Warrior Queen

"WHAT... Why are they leaving...? We have not finished the negotiations yet!"

I like Herr Reinhardt, it's not in his manner but in some other ways he reminds me of my father. He's a big strong man that's also the salt of the earth. But unlike my father Herr Reinhardt is a loud, boisterous and jovial man. Who has a 'hail fellow well met' pat on the back for everyone he meets. I just didn't associate the volume of his voice to hearing loss. But I guess Edsel Dillof knew of his hearing loss and took advantage of that fact.

"Herr Reinhardt how long have you been losing your hearing?"

"Losing my hearing... What do you mean, and what does that have to do with anything?"

"Because any agreement between your two companies stands on the edge of a cliff and one man is trying to push it over. He's been using your hearing loss to keep you unaware of what he's been doing."

"I meant what I said about the professionalism I try to attain with my company. That means being completely neutral between delegations. I also don't participate in any part of the member selection of either delegation."

"I've been in some negotiations where I 'suspected' that there has been industrial espionage going on, or other kinds of skullduggery. That type of conduct has sometimes tested my resolve for that professionalism. But if I don't have proof of anything illegal happening I stay completely out of that." I turned and looked over toward Komori-san and asked in Japanese.

"Komori-san I suspect that Michio Sanya can understand German, am I right?"

"Yes Williamson-san, it is rudimentary but he can get the just of what's said."

Turning back to Herr Reinhardt... "I just asked Komori-san to substantiate my suspicions. Being that Michio Sanya of his delegation can understand some German. Edsel Dillof plausibly suspected that someone in the Japanese delegation would understand German, it makes sense."

Turning to Komori -san... "If you please Komori-san will you convey my apologies to your delegates. Also would you commend them on their stoicism in the face of these insults and the abominable conduct they've been subjected to. That they retained their professionalism in the face of these insults is 'highly' commendable."

"Please take no insult Komori-san, but if I may be allowed to continue talking to Herr Reinhardt by myself, I would greatly appreciate that."

"Hai." Komori-san bowed politely, turned and left the meeting room.

"Mist, (shit or animal dung) why is he leaving? We're not done with these meetings so he shouldn't be leaving."

"He's leaving because I asked him to. I wanted to talk to you about some things that he need not hear. Herr Reinhardt, I've never actively influenced a merger to succeed or fail before. But I'm trying to convince myself that I'm not doing that even now. What I'm actually trying to do is stop an injustice perpetrated by one man for personal gain, especially when his desired outcome, for these negotiations, is totally opposite of everyone else."

"Also because I abhor the manner that he's using to sabotage these negotiations, racism is one tool he's using. Cultural slurs, innuendo and insulting conduct to Japanese culture are some things he's been doing

'Yellow monkeys' is one term Edsel Dillof has muttered loud enough for Michio Sanya to hear, but there have been other insults voiced as well. But he thinks he's saying it too softly for us here at the head of the table to hear, especially you because of your hearing loss. However my hearing has always been exceptional."

"Why Bemot Herzfeldt, who's sitting right next to him and can obviously hear those insults. Has not made you aware of what Edsel Dillof is doing is entirely your concern, not mine."

"Some of the insulting conduct to Japanese culture he has been doing takes a more than a passing knowledge of proper Japanese business conduct. So I suspected that he's receiving some coaching. So with the insults he muttered on the first day and my suspicions. I hired a German private investigator to follow him."

"Both the second night of the negotiations and last night that private investigator followed him to two different restaurants where he met with employees of two major real estate brokerage firms.

I'm sure you're aware of the appraised value of some Eisen Haus holdings. With the longevity of Eisen Haus properties that were acquired many, many years ago are now very desirable...'very-very' desirable!"

"I suspect some of those properties are actually worth several times the assessed value. That's because of their desirability to different types of businesses. Inner-city properties in a major metropolitan area like Düsseldorf are extremely rare. Such a location to a hotel conglomerate would cause the value of those holdings to skyrocket."

"With the use of a mini-parabolic microphone that private investigator was able to listen in on parts of the conversation Edsel Dillof was having with his fellow conspirators. I called them that for just that reason, conspirators, because that's what they're doing."

"The private investigator wasn't able to get all the details. But what they're doing is trying to force the failure of these negotiations. Edsel Dillof will use that failure to in some way take control of Eisen Haus. I don't know how they're going to accomplish that, again that's your concern."

"After that's accomplished certain of those valuable properties will be sold to those brokerage firms, undoubtedly for less than they might be worth, but also undoubtedly with some commission going to Edsel Dillof."

"Another example of Edsel Dillof's racism was a comment that the private investigator recorded. I'll let him know to release those recordings to you. But that recorded comment was: 'the Heritage of Eisen Haus should only be kept in the hands of 'true' 'pure' Germans.' I cringed when I heard those words. Because I think that we all know when and who used those words before."

"Personally I detest racism! It's inconsequential if it's black against white or white against black, or even yellow against green. I think the color of a person's skin has nothing to do with their intent, intelligence or ethics. AND I think those matter a great deal more than skin color or even the color of the shirt you're wearing. I think racism is just as ridiculous as judging a person by the color of their shirt. But I guess there's people that'll even do that."

"Well, back to the matter at hand. I understand and agree with the Japanese delegations feelings of alienation and disparagement, my own are similar. It's such a shame that one man's greed and bigotry can affect things so drastically."

"Once I realized your hearing loss and that you're unaware of what Edsel Dillof was doing. I felt that I ethically had to make you aware of that before these negotiations completely collapsed. Since I've now done that as we Americans put it. 'The ball is in your court' and you and the board of directors of Eisen Haus have some decisions to make."

"Until someone has made those decisions, I feel it is of no purpose to continue meeting. So I will inform all the others that our afternoon session will be canceled and we'll start again in the morning. Guten Nachmittag (good afternoon) Herr Reinhardt."

Time past always affects the future.

(International phone call to Japan:)

"Konbanwa." (A Good Evening telephone greeting.)

"Eight-nine-three." (Ya-ku-za) The worst possible hand in Oicho-Kabu card game.

"Hai." Buzz... click... click... blank noise... "Hai... Kakuho shimasu." (Secure)

"Message to the Oyabun (head boss) Dojin-Kai clan (Yakuza crime family) from Dai Kuroki at Ga Ryū Hagane negotiations."

"I believe I have seen the Katana from the set that those cursed Tekiya bastards (thieves and peddlers sect) gave to the Emperor Go-Yόzel during the 16th century talks that allowed them honors to start carrying Katanas like samurai and then banned us Bakuto (gamblers sect) from the same honors."

"Then when the same smith made swords for us he was outlawed and the Emperor had the gift set struck and the smith executed. Yet still allowed those Tekiya bastards sword honors."

"Yes, I remember that legend. I'm sure that the Oyabun will want them. You know how he is about swords. A sword with Yakuza history? He'd wet himself to get it. Can you get them?"

"Not easily, I'm not sure that the other two are with her. I also have no way prepared to get them back to Japan."

"Her? A woman has it? Just slap her bottom and take them from her. It can't be that hard to take them from a woman."

"You haven't seen this woman! She is a giant witch and sword trained with Akuma Shisen. (Daemon eyes) Plus if we take the Katana now we might miss being able to get the other two."

"Stupid superstitions! Just slap the bitch and take the damn sword! Ah... Wait a minute, maybe you're right. Hai, better to get them all at once. I'll talk to the Oyabun and let him decide."

"He'll have to decide later. The negotiations are done and we're leaving this morning. That's why I won't be spotted making this phone call. I'll send him all the information I have on her then he can decide what to do about the American daemon bitch."

Time can be good even in its passing.

(Taji:)

I can hear the laughter of the little children, but then I also hear the silver bells of her laughter. Betsy and I had just finished working out with her Wakizshi and Tanto in tandem. I had went back to start water heating for tea because we took a few minutes after each lesson and workout to converse and drink tea. Often some children of the neighborhood would come early to see her practice. Then they would run around and play on the floor of the dojo while we talked.

That was obviously that had happened, but what I found when I stepped out onto the practice floor was unusual. The cries of the children were happy, yet wanting has they danced around her. They wanted her to 'make it hum, make it hum Lady'! AND she was, and I wouldn't have thought it possible. She had her bokken spinning above her head so fast that the hardwood of the blade was picking up a vibration as it spun though the air!

It was vibrating enough to thrum as it went through the air. A solid shaft of hardwood was vibrating internally! She had enough control to make the sound oscillate.

On the Discovery Channel I had seen a show about the Australian aborigines. They used a small piece of wood or bark at the end of a rope. To make a noise, a whirring thrum that could 'talk' over great distances, especially at night. They called it a bullroarer, and she was doing much the same thing with her practice sword.

The bullroarer's cord was sometimes 6 feet or more in length. Betsy's bokken was a little over 3 feet. The speed at the end of a 6 foot rope should be faster than a 3 foot practice sword. That she could get a solid piece of hardwood spinning fast enough to vibrate amazed me, but entertained the children. Her laugh, that chime of silver bells, is what entertained me. She laughed nowhere near enough.

I unintentionally taught her a new game that the children love. I envision it as a lesson and a training aid. A lesson in Katana maintenance and the training aid to add precision to her incredible speed.

The lesson in maintenance was to improve her skill at maintaining the edge of her Katana. I had bought several boxes of hard rubber balls, just slightly larger than a fist. As a training aid I would throw one or more for her to cut into pieces with her Katana.

But I soon discovered that one old man is not equal to several small children in being a training aid with rubber balls. Betsy started bringing sacks full of rubber balls for the children. Throwing accurately or correctly is not always a skill small children have, which increased the difficulty of the training. Plus excited children often throw more than one, or faster than they meant too.

After the first round of balls thrown the pieces picked up just got smaller and harder to hit. She taught them what size was too small. When they pick up one too small they had to dispose of it in the box or they couldn't play the game again.

That way we had less to sweep up after the game, but we didn't mind.

Time is all past... present is but an instant, future yet to be.

(Taji:)

Déjà vu is what hit me in the face when I saw him. Oh, I recognized him right away even though I've never seen him before. Even from across the room I could see the faint glint of one white-blue eye and one green on a very large man. Honored Father, Mr. Daniel Teague has come to show me his sword. Déjà vu... him standing in the entryway of my dojo just as she had, but he wasn't danger like she had been. Honored father didn't move like she did, but for a big man he still moved with the ease of a dancer.

He was Karisuma-Tekina kojin no chikara, full of 'Charismatic Personal Power'. He was a mountain of it that had nothing to do with his size. His presence drew the eye as naturally as a magnet drew metal. That presence was larger than life with roots that went down into the bones of the earth. Here was a man who did what was necessary, no drama, no fuss, just what was necessary, 'when' it was necessary.

Yes he was a big, heavily muscled man that filled any room he was standing in. But he didn't look as big as I thought he would have. Nor did he look anywhere near the age that he should have.

Looking less than huge was because he didn't look stout or heavy even though his shoulders looked like he had football pads on. That his biceps looked larger than my thighs, his hips and waist looked tiny for those shoulders and his legs were long, with thighs that approached the diameter of my waist.

His appearance was one of those that left you puzzled. I knew in my mind about what his age should be by knowing his daughter's, but standing there he looked many, many years younger. Yet if I had to guess his actual age from his appearance... I could not. He had an eternal look that said in a 100 years he would still look the same as he did right now.

There was a smile and laugh lines on his face. But that was for the two women who followed him. The 'Lady' as the children called her and one that could only be her daughter, Michelle Jeanette, who I had never seen before either.

I bowed welcome before him and said the greeting in Japanese...

"Honored Sir, Mr. Teague welcome to my humble dojo."

"Thank you Sensei Toiguchi, even though I didn't understand what you said, because unlike Betsy I don't speak Japanese. Betsy is the only linguist in our family, and that's because it comes so easily to her. Eight languages she can speak, eight...isn't that amazing?"

"But thank you Sensei Toiguchi for letting us into your home and dojo in spite of our rude arrival. But Betsy assured us that you wouldn't take offense to our arriving unannounced."

"Please forgive me Mr. Teague for my errant assumption." As I bowed deeply. "I will keep all further conversation to English. But your arrival is neither rude nor unwanted, and as I have previously told Betsy, that my home is her home and to come and go as she pleases. Even though I did not say the words, I meant that to include any guests that she wished to invite."

"My small home is doubly honored by your arrival. It is said that a parent can only be truly judged by their offspring. You are a very wise and illustrious man Mr. Teague. Not only is your daughter a joy to be around. But she is also the student that all teachers desire. A truly gifted and diligent pupil that makes their instructor seem at least competent."

This man, this honored father is a great deal more than just wise and illustrious. In some small ways a parent can be said to mold their offspring. This man has molded a masterpiece of grace, power and dignity. In this sense he's made a pure athlete who at 43 is still at her physical peak. Although she does not compete in any sport, she's holding at that physical peak ready for anything. But mostly just for life itself.

Forty-three years old and still at the peak of physical conditioning... unbelievable.

Honored Father started her training at age 10 and now her physical power is immense. Yet her muscle dexterity and flexibility is without equal and pure speed that is unbelievable.

Her muscle development is equal to that of any bodybuilder it's just not made of bulk and only slightly less cut or chiseled... more womanly.

"See, I told you Father that he has a golden tongue."

"Ah yes, what was that you said: 'that humbleness drips from words as beautiful roses.' Well I have a saying too, one used by Texas Cowboys, 'I need my boots because it's getting deep in here'. (LOL)"

"Okay enough, Taji I wish to present my daughter Michelle, and you've heard me speak of this man many times Michelle. I wish to introduce you to Sensei Taji Toiguchi my very good friend and teacher."

Michelle's hand was soft and had none of the heavy knuckles like her mother's. Her eyes were a beautiful, bright, luminescent blue but with none of the oddity of her mother's or grandfather's. Hair, skin and beauty were so very much like her mother's, but softer and more feminine.

But she had none of her mother's or grandfather's internal power or charisma, fitness yes but charisma... no.

Standing here with them it almost made her seem washed out. But without them present, I knew she would shine like a star among others. She was very tall to me but less than her mother or grandfather. In my mind I knew that she had not had the tortured childhood of her elders. In my mind was the amazement of that being a detriment to her, she was just that much less. In my heart was sadness for her.

Bowing over her hand caused a golden smile to blossom on her face. That beautiful face turned into more... a golden morning sun that rose from that wondrously beautiful smile. Then I realized that she had her own kind of power, the power of a beautiful woman, a beautiful woman who's happy and contented within her own skin.

Down through the ages of mankind beautiful women have held an enormous power over men, if and when they chose to use it. That was Michelle's power, and thus every mans' desire was to keep that beauty smiling and happy, it even might not have anything sexual about it. The world looked better with the smile of a beautiful woman in it, and down throughout history men have died to keep that smile alive and glowing.

Even the old man I am, I still felt the tug of want to keep that smile glowing.

"It's such an honor to meet you Sensei Toiguchi; Mother has talked so much about you. Enough so that I feel like I already know you. But I realize that you probably know little about me. Hopefully someday we can rectify that... I would like too. Almost enough to sign up and take lessons from you but I'm nowhere near as warlike as Mother and Grandfather. I have no desire to learn the combat of Kenjutsu and I feel that I have enough training in the martial arts already for what I desire."

"But I do have an idea and I think it's one that Mother will like too. Mother, on the nights that I am home from college, and it's cuisine night, please invite Sensei Toiguchi to join us."