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Now they had e almost all the way through the mingling guests。 Nicholas could see Nangi off to the right； amid a dense swirl of dark…suited men。 It looked as if the higher echelons of seven or eight ministries were present。
They stopped a few feet away from Sato and his bride…to…be。 Tomkin took one step forward about to greet Sato and congratulate him。 Nicholas was gazing at Akiko； wondering what features lay behind the mask of the golden fan。 Then； almost magically； in response to his wish； the fan came down； and all the breath left his lungs。 He stepped backward a pace as if pushed by an invisible hand。 His eyes opened wide and his lips parted。
〃No！〃
It was a whisper that seemed a shout to him。 Blood rushed uncontrollably in his ears and the beating of his heart seemed painful。 Tears broke the corners of his long eyes； trembling with the enormous force of his emotions。
The past was rising up like a haunted demon to inexplicably confront him again。 But the dead could not rise。 Their bodies were laid to rest and were deposed by the elements： earth； air； fire； water。
She had been murdered by Saigo because she belonged to Nicholas； body and soul； and could never be his。 He had drowned her in the Straits of Shimonoseki where the Kami of the Heik6 clan etched the backs of the crabs into human countenances。 She was gone。
And yet here she was standing a foot away from him。 It was impossible but true。
Yukio。
MARIANAS ISLANDS； NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN SPRING； 1944
What Tanzan Nangi remembered most vividly about the war were the red skies。 There seemed no gentle color left in the world when the sun rose over the vast heaving bosom of the Pacific； only slashes of fierce orange and crimson like the vast tentacles of some monstrous sea creature emerging from the seabed at the sun's slow dawning。
The long nights of the engines' thrumming； the constant vibration of the mighty screws of the carrier as it plowed southward past the small black humps of the Bonin Islands gave way grudgingly to days filled with blinding light。 Cloud cover hung far off and mocking at the edge of the horizon。
They were only a thousand nautical miles from Tokyo yet the weather here was so much different。 There was a great deal of speculation on the part of the men as to what their destination would be。 They were not part of a fleet； they had no escort。 They had even put to sea in the dead of night when only a scattering of bare bulbs burned here and there along the great military harbor； casting hard shadows across the gently rippling water。 Hunched guards spoke in whispers and studiously ignored the careful progress of the carrier out into open waters。
They were traveling under sealed orders； that much Captain Noguchi had told them。 He had meant it to squelch rumors but it only had the opposite effect。
Where were they bound？
At night； after all lights had been extinguished； the men huddled in their cramped windowless quarters to discuss issues and destinations。
It had been Gotaro Sato who had been certain they were bound for the Marianas。 Most of the other men found that idea preposterous。 The Marianas were far too close to Japan for there to be any fighting and this was most definitely a war mission of the highest priority； as Captain Noguchi had made clear to them in his speech。
But the idea of the Marianas piqued Nangi's imagination and； after the men broke up； he sought Gotaro out。 Gotaro Sato was a bear of a man； thick…necked and round…faced。 He had wide； shrewd eyes that revealed nothing； but； far from emotionless； he was given to wild bursts of great good humor。 He had the ability of knowing when a dose of his absurd wit…he was a prankster…would cool tensions or allay fears。
And in those dark days； deep in the final months of the war； there was plenty of both。 The Allies had already won two long； extremely hard fought campaigns； the first in the Solomons； late in 1943； and more recently in New Guinea。 Everyone knew they were heading inexorably toward Japan； and they looked toward their leaders for a supreme strategy to alter the tide of the bitter conflict。
They went up on deck。 Gotaro took out a cigarette； then thought better of lighting up。 The Pacific lay dark and foreboding all around them and； not for the first time； Nangi experienced an eerie chill。 He was a brave man and the thought of death in battle…a samurai's proud end…did not disturb him。 Yet out here； with only the depths of the sea surrounding him； so very far from any land mass； his stomach was never calm。
〃It's the Marianas；〃 Gotaro said； staring south； the way they were headed； 〃and I'll tell you why。 If the Americans are not already there； they soon will be。 We have an air base there。 The Islands are no more than fifteen hundred nautical miles from home。〃 His head turned as a sudden gust of wind came up； feathering his short hair。 〃Can you imagine a better target for the Allies to base and fuel their own planes for bombing runs into Japan？ I can't。〃
There was no humor in him now as he leaned his elbows on the metal bars of the top rail。 The sea hissed by far below them。
Despite himself； Nangi felt a terrible despair engulfing him。
〃Then there can be no doubt。 The war is surely lost； no matter what the Imperial mand tells us。〃
Gotaro turned to him； his eyes bright amid the shadows of the carrier's many tiered superstructure。 The proximity to so much reinforced metal was chilling； ing as they did from a culture intent on building structures of wood and rice paper。 〃Have faith。〃
At first； Nangi was not sure that he had heard the other man correctly。 〃Faith？〃 he said after a pause。 And when Gotaro nodded； said； 〃Faith in what？ Our Emperor？ The Imperial mand？ The zaibatsu？ Tell me； which of our many traditional icons shall I bow down to tonight？〃 He heard the bitterness in his voice but he did not care。 This night； so far from home； so close to the utter alienness of the battle lines； seemed meant for a venting of emotion long bottled up。
〃Greed got us into this mad war；〃 he rushed on before the other could answer his rhetorical questions。 〃The blind ambition of the zaibatsu who persuaded the government that Japan was not a large enough area for their empire。 'Expand； expand； expand；' they counseled； and the war seemed like a superb excuse to carve out the niche we had long been seeking in Asia。
〃But； Gotaro…san； answer me this： Did they attempt to get a sense of our enemy before the attack on Pearl Harbor was ordered？ 〃 He shook his head。 〃Oh； no； no。 Not a jot of ink was put to paper； not a moment of research was applied。〃 He smiled grimly。 〃History； Gotaro。 If they had known…or understood…anything about American history； they would have perhaps been able to anticipate the response to their attack。〃 Nangi's gaze dropped； the fierceness went out of his voice。 〃Now what will happen to us in the end？〃
〃Have faith；〃 Gotaro said again。 〃Trust in God。〃
God？ Now Nangi began to understand。 He turned toward Gotaro。 〃You're a Christian； aren't you？〃
The big man nodded。 〃My family does not know。 I cannot think that they would understand。〃
Nangi stared at him for a time。 〃But why？〃
〃Because；〃 Gotaro said softly； 〃fo