the handle of the unfamiliar katana and stood in the guard position stance called chudan no kamae. She moved to the left slowly. I just as well start this! Momiji lunged forward with a stab to Ellie's throat and felt the block of Ellie's saber. Momiji smacked aside two cuts from Ellie's saber and feinted with a thrust to her belly that was followed by a downward cut to her head. Ellie dodged the cut, sliced towards Momiji's legs and circled around for a neck cut. Momiji stepped back out of the way and brought her blade down towards Ellie's metal hand, but missed.
"Good try," Ellie said. "It's not gonna happen again!"
Momiji saw Ellie swinging wildly at her and retreated from the angry onslaught. That’s right Ellie lose your temper. Do something foolish. Momiji blocked Ellie's saber with her katana. She pushed hard and upwards at Ellie’s saber not just with her arms and shoulders but her legs and waist for added strength. Ellie fell backwards but caught herself and blocked Momiji's next strike with one knee on the ground.
Momiji stepped back with her sword tip pointed to the rear as she held it low on the right side. The tip of her sword bumped against something and she realized it was one of the empty chairs that surrounded a table. Ellie attacked. Momiji blocked and blocked again with her back to the table. Once again, she caught Ellie's sword in the clench but this time she pushed against Ellie. Momiji jumped up and kind of rolled onto the table. Surprise! She looked down at Ellie with her sword point low and aimed at Ellie. How do you like that move? Now follow me and let that rage build. She hopped off the table on the other side and all the time the sword tip still pointed at Ellie. Ellie circled left around the table and Momiji circled the other way, always keeping the table between them.
"Damn you!" Ellie shouted.
Momiji said nothing as they glared across the table at each other. Ellie showed her teeth and jumped onto the table. She blindly slashed at Momiji and screamed like a mad woman. Momiji stepped back calmly and Ellie jumped down to go after her.
Momiji deflected a downwards cut from Ellie's saber and drew a light cut across Ellie's ribs and shirt. A little blood appeared.
"First blood!" shouted General Frank James.
Momiji stepped back and bowed politely to Ellie. Ellie turned and walked in a circle like a wounded animal.
"Blood? First blood?" Ellie said.
"Just let it go, Ellie," Momiji said. “Why don’t you just leave me alone? It’s over between us. Over! Just let it go.”
"It's over," General James said. "Honor has been served."
"Honor?"
"Making things worse won’t help any," Mrs. Wang said.
"Worse?" Ellie stopped. She looked at Momiji and shook her saber in her metal hand. "How could I make it worse? I'll find that Wendy Montgomery and chop the little slut into little bitty pieces! I will do it! I will do it!"
Momiji t
ried to force down the angry burn inside her. Her own sword shook as she lost control of her anger. She attacked Ellie. Ellie blocked and backed away. Momiji charged with a thrust that Ellie deflected and counterattacked with a thrust of her own. The blades dodged and slid across each other. Ellie ducked and Momiji's sword cut though a branch in the orchard for their fighting had brought them that far. The spectators followed, but only from a safe distance as the two crazed women battled on with anger and skill.
Ellie’s blade for a second in a tree trunk but she was able to pull it free in time to block Momiji's cut. Ellie smacked Momiji's sword aside with a powerful stroke and then another. Momiji lunged at Ellie with her sword point aimed at Ellie's throat. Ellie tapped it aside and lunged forward.
Momiji felt a coldness in her left eye. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but Ellie stepped back and dropped her sword. She was saying something...or screaming. Momiji realized she couldn't see out of her left eye.
What happened? Pain! Aaaahh! It hurts! Momiji fell to her knees clutching her left eye.
"I'm sorry!" Ellie yelled. "God, I'm sorry!" She turned and ran away.
Ashton screamed and fainted. General James yelled for the old slave woman they called Betsey. The general pushed Momiji's hands away and covered the eye with a handkerchief to stop the blood.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Return of Morgan.
As they cared for Doctor Sakusa Momiji, General James saw his wife's airship flew near his wife's warehouse.
"It looks like your airship has returned, my dear," General James said. "I'll go speak with them, while you see to Doctor Sakusa's wellbeing."
"I will, Frank," Ashton said.
"Come on, Captain Greene," General James said. "Let's go see what Lieutenant Morgan has discovered."
"Yes, sir," Captain Greene said.
General James shouted to some of his slaves to anchor the airship. Three men crawled out of the small exit and stood at attention in front of the general and captain.
After salutes were exchanged the lieutenant spoke. "The fort has been taken by Custer, General," Lieutenant Morgan said. "The flag of the old union is flying inside the fort's walls. We were fired upon, so we left quickly."
"Was it ground artillery that fired upon you?" General James asked. "Or military airships?"
"Ground, sir. We didn't see any airships."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," General James looked at Captain Greene. "Sounds like Colonel Younger is in a lot of trouble. If he is still alive."
"Yes, sir," Captain Greene said.
"Of course the Colonel is a tough old coon. We served together in the war."
"Yes, sir."
"Mmmmmmm."
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Who to Trust?
Momiji lay on the bed in her prison, or what Ashton called her guest room. Now, instead of being bored silly as she once was, she was horribly mauled by a woman that she once loved.
My eye is gone. They had to cut out what was left of the eyeball. I was too gentle with her. I should have killed her when I had the chance.
"Dammit!" She struck the bed with her fist.
There was a knock at the door.
Now what? "Yes? What is it?" Momiji said.
The door opened. Teddy stood there wearing a nervous look. It occurred to Momiji that he might be doing something he wasn't supposed to and would get in trouble with his master and mistress for doing it. That’s odd. Now what’s going on? Another duel? What do they want? What does he want? The thought of rape quickly went into Momiji's mind and she didn't really care for that. After all the other shit that has happened to me today why not that too?
"What do--" Momiji sat up and wondered if anyone would hear her screams.
"Shhh...I'm helping you escape, miss."
"Wha--" She stood up.
"I'm a spy for Captain Harriet Tubman. She's Colonel Custer's spy master and scout leader. My contact sent word that the colonel and your friends on a big airship are going to attack this place. People will be in the orchard ready to get you out to safety. So be ready to run. Understand, miss?"
"Yes, Teddy. And thank you."
"You're welcome, ma'am. I'll be back to let you out when they arrive, so be ready miss."
"I will."
Teddy left and locked the door.
Momiji sat back on the bed. She looked for her stick and then sat back on the bed with the broken broomstick in her hand.
After dark, a knock came at the door.
"Teddy, is that you?" Momiji said.
"No, missus," came the familiar voice that had nursed her wounds earlier. "This is Betsey."
"Is everything okay?" Momiji asked.
"I am a spy working for Harriet Tubman," Betsey said. "My contact said Colonel Custer and your friends are going to attack the plantation. When that happens, I'm supposed to get you to the orchards where we'll meet some friends of yours that will take you to safety."
"Really?" Momiji said. "You're a spy."
"Yes. You be ready for me to come and get you when the shooting starts."
Momiji wondered if she should mention that Teddy had already said this. If Teddy was a spy, then Betsey would have known that Teddy had warned her. Perhaps Betsey was tricking her for some reason--unless Betsey was the spy and Teddy was tricking her.
"Ma'am?" Betsey said.
"I'll be ready."
I hope I know what I'm going to be ready for. I'm not sure if I do.
"Thank the Lord," Betsey said. "Hopefully this will work."
Yes. But which is it? What was that western saying? Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
Martians Spies.
Seraphine sat alone on the floor, naked. There was a warm bathtub beside her. Ashton ordered her slaves to get it ready. The real reason was that she wanted privacy to contact another agent of her people-her actual people. She turned her AMA tablet on and went through the tedious codes to get it connected to the Martian satellites that would connect to the attack-shuttle that followed her during the most important assignments.
"A2 C83 12Z," Seraphine said repeatedly into the AMA tablet in her hand.
"A9 C47 19Z," came the reply. "I am glad to hear from you. How goes your investigation?"
"I have shown General James the photograph of the Kaede," Seraphine said. "They do have Doctor Sakusa. I have been trying to bribe one of the local slaves to help me kidnap her from the Confederates. Are you sure it will work?"
"Yes," came the reply. "We her up in the orchard at the appointed time."
"Good. I have learned that someone named Custer has taken the fort along the Detroit River. Could they have had help from Doctor Sakusa's airship?"
"They did. We watched them as they did it. We were able to detect that they were using Venusian computer technology to connect to the satellites in Earth's orbit and this has greatly disturbed me. I have sent a message to our leader about this."
"Isn't that against the treaty we made with the Venusians?" Seraphine said.
"It is. I never trusted the Venusians."
"If it worked for them there, then they might try the same tactic here to free Doctor Sakusa," Seraphine said.
"Obviously. I will attempt to block their connection, but since they are using Venusian technology it won't be easy. I will try. The one thing we cannot do at this moment is to let the humans know we are involved in this in any way."
"I understand," Seraphine said. "I shall do what I can."
CHAPTER SIXTY
Escape?
The lock to Momiji’s door clicked and it opened. She didn't move, but held the broomstick ready. No one entered. She got up and approached the door. She opened it further and looked outside with her one remaining eye. No one there. She walked outside and towards the stairway. The stairway would be no easy place to hide, but she knew no other place to go. The sounds of fighting came from outside. She hoped everyone would be focused on that and not notice one lone woman
sneaking around.
Momiji made it to the bottom of the stairs without any problem. There was no one in sight. Should she try to make it to General James' study where that katana might be? No, not a good idea. A sword wouldn't be much help against all of those modern guns. Stealth was better. She had read a little about the Shinobi, but not how they actually kept themselves hidden from eyes and ears. She suspected it wasn't magic, but some kind of skill that she wished she knew.
No point in whining. Now, which way do I go? Out the front door? Might not be a good idea. Still where is the back door? I have no idea.
Momiji heard a girl crying in the dining room. She tiptoed there glancing behind herself a few times. There on her knees was a slave girl looking down at the body of a slave woman. Betsey, Momiji recalled. There was a big hole in the woman's left breast and another in her belly. A second body lay to the left of the girl and she kept glancing back and forth between them. Momiji felt pity for the poor girl. She couldn't be more than twelve or thirteen.
"Excuse me," Momiji said in English.
The girl looked up, startled. "Wh-what, missus?"
"What happened?" Momiji said.
A loud explosion shook the house. The girl screamed then bit her lip and pointed upstairs.
"That crazy French lady shot the general. I saw her and I ran down the stairs. I yelled for my mama and Teddy and the mistress. Teddy showed up and she shot him. And then she shot Mama too!"
"Where did she go?" Momiji said.
"She crazy!"
"I heard you. Where did she go?"
"The back door, ma’am. I'll show you."
The girl led her from the dining room, through another smaller room and a hallway that went past General James' library where the old general lay dead on the floor. The girl screamed and ran off. Momiji followed her out the back door. She didn't see the girl, so she headed towards the orchard. Ahead, two people were talking. Momiji recognized one of them as Wendy. She almost screamed out the other woman's name, but stopped herself just in case there was someone nearby. She realized Wendy was with Hirohira and they stood beside three horses.
The Mighty Airship Kaede. (The Mighty Airships of Earth. Book 1) Page 22
