Session 3. (1/8/01)
Episode 1 contd.
This opening episode continued into its third part showing no signs of ending. Sugiyama has got an audience with Lord Chozo, requested last week, to try to get him to fund the assassination of Hiraga Togama, the paper dealer suspected of importing cheap paper from Hyuga to destabilise the emerging paper industry. Sugiyama gets no change from Lord Chozo, but does hear of a rumour that there is a spy in the camp. Meanwhile, in Masaki village Mariko is finding it hard to balance the books, failing to find any hot springs in the village (as if they would have been overlooked for years!!) or artisans to marry into the community. The only option is to cut back on maintenance, though previous cost savings have resulted in the failure of an irrigation bank, leaving some fields without water. She was also forced to cut peasants' wages back to 2 CP per week. She gives a "Tighten Our Belts" talk to the villagers, but isn't very convincing and morale starts to slide. Switching back to Sugiyama we see him still agonising over whether or not to take the Togama contract. He has his agents watch the house and sends one to follow the paper back to its source, somewhere to the south of the region. Inoue, the young boy with the shady contacts tells him he must decide quickly or the contract will go elsewhere. While pondering, Sugiyama sets up a training régime at his base and personally trains Toda in kenjutsu.
At the school of the blade, Kimori is thinking about putting the fees up. He trains in Iaijutsu and demonstrates great skill in ni-to-kenjutsu. Emiko and Komako spend the week (week 15) training up at the castle. While visiting the castle, Sugiyama learns that some important papers have gone missing. He goes to see Kitagaki, the head scribe, and invites him out for a drink. Kitagaki is awed by his status and accepts. Sugiyama finds it very easy to get him drunk and talk about the papers. The papers are very important to Lord Chozo and are seen only by him and the scribes working on them. They consist of letters, plans and contracts, for provisions, services, arms and items Kitagaki didn't recognise. After Kitagaki slides gracelessly to the floor, Sugiyama carries him home. On the way Inoue spots him and says that his backers (local paper merchants) will raise the fee for Togama to 25 GP if the contract is carried out within 24 hours.
The next day starts week 16 and Kimori witnesses a brawl between about 20 yakuza, evidently from two different clans. He doesn't intervene and the fight eventually breaks up. The onlookers reckon it is all part of a turf war as yakuza gangs (there are eight!) fight for power under the new administration and in the vacancy left by the defunct Serpents. Kimori decides this is a matter for discussion among the troubleshooters and invites them all to tea two days hence. Meanwhile, Sugiyama gets reports from his agents watching the other paper manufacturers. They are struggling to keep going in the face of Togama's competition, and as they all source paper locally they are good for the Iyo economy. Sugiyama decides to take the job. That evening, being a new moon, he and Kajitori stake out Togama's house and adjoining warehouse. After waiting for the patrolling doshin to go past, they go in the front gate and round to the side between the house and the warehouse. Kajitori is too excited to keep quiet, so they pause at the side door to the house where there is also a door into the warehouse. They can hear someone moving inside the warehouse but they don't seem to be approaching. Quietly the pair open the house door and slip inside. Suddenly the warehouse door opens and a guard appears, swinging a wakizashi. Sugiyama is completely surprised, but Kajitori whips his blowpipe to his lips and hits the guard with a poisoned dart. The guard misses his shot, but throws the poison off immediately. However, this gives Sugiyama time to get organised and he lands two hefty blows on the guard, who can only reply with a weak blow. Kajitori draws his sword and lands the winning blow. No-one seems to have heard. Sugiyama dumps the body in the warehouse and the pair sneak into the house. However, Kajitori once again fails to keep quiet and Togama's voice is heard, "Is that you, Kajitori?" Sugiyama bursts into the room and with one decisive sweep removes Togama's head and catches it in the bag he brought for this purpose. Double budo for flashy swordplay! The following day, Inoue finds Sugiyama and takes him to a shady doorway in a shady back street where a shady character exchanges Togama's head in a box for a bag containing 25 GP. Inoue says to Sugiyama as they leave, "I can get you plenty more contracts like this, if you'll just spare me a few coppers!" Sugiyama gives him a silver piece but cautions, "OK, but if you slip up it'll be your head in the box." Nervous laughter.
Later that day, Emiko and Komako are walking through Matsuyama when Emiko suddenly finds herself on the ground with a lump on her head. Four ruffians are running off with her staff. Komako trips one and gets in a couple of punches. The others started to run off but stopped when they saw that one of their number has been waylaid. Emiko tries to get her staff but doesn't move quickly enough; however, Komako's opponent has dropped his staff and Emiko goes after that. Unfortunately she loses balance and staggers the other way. Komako's opponent backs away and Komako goes for a trip, but disaster strikes and Komako breaks his leg - again! They are left hurt and embarrassed as the assailants, yakuza by their tattoos, run off laughing.
That evening Kimori hosts a tea party at his house. The troubleshooters arrive and they discuss the upsurge in yakuza activity over tea, prepared by students from the School of the Blade aided by Mariko. They agree to pass on the information to the Chief of Police. This they do on the following day in a break from their training, though after Kimori has, at the request of his pupils and Sugiyama, given a demonstration of the Iaijutsu he has been learning. The demonstration, which went well, was naturally over very quickly.
All of the troubleshooters (except Koei, who is out of town) go to see Nitta Otondo, the Chief of Police. Mariko gives the story and the eye-witnesses (Kimori, Komako and Emiko) give their accounts. Sugiyama detects that Otondo is unimpressed. Otondo thanks the troubleshooters and dismisses them. Disillusioned by this brush-off, the troubleshooters decide to keep an eye on the matter themselves.
That evening Inoue finds Sugiyama and says "I've got a new contract for you!" He takes Sugiyama to a seedy backroom in a seedy bar, where a seedy-looking man, one of the Boars yakuza tells him the contract is on Nitta Otondo - the Chief of Police! Sugiyama says he will consider it, and leaves to start researching. His spies soon report back that Otondo was appointed by Lord Keji (the deposed daimyo) and lives in a well-protected house next to a doshin post. He often sees prostitutes, and is rumoured to be responsible for the disappearance of his wife several years ago.Sugiyama hasn't made up his mind when he is summoned to the Castle. Lord Chozo, using circuitous language, requests Sugiyama to "... remove Otondo from life." With two 30 GP rewards on offer, Sugiyama's mind is made up!
Meanwhile, in Masaki village life is difficult. Another irrigation channel fails and a water sluice breaks. There is a demonstration by peasants, led by the foreman, Kono. Mariko gives a rousing speech, and warns of the dire consequences of their current action. Suitably cowed, the peasants go back to work.
Will episode 1 ever finish? Surely it can't last more than one more session, or will Koei return and have a whole set of adventures herself? Find out on next week's 'Stone.