"Tell him we're on our way, Wendy-chan," Doctor Sakusa said.
"Hai, Sakusa-sama!"
Doctor Sakusa handed the monocular to Montgomery. They left the ensign behind and ran to the bridge. Along the way they heard the captain telling the crew to get to their battle stations.
Inside the bridge they found the captain and his bridge crew steadying themselves for combat.
Out the large front windows of the bridge a Confederate airship was rising in front of them.
"Slow the engines," Captain Parsons commanded. "Turn 40 degrees to the port and hold our position. Commander Matsuo, tell the gunners to open the gun ports."
"Aye, captain," she said.
The HMS Kaede turned faster than an airship of its size should have moved. Cannons and one Gatling gun were aimed at the closest airship, but a second one was closing behind them. A third was also on its way. The navigator climbed into the bridge and approached the first officer. They talked quietly to one side. Hirohira tried but couldn't hear what they were saying.
"Captain, we are being contacted," Commander Matsuo said.
"What?"
Matsuo nodded to the navigator, who said, "My analytical machine is receiving a message from a similar device."
"It must be Colonel Jackson," Doctor Sakusa said. "She has my MAM device. I guess she wants to talk to me.
Hirohira descended the ladder to the navigation room on the deck below the bridge behind Doctor Sakusa and the navigator, Lieutenant Commander Brice. The navigation room contained the analytical machine. The machine could calculate latitude and longitude anywhere on the planet, as well give calculated guesses on weather patterns that could endanger the airship. Most modern airships used a twenty-year-old Swiss invention, but this one had been advanced with Venusian technology. Thanks to the Martian-Venusian Communications Treaty of 1801 that made all civilian satellites an illegal target in war and conflicts. It could also communicate with the MAM devices. Unbeknownst to most Earthlings, Martians and Venusian put communication satellites in Earth orbit decades ago.
Brice sat in his chair in front of the machine's console. Doctor Sakusa took up a spot behind him. Brice flipped some switches and twisted a knob. The screen hummed to life. Hirohira scratched the nape of his neck as Colonel Jackson's face appeared on the screen.
"Hello, Momiji-chan," Jackson said. "I see that we got you again. You had best surrender because my people might open fire before I order them not to."
"Understood, Colonel," Doctor Sakusa said. "We surrender."
"Good. Good," Jackson said. "I hope you will come down again for a nice snack. We have plenty to share."
The Union flag on the Kaede was lowered. The flag combined the red sun of Japan with the old Union Jack of Britain and was known as the Sunny Union Jack.
#
The others were marched out of the Kaede by Jackson's soldiers inside the large underground base.
"Well, this sucks," Paul said.
Doctor Sakusa had been taken separately to speak with Jackson, while Hirohira hid inside the Kaede's stables. Yes. It sucks, kid. Now what do I do?
They had been forced to bring the HMS Kaede down into an underground base, or bunker, probably to be examined and taken apart to learn its secrets. The base must have been created to control pro-north rebels after the Confederate Army won their War Between the States.
Hirohira was inside a secret compartment that Captain Parsons had showed him before everyone left the airship. He suspected soldiers were searching the airship right that minute, so he remained quiet. He had his Colt Katana and .22 Osaka revolvers with him, along with some food and water. He lay on a rough-napped blanket and tried to get some sleep. Later he would sneak out and free everyone. Or at least that was the plan.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Enemy Base.
Hirohira awoke.
Is it morning? Best get ready and eat something. I should take some food and water just in case. I don't know how long this will be.
Hirohira found a bag and stuffed some rice balls in it, along with a small leather bag that he hoped could hold water. Now he had a snack that he could eat later. He grabbed the other bag out of the compartment.
Now I get out to look around the Kaede. And hopefully I won't get caught by the bad guys or blow myself up with this dynamite. He made sure the bag was securely shut.
Hirohira thought of the shinobi skills that his crazy Uncle Kure had taught him before being murdered in his sleep when Hirohira was fourteen. There were ways to walk quietly across creaky floors and how not to be noticed while in plain sight. He would need all of those ways if he was going to get out of this quagmire alive.
Well, Uncle Kure, let's hope that I paid attention to all of your sabotage lessons. If Dad had his way you and I would have never met. Sometimes I think he had you killed just keep you from giving me all your anti-samurai ideas of freedom and human rights. Not the traditional samurai notions that Father and Grandfather wanted to instill in my very bones. Maybe I'm just being paranoid like always. They were brothers...
Hirohira shook the thought away and sneaked out of the small maintenance door above the stables with his bags. None of the guards seemed to notice him.
Only the three airships were there. They were a lot easier to get into than the Kaede; the guards weren't paying much attention to them. They must believe they have all of us in custody. Hirohira gave each of the three airships a present wired to a control box that had a small battery to power it. One of those odd things Uncle Kure had taught him.
Hirohira went in search of the others. The airship hanger was huge and oval-shaped, plus the walls and ceiling were smooth as could be. Many hundreds of feet long and half as wide, so as to hold half a dozen airships and the space needed to repair and maintain them. Several tunnels were connected to the hanger and branched into various directions. One tunnel led to a chamber that was being used as an armory and a second tunnel led to a bad-smelling chamber that turned out to be a latrine. Most of the tunnels had wooden or metal braces to stop a cave-in and were over six feet high. The chambers were only slightly bigger, except for the airship hanger that was gigantic.
Hirohira eventually came to a chamber that held the Kaede's crew in tents surrounded by barbed wire fences and guards. He made sure that no one saw him, so the guards wouldn’t be alerted. Hirohira carried some guns from the armory with a sack of bullets. He set them in a dark corner of the third tunnel and went back to where he had left the control box for the explosives. The battery was warm; he hoped it would work. He yanked a lever that sent power through the wires. Three separate bundles of dynamite went off at the same time inside three airships.
He jumped up, sprinted for the third tunnel and hid under a pile of garbage or spare parts, he wasn't sure what it was. Five guards ran out of it screaming for help. "Get some water!" "How did this happen?" "Are they all on fire?"
Hirohira coughed with his hand over his mouth. He gripped the Colt Katana, sent a prayer to the kami then raced towards the prison chamber. Instead of sneaking in, he ran screaming like a madman. He gunned down two guards. The surviving guard fired back with his rifle and missed. He flipped the lever of his gun down to fire again, but Hirohira hit hi m in the arm and knocked him back with a blast in the belly.
Hirohira rushed to the prisoners. The captain stood at the forefront.
"Oi! Lieutenant Izumo!" Captain Parsons shouted. "You did a good job, lad. Now free us and we can try to find Doctor Sakusa."
"She isn't with you?" Hirohira said.
"No. I'm not sure where she is. I suspect that Jackson woman has her."
"I left some guns in the tunnel over there," Hirohira said.
"Good man. Arm yourselves, men! And uh-ladies."
"We need to regain control of the Kaede, sir," Commander Matsuo said.
"Correct, commander," Captain Parsons said. "I want you to take most of the crew to get the Kaede back. I shall go with Hirohira to look for Doctor Sakusa. We'll take Montgomer
y, Boyle, Shibata and Davis with us."
"Aye, sir.”
Everyone grabbed a weapon. Captain Parsons, with three other men and a woman, followed Hirohira who told them where two of the tunnels led, so they needed to scope out the other two he hadn't checked. Captain Parsons had Shibata and Boyle go with him down one tunnel and had Hirohira take the other tunnel with Montgomery and Davis. He found Doctor Sakusa and Colonel Jackson inside a circle painted on the concrete floor. Both women held a sword. Jackson swung her saber at Sakusa’s head. Sakusa smacked it aside with a katana sword. Three of Jackson's men were watching the sword fight. One of them noticed the intruders and shouted a warning. Hirohira rewarded him with a bullet in the throat. Davis was knocked backwards by a shotgun blast to his chest.
Hirohira saw Jackson slashing her sabre at Sakusa in an X pattern that pushed her backwards. He wasn’t sure what happened next for he was busy fighting a gun battle with Jackson’s men. But he glanced at them as Sakusa's blade arced cut through Jackson's right wrist. The saber fell with the hand and blood. Jackson screamed.
One of Jackson's men made the mistake of turning back at the sound of the scream and was shot in the back by Montgomery. Hirohira took out the last of Jackson's men, but when he looked Jackson was gone.
"Where did she go?" Hirohira said.
"That way," Doctor Sakusa said. “She went into an elevator over there.”
Captain Parsons returned with the other two men. Montgomery was squatting by Davis and looked up at Captain Parsons. "Davis is dead, sir," Ensign Montgomery said.
"Bloody..." Captain Parsons said. "Doctor Sakusa, are you okay?"
"Yes, Captain." Doctor Sakusa shoved the katana back into its sheath. "Jackson got away, though she left something behind." She pointed at the bloody hand on the floor.
"Oi! Let's get out of here," Captain Parsons said. "Maybe Commander Matsuo and the others have taken the Kaede back."
"Well done," Doctor Sakusa said. "Let's go."
#
They returned to the Kaede and the burning airships. The explosion had set off the hydrogen in the airships and they were in pieces. Hirohira and the others found the rest of the crew fighting off Jackson's soldiers. A couple of the crew were dead; a number of them were wounded.
"Captain Parsons!" shouted Commander Matsuo. "You've found her."
"Indeed, Commander. Let's get everyone aboard and lifted out of here."
"Yes, captain." Commander Matsuo ordered some men to unhook the mooring lines.
Hirohira picked up a rifle and holstered his revolver as they entered Kaede. He followed Sakusa and Captain Parsons into the bridge. Soon Commander Matsuo joined them.
"All hands are aboard the Kaede, sir," Commander Matsuo said.
"Thank you, Commander. Mr. Wang, lift this airship up and out of here."
"Yes, sir.”
The airship Kaede climbed out of the huge ceiling doorway of the base and was out in the fresh air. It rose high above the trees. The rocket engines ignited.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Detour to Toronto.
Later while the Kaede was on her way to California, Doctor Sakusa and Hirohira were in the officer's mess with the captain. They had just finished a fine meal of mutton, baked cod, baked potatoes, rice, dumplings, and fried apples and aged cheddar cheese. The captain lit his bamboo pipe and leaned back in his chair.
"So tell me, Doctor Sakusa," Captain Parsons said. "What is it about that Japanese sword that you brought back with you? You didn't have it before."
"Well, let's see..." Doctor Sakusa sipped from her teacup. "Ell--Colonel Jackson had me escorted to a chamber that she used for her office and sleeping quarters. She tried to get me to join her side and tell her everything I know about Venusian technology. I refused, but she..."
Doctor Sakusa sighed and looked at her cup for a second. She looked up and let out a loud sigh.
"I need to explain about my history with Ellie Jackson," Doctor Sakusa said. "You see, we went to the same private school in Virginia. We became friends and eventually…lovers. Over the years we drifted apart. Our nation's hostility to each other pulled us apart as well. Five years ago, I was on an assignment in Alaska when our paths crossed again. I'm not at liberty to say what the mission was, but Ellie challenged a Japanese man who was working for me to a sword duel. She killed him and took his sword. The sword I brought back with me. He was a friend and I feel obligated to return it to his family."
"She is still out there," Captain Parsons said. "She might try to find you."
"Oh, I'm sure she will, Captain," Doctor Sakusa said. "It's her nature. She won't leave it alone. I couldn't kill her, but I'm sure she will want to kill me next time."
Hirohira sipped his tea and mentally chastised himself for not shooting Jackson during the fighting. He felt like apologizing, but instead said, "What will you do?"
"I don't know, yet."
"Well… Right now we need to get somewhere to repair this airship and I don't recommend going all the way to California."
"What about Canada?" Doctor Sakusa said. "Toronto would be a good choice."
"Possibly," Captain Parsons said.
#
Returning to her quarters, Momiji found Wendy pacing.
“Is there something wrong?” Momiji frowned.
Wendy smiled. “No.”
Momiji moved to kiss her. Wendy stepped back. Think it a game Momiji laughed and tried again.
“Wait.”
"What's wrong?" Momiji shut the door.
"Nothing." Wendy tried to kiss Momiji, but she held up her hand. Wendy kissed it. "Later. We can talk later, my love."
Wendy kissed her on the cheek, chin and then her lips. She moved down to Momiji's throat and pulled off her jacket.
After they had made love they spooned on the futon bed and Momiji lazily licked Wendy's ear from behind. She breathed in Wendy's scent mixed with the sexual sweat. Her hand rubbed across Wendy's round white hip and dropped down towards her mound of yellow hair. She enjoyed the tremor and quiet moan from Wendy’s lips.
"Still awake?" Wendy said.
"Yes, my love." Momiji curled some of Wendy's blonde hair in her fingers and watched it bounce as she let it go. Her own hair didn't wave as easily. “You smell nice. Did you actually go take a bath after I left?”
Wendy turned around to gaze into Momiji’s eyes. She enjoyed the feel of their nipples and bellies touching.
"You're the first--first woman lover I ever had," Wendy said and looked away. "Well. Actually you're the first lover I ever had. I…my parents always pushed suitable young men on me, but I was never interested. I had crushes on various girls growing up, but I learned to hide my feelings. Especially from my parents. It was considered improper. A sin against God, Queen and Country."
"It's not like it's perfect among my people either, Wendy. Such feelings are okay as long as you also get married and have children. Continue the family line and have a secret lover on the side--that is what they consider proper."
"Really?" Wendy laid her chin on Momiji's shoulder. "I'm terrified they'll find out about us."
"Would it be so bad if they did?" Momiji stroked Wendy's hair.
"You always smell of the best incense, darling love," Wendy said.
"Are you...are you wanting to, uh," Momiji mumbled. "To quit, to uh..."
"I don't know, Momiji." Wendy leaned her head back to look at Momiji and their tears fell. "You are m-my darling love. I don't want to lose you. I-I don't know wha--"
"Hush.”
CHAPTER NINE
James Family.
General Frank James looked up from the book he was reading when Teddy--his senior slave--walked in. Frank was still surprised at how many slaves his family owned. His own father had only owned seven in Missouri. Once the War of Northern Aggression started he had moved up in the ranks to eventually become a colonel in the Confederate Army. Now he and his wife had a number of slaves toiling around this house in Michigan, but back home in Miss
ouri he had many more to work the large plantation that his oldest son was running for him. Strange how things changed after the war was over; for the winners it got better and for the losers it got worse. Not that he felt sorry for the fools out there killing innocent folks wherever they could. Amazing how many of those lunatics were still out there. Don't they know the war is over?
Frank shook himself out of his thoughts. "What is it, Teddy?"
"Master James, your brother Jesse is here to see you and so is Mrs. Starr." Teddy was dressed in the yellow and white striped suit that was the current fashion for slave-men to wear these days.
"Thank you, Teddy." Frank laid his book down and stood up. "Show them in."
"Yes, Master. Should I have some tea and cookies made for them?"
"Yes, Teddy. Have Betsy do that."
"Yes, Master."
A little later, Teddy opened the door to admit Mrs. Belle Starr and his younger brother Jesse James into the study. Frank laughed and gave Bell a practiced southern gentleman's bow. She returned the gesture with a ladylike curtsy in her lovely green dress. He took her offered hand and kissed it. "Always a pleasure to see your lovely face, Belle.”
Belle Starr laughed. It was unladylike, but feminine. "Frank, I'm sure there are Negro girls in your household a lot prettier than me. I'm the ugliest woman I've ever seen aside from this one northern spy, but that was only after I bashed her face in with a rock."
"Oh, Belle," Jesse said. "You shouldn't say such terrible things about yourself."
"I'm just honest, Jesse. I think you would look prettier in a dress than I would."
"True, but why talk like that?"
"Well, please don't give my little brother ideas like that," Frank said. The image of his brother in a dress popped into his thoughts. "He's crazy enough to try it."
"Oh, Frank," Jesse said. "I ain't gonna to put no dress on. That's silly."
"That's good to hear." Frank showed his visitors to seats.
Jesse took a chair and Belle sat on a brocade-upholstered couch. Soon Teddy returned with the refreshments and refilled Frank's coffee cup. Frank sipped his coffee before speaking.
The Mighty Airship Kaede. (The Mighty Airships of Earth. Book 1) Page 4