Part 22 (1/2)

You saved many here from certain death. In particular, my wife and son Itada. Because you did so at risk of your own life, I am bound to you by a debt of honour - from which I can only be released by performing similar action. You understand me?”

'Yes. What's the problem?”

'Gra.s.s-monkeys are forbidden, under pain of death, to carry arms in Ne-Issan. And it is even greater crime for slave-person to kill Iron Master - especially samurai. So there is conflict here. As long as the debt of honour remains, uhh. undischarged, I am obliged to defend your life - even at the cost of my own. But, equally, you cannot be permitted to go unpunished.”

'I see what you mean,' said Steve. 'It's a tough one.”

'Tough?”

'Hard. Difficult.”

' 'Ahh, so ...” n.o.buro held out his cup for a refill.

'Tough for both of us, gra.s.s-monkey. It would have been better if you had let my wife and son die under sword of samurai.”

'I don't understand.”

'Obligation to inferior slave-person cause loss of face.

Only honourable solution for samurai family in such situation is to die by own hand.”

'That's crazy,' said Steve. 'There must be some other way.”

'There is,' replied n.o.buro. 'You can kill yourself.” 'Kill myself...?”

'Yes, now.” n.o.buro drew his short-sword, then leant forward and placed it reverently in front of Steve. 'Your death by your own hand will release me from debt of honour and lift shame from my family. Samurai of Lord Se-Iko will also be avenged. Satisfactory, uhh - solution for everyone.”

Except me, thought Steve. No wonder n.o.buro's wife didn't look overjoyed. 'Loss of face'. what the effeff was all that about?

Someone reached out to give him a refill. Steve laid his right hand over the cup, pinning it to the floor as he waved n.o.buro down with his left. 'Hold on a minute. You've got this all wrong.”

'Ahh, how so?”

'First, I am not a slave - second, as a warrior I could not stand by and let the sons of samurai be slaughtered and third, I venture to suggest, Captain, that killing samurai can only be considered a crime by those who live within the law.”

n.o.buro nodded soberly then translated Steve's spirited reply for the benefit of his companions. It caused a great deal of laughter and slapping of thighs. When the merriment subsided, he addressed Steve with the hint of a smile. 'Well said, gra.s.s-monkey. But you now pose another problem. If you are not slave - what are you doing here?”

This was the crunch point. Steve took a deep breath and went for it.

'I came to prevent a war between our two nations. ' n.o.buro mastered his surprise and laughed. 'Between the Sons of Ne-Issan and the gra.s.s-monkeys?”

'No, Captain. Between the Sons of Ne-Issan and the Federation. The warriors from the underground world beneath the deserts of the south.”

The faint smile faded from n.o.buro's face. 'The long-dogs make war on gra.s.s-monkeys. Why do they send you as peace messenger?”

Steve straightened his back and looked the head ronin right in the eye.