"She brought me valuable information about the situation here and about Shorin and Ori. I suggested she continue on to Choshu but she wanted to stay, thinking she might help you. How is Ori?"

"Dead." He heard Katsumata curse-- Ori had been his favorite pupil. "The gai-jin shot him trying to break into one of their houses," he said hastily, his nervousness increasing, "there's a rumor there was a shishi attack on Yoshi at Hamamatsu, that Koiko was killed in the melee, a shishi also.

Who was he?"

"Not he, she. So sorry it was Sumomo."

Color drained from Hiraga's face. "Koiko betrayed her, the whore betrayed her to Yoshi and so betrayed sonno-joi and us. But she died with Sumomo's shuriken in her chest."

"How did Sumomo die?"

"As a shishi, she will be remembered forever. She fought Yoshi, with shuriken and long sword and almost killed him. That was her mission--if she was betrayed."

So Sumomo had a mission, Hiraga thought with sudden insight, his whole being a volcano--you expected her to be betrayed and, even so, sent her into the pit. There was a tightness in his throat.

He forced himself to ask the essential question: "How did they bury her? Was it with honor?"

If Toranaga Yoshi had not honored her after fighting and dying bravely then he would hunt him to the exclusion of all else, until one or other of them were dead. Hiraga was leader of Choshu shishi, the strongest contingent. Sumomo, though from Satsuma, had declared her allegiance to him and to Choshu. "Please, I must know, was it with honor?"

Still no answer. He glanced around.

Katsumata had vanished. Hiraga's shock was open. The other customers stared at him silently.

To one side a group of samurai stood watching him. The hackles on his neck rose. He threw a few coins on the table and, his hand on his concealed derringer, went back the way he had come.

That afternoon, throughout Yedo Castle there was an air of premonition. Yoshi was hurrying after the Chinese doctor along a corridor, Abeh and four samurai guards followed. The doctor, tall and very thin, wore a long gown and his grey hair in a queue. Up some stairs and along another corridor and then the doctor stopped.

Hostile guards stood in the way, hands on their swords, all their eyes on Yoshi and his men.

"So sorry, Lord Yoshi," the officer said, "the tairo's orders are that no one should pass."

"And my orders," the doctor said, his fear giving him false courage, "were to fetch Lord Yoshi."

"Lord Yoshi, you may pass," the officer said grimly. "So sorry, your men may not."

Though heavily outnumbered, Abeh and his men went for their swords. "Stop," Yoshi said calmly. "Wait here, Abeh."

Abeh was sick with worry, adrenaline pumping, dreadfully aware of rumors in the castle that his master was about to be arrested, rumors that Yoshi scoffed at. "Please excuse me, Sire, but this may be a trap."

The opposing samurai stiffened at the insult.

"If it is you may kill all these men,"

Yoshi said with a laugh. No one else laughed.

He motioned the doctor onwards having decided that if they attempted to disarm him they might as well fight and die now.

They let him through unmolested. The doctor opened the far door and bowed Yoshi through. Yoshi's hand was not on his hilt but he was ready for an assassin behind the door. There was none. Just four guards around the futons in the big room. On the futons, crumpled with pain was Anjo. "So, Guardian of the Heir," he said, his voice weak though spiced with venom, "you have information?"

"For your ears."

"Wait outside, Doctor, until I call for you."

The doctor bowed and left, glad to go. This patient was impossible, he despised him, and as he was slowly dying, only a few weeks or months left, there would be no fee. In China such was the custom, no cure no fee and it applied here.

The guards had not moved. Nor would they. The four were noted fighters and completely loyal.

Some of Yoshi's confidence left him. He knelt and bowed politely. This morning, after Inejin had left, he had sent Anjo a message asking for an urgent meeting to give him important information.

"Well, Yoshi-dono?"

"Yesterday I went on one of the gai-jin warships an--"

"I know that, do you think I am a fool and that I do not know what you are up to? You said medical information."

"The gai-jin doctor at Kanagawa. The Furansu said he has made miraculous cures, with your permission I will have him brought here."

"I do not need you for that." In agony, Anjo raised up on one elbow. "Why so solicitous when you want me dead!"

"Not dead, in good health, tairo-dono. It is important to have you in good health." Yoshi kept a tight hold, loathing this man and this room with its stench of death and diarrhea and vomit--at the same time afraid he had miscalculated: This could easily be his death trap should the sick man give the order. "Why be sick if you can be cured? Also, I wanted to tell you I have learned the gai-jin battle plan, not on the ship but early today."

"What plan, eh? How did you come by it?"

"It does not matter, except I know so now you know." He told him the substance of the plan, accurately, but left out the part about the ten days of grace after the ultimatum.

"Then we must leave!" The voice became shriller. The guards shifted nervously. "The roju must leave secretly at once, we will take up residence in... in Hodogaya. When we're safe we burn the Settlement by night and catch them in their beds. What dogs! They deserve to die foully, without honor. We burn them out, kill all who escape, and return here when the fleet's sailed away. In the spring we will be prepared. We fire Yokohama tomorrow."

Anjo's eyes glittered, a string of saliva wet his chin. "You have the honor of leading the assault. Organize it, lead the attack tomorrow or the next day."

At once Yoshi bowed in thanks. "I accept the honor, gladly, and while I organize it, I have a notion: first your health.

Bring the gai-jin doctor here, ours are useless and the Furansu swore the man is a miracle healer. I can fetch him quickly and quietly, tomorrow if you permit it. Why be in pain needlessly? The gai-jin doctor will cure you," he said firmly.

"A few extra days will not interfere with your wise attack strategy. Until you are well, to command, we must keep the gai-jin off balance. I can do that while arranging the attack."

"How?"

"By putting myself into their trap."

"What?" The slight movement Anjo made to see Yoshi better caused him to bite his lip to prevent a cry of pain.

"I will risk putting myself in their power, meeting with them with only one of two guards. On the ship I found out they are on the point of lashing out at us, senselessly. We must prevent this at all costs, Tairo. They are as dangerous as a pack of starving sharks." This was said with all the sincerity at his command. He believed the opposite: that gai-jin were ready to negotiate and compromise, never really wanting to war unless pushed too far... like foolishly attacking them.

"It will be my risk," he said dangling the bait with a pretense of fear. "If they hold me hostage, that will cause all daimyos to rush to your support. If they do not, never mind, in either event, you forget that I am hostage and attack them--all this, of course, with your permission, Tairo."

The silence became heavy. Another spasm.

Then Anjo nodded agreement and waved a hand in dismissal. "Fetch the gai-jin doctor at once, prepare the attack at once."

Yoshi bowed humbly, and with difficulty, stopped himself from shouting with glee.