Session 21a. (14/12/05)

A special Christmas episode sees the Ainu forces battling a late snowstorm on their way to Hakodate. Supplies of fresh melted water are starting to run low. They will need a secret place to camp overnight. It must be away from prying eyes, off the road, and hopefully near a stream or spring. It's up to our heroes to find and secure a place before they are discovered. They cannot risk losing the elephant of surprise! The only question is: Can Miyoshi hide his entire army, or does he have a plan up his sleeve?

The late afternoon sun slowly fades as a weather front and chill winds blow up from the Northwest. Ainu scouts are sent ahead once again. Miyoshi is eager to find a place for his forces to rest and to replenish their water supplies. They are entering a valley on the west of Hakodate. The trees of the woods are thinning fast. The road is fairly good and straight, and visibility is excellent along most of its length. At the far end, the hills above Hakodate look bleak and ominous. It is not long before the advance scouts report back that they might have found a suitable place for the army to rest up for the night. It is a farm that has a small mill attached, and also stabling for horses; several fields of level grazing land; and a few farm buildings. The best part though, is that it is screened from the road by a line of trees and bushes, and that there is a fast-flowing stream between the road and the farm. Miyoshi consults his copy of "The thirty-six strategies" and decides that this might be a good place to make his encampment. (Strategy 36A - "Hide behind a bush") He decides that he needs to look at the surrounding terrain while there is still some light in the sky, in order to prepare for any battle. He wishes to consult with his Ainu captains along with Yoshi and Katchamaru, who is still mourning the loss of No.1 sword. Miyoshi decides to advance the army cautiously behind any advance party.

The advance party consists of Haku, Kanemitsu and Mineo, who are detailed to go to the farm, and secure the area. "I don't expect that a farmer and a couple of stable boys warrant any significant force" he says...

There is a brief pause while our trio dig out all their bandages and herbs and apply them to even greater areas of their bodies. Thus "Protected from the winter cold" they start along the Hakodate road. A few flurries of snow are felt in the wind, and soon enough, gentle flakes begin to fall. However it isn't significant enough to hamper progress or visibility at the moment.

Soon they are close to the farm that they hope to commandeer to make their camp.

"There's the hidden farm..."

"What farm?"

"Perfect!"

They can hear the gushing of a fast-flowing stream, and as they close on the one visible building, they can make out the clanking and groaning of machinery. The building is a small mill, enough for the output of a few farms, and its waterwheel is turning steadily in the fast flowing water. There is a small foot-bridge over the stream.

There is a single light on in the mill. The three decide to creep up to the mill and secure it first. As they cross the bridge, they are all as quiet as a gliding Tengu. At the last moment, Mineo steps on a large snowflake and slides down the far side of the wooden bridge. He remembers to keep his mouth closed, and not utter a sound. But as he reaches out to steady himself, a large section of the handrail comes away in his hand with a resounding "CRACK!" Remembering strategy 36A, the three crouch down, behind a bush, sure that they have been heard.

In the mill the miller is digging the parmesan out of his ears. As the trio approach, they stumble on the stony ground, drop the piece of wood, and make even more noise picking it up. The miller starts digging out the stilton from his ears.

The trio are ready at the door of the mill. They burst in. The miller is so shocked at seeing three armed and dangerous men in his mill; he almost drops his evening meal (bread and cheese.) He pleads for them not to hurt him. They tie him up. To ensure his silence, they stuff his ears with gorgonzola, and catch their breath.

They question the miller about the farm. It produces a little barley for Hakodate and the local area, being ground and processed here in the mill. The farm also doubles as a corral for horses that are captured from the surrounding countryside. Bushi also train here during the warmer weather, learning horsemanship (Bajutsu) they also have an archery range for Kyujustsu. The waterwheel can also be used to run a simple forge, where farm tools and horse tack can be repaired. The forge is not very big, and the facilities are not really geared up for making weapons.

They also learn that four bushi are in residence at the moment, getting a few weeks advanced training before the season begins properly. There is a resident sensei, a retired samurai, known as 'Old Raiko.' He lives in his own residence close to the farm house. There are also four eta. They reside in crude huts at the edge of the paddocks. They deal with the less savoury aspects of running of the stables, and make repairs to the tack.

The three thank the miller for spilling the beans, and gag him to ensure his continued co-operation.

They decide that a bold frontal approach (across the minefield) is not the best plan, and opt instead to skirt the main training field, past the eta huts, and around to an outdoor riding school, which is surrounded on three sides by barracks. Between the snow flurries they can make out some straw targets. In the stables they see that there are four horses, one in partial readiness for riding.

They decide that the barracks is only partly occupied, judging by the very few lights at the shutters. They creep nearer. Somewhere in the distance a dog can be heard barking.

The three decide to sneak into the barracks and confront the bushi there. This they do, quieter than a gliding Tengu blinking at ten-thousand feet. In a side-room, they can hear low voices, and possibly the throwing of dice.

[DELETED SCENE]

Samurai 1 (Watago): "My quality controller does an audit on your facility, my BCS is seventeen..."

Sound of rolling dice...

"Oooh! A critical success!"

Samurai two (Diegu): "I arrive late because the facility emergency generators packed up just before I left"

Samurai three Chishou: "Roll 2d10 to see how late that really is..."

Samurai Four: "How many task points to make an atomic bomb?"

[END DELETED SCENE]

As the trio are about to slide open the door, Mineo asks in a loud voice...

"Hey! Just what should I do with this great lump of bridge?    -Oh! Sorry!"

The elephant of surprise is seen exiting pursued by bears. The rolling dice sounds are replaced with drawing sword sounds, and two bushi in winter clothes jump out into the corridor and attack. In the confusion, Mineo goes to throw away the piece of bridge and at the same moment Kanemitsu is knocked to the floor unconscious. The fight is all down to Mineo to face the angry bushi, while Haku manages to subdue them, with darts of water, before Mineo makes the killing blow.

After four rounds it is all over. By this time the other two bushi have decided that the road to Balloc is the safer one, and have exited after the elephant, to raise the alarm. Mineo picks up the piece of bridge, just as Kanemitsu comes around. He puts two and two (should that be 'two-by-four?') together, and realises that he's missed the fight, and is nursing a big headache. Haku too is starting to get a headache, having overextended his magical ability.

Our heroes take stock, and are soon in hot pursuit after the other bushi. These two have run to Old Raiko's house and are raising the alarm. A servant is despatched to the farmhouse.

The trio emerge from the stables, and look around for the escaped bushi. They look again. There are a few embarrassing minutes while they try to figure out where their enemies ran to. Finally, they decide to look at the light dusting of snow and there they see the very obvious footprints of two running people. (and a BIG ARROW POINTING THE WAY)

"Hey! You're making tracks in the snow!"

"What snow?"

"Perfect!"

With the 2x4 in hand, the trio follow the footprints which lead to the garden of the house.

Seconds later, two of the biggest and meanest dogs they have ever seen come bounding out of the night and attack. Mineo throws the stick, but the dogs are guard dogs, not retrievers. Thankfully their bark is worse than their bite, and in the first round, one is badly injured and one is merely scratched. In the second, Kanemitsu manages to spear one on the end of his Naginata. He raises it up high and slices it in two in the process. The other is finished off and they soon resemble dog-food rather than dogs. Mineo picks up his lucky stick.

"Did you see the size of those dogs?"

"What dogs?"

"Perfect!"

However, this delay has given their enemies a few precious moments to get the rest of their armour on, and prepare a reception for them...

The human tracks proceed on over the garden, and up onto a low veranda. There are faint lights behind this from inside the house, but otherwise it is very dark. The three now proceed more cautiously, only to be met with a volley of arrows. They mostly manage to avoid these, the darkness of the garden outweighing the skill of the archers. Haku starts to fling darts of wood at one of the archers. His next arrows don't seem to have the penetration force of the first. Soon the unseen archer is struggling to keep the bowstring held taught.

In the next round, a horrible cracking and splintering of bamboo and lacquer can be heard. Having overcompensated for his failing strength the archer has broken his bow. Mineo and Kanemitsu have also switched to bows, and fire back. Another round sees one of their weakened opponents struggling to keep his broken bow upright, when a critical hit impales him on the back wall of the house, with a revolting wet thud. Though dead, he is held upright by the arrow, now deeply imbedded both in him, and in the wall behind.

Kanemitsu uses this as his cue to charge, and he runs headlong over the well-manicured garden, dodges arrows, and leaps up onto the veranda, and lunges with his naginata. The second bushi takes it right in the chest, and he too is pinned to the wall, completely dead. The trio wait for another attack, but none comes. However, there is movement and sounds from inside the house...

Inside the house, Old Raiko is preparing. The trio creep along the corridor until they can see the vague silhouette of two figures. They slide the door open, and confront an old man and his wife.

Needing no second bidding, Mineo steps forward, and lunges at the old Samurai, injuring him quite badly, with a slash to the arm. When the old man does not retaliate, there is a pause in the proceedings. The wife starts to cover her husband with a nagamaki (small naginata), but stops when he does not make a counter attack.

"It's you!" Old Raiko says, rather cryptically.

There is a Mexican standoff. Drops of blood well up from the gash on the old man's arm and drip onto the tatami. There is a faraway look in his eye. He glances at his wife and at the young men here in his house. To burst in on him is unforgivable. The mud on their boots and the blood on their swords tell him that the other bushi (and two massive dogs) have already met their ends. Finally he realises that fighting these three, one of which is unarmed (and possibly even more than dangerous) will be suicide. He might be a proud warrior, but he is frail and old. He surrenders, and his wife lowers her weapon.

Our three heroes accept his surrender gracefully. By this time, they can deduce that the Ainu forces are arriving, and starting to assemble on the fields outside the house. Several Ainu captains enter, and report that there is no other resistance. The farmer and his family have surrendered without bloodshed.

Old Raiko starts to impress on the heroes that his duty is to report to his superiors in Hakodate. Knowing that this will tip off the enemy, the heroes deny him. Torn between duty and a suicidal attack against the Ainu forces, the old sensei is in a dilemma. They grant him leave at dawn, knowing that any warning will be too late to be effective. He retires to contemplate his next move. His arm is seen to. Mineo offers the piece of 2x4 but it isn't that bad a cut.

Meanwhile, the tatami are now covered in muddy boot-prints, from the Ainu captains, along with Miyoshi, Yoshi and Katchamaru. What with the blood, the mud, two dead bushi in the garden, and several hairy Ainu watching television in the front room, it's almost too much for Old Raiko and his wife to bear.

In the morning, the Ainu army look over their captured farm. There are about forty horses in the paddocks. The Ainu have little to do with horses, and will never have enough time to train as cavalry. Mineo ponders whether to offer to buy them all, but sadly his gold is not enough to cover more than a few old nags.

Miyoshi takes one of the fallen bushi's horses for himself. Haku is offered another. The Ainu chief is offered a third. The rest are taken on a 'sale-or-return' basis. The Ainu have just enough skill to ride them to battle, but will have to dismount to fight, and then (hopefully) ride back. Someone mentions the four horsemen of the apocalypse and three horses, but it is lost in translation.

Koshamain, the Ainu chief declares that these warriors that ride like cavalry and fight as infantry will be 'The breath of the dragon' Unfortunately another translation error makes it sound like 'Dragoon' hence "Enter the Dragoons"

Having camped for the night, and the elephant of surprise safely up his sleeve, what will Miyoshi do next?

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