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 Chapter 11

   The two teams were off the deck before sun up.  The choppers were locked
on to delivering them to chosen locations.  It was not going to be easy not
to be heard, but they hoped people would have no idea what it was?

   Each team was placed just where they had chosen and the choppers went to
the camp to wait.  Joji was building his houch and would wait for his first
prisoner to come in.  He had brought some things that would cause fear and
shock.  His coffee machine and the electric lights here would be something
most had never seen.  But he had a couple special things he was going to
play with.  He had a field phone so he could talk with the ship and one for
the camp commander who was under his orders now.  His colonel's eagles made
that true anyway, but Dink had insisted on it.

   It was late that day when his houch was done and he was moved in.  His
was large with a divider between his work area and his sleeping room.  He
had a small refrigerator and a hot plate for warming things up.  There was
also a microwave for his popcorn he dearly loved.  He was well set up and
comfortable.

   So he stared talking with a few of the prisoners he had talked with
before.  That hit pay dirt at once as he found out there was a mountain
city.  One none but those invited could go to.  The troops were the most
fierce and the narrow road up the mountain was well guarded.  The man drew
a poor map of where this was as he had just been to the base of the road.
He did not go up to the city.  The officer they protected did that with a
few of the men from that city.

   Once this was sent to David he knew it filled a need.  "Joji I knew you
would start turning up things we needed to know.  I think I know just where
this road is.  We did a lot of surveillance pictures for future needs. 
This old camping area was well used and it caught my eye.  So tomorrow we
will start looking for the road up to the city."

   "I sent that to you and Dink hopping someone would have seen it.  The
mans drawing was very limited on landmarks.  But you and Dink look at all
kinds of pictures I have never seen."

   "Sometimes we at the top forget where our ideas come from.  I will send
you copies of this area tomorrow.  I have five others that I just don't
know why people camp there.  I will send them also.  You might get some
leads on them?"

   "I will try, but don't expect miracles.  You will get the best data we
have at that moment." Joji just never promised anything he could not
supply.

   "That is all I can ask Joji.  Thanks for the gift today.  I will keep
you up to date with all we develop from this." David now was off to find
this city.

   Joji was pleased with his day and knew he had started the search for
that elusive point of leadership.  It was for sure not done in any valley
or even on a mountain where it could be seen.  So there had to be a
mountain valley where it was tucked into a hiding place?  But he would look
closely at the photos he got and see what he could pick up.

   The teams out in the field were watching the very few patrols riding out
of the towns.  They did notice that each night a rider would start for the
same point.  At least they did for three straight nights.  So two men moved
their look out point and saw where a satchel was handed off to another
rider.  They went on from there.

   Once Joji had this data he saw they had a pony express to move data
quickly from the bottom to the top.  It was just a gut feeling, but David
bet he was right and sent up a plane with FLIR abilities to follow the
horses and riders.  Joji's instincts were really good and he trusted them.
But he also saw riders going to the other camping spots and up hills and
mountains there also.

   David brought his maps and photos and sat with Joji.

   Joji looked at each and then did it once more and sat back shaking his
head.  "They have several small cities of power.  So to me it says counsel
and not one person ruling.  There could be many reasons for that.  Like the
new ruler is to young to rule yet or the old one is dieing?"

   I made sense to David.  "That is one way to see this.  Is there others?"

   "Not really as they will follow Japan's old history.  There is not one
man there who does not want the complete power.  But a wrong move could
mean he would loose it for good and may be his current power as well.  They
only take risks on what they see as sure things is my bet."

   That fit the image David had as well.  "OK we see this the same way. 
Now what do we do?"

   "For now it would be nice to have lookout teams at each location, with
good optics to watch.  They need to send you feeds also, so you can get
patterns of how they come and go.  We need to take out a few of their forts
and see how they react or if they do at all?  Whatever you and Dink do it
must be dramatic and seen by many.  Word must get back from many different
people." Joji had a distinct feeling that there were people who reported
back and were listened to more than the military.

   "I can make that happen and without being seen once I know exactly where
the cities are." David had ideas where they were, but no real proof.

   Joji just pointed to places he knew would lead to valleys.

   "How do you know they are there?"

   "Each of those spots lead to a valley back into the mountain.  The trail
going on up become less used and the one from there going down is more
used. Come on lets use our eyes and smarts."

   David laughed now as he finely had Joji's dander up.  "How do you know
those spots lead to valleys?"

   "I did enough photos for Colorado to know what they look like.  Each one
has a stream dropping water on the other side of the trail.  Now how did
that get under the trail?"

   That David had not picked up.  "OK you saw that and I missed it."

   "Nope you just did not look for the water to be running down the rock
wall.  It is not a waterfall it is just water running on rock."

   "Why do it that way?"

   "It handles the waste from the valley.  Could you imagine what that
place would smell like without removing the waste?  That road is not big
enough for a cart." Joji was now laughing at David's facial expression.

   "You mean it is an open sewer?"

   "Well a little better as it is mostly water and not waste.  That would
keep the smells down and limit that outside the valley.  But the people
down stream would not be getting good water.  So I bet they feed rice
patties with those streams."

   Now David was really shocked.  "How did you know of the rice patties?"

   "They would need rice for food and it could be easily carried back up to
them on horses.  Dried vegetable or pickled ones would also be needed.  I
am sure they have fishponds to grow their own fish and produce mushrooms
for food in the mountain caves.  It would just take some nuts brought up to
be sure they ate well."

   "How would they live up there?" This interested David.

   "My guess right now is in a palace cut into the mountain.  That may have
been how the school for the children of Japan's leaders came to be?  My
brother and I have discussed that many times."

   One more piece that fit nicely.  "I think your right.  Now I need to get
back and take the next steps."

   The day had worked for Joji and he was happy with the results.  It was
far better so far than he had expected.  This was he felt going to be a
real disaster.  Not knowing what you were walking into was a real problem.
Having no idea of your enemy and how they fought made it very iffy.  They
did not know even what weapons they used and how well they did that?

   This had been a learning experience for him and one he did well with. 
He was writing the part of Dink's book on intelligence and how this group
of people thought.  It was more barbaric than the current mind set in
Japan, but others parts were very much the same.  His input here would in
many ways be used to deal with Japan later.  The hardball attitude they
had, fit many of Japan's business peoples ways of handling others today.

   He had just finished when a chopper landed.  A man was brought in still
unconscious and cuffed.  "Lay him on that run over there." Joji pointed it
out to the men.

   The officer came over and handed Joji a leather bag loaded with all
kinds of communications.  "He was a post rider and must have had some
important papers as he had six men riding with him.  The post is handled by
officers trusted at very high levels."

   "I thought I was to get two at a time?"

   "Of the other riders there were no more of any rank to bring." The
officer was now concerned.

   "To be effective with this man, I must have someone I can get pieces to
crack his story.  A sergeant or the leader of the protecting force would
have given me some information.  So if the information is not in this
pouch, we are going to have to use drugs and often they are not
successful."

   "No one explained why you needed the second person." That Joji knew was
true as he went over this with the first watching teams to watch the many
forts.  But David sent these people out and failed to explain the needs.

   "Once your back at your base you need to get the word out to the other
team as well.  Now I need him placed in that cage over there." He pointed
out a wooden cage bound with iron clamps.  There was no way for anyone to
escape it without tools to remove the bolts.  It was just three feet high,
six feet long and three feet wide.  So he could lay and sleep, but not
stand up.  The cage was not made for comfort and it had a steel floor that
was cold.

   The men left and he started to read the dispatches.  He decided to cover
the cage and let the man wake is darkness and not know where he was.  It
would help possible soften him up some.

   He had dinner and read for a good three hours.  Two of the letters had
been very interesting.  It seems two of the group now ruling were planning
to assume power very soon.  Our presents was enough distraction to make
them think they could accomplish it.  The major error was assuming that we
would never fight here.

   On considering how to handle the prisoner he decided to go to bed and
just let him stay hungry, cold and thirsty for now.  Tomorrow would be soon
enough to start the questioning.

   Guards were called the next morning as the room smelled like an
outhouse. "Get him out of here to clean up and make him clean his own cage.
I will not see him until your one with him." Joji went to the camp
commanders houch for breakfast.

   "Your invitation was very much needed.  Whatever they feed their people
provides for a bad result.  A sewage plant would smell better."

   The base commander had to laugh.  "We have a much better smelling camp
now also.  They use some fermented rice, herbs and fish oil to flavor food.
A group was caught trying to make it and we staked them outside for two
days.  They were told the next group found doing that would be executed."

   "What happens if someone tries it again?"

   "They will be executed in front of all prisoners.  We must keep our word
and then they will follow our demands.  If we fail to mean what we say they
will try to escape, kill guards and create all kinds of problems.  If we
keep our word they will follow out rules.  Right now they fear us and our
wolves.  We have magic they cannot understand and it scares them."

   "I have picked up on the magic thing and am using it to my advantage. 
From what I understand ever the warlords fear people with magic." Joji
liked that people at the top had fears.

   The food was very good and he enjoyed an American breakfast here.  "It
is sometimes hard to know which side of me is real?  My brother is minister
of education for Japan.  He was born in America and educated there as I
was. But we both had a very Japanese mother who was from the royal family.
So talk about confused we both are."

   Now the camp commander was really impressed.  "I am an unwanted samurai
who just never fit into either world.  In Japan I was an outsider and that
was true in America also.  But I think the Islands are going to be
different for me?"

   "You do know the Emperor follows John's directions?  He is just not
smart in the ways of the world.  But the young people coming up will be
world wise.  That my brother and John are seeing to." Joji made sure he
knew things were changing.

   "I am very happy with where I am now.  My wife and three children are on
a farm and it is beautiful.  We are growing fruit and making jellies, jams,
as well as selling the fruit.  It will be a very good living and we will
own the land in a few years.  But having over two hundred acres of land is
nice.  Even if we just use less than half now there is room to grow."

   The land deal most had accepted was a good one for both sides.  It did
tie the people to the Islands and provided a good income for them.  For
most it made them in their minds rich and they would never leave it.  For
John it made for a happy group of people and ones who would fight to keep
what they had.  The mix now was close to thirty percent Japanese American,
ten percent Islanders, five percent black, five percent Hispanic and fifty
percent white Americans.  The trick was they all saw themselves as
Islanders.

   "Well I need to get back and I want a prisoner houch built for those
brought in.  I will not wake up to that again." Joji walked out and headed
to his houch.

   The man was tied to a post in front of his houch.  He had been caned and
the red welts were visible to all.  "What happened here?"

   "Sorry sir he started fighting as soon as we opened the cage.  It took
three of us to get him out here and tied to the post.  Then he did his best
to kick us.  So we decided some pain might slow him down."

   Joji was sure the man felt he was superior to anyone here as a fighter.
"Let him go and I will hurt him so bad he will not wish to fight any more."

   Once cut loose the man started at Joji as he was called a pig.  It
enraged the man and he went after him.  It was a big mistake as he was now
on the ground and his ribs were bruised.  So Joji keep calling him names
and the man came up and after him once more.  There was little that did not
get hit and was not turning blue.  The man had to be hurting badly and yet
would not stop.

   The camp medic had been watching and knew the man would keep going until
he died.  "Sir just take out his knee and let him feel that pain.  We can
rebuild it later, but he will never stop until he can go no more."

   The people were watching this and knew that this man could really fight.
But when he went down screaming, people knew that these men were nothing to
push to hard or far.  They would hurt you so bad you would never be a man
again.

   Joji started questioning the man and got no answers at first.  As he
stepped on the knee the man was screaming.  He started to answer with a lie
and his knee was stepped on once more.  Truth came out and fast.

   The man talked for a good two hours and Joji got much of what he needed.
A reminder here and there was enough to keep the conversation going. 
Finally the man had said all he could.

   "Take him to the surgery and I'll have a doctor sent in to handle his
knee.  Be sure to give him a shot to knock him out as he is liable to try
to kill you."

   Joji wrote up his interrogation and the findings from the letters.  Then
tied them together in a way that made sense as to what was happening.  This
was sent to Dink and David.  He hoped it made sense to them as it did to
him.

   David was first to call.  "I saw the fight and that man was a hard case.
But you're a damn sight better than I am at fighting that way.  Now why did
you have to go that route?"

   "Simple, as he was bent on proving we were nothing as fighters or men.
He tried to kill four guards here who came to clean his cage out.  For me
to question him I had to beat him fighting.  Once he knew I was so good he
had no chance he tried to get me to kill him.  So I broke his knee and used
a little pressure to get my answers."

   "How do you know they are true?"

   "Partly by the letters I got from his bag.  But I told him if I found
out he had not told the truth to me, every man in the prison camp would
fuck him.  That for him would be worse than death.  A male whore is about
the lowest life form in their world."

   That David could understand and agree with.  "OK then we have the groups
split on who will become their leader.  The child that should one day take
over will most likely be killed.  But it means fighting between the members
of the counsel.  So it is political confusion right now."

   "Even if their Emperor were alive there would be political confusion. 
It is the Japanese way of life.  God forbid that things flowed and worked
smoothly.  Each group will be working for its own ends.  They all expect to
reach their goals.  But often none reach them, as something changed or came
up to make them useless.  So they just move to the next fight."

   Now David for the first time understood, why he was always confused by
the Japanese and its government.  It was confusion in itself.  There was no
way they understood it.  Oh may be they understood some small part, but
never the whole as no one did.  "I finally see the problem with their
government.  There is no way to win anything there."

   "Oh so true David.  But no one sees it in the country, as they are
focused on their goals.  Anything else is unimportant to them.  So you have
ten thousand wars going at the same time.  How can anyone follow them all?"

   "Your saying that is the same way here?"

   "Yes and even worse as you have many groups that hates each other.  So
may be here you have one or two hundred Japan's?  All will have the same
failing and follow similar methods.  I would love to send China or Russia
here and let them try to work this place out.  They would be at war for
tens of thousands of years.  We will win no battles here to speak of.  So I
am not sure what John expects of us?  There will be no friends here now or
later.  We will be hated by all in this place."

   Now David saw Joji was most likely right.  It for sure was not what John
had expected it to be.  There were great risks and no rewards at all.  This
had been a mistake and one he did not know how to handle now?

   It was not going to be an easy fight Joji knew.  So he planned to limit
the involvement of the troops and sent a copy to Dink.  The bases were to
be bombed using both conventional and incendiary bombs.  The hope was that
they could make those places living hells.  It would slow down the idea of
wanting to fight these new invaders.  This would be especially true if they
could close the openings into the valleys.

   It did not take Dink long to get back to him.  "I see what your
suggesting, but I don't understand why?  We need to fight sometime so why
not now?"

   "If you want to lose a few thousand men we could fight now.  Those
valleys are closed fighting areas where they have all the advantages.  The
leaders never leave those places and are protected by good fighters of
proven abilities.  I saw one of them give four of our men all they wanted
today.  Now he could not whip me, but he was a good fighter.  We have
around two hundred Japan's here and each one hates the others and any
outsider.  So just plan on losing a lot of men here for zero gains."

   "I have never heard you talk this way before." Dink was completely
shocked right now.

   "I learned a lot today and I know we should not be here.  What we hoped
to stop is only going to get worse the more we do.  If we make this a pay
back for past actions we just may get by with it.  But we would have to
leave very soon not to draw a lot of anger and attacks."

   She knew Joji never said anything not well considered and thought out.
"Have you talked with David about this?"

   "I told him pretty much the same thing.  He is just as confused as I am
on what we are doing here?  It is not anything like what John expected I
don't believe and he would see why this is going to cost us dearly.  Us is
all the Islands people."

   She now needed to talk with David and make some sense of this for her.
Could John have not seen what the problem was here?  If so what could be
done now?

   She never made the call as David called her.  "Hi Dink I am sure you and
Joji have talked by now.  I am looking at his plan for attacking the
mountain forts and like it.  I think it is the only attack we are going to
make right now.  There is just no reason to stay here and build further
animosity.  This is something that will take far more planning than we have
given to it up to now."

   "I am no more comfortable with this than Joji is.  But I just follow the
orders I am given."

   "Remember that is what every prisoner at a war crimes trial has said. 
Here we must do it right and by the book.  John expected many things that
none has proven out.  So we need new directions and he must give those to
both of us.  We are going to have to kill tens of thousands of people here
just to slow down Island attacks.  But they can't be stopped for good. 
With 200 feudal Japan's we would have a mess trying to ever get two working
together.  If you conquer them they will fight from an underground you
won't find.  Any group, country or people no matter the technology just
can't win it.  If they saw you or me it would be far worse than Joji.  As
our white skins mean we don't fit their racial profiles of even being human
let alone intelligent."

   She saw David was determined to pull off Joji's plan and then get out of
Dodge.  "How will you spread the knowledge that this was a pay back for
past sins?"

   "I have the printing being done now.  It is a proclamation stating why
this disaster has befallen the people here.  It will be given the prisoners
when released and dropped over cities and forts not yet damaged.  We will
return the girl I have to her family and drop the food off for her.  Once
that is done the window should be open for us to return home.  Then we have
a month to make some decisions before either disbanding this group or
coming back with a different plan."

   "What type of different plan would work?"

   "We would have to take land to build a city and take land for our people
to grow crops.  It would have to be set up to keep others out and still
provide a trading center.  The ships could trade with anyone who could
reach a coast.  Of course our land and city would have the technology we
have.  The harbor would limit who could come in and how far they could
come. So there are ideas we need to consider and see what would work best?
For sure what we are doing and can do is not going to stop the problem John
was worried about."

   Looking at this from David's direction it made it easy for her to agree.
"It is the right way and the right thing to do.  I understand Joji's desire
to cause misdirection with the attacks.  That just may buy us some time for
decisions to be made."

   "Joji might be the man we want to send back to rule our colony here?  He
is smart, knows this world's people and is related to the Emperor of Japan.
The question is would he agree to come back?"

   "I highly doubt if that would interest him in the least.  The person
here would need to be a warlord and that just does not fit his personality.
They would have to be aggressive and willing to do what was needed to
control a good size area of land and people.  Can you see Joji doing that?"

   It was not a picture Joji fit well he saw.  "Then he will need to help
find the right person to do that."

   "That he can do.  But I think Joji would be happy farming and writing
poetry.  He is a very gentle man and not one to be aggressive unless
pushed. If it is something to study he is well suited for it.  The man is a
great advisor and one I have depended on." That was how she saw the man.

   "What will you do when we get back?"

   "May be back to the scouts?  I just don't know except I would like a
long vacation period before making that decision.  For me this place has
been my own personal hell.  It just gets under your skin and becomes a
sore."

   "How about running the defense force bases on the Islands?  I have the
defense force that will report to me now.  With the general gone Carlton
and I will have to split up his load.  That is going to leave us short
people who can lead.  The natives like you and Joji works with them well
also."

   "That I would consider David and will think about it.  It is where I
really became the person I am now.  Much of the planning I did and setting
up the patrols for the native scouts.  So we will see what John wants to do
and then make decisions.  I am committed to this project until he says it
does not exist."

   "Sounds reasonable to me Dink.  I can live with that way of looking at
this.  We all owe John our allegiance and need to follow his directions. 
So you get no argument from me at all."

   They left things that way and moved on to what needed to be done.  She
sent a chopper for Joji and waited for him to get here.

   "Yes boss lady what can I do for you?"

   "David is going forward with you plan.  We will be pulling out of here
that day as well.  We must deliver the girl and food to her people.  Then
we are going back to discuss this with John.  It is nothing like he
envisioned it and it must be changed how this is handled.  He needs to send
in a warlord and set up a community with their own farmlands.  It can trade
with other groups and build some better understanding of all the people. 
So basic medicine can be taught and drugs sold to those who have ties to
our people.  If food is needed they could sell it to those who needed it.
But with tractors and fuel we could be far more efficient."

   "You have been doing some thinking also."

   "Well David and I both have.  But you will need to set up the type of
area for us to assume and who should be the leader."

   "The who is easy Dink, Hideki is the ideal candidate for that.  He would
be an Emperor in a few years time.  My brother is smart, driven and
ruthless when he has to be.  If you look close he also had an ego the size
of the universe.  He needs a group of twenty advisers and a personal guard
force of 1,000 men just to keep him safe.  Then a good army of may be
20,000 men well equipped.  This group of fighting men needs to have their
own wives and families with them.  Slowly he could train people coming to
him after educating them.  The men going need to be fairly young to be able
to develop an army of millions over time."

   This vision she could see and Hideki was a brilliant idea.  He did have
the mental powers and hunger for more power.  "I have one big question
Joji. Can your brother be trusted?"

   "I had already asked myself that.  I think with the right agreements he
can be.  Now if it was our mother then no would be my answer.  She did
teach my brother to love power and to pursue it.  How we set up the weapons
production and ammunition production facility would determine how he did in
that world.  We for sure don't want to be his arms supplier.  He needs to
be close to able to rely on just his own production facilities.  So he
would need to find the ores he needs as well as the chemicals.  We could
lose the gate at anytime, so he needs to not depend on it.  He will need a
few scientist, machinist and engineers.  So David needs to do some photos
as we move to find the right place for a community.  It must be close to
minerals as well.  "

   "You detail this idea you have and then present it to John.  He is the
one who must make the decision here.  Our job is to give him options and
let him decide what fits his wants."