1275psi
Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005 Status: offline
|
In the sanctuary of the Imperial palace, their are more than enough peaceful and quiet areas to hold conversations, to argue, to give orders, to plot............... In the gardens of the Imperial palace, it truly can be said that here is the world of mice and men, of wax paper and black ink.............. The Emperor and general Sugiyama, (who now with out doubt holds the reins of power in what remains of the empire) stand side by side near one of the ponds, the Koi swirling, circling below their feet. They are utterly alone "And so, general, what have you discovered?' 'Quite a tale your highness, quite a tale" "Aaah......but what would life be like without a good story ney?' The General takes some bread, casts it upon the waters. The fish feed. "The facts, as we know them, are this.............On the 1st of of december, 4 men of herbiesans guard, through an utterly delightful ruse, removed a considerable amount of gold from the vaults." 'My vaults general........." the Emperor gently reminds his council leader "yes, yes of course.....continuing.........on the 2nd of december these same men board a slightly rusty E class vessel , a vessel captained by a certain Captain Ugaki....... "A fellow revolutionary of our late herbiesan" "A very close revolutionary friend.............along with several heavy crates marked machinery parts" 'The gold?" "Undoubtably" The General casts more bread...........the bare cheek of the theft..........almost unbelievable, even if the facts slotted so neatly... "Chiburi sails , without Combined fleets, or any fleets knowledge that very day...........destination, until now, unknown" The Emperor nods............in recent conversations (secret to all but the most trusted) with the Russians, a name has consistantly came up, a name of a man, The Russians it seemed were convinced remmained alive under his care....... "Rovaasski?" "Yes your Highness...........Rovasski" Silence falls between them The Gold, no doubt now, had gone North, been delivered, but failed to arrive.............. "Do you know where Chuburi went general? "No, we have some idea, but nothing definate...........she returned December 16th, herbiesan boarded on the 18th...........he died somewhere on the journey north again, how the barsted died we do not know, but that he did there is no doubt. Chiburi then deployed to manilla..." "And was sunk with all hands............and the trail goes cold general" 'Not necessarily" The emperor looks at Sugiyama sharply "two crew members still live............how they got of her, too long to relate.........but they live still. " "Where?" The paymaster general tells me they are posted to destroyer Susuzuki, refitting in Hiroshima" And you will bring them in for questioning? "No ..............they are stokers............they will probably know nothing, have no idea where Chuburi went, if they do, what can they say?...........that we went north, it was cold?. They will not be able to "help us" in that manner. If they DO know something, all we will get still, is it was cold, we were in Northern waters...........no, we need something more subtle................ The Emperor nods And in the quiet of the garden, another dark plot begins to grow..............
|