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cannot turn away from karma； eh？〃
He hugged himself。 〃Tell me； Linnear…san； are you a student of history？〃
〃My father； the Colonel； was；〃 Nicholas replied； 〃and he taught me to be as well。〃
〃Then surely you remember the Emperor Go…Daigo who in the early fourteenth century sought to break away from the Hojo regime。 Soon it became clear to him that the only way to do this was to utterly destroy the 'eastern savages；' as he called them。
〃Yet he had no clear plan and he； himself； was no military mander。 He did not know what to do。 Until one night he dreamt of standing near the boughs of a great spreading pine tree； more ancient than any he had ever seen before。 There were three ministers of state sitting beneath the boughs； each facing a different direction。 On the south side of the tree was a pile of mats。 It was the seat of the highest rank。
〃Two children appeared before Go…Daigo and told him that nowhere in the land would his safety be assured for long。 Yet they bade him sit beneath the tree for a time in the Seat of State。
〃When the Emperor awoke； he perceived that the Bodhisattvas Nikko and Gakko were attempting to give him a message through the dream。 It occurred to him that if he put the character for 'south' next to the one for 'tree' it created 'camphor tree。'
〃Therefore he called to his Master of Discipline and asked if there were any master warriors close by with the surname of Kusunoki； 'camphor tree。' The priest replied that the only warrior Kusunoki that he knew of dwelled in the province of Kawachi in the west。〃
〃His name was Masashigi Kusunoki； who could trace his ancestral line back to Minister Lord Tachibana no Moroe；〃 Nicholas said。 〃The Emperor summoned him and Kusunoki came at once。 He became Go…Daigo's tactical mander and his staunchest supporter。 He led the losing side in the Battle of Minato River in 1333； approximately where Kobe is today。 At the conclusion of the terrible seven…hour battle he left the field and mitted sep…puku inside a neighboring farmhouse。〃
〃The nobility of failure； eh； my friend？〃 Sato sat down on a round stone seat with no back。 〃But it is incidents such as these… men such as Kusunoki…that make up the warp that is the tapestry of our history。〃
Sato leaned forward as a bit of wind stirred the folds of his kimono。 〃Linnear…san； I dreamt last night of the camphorwood tree。 The Bodhisattvas were not present but two figures； shrouded in shadow； were there nonetheless。 Can you tell me the meaning of this dream； my friend？〃
〃These are indeed evil times； Sato…san；〃 Nicholas said carefully。 Sato was giving him the opening he needed。 But was there a catch？ He reviewed the situation once more before continuing。 〃We…and I include myself because with this merger I have bee a part of the keiretsu family and； therefore； partly responsible for its survival and prosperity…are beset from within and without。〃
Sato nodded。 〃Yes。 The wielder of the Wu…Shing and those who would try to wrest the secret of the T…PRAM chip away from you。〃
Nicholas waited a beat。 〃Not quite。 In fact； there are just as serious breaches which are right now threatening our merger and the continued stability of the keiretsu。〃
Noting that Nicholas had not said； 〃Your keiretsu；〃 Sato said； 〃Then you must possess knowledge picked up on your brief trip back to America。〃
〃Yes。〃 Nicholas nodded。 〃To put it simply； Sato…san； there is a muhonnin； a traitor； within the keiretsu。〃
Sato went very still。 His eyes were steely。 They had lost the unfocused glaze from the sake。 〃So。 And which of your petitors does this muhonnin work for？〃
〃None；〃 Nicholas said。 〃Rather the traitor is in the employ of one of your； er； petitors。 The KGB。〃
For once Nicholas could see a distinct reaction play itself across that broad Japanese countenance。 Sato lost all color in his face。 His hands began to shake so uncontrollably that he was obliged to lace his fingers together。
〃The Russians。〃 His voice was a whisper。 But what emotion it contained！ 〃Yes； I see。 The Russians would love to get their hands on a T…PRAM prototype。〃
〃Or then again；〃 Nicholas said； watching the older man closely； 〃it could be something else entirely they're after。〃
Sato shrugged his shoulders。 〃Such as？〃 Nicholas had his undivided attention。
〃Kusunoki was a loyalist。 As am I。 His emperor asked a great deal of him yet he did it unhesitatingly。〃 Nicholas was beginning his bargaining。 He was not about to release his last bit of information without obtaining the guarantees he needed。 〃The Wu…Shing is a matter of life and death。 And as you have said； Sato…san； life is good。 I； too； have no wish to see you leave it prematurely。〃
He turned and opened the scarred wooden case he had brought with him。 Opening the three latches he produced the dai…katana； his great longs word； forged almost two hundred years ago。 It was thirty inches long。
When Sato saw what was inside his eyes opened wide； moving from the black lacquer scabbard to Nicholas' face。 Silently； then； he slipped off his perch to kneel on the stones before Nicholas。 He bowed so low mat his forehead touched the ground。
Nicholas returned the honored gesture； said； 〃My father named this blade Iss…hogai； 'for life。' It is； as you know； the soul of the samurai。〃
Carefully； Nicholas picked up the sheathed blade and placed it between them。 〃My kami resides here； Sato…san。〃 He did not have to tell the older man why he had brought the dai…katana back to Japan with him； it was not for show but to use it。 〃And while the Wu…Shing is life and death； this merger between our kobun is no less important for the future。 I beg you to…〃
〃The merger！ The merger！〃 Sato exploded。 〃I am sick to death of thinking about the merger。 You have my word that when Nangi…san returns from Hong Kong the merger will be immediately consummated according to the agreement already outlined。〃
For a moment Nicholas was so stunned that he forgot what he was about to say next。 He had been prepared for debate； not capitulation。
〃Then it is settled between us。〃 Nicholas found that his mouth was dry。 〃By deed as well as by word。〃
Sato unhesitatingly held out his right hand。 Nicholas did the same with his left and； using his free hand； tied a length of cord around their wrists。 Thus bound together； they put the palms of their free hands over the sword。
Nicholas unbound them。 In a moment； Sato said； 〃Some moments ago you were about to tell me what； other than the Sphynx T…PRAM； this KGB traitor would be after。 Or was it merely a ploy with no documentation to back it up？〃
〃The KGB involvement is real enough；〃 Nicholas said。 〃I have firsthand information that cannot be disputed。〃
〃What do they want then？〃 Sato said； a bit sharply。
〃Tenchi。〃
At that moment they both heard movement from inside the house and； turning their heads； saw Akiko； haloed by the inner room light； step down onto the smooth pebbles of the garden in which they knelt。
Returning from her mission in Yoshino to fulfill her last promise to Masashigi Kusunoki； Akiko felt the thrill of fear race through her like a shock of freezing water。
She had been caught totally unaware； no one had seen fit to tell her that Nicholas L