Van Nekk said worriedly, "Doesn't seem right."
Vinck looked up at the quarterdeck. "Sodding bastards. They'll all cut our throats with never a thought. You sure you can trust 'em, Pilot?"
"Yes."
Ginsel said, "No Catholic'd ever do that, eh, Johann? That Uragasama's clever."
"What's it matter if those buggers're Papist or not, they're all shitfilled samurai."
"Yes," Croocq said.
"Even so, it's not right to do that," van Nekk repeated.
The samurai continued to stamp the icon into the deck one by one, and moved into loose groups. It was a tedious affair and Blackthorne was sorry he had agreed to it, for there were more important things to do before dusk. His eyes went to the village and the headlands. Hundreds of the thatch lean-tos of the Musket Regiment camp spotted the foothills. So much to do, he thought, anxious to go ashore, wanting to see the land, glorying in the fief Toranaga had given him which contained Yokohama. Lord God on high, he told himself, I'm lord of one of the greatest harbors in the world.
Abruptly a man bypassed the icon, tore out his sword, and leaped at Blackthorne. A dozen startled samurai jumped courageously in his way, screening the quarterdeck as Blackthorne spun around, a pistol cocked and aimed. Others scattered, shoving, stumbling, milling in the uproar. The samurai skidded to a halt, howling with rage, then changed direction and hacked at Uraga, who somehow managed to avoid the thrust. The man whirled as other samurai lunged at him, fought them off ferociously for a moment, then rushed for the side and threw himself overboard.
Four who could swim dropped their killing swords, put their short stabbing knives in their mouths, and jumped after him, the rest and the Dutchmen crowding the side.
Blackthorne jumped for the gunwale. He could see nothing below; then he caught sight of swirling shadows in the water. A man came up for air and went down again. Soon four heads surfaced. Between them was the corpse, a knife in his throat.
"So sorry, Anjin-san, it was his own knife," one called up over the roars of the others.
"Uraga-san, tell them to search him, then leave him to the fish."
The search revealed nothing. When all were back on deck, Blackthorne pointed at the icon with his cocked pistol. "All samurai - once more!" He was obeyed instantly and he made sure that every man passed the test. Then, because of Uraga, and to praise him, he ordered his crew to do the same. There was the beginning of a protest.
"Come on," Blackthorne snarled. "Hurry up, or I'll put my foot on your backs!"
"No need to say that, Pilot," van Nekk said. "We're not stinky pagan wogs!"
"They're not stinky pagan wogs! They're samurai, by God!"
They stared up at him. Anger, whipped by fear, rippled through them. Van Nekk began to say something but Ginsel butted in.
"Samurai're heathen bastards and they - or men like 'em - murdered Pieterzoon, our Captain-General, and Maetsukker!"
"Yes, but without these samurai we'll never get home - understand?"
Now all the samurai were watching. Ominously they moved nearer Blackthorne protectively. Van Nekk said, "Let it rest, eh? We're all a bit touchy and overtired. It was a long night. We're not our own masters here, none of us. Nor's the Pilot. The Pilot knows what he's doing - he's the leader, he's Captain-General now."
"Yes, he is. But it's not right for him to take their side over us, and by the Lord God, he's not a king - we're equal to him," Jan Roper hissed. "Just because he's armed like them and dressed like them and can talk to the sods doesn't make him king over us. We've rights and that's our law and his law, by the Lord God, even though he's English. He swore Holy Oaths to abide by the rules - didn't you, Pilot!"
"Yes," Blackthorne said. "It's our law in our seas - where we're masters and in the majority. Now we're not. So do what I tell you to do and do it fast."
Muttering, they obeyed.
"Sonk! Did you find any grog?"
"Nosirnotagodcurseddribble!"
"I'll get sake sent aboard." Then, in Portuguese, Blackthorne added, "Uraga-san, you'll come ashore with me and bring someone to scull. You four," he said in Japanese, pointing at the men who had dived over the side, "you four now captains. Understand? Take fifty men each."
"Hai, Anjin-san."
"What's your name?" he asked one of them, a tall, quiet man with a scarred cheek.
"Nawa Chisato, Lord."
"You're captain today. All ship. Until I return."
"Yes, Lord."
Blackthorne went to the gangway. A skiff was tied below.
"Where're you going, Pilot?" van Nekk said anxiously.
"Ashore. I'll be back later."
"Good, we'll all go!"
"By God I'll come with-"
"And me. I'm go-"
"Christ Jesus, don't leave me be-"
"No! I'm going alone!"
"But for God's sake what about us!" van Nekk cried out. "What are we going to do? Don't leave us, Pilot. What are-"
"You just wait!" Blackthorne told them. "I'll see food and drink's sent aboard."
Ginsel squared up to Blackthorne. "I thought we were going back tonight. Why aren't we going back tonight?"
"How long we going to stay here, Pilot, and how long-"
"Pilot, what about Yedo?" Ginsel asked louder. "How long we going to stay here, with these God-cursed monkeys?"
"Yes, monkeys, by God," Sonk said happily. "What about our gear and our own folk?"
"Yes, what about our eters, Pilot? Our people and our doxies?"
"They'll be there tomorrow." Blackthorne pushed down his loathing. "Be patient, I'll be back as soon as I can. Baccus, you're in charge." He turned to go.
"I'm going with you," Jan Roper said truculently, following him. "We're in harbor so we take precedence and I want some arms."
Blackthorne turned on him and a dozen swords left their scabbards, ready to kill Jan Roper. "One more word out of you and you're a dead man. " The tall, lean merchant flushed and came to a halt. "You curb your tongue near these samurai because any one of them'll take your head before I can stop them just because of your goddamned bad manners - let alone anything else! They're touchy, and near you I'm getting touchy, and you'll get arms when you need them. Understand?"
Jan Roper nodded sullenly and backed off. The samurai were still menacing but Blackthorne quieted them, and ordered them, on pain of death, to leave his crew alone. "I'll be back soon." He walked down the gangway and got into the skiff, Uraga and another samurai following. Chisato, the captain, went up to Jan Roper, who quailed under the menace, bowed, and backed away.
When they were well away from the ship Blackthorne thanked Uraga for catching the traitor.
"Please, no thanks. It was only duty."
Blackthorne said in Japanese so that the other man could understand, "Yes, duty. But your koku change now. Now not twenty, now one hundred a year."
"Oh, Sire, thank you. I don't deserve it. I was only doing my duty and I must-" "Speak slowly. Don't understand."
Uraga apologized and said it slower.
Blackthorne praised him again, then settled more comfortably in the stern of the boat, his exhaustion overcoming him. He forced his eyes open and glanced back at his ship to reassure himself she was well placed. Van Nekk and the others were at the gunwale and he was sorry that he had brought them aboard though he knew he had had no option. Without them the journey would not have been safe.
Mutinous scum, he thought. What the hell do I do about them? All my vassals know about the eta village and they're all as disgusted as .... Christ Jesus, what a mess! Karma, neh?
He slept. As the skiff nosed into the shore near the pier he awoke. At first he could not remember where he was. He had been dreaming he was back in the castle in Mariko's arms, just like last night.
Last night they had been lying in half-sleep after loving, Fujiko a party to the loving, Chimmoko on guard, when Yabu and his samurai had pounded on the door post. The evening had begun so pleasingly. Fujiko had also discreetly invited Kiku, and never had he seen her more beautiful and exuberant. As bells ended the Hour of the Boar, Mariko had punctually arrived. There had been merriment and sake but soon Mariko had shattered the spell.