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He stood up。 The briefing was over。
The predawn air was chill with a gusting inconstant wind quartering in from the northeast。 Nangi and Gotaro； clad in their flight suits； walked across the vast expanse of the carrier's open deck。 Before them loomed the hump…bellied shape of the twin aircraft； as disfigured as a leper。
〃I have more flight time than you；〃 Nangi said。 〃They should have chosen me for the Oka。〃
Gotaro smiled。 〃There are few like you left； Tanzan。 Most of them ing up now are raw recruits with little or no training。 With that in mind…with the war having so pletely depleted us…do you think it a wise decision to test this flying bomb with a veteran pilot？〃 He shrugged his shoulders。 〃What possible good would it do when those who will follow； the true members of Shimpu Tokubetsu Kdgekitai； will know nothing。〃 He shook his head。 〃No； my friend； they have made the correct choice。〃
He was upwind of Nangi； when he abruptly stopped and turned to face him； his body blocked the fierce bite of the wind from Nangi's face。
Gotaro produced a white square from …a pocket； luminous in the werelight。 〃Here；〃 he said； 〃this is for you。 A hachimaki。〃 He tied it around Nangi's helmet。 〃There。 With that ancient symbol of determination and derring…do you look just like the other meaning of shimpu。 Do you know it？〃
Nangi shook his head。
〃In Tokyo these days I've heard the term is used in a humorous way to describe the daredevil taxi drivers。 Kamikaze。〃 Gotaro laughed。 〃I would have called you that in Noguchi's cabin but it is surely too lighthearted a word for him。 This is quite a solemn moment for him。〃
Nangi squinted up at his friend。 〃And for you； Gotaro…san； knowing what must be the end of this mission。〃
〃I have faith； my friend；〃 the big man said。 〃I have no thought but to serve my country。〃
〃They're mad if they think this Oka will frighten the Americans。 More likely…knowing them as I do…they will laugh at it。 They have no concept of seppuku； the warrior's way of death。〃
〃So much the worse for them；〃 Gotaro said； 〃for this has surely been a war of misunderstanding。 I cannot think of what will happen to us or what may e after。 I have my duty to perform。 In all else； I put my trust in God。〃
The wind was picking up as the high bowl of the heavens began to lighten； pitch black fading to a deep cerulean。 Down low in the east； where the sea met the sky； there were already the first fugitive streaks of pink； rising。
Gotaro reached out。 〃Listen； my friend； Captain Noguchi was right。 We all love life； that； too； is our duty。 But there are higher principles than self。 That is one of the first teachings of Christianity。〃
The mechanics took over as they came up on the half…tarpaulined planes。 They took them through a brief but explicit tour of the tandem units。 There wasn't much to see； actually。 The twin…engined Mitsubishi had been stripped down to acmodate the intrusive hump of the stubby Oka。 It had also been converted so that one man…the pilot…could fly it satisfactorily。
Beneath was the Cherry Blossom。 When Nangi poked his head inside； he was inwardly appalled。 It appeared to be nothing more than a flying coffin with almost no equipment。 Only a steering mechanism and a speaking tube to allow munication with the pilot of the Mitsubishi。
The mechanics explained that Gotaro would sit in the larger craft with Nangi until their target was sighted。 Then he would slide down through the modified bomb bay doors into the tiny cockpit of the Oka。 All phases of the mission were gone over in detail； and then the two majors were asked to repeat the drill。 By that time it was 05：19。
They climbed into the Mitsubishi。
The sea was a sheet of flame； reflecting along its vast； rippling skin the rising of the bloodred sun。 For a time all blue was banished from the sky as the lurid tendrils of light floated higher。
For Nangi and Gotaro there was only the monotonous thrumming of the twin engines； the steady vibration。 Now Nangi began to understand the desperation of his country。 This was a plane he was quite used to； and the differences in flight were considerable。 It had been stripped down in more ways than the mechanics had cared to mention。 Of course there was no armament…that had been apparent on the ground at first inspection。 But a great deal of the inner insulation of the plane was also gone。 Nangi supposed that some of this was essential in order to offset the fully loaded weight…4；700 pounds…of the Oka； there were over 2；500 pounds of high explosive in its nose。
And yet the farther he flew this 〃new〃 plane the more he became convinced that even more than was strictly necessary had been taken out。 He thought of what Gotaro had said about the sad state of Japan's military manpower。 Didn't it follow then that the same might hold true for materiel。 Were they already down to cannibalizing planes？ Would that mean that by year's end untrained teenagers would have rifles shoved into their soft fists and be cast off from the Japanese shore in rowboats to meet the advancing enemy？ Nangi shuddered at the thought and made a minor course correction。
Just behind him Gotaro； acting as navigator for the moment； studied the aerial map of the North Pacific。 He glanced at his watch and； leaning forward to make certain Nangi could hear him over the ferocious din of the aircraft engines； said； 〃We should be sighting them in just under ten minutes； approximately two hundred fifty miles southwest of Guam。〃 He looked at his map again。 〃That will put them and us almost directly over the Marianas Trench。 That is supposed to be the deepest depression on earth。〃
〃I know。〃 Nangi had to yell to be heard。 〃I'm trying not to think about it。 I read somewhere that scientists have guessed it might be more than forty thousand feet deep。〃 He shuddered。
〃Don't worry；〃 Gotaro said lightly； 〃neither you nor I will touch water on this mission。〃
Just over six minutes later； Gotaro touched Nangi's shoulder； pointed south。 The unbroken skin of the Pacific seemed placid and so flat it might have been a sheet of gunmetal； solid and
unyielding。 Then； following the other's finger； Nangi saw the two tiny specks。 He made another minor course adjustment。
〃Time；〃 Gotaro said in his ear。
Nangi was trimming airspeed。 〃Wait！〃 he called。 But when he turned his head； his friend was already gone。 Nangi could picture him slithering down the makeshift tunnel into the dark； cramped； coffinlike cockpit。
〃Here I am。〃
Nangi heard Gotaro's voice emerging through the top end of the speaking tube。 He lowered the flaps； and they began their descent。 He kept Gotaro informed every step of the way。
〃We're at thirty…five thousand feet。 I can just make out some definition in the target。〃
〃I've got the destroyer；〃 Gotaro said。 〃Just get me there on time。 I'll do the rest。〃
Nangi's skilled hands were busy bringing the plane down on course。 He felt keenly the hachimaki wound tightly around his helmet and he said； 〃Sato…san。〃
〃Yes； my friend。〃
What was there to say？ 〃Twenty…nine thousand feet and closing。 We're right on target。〃 He put his hand up to touch the white cloth fluttering slightly in the chill air。
The sky was enormou