Ion 417: Raiju (23 page)

She gave me a stern look, "I will take care of this, but you will tell truth when we return home."

I could tell that she knew a great deal, but would wait for the answers. Sakura pulled up a smile, and turned to the waiting officer, asking to see the police lieutenant. Sakura entered his office and closed the door to speak to him alone. She was in there for about twenty minutes before the door opened, and the lieutenant ordered the release of Panzo. I started to ask what she had done, but she shook her head side to side.

Panzo followed along behind Akita's transport on the hover cycle. When we arrived back at the house, there were eager faces pressed against the windows on the upper floor, waiting to hear what had happened. I sent Panzo walking back up the trail to the ship, telling him to avoid running into any more of the local people.

"Tell Lafiel and Traxel that I'm safe for now. I need to settle things here."

"Very well, Captain Ion. I'm really sorry that I messed this up for you. Keep the bike here in case you need a fast getaway. It can outrun these local badgers; they just had a block across the road and I didn't shift into hover soon enough."

"Maybe it'd be best if I had your comm until I get back to the ship."

The children were still waiting when we entered the house, but they reluctantly went off to bed at their mother's insistence. It took a little coaxing, and warnings about being late to school before they vanished behind closed doors. I was very glad that she had sent them away; I didn't want to dash their thoughts of me just yet.

Mr. Masema broke the tension as Sakura went off to prepare some tea, "So, who is he really?"

Sakura called from the kitchen, "Akita! It will wait a few minutes."

I started to answer him, only to be met by a glare and shaking head. His glance at the kitchen door told me that it would be useless to talk until Sakura arrived with the tea. She was still waiting for the slow process of the heated water.

I silently counted seven minutes and nineteen seconds until she came through the door bearing a tray of small cups. Her movements were slow and measuredly deliberate as she filled each cup to set before us- her mate first, then me, and her own last.

Instinct told me that I should follow Mr. Masema's example of waiting until she was finished before lifting the cup before me. With one final bow from her kneeling position, she broke the silence.

"You gave me a promise to tell who you are."

Mr. Masema gaped at her, "What do you mean? Who is she?" Then turning his hard gaze my direction, he shifted the focus to me, "You shared a meal in my house."

I cut him off with a soft wave: "I know..." I sighed, not sure what to tell them, "My name really is Ion; it's the only name I have. I'm not an actress though. I'm not even sure what an actress is. It is true that I just arrived today after a long journey."

Sakura held her fist out over the table, "I could tell that you weren't from anywhere in Japan."

With those words she dropped the ten coins on the table, one after the other, letting the thud of each strike a dull punctuating sound. Akita sat there in silence watching them fall. His mouth hung open in mid-word. The last coin rolled in a few circles before falling over.

Sakura continued before I could form a reply, "I collected coins as a child. Those have markings that I've never seen before. Just as you had no idea of their value, those ten are worth a few million Yen -- maybe more."

I took a deep breath, gathering the courage to place myself in their trust. They had shown me kindness and hospitality without question. Without their aid Panzo would still be locked up in the police cage. I owed it to them to be honest. Also, I was more likely to find my family if I had their help. I was so close now.

"My story will be difficult to believe from everything I have learned so far, but it is true. I am from a long distance away, and just this day came to this place."

Mr. Masema picked up on the words, "You mean more than just coming to Sendai, or even Japan for that matter. Correct?"

I sighed with the thought of placing so much trust in people I barely knew, "My mother was taken from a place called Yellowstone. I grew up knowing nothing about her, or even Terra. I traveled from many light years away in search of her family. I came to Japan seeking my mother's family. Yes, Panzo is a Kanari from a planet called Reliance, and he really looks that way.

I knew that my story would be difficult to believe, so when the children offered an explanation about me I followed along without even understanding what I was claiming to be. I did not intend to cause harm to anyone.

As for the gold coins, they were left on the ship when I took it from the person that had imprisoned me. I have used some of them to escape, purchasing things that were needed like food and water.

You have my promise that I will not harm your family. I just want to find mine."

Mr. Masema barely let me finish before inserting his own words, "I could tell that you weren't Japanese as well. Your mannerisms vacillate between cautious and predator. Very much like the American actress would be, yet lacking the entitlement aspect.

Your comrade's appearance could easily be achieved with special effects make-up, used in a big budget film. If there had been such a film being made around here, I would have heard about it."

His words puzzled me, "Film of what? My Japanese is missing some words."

Sakura spoke up once more, "When I spread the foundation on your face, I had to put so much on that you looked like a kabuki. The green on your face wasn't make-up, but I couldn't say anything then. You are guest in our home, and we were obligated to aid you."

"Kabuki? There are parts of me that didn't come from my mother; that is why I look this way. I assure you that I am indeed Human. When I find my family they will tell you that much."

Yelling would have been understandable, but they both just stared at me for several minutes. Twice I nearly spoke just to break the silence, only to have the words die in my mouth. Finally Mr. Masema spoke.

"I suppose you sent that dog crawling back to wherever you came from?"

I saw Sakura flinch at his words, but still she said nothing. I replied in a level voice, "I sent him back to the ship. We didn't dare land where everyone would see us. It's in a courtyard, not far up the path. I thought the place was abandoned until the children arrived.

The surrounding wall is crumbled in places, and the building doesn't look solid. It seemed nearly hidden among the trees on the mountain. A great place to stay out of sight as I looked around."

Sakura knew the place, "That was an old temple. It was abandoned many years ago, and now very few venture there for fear of running into an Oni. You will spend the night here. Not good to encounter an Oni, especially at night."

"Oni? The police authorities called Panzo that. What is it?"

"A demon in animal form."

"But the children walked up there alone! They could have run into an Oni! I mean a real one, not Panzo."

Akita Masema snorted like a Selstlak laughing, "You really aren't from this planet, are you? There are no Oni, except in people's minds."

Akita picked up the coins from the table, turning one over a few times, before stretching out his hand to offer them back to me, "Enough to nearly buy a house. I cannot keep these. We will sort this out tomorrow. For now, you will stay in Tsukne's room."

Sakura led the way upstairs to an open door that had been their son's room. She was mildly surprised to find bedding already laid out on a futon. Apparently the children had anticipated my staying the night. She left me there to ponder my thoughts before sleep.

It was a nice room with a balcony that opened to a view of the mountain above. Somewhere up there was the ship, sitting for all the world to see if they came looking.

A few images adorned the walls of Tsukune's room. Mostly of women, or transports; I mean cars. I left the window open to feel the breeze as I slept. It brought the smell of the forest to me. So  much better than smelling the chemical of the orbital lab, or the recycled air on the ship.

Thinking of the ship, I took a moment to call and let them know I was staying here for the night.

"I plan to start searching for my mother's family tomorrow."

"Captain, I am very sorry to have caused a hassle with the security people. I understand if you must release my oath, but I ask that you reconsider. I will do whatever it takes to find your clan."

"Not to worry Panzo. I wouldn't abandon you like that. You're welcome to stay with me for as long as you wish. Most of the winning generals advised loyalty to comrades."

I stripped off the clothes that I'd been wearing since Yellowstone, and spent an hour lifting myself by the bar in the wardrobe, after shoving a few shirts aside. It helped work off a lot of the stress. Afterward I lay on the low bed, and chatted with Lafiel until Terra's sole moon dropped below the horizon.

TOC

JU

The morning came with squeals and the sound of running feet. For a moment I panicked, thinking it was danger, before I realized the squeals were happy sounds.

Hirohito and Saiyuki would run up to the door of this room, and peek in before scampering off back down to the common room below. Perhaps they thought I had vanished in the middle of the night.

I flipped off the light bed covering, and pulled on the grey stretchy pants from the Yellowstone store. Instead of the bear shirt, I chose one from the wardrobe -- one with the image of a smiling air transport bearing the kanji for star-flyer seemed safer to wear.

Sakura had indicated the door at the end of the hall as the sanitizer, but it was even more different than the one at the hospital in Yellowstone. I didn't want to take too much time, so I merely washed my face and hands in the fresh, un-mineraled water.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs I spied Sai peeking from the corner of the dining room door. As soon as she saw me, she called out, "She's here!"

I managed to get two steps toward the door before Hiro and Sai burst through the door to grab my hands and lead me inside. I was greeted by a scene much like the one from the night before. The big difference was that Akita Masema was already kneeling at the head of the table. I knelt down in the same spot as the previous night under his worried gaze. Sakura gently reminded him that it would be fine.

The morning meal seemed completely different than the dinner had been. Where there had been sliced fish draped over rice, now there was a selection of fruits to accompany fish that was now rolled into the center of rice balls. The children seemed to take delight in pointing out each of the flavors to me.

"This one is momo; it's great, but we only get it this time of year."

Sai placed a red and green triangular piece on my plate, "You gots to try this. Harunka grows the best Suika, and he gave mom one for fixing his coat."

I sampled a few of the fruits the children set on my plate before tasting the bowl of miso set by my place. It tasted slightly of fish, though several bits of vegetable had been mixed into the soup. What I had first thought was some little cubes of fish turned out to be tofu. They made strange sounds though, when I asked what kind of animal was a tofu.

Hiro and Saiyuki couldn't keep their eyes off me, and kept whispering things across the table to each other that had them both nodding. Maybe they were finding me amusing to watch as I consumed the various fruits. They were each so tasty that I couldn't decide which I liked better. I'd take a bite of one, and feel the juices squirt across my tongue bringing totally new sensations each time. I probably looked about the same as my first bites of moatra berries.

The breakfast was interrupted with Akita's personal comm signaling him. He had one similar to the one Jun used. From the size I guessed that they must have been able to talk anywhere in the stellar system, except I didn't know of anyone on the other planets. After a few minutes of talking to someone he excused himself to leave earlier than expected.

"Excuse my departure please. I must meet with Atsuura a little earlier than expected. Some information came in that he needs to be aware of. Not to worry, everything is ready for today."

Sakura's expression lost some of the smile, "The test today?"

"Nothing to be concerned about. My men can handle a few sign waving koshi-nuki."

"Akita! The children, our guest."

Mr. Masema turned to me, "My apologies for such language. They really are cowards to be fearful of robot workers. The future is here, and our robots will save many lives. I trust you will have conducted your business and be gone before I return tonight."

Immediately there was a cry of anguish from both Hiro and Sai, "But she just got here! She doesn't have any place else to stay. All of our friends are gonna be jealous that we have a movie star living here."

Sakura put a swift end to their pleading, "Hiro! Sai! It is time for you to go to school."

As they shuffled out of the room, Akita Masema looked back at me, "You created this with them. You can fix it."

Sakura slipped into the kitchen while Akita donned a jacket to match his pants. She returned momentarily carrying a small box wrapped with a cloth. He took it from her, and pressed his lips to hers, "Help her, but remember what I said. We don't need to worry about Martian hunters."

She gave him a short bow, bending slightly at the waist, "I will see to it. Be careful out there today."

Only moments after Akita Masema left the house, the two children came down the stairs wearing small packs. Both of them hugged me before retrieving small packages from the kitchen, similar to the one that Sakura had given Akita.

"Can we come watch them shooting the movie when we get home?"

The question greatly puzzled me, "You're leaving? And who is shooting?"

"We have to go to school. Mr. Saito is going to be teaching us in science today, and Sai has history."