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Onboard SS ERIN 0740 08NOV17:
Since the Captain was late for breakfast, Tom Dodge got up and walked over to the Captain's Table and greeted the Turner sisters. He asked them if they had slept well. Elizabeth turned towards Tom with a most eager smile. Chrissie could see that her sister was clearly smitten with the dashing Tom Dodge. He asked her if she would like to go for a walk after breakfast. She quickly blushed and agreed as she noticed the Captain enter the room. Her sister said " Look the Captain had arrived. It looks like breakfast is about to start. Tom turned and smiled at Chrissie and replied " Enjoy your breakfast" then moved back to his chair across the room.
As the Captain approached the table, Col. Mostaza stood up and waited for the Captain. The two sisters remained seated. After the Captain took his seat, Col. Mostaza sat down.
Immediately, the two stewards quickly began to serve breakfast starting with the Captain, then the Turner sisters, then Col Mostaza before moving to the First Mate's table. While breakfast was being served to the other tables, the Captain, the Turner sisters, and Col. Mostaza began to eat. By custom, no one would start to eat a meal until everyone at the table had been served.
While eating the breakfast, the Captain and the guests at his table conducted light conversation. The Captain asked the Col. about his wife and three children. The girls asked about his eldest son and his daughter. When the subject began to die down, the Captain expertly steered the conversation to how the sisters were enjoying the voyage. Both sisters breathlessly described their experiences, while the Captain and the Col. paid appropriate attention to what the girls had to say and asked gentle questions when appropriate. The girls enjoyed immensely being treated as adults (at home, their strict parents would not allow them to be so familiar with adults). When the girls began to describe their late night fright of seeing the pirate ship's approach and the praising of the protective and gentlemanly conduct by Mr. Dodge and the Second Mate, the two girls did not notice the displeasure in the face of the Captain. The Col. did notice, but said nothing. The Captain asked the sisters very detailed questions about the pirate ship's appearance without alarming the two sisters...
Halfway through breakfast, Tom Totsuiko asked to be excused, quickly stood up and left the room without anyone from the other tables noticing except for Tom Dodge who closely observed Totsuiko's exit without anyone at his table noticing his attention was elsewhere...
As soon as it was socially acceptable (A ship's Captain is well schooled in the social graces - even today, before becoming a senior Officer one must attend a class on how to act appropriately in formal occasions (and meals on a ship carrying passengers are definitely formal affairs). A class the the United States Navy calls "Knife and Fork School") the Captain stood up apologized for having to leave, "but duty calls". The Captain then left the room stopping briefly to talk to the Senior Steward who immediately approached the Second Mate and wispered into his ear "The Captain requests your presence in his cabin immediately".
Meanwhile:
Tom Totsuiko had returned to his cabin and changed clothes. He quickly left taking his Swords and the six "Japanese Sheriff Badges". Moving silently and avoiding contact with crew members, he entered the compartment containing the passengers extra luggage (space was limited in the passenger cabins, so part of each passengers baggage were stored a secure compartment). If needed, a steward would quickly retrieve what the passenger required.
Totsuiko search and located the baggage of The Professor. He quickly but throughly searched Ciruela's two trunks not finding what he was looking for...
Totsuiko was able to exit the compartment without being observed. He was able to move to Ciruela's cabin and enter almost being seen by two crewmen coming out of Col. Mostaza's cabin. Totsuiko quickly and efficiently began to search the Professor's cabin. He finished without finding what he was looking for. Frustrated and now very angry, the reserved Mr. Totsuiko began a second frantic search. This time due to his fustration he did not bother to search without disturbing. Suddenly, he heard footsteps appoaching the door. Totsuiko immediately jumped as if he was a cat and clung to the ceiling. Two crewman entered the cabin, noticed the disarray and started their own through search not as through as Totsuiko's but through enough to find a navy colt revolver (well oiled), a box of shells, several knives and a bull whip. The crewman wrote down what they had found, but left the items in place. They left the room without noticing the "Ninja[?]" clinging to the ceiling. Dropping to the deck, Totsuiko listened to the footsteps through the door. As soon as there was silence, he to exited the room without being seen. He entered the shadows waiting for...
At the time Totsuiko left the Second Mate entered the Captain's Cabin. The Captain speaking in German interrogated the Second Mate about what had happened the prior night. The Captain was not happy with the decision of the Second Mate to not
inform the Captain of the Girl's thinking that they had seen a pirate ship with canons pointed at the SS ERIN. He agreed that two drunk
Girl's imagination was responsible for the pirate sighting but that didn't matter. The Captain must be aware of everything that happens onboard his ship. The Second Mate should have informed the Captain what had happened as well as his conclusion that two drunk girls had vivid imaginations. The Captain then (in English) dismissed the Second Mate with instructions to continue the search.
When he returned to his cabin, the professor looked at the mess in his cabin. He looked for his pistol and his bull whip. Both were where he had left them. He put the revolver in his pants and placed the bull whip on his belt. He left his cabin and started to move to the bridge where he expected to find the Captain. When he reached the outside deck, he moved towards the ladder to the upper deck and the bridge. Before he reached the ladder, Totsuiko (dressed in black and wearing swords) steped out of the shadows and snarled "WHERE IS KUSANAGI"
"I don't have it. I gave it to the Prince to be returned to the Emperor".
Drawing his sword, Totsuiko charged towards The Professor screaming in Japanese "Die Barbarian for Your Sacrilege!" Before he reached the Professor, Ciruela drew his revolver and shot Totsuiko...
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"WHERE IS KUSANAGI"
Over four thousand (4,000) Big Closet Readers are familiar with the name KUSANAGI. They read The Knights of Death Chapter 19. In Wolfjess's epic story, KUSANAGI was the AI in "The Great Sword" (A SA-7B Katana). In her story, KUSANAGI announced to the Empire that Maiha was the new Empress.
There is a real KUSANAGI or KUSANAGI-NO-TSURUGI (grass cutting sword). KUSANAGI is one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan.
Officially, KUSANAGI is kept at the Atsuta Shrine but the Shinto priests will not allow anyone to see the sword.
In chapter 6 of my story Mary Celeste, a Japanese Ninja (Joe Totsuiko) is shot on November 8, 1917 on a tramp steamer called SS ERIN while attempting to kill an archeologist named Professor Ciruela with a katana because he (Joe Totsuiko) believed that Professor Ciruela (an Indiana Jones like character) had committed sacrilege by possessing KUSANAGI.
I used KUSINAGI in my story (not because of Wolfjess's story, but) because during the battle of Dan-no-ura where the Heike clan was defeated, KUSANAGI was lost when the Emperor committed suicide [actually, he was thrown into the sea by his grandmother!] by drowning during the battle. The sword KUSANAGI (or a replica used for rituals) was thrown into the sea with the Emperor and not recovered (according to "The Tale of the Heike").
In Mary Celeste, Professor Ciruela apparently recovered the lost KUSANAGI.
Josette, that's freaking
Josette, that's freaking brilliant! The heck with the mystery, this is getting cooler by the chapter.
I'm told STFU more times in a day than most people get told in a lifetime
So What Does it Say...
...about our now-deceased ninja that he looked in Dodge's luggage first before moving on to Ciruela's cabin? Did he think Dodge had the sword?
Eric
Re: So What Dies It Say
My bad - errors fixed. I meant to write Joe searched the Professor's baggage. Unfortunately, I don't have a Julia to keep all the names straight.
Stands to one side.
Off to one side with a smile stands a humble words smith clapping. “And here I thought that no one would ever find the reference to the actual Great Sword. Josette I appalled your dedication to our art and have found that this chapter has peaked my interest. I will write more once I have read the WHOLE story. I will admit the truth in that I have not read this story as it did not at first grab my attention and I had been a little busy with writing my own stories. I will now though.”
May the peace and happiness of the Goddess keep and protect you
as always your humble outlaw
Jessie Wolf
Re: "our now-deceased ninja..."
In an attempt to create a "Saturday Matinee Cliffhanger", I ended Chapter 6 with the words "Ciruela drew his revolver and shot Totsuiko..." That plan went flat faster than a horny Bullfrog jumping an angry porcupine in heat!
FYI (for those who don't click on the YouTube links at the beginning of each chapter), the YouTube clip for chapter 6 is the scene where Indiana Jones shoots the Arab armed with a sword.
The Story Behind the Story
Apparently, Harrison Ford was suffering from a stomach virus during the location shoot. He had to run to the toilet on a regular (irregular?) basis. The shoot was running long, Ford was exhausted and dehydrated. The scene called for him to fight a long and protracted battle with the scimitar-wielding assassin. Ford suggested to Spielberg that he could not do the scene. When Spielberg told him they were behind schedule and it would be very expensive to continue it later, the star suggested that he could just shoot him and be done with it.
According to some rumors, they got it on the first take.
waif
Be kind to those who are unkind, tolerant toward those who treat you with intolerance, loving to those who withhold their love, and always smile through the pains of life.
I was always told "Never
I was always told "Never bring a sword to a gun fight"
Your tongue is so far into your cheek! Great imagination!
Karen