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to

prevent them from being used to destroy the authority and honour of the

TohYota."

'If that was his reason, why bring them here?!" thundered Ieyasu.

'Why did he not kill them?!" 'Isn't it obvious? I' cried

Yoritomo."Bringing them here was the only way of rooting out the cancer

which has been eating away at the body of the Toh-Yota! The cancer

which is the source of the weakness our enemies are so eager to

exploit! And that cancer is you, great uncle!

Your place-men, your servants, your army of spies who are in thrall to

the Dark Light! This evil growth is your creation!

You, whom I relied upon to uphold the rule of law and maintain our most

cherished traditions, have betrayed everything we hold dear!" Ieyasu,

unbowed by these accusations, responded with a dry laugh. 'In thrall

to the Dark Light?! What nonsense is this? You condemn me on the word

of this treacherous harlot?! Are you so blind you cannot see the

thrust of this game? She is a pawn of the Yama-Shita, and her motive

is revenge because you and I took away her plaything - the Herald

HaseGawa!" Yoritomo did not waver. 'You are wrong, great-uncle.

YOu stand condemned by your own words. The devices that you used to

extend your own power over me and this country have betrayed you!" He

turned to the guards standing over Cadillac and Roz. 'Free the

long-dog's hands! Let him make the box speak?

Ieyasu's face turned a paler shade of grey.

Using the counter as a guide, Cadillac rewound the LP tape to a certain

point, set the transceiver down on the floor, pressed the 'Play' button

and turned up the volume.

Everyone apart from Cadillac and Roz listened in awed silence as the

disembodied voice of Samurai-Captain Mashimatsu issued from the box,

followed by Ieyasu then Watanabe.

'... There were a handful of survivors- crewmen who were asleep in the

forward part of the vessel when the explosion occurred - but no trace

had been found of the twenty or so passengers believed to have been on

board at the time."

'Good fortune smiles upon us, Captain. We were warned that a team of

assassins sent by the YamaShita might attempt to land from just such a

vessel. It looks as if they have blown themselves up while preparing

explosive devices which they obviously intended to use against us.

'Make sure all the bodies are brought out of the water, and search the

outer islands in case there are survivors hiding there. No one must

be allowed to escape justice.

Do I make myself clear?"

'Yes, sire. ' 'See that the men are rewarded. And you shall have your

long-awaited promotion. I shall not of course tell the Shogun the real

reason for the glowing recommendation I will make on your behalf."

'To be able to serve you is honour enough, sire. Your generosity

overwhelms me."

Sounds of movement, the rustle of robes and the noise of door screens

being slid aside. Stockinged feet walked across straw matting then

Ichiwara's voice 'What are we to say when the lady and her children are

reported as missing from the Winter Palace?"

'We say nothing, Watanabe! We simply look as puzzled as everyone else

I In time it will be discovered that she and the traitor Min-Orota

boarded two ships at Oshana bound for an unknown destination'.

Questions will have to be asked. We must pursue the matter with our

usual zeal, but her fate will remain shrouded in mystery. It will be a

sad loss to our family, as you can imagine- and I fear her brother will

feel it more keenly than most."

A dry laugh.

'We will have to find a -' Cadillac stopped the tape as the Shogun

sliced the air with his right hand, then pointed down at the

transceiver.

'It is all here, great-uncle. Every word you have uttered today - to

the moment when you ordered your faithful secretary Ichiwara to destroy

the contents of the "box-room"."