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“SHOGUN” © 2003. Okihei Enterprise, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Tribute to Richard Chamberlain |
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Then his chest heaves -- and he begins to cry. |
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| Blackthorne is walking back toward the house,.. his eyes still dark. He reaches the gate and goes in, Fujiko is kneeling alone in the garden, the sword across her lap. She looks up as Blackthorne enters -and offers him the sword. Blackthorne shakes his head. |
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| Gently, Blackthorne reaches down and lifts
Fujiko to her feet --
as she starts to cry silently, the tears rolling down her cheeks. Blackthorne:"It is not your fault, Fujiko-san. It is my fault -- for giving that foolish, God-cursed order. I wish I could explain that to.you now. It is not you, but I who am to blame. The old man's death is on my head, not yours. |
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| Blackthorne, Naga and a dozen more Samurai
come riding up,
but Naga signals for them to stop twenty yards from Toranaga and Mariko. He gestures for Blackthorne to dismount, then rides off with Blackthorne's horse. Blackthorne looks around, his swords in his belt, then he starts walking forward. Toranaga looks up as Blackthorne approaches and bows. Mariko:"My Master says that he is pleased to see you, but that you are looking troubled. He wishes to know why". Blackthorne:"The old man, the old gardener -- I am responsible for his death". Mariko:"It was all officially dealt with, Anjin-san. There is no need to be troubled". Blackthorne:"You knew about it?" Mariko:"Yes. You see, one of our most important rules is that the individual may never disturb the Wet, the harmony of the group. And the stench of decay is revolting to us, so something had to be done". Mariko looks at Toranaga with the faintest nod. Mariko:"My Master says what had to be done was done. He asks me to tell you of his new's from Osaka. |
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| Mariko:"Lord Sugiyama has resigned from the
Council of Regents. Now there are only four again and again they cannot
act. Lord Ishido was very angry - and Lord Sugiyama, his wife,
his consort and his children have all been killed. Blackthorne:"What will happen?" Mariko:"War. A long war which will ruin the Empire. Unless-. Unless Lord Toranaga petitions the Emperor to make him Shogun. Do you understand what that means?" Blackthorne:"No". Mariko:"Shogun -- Shogun is the military ruler of the whole country'. Toranaga turns to Blackthorne, speaking directly to him. Mariko:"My master says that the time has come to prepare your ship for war. He wants you to go to Yedo and ---. The earth begins to shake. |
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| A gaping fissure opens in the ground and rushes
toward
them at an incredible speed -- Toranaga and Mariko teetering on the brink of the cleft. Blackthorne just stares, swallowed by his fear, incapable of thought or action. Then Toranaga starts to topple into the fissure. Blackthorne comes out of his stupor and lunges forward -- pushing Mariko back from the edge and grabbing out for Toranaga. Blackthorne's hand seizes Toranaga's sash -- as Toranaga falls, the earth trembling like a leaf in the wind. |
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| Blackthorne wraps his end of the sash around
his hand, taking up the slack and pulling as hard as he can.
Toranaga's slide stops as the sash tightens. Then he begins pulling himself up toward Blackthorne, digging himself out of the earth. Blackthorne keeps the sash as taut as he can -- and finally Toranaga reaches him and together they scramble toward the top. |
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| Blackthorne:"Are you all right?"
Mariko:"Yes -- yes". Blackthorne:"Is it over?" Mariko:"Until the next time. It is over until it begins again. Karma, neh? I think I understand now. I was so angry before -- about the old gardener. Yes, it was all my fault and I am truly sorry. But it is - nothing can be done about it. -A moment ago I was almost dead -- so all the hurt and anger was waste, wasn't it? Karma. My Master says that Karma is the beginning of knowledge. He says that next is patience. Patience is very important". Blackthorne's sword is lying halfburied in
the rubble of dirt and
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