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“SHOGUN” © 2003. Okihei Enterprise, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Tribute to Richard Chamberlain |
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| A company of Gray Samurai carrying flares
is moving down the darkened street. Then, suddenly, a Gray Samurai moves
toward a building -- holding his flare out. Uraga emerges from the shadows
of the building - wearing the flowing orange robe of a Buddhist priest,
a hat covering his head. The Gray Samurai holds the burning flare toward
him.
Gray Samuarai:"Doko e iku noda"? Uraga obeys the command - - taking off his hat. The Gray Samurai nods. Uraga puts his hat back on, turns and continues walking. Uraga is walking across the warf - - towards the Galley. Then, behind him, a figure moves in the shadows of a warehouse. |
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| Blackthorne:"Look there. Near the warehouse.
See him"?
Uraga:"Who was it"? Blackthorne:"He followed you onto the warf. You never saw him? He doesn't have swords, so it's not a Samurai. A Jesuit"? Uraga:"I don't know. I tried to be most careful. Please excuse me for not seeing him. I was outside the castle until just after dark". Blackthorne:"Did they see you"? Uraga:"No, Sire. There are rumours, Sire. Most of them ill-omened. In the marketplace they say that the Council of Regents is to be convened in nineteen days and that His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, will be there. Lord Toranaga has no choice but to appear before him. It will be Lord Toranaga's death day, Sire. And on that day -- we will all die. Blackthorne:"But before that day, I will buy a crew at Nagasaki and my ship will sail. The Erasmus at sea can change everything. Uraga:"Everything but one thing, Sire. It cannot change karma". Blackthorne:"Aye, Karma". |
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| There is a faint hissing sound from the seaward side and instinctively Blackthorne moves -- an instant before an arrow swooshes past, missing him fractionally and shuddering into the bulkhead. Blackthorne lunges at Uraga to pull him down to safety as another arrow from the same volley thuds into Uraga's chest, impaling him. Uraga's eyes open, looking up at Blackthorne, pleading and begging -- his lips working soundlessly. Blackthorne raises his hand and makes the Sign of Cross before Uraga's eyes. |
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| Blackthorne is wearing a new brown kimono
with the five Toranaga ciphers, his hair tied back in a neat queue -- the
swords that Toranaga gave him jutting from his sash correctly. Vinck is
standing by the gangway -- staring at Blackthorne, as he approaches.
Vinck:"If I was you, Pilot, I wouldn't go". Blackthorne:"l've no choice, Vinck". Vinck:"What am I supposed to do while you're gone"? Blackthorne:"Wait". Vinck:"If it was up to me, I'd get us the hell away from here right now. Listen, Pilot, your men could hold them others off and you tell these buggeys to row like demons -" Blackthorne:"We stay! Can't you get it through your head? We stay until we're allowed to leave. We stay until Lord Ishida says we can go -- even if the Pope and the King of Spain come ashore together with the whole God-cursed Armada! Do you unders tand that now"? Vinck:"Aye,-- Pilot. I understand it -- but I'll be poxed if I like it. But, by God, you'd better come back for me. I'm like a moth in a bottle here". Blackthorne:"Aye. Don't worry. I'll not stay in Ishida's castle any longer than I have to". The Officer in charge of the Gray escort bows and Blackthorne bows back -- then he moves off with them. |
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| The room is immense with a golden ornamented
ceiling, gold_paneled columns supporting the rafters. Five hundred Samurai
lords and their ladies, wearing all the colors of the rainbow, are facing
the raised platform at the far end. Now all the people in the room turn
and see Blackthorne -- opening a path for him and bowing. Blackthorne bows
back, then he looks up. There is no one between him and the platform. He
stands there rigidly for a moment, then, in the utter silence, he walks
forward. Mariko and Yabu are in the crowd near the platform as Blackthorne
approaches. Blackthorne sees Mariko, but she quickly looks at Lady Oehiba
-- and Blackthorne continues to the platform. He kneels and bows
formally -- once to Lady Ochiba and once to Ishido, then he gets to his feet and starts to back away. |
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| Lady Ochiba looks at Mariko, then motions her forward. |