"One of your patrols almost ambushed him at the Inn of Whispering Pines a few days ago."

Again color came into Ogama's face and he almost spat. "He was there? We heard that shishi were sleeping there but I never knew...." Once again he choked with rage that Takeda had not forewarned him that his hated enemy was within his grasp. Why? Never mind, easy to deal with Takeda. First Katsumata. I have not forgotten Katsumata ruined my surprise attack on Sanjiro.

But for Katsumata, Sanjiro would be dead, I would be overlord of Satsuma, and there would be no need to talk with Toranaga Yoshi--he would be on his knees in front of me. "Where is he now? Do you know where?"

"I know the safe house where he was last night, perhaps tonight too." Yoshi added softly, "There are over a hundred shishi in Kyoto. They already plan a mass attack on you."

Ogama felt chilled, knowing there was no true defense against a fanatic assassin not afraid to die. "When?"

"It was to be at dusk tomorrow--if the attack on the Shogun had been successful. Then, once you were dead, with adherents amongst your troops, they would seize the Gates."

It took much of Ogama's strength not to tell Yoshi a secret meeting with Takeda was due at dusk tomorrow, a perfect moment for a surprise attack. "And now that it was a failure?"

"The information I have is that the leaders are meeting tonight to decide. Now, formally you head their target list, after Nobusada and myself."

"Why?" Ogama spluttered. "I support the Emperor, support the fight against the gai-jin."

Yoshi kept the smile off his face, knowing very well. "Let us join forces tonight. I know their meeting place, where Katsumata and most of the leaders should be--there is a dawn to dusk curfew in that part of the city."

Ogama exhaled. "And the price?"

"First, here is more information that seriously affects both of us." To Ogama's further disquiet, Yoshi related the details of the Elders' meeting with Sir William and the other Ministers, about his spy Misamoto, about Sir William's threat to make an armed sortie here as soon as his fleet returned, and how the threat and payment had been finessed for the moment.

"Their fleet will not pass my Shimonoseki Straits--if I order it."

"They could take the long route around South Island."

"Long route, short route, it makes no difference. If they land in or near Osaka I, or we will destroy them."

"The first time. With great losses but yes, gai-jin will be repulsed. However, two days ago I received a secret report from the department of the Bakufu here who deal with China information." He brought out the scroll. "Here, read it for yourself."

"What does it say?" Ogama snapped.

"That the Yokohama fleet sent to punish the sinking of just one British ship devastated twenty leagues of China's coastline, north of Shanghai, burning all villages, sinking all shipping."

Ogama spat. "Pirates. Pirate nests." He knew much about that area. In the past it had been historic, though secret Choshu--and Satsuma--policy to send raiders to the China coast to pillage ruthlessly from Shanghai, southwards beyond Hong Kong to the Taiwan Straits. The Chinese called them wako, pirates, hating and fearing them so much that, for centuries Emperors of China had forbidden any Japanese from landing on their shores, and all trade between their lands was to be conducted only by non-Japanese.

"Pirates yes, but those scum are not cowards.

Not so long ago an army of these same gai-jin humbled all China a second time and burned the Emperor's Summer Palace and Peking at their whim. Their fleets and armies are awesome in power."

"This is Nippon, not China." Ogama shrugged, not prepared to be drawn out or to divulge his plans for the defense of Choshu. But he was thinking: my coasts are rugged and rock-infested, difficult to invade and very defensible, soon impregnable when all armed emplacements are in place, and bunkers for my fighters. "And we are not Chinese."

"My thought is that we need peace between all daimyos to gain time, to manipulate gai-jin, to learn their cannon secrets and gun secrets and ship secrets and how it seems this one foul little island people, smaller than our land, has become the wealthiest in the world and rules most of it."

"Lies. Lies spread to frighten cowards here."

Yoshi shook his head. "I do not believe that.

First we must learn, then we can smash them, we cannot now."

"We can. This is the Land of the Gods. In Choshu I have one cannon factory, soon there will be others. Satsuma has three small steamers, the beginnings of a shipyard, soon there will be others." His face twisted. "We can smash Yokohama and this fleet and by the time others return we will be ready."

Yoshi hid his surprise at the vehemence and strength of the hatred, secretly elated he had smoked out another weapon to use. "I agree.

My whole point. There, you see, Ogama-dono," he said as though greatly relieved, "we think the same though perhaps from different points. We smash them but in time, we must choose the time, gain their knowledge and let them give us the means to spike their guns and their heads." His voice firmed. "In one year you and I control the Council and Bakufu. In three or four we can buy many guns, cannon and ships."

"Paid for how? Gai-jin are greedy."

"One way is coal for their ships. Another is gold." Yoshi explained his prospecting scheme.

"Clever," Ogama said, his lips twisted into a strange smile. "In Choshu we have coal, iron and trees for ships."

"And one armament factory already."

Ogama laughed, a good laugh, and Yoshi laughed too and knew he had made a breakthrough.

"True, and my batteries increase monthly."

Ogama shifted his overmantle under the increasing rain and added pointedly, "So does my resolve to fire on enemy shipping, when I wish. Is that all your information, Yoshi-dono?"

"For the moment. May I advise you to slacken your grip on the Straits--in any event they are yours to play with. Yes, that's all for the moment, but as an ally you will be given all kinds of privileged information."

"As an ally I would expect privileged information." Ogama nodded half to himself. He glanced back at Basuhiro then changed his mind about consulting him--Yoshi is right, he thought, leaders should have secrets. "We have talked enough.

Katsumata: I asked the price. A joint attack tonight."

"What would a very particular ally offer?"

Ogama stretched to ease the grinding tension in his neck and shoulders, expecting that question--for all his bravado no fool. Time enough to vary an offer, he thought, though neither of us would ever deign to lose face by bartering like the despised Osaka rice merchants. "You can garrison the Gates for one month, twenty men only at each of the six Gates, two hundred of my men stationed nearby," Ogama smiled, "not near enough to embarrass you. Any persons going in or out will receive permits from your officer of the Gates as is correct--who will have quietly and previously consulted with my... my liaison officer before permits are granted."

"Consult?"

"Consult, as between privileged allies, so a consensus can easily be arrived at." The easy smile was gone. "If more than twenty of your men appear, my men take possession and all agreements are ended. Agreed?"

Yoshi's eyes had flattened. No need to make threats, obviously any trick on either side would end all agreements. "I would prefer forty men at each of the Gates--we can arrange details of how the guard changes without problem-- and I garrison the Gates as long as Shogun Nobusada and the Princess Yazu are inside."

Ogama had noted the change. "Shogun Nobusada, yes. But not the Princess who... who may stay inside permanently, eh? Forty?

Very well, forty at each Gate. Of course, her brother, the Son of Heaven will not rescind his memorial, his request to me to hold the Gates against his enemies."