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 Chapter 15

   The weeks had been kind to Joji and with Dink's help he was where he
hoped to be a year from now.  The finances were much better than even Dink
had expected, as he had bought very wisely.  With the payment for the new
military vehicles they were now down to just a three billion debt.  They
had seven billion in the bank on the Island and the equivalent of that in
several other places.  Most local currencies were sound enough to buy and
sell in that country with them.  There was no inflation or deflation in the
countries they dealt in.  With countries not running on debt financing the
currencies were much more stable.

   But taxes on profits were higher now days inside the country.  For
exporters and importers there just was no tax.  You had to be registered to
be left alone on taxes on profits.  It was the import/export business that
stimulated trade inside the country.  They fed the job market and keep
people working who without them would not be.

   China tried to squeeze Joji into paying a lot of money to sell them oil.
So he shutdown his operation.  It was just a few weeks and they were
begging him to restore his imports.  He negotiated a very nice three year
deal with them that would guarantee a given amount of oil to them each
month.  But they were required to pay him in gold, silver and gemstones for
50% of the value.  It allowed him to take some profits that he could bank
in the Islands.  None of the oil sold would come from the Islands supply.
It all would be Arab crude.

   Joji called his friend and asked if the group was interested in the deal
he had just cut.  He was not told about the gold, sliver or gemstones.  But
was offered cloth, food, cars, computers, cell phones and many other items
they wanted.  He set a price for the oil that would allow him a 25% profit
and he got a 5% profit for the delivery of the trade items.  So ITI would
become much richer over the contract.  But each person knew they would live
up to their agreement completely.

   One man he had worked with to put the oil deal together called him. 
"Joji there are questions being asked why your people are asking about the
war with Russia."

   "In my position would you not be asking the same questions?  I have made
commitments to buy oil that I must be able to sell.  People are investing
money to expand their output and I must be sure I fill my part of the
agreement.  So I don't sell to or buy anything from Russia.  If I am going
to know you have a problem I must find out there."

   The man was shocked at Joji's honesty.  That was not the way his people
or most Japanese would have handled the question.  "It is causing some
large concerns here Joji."

   "Fine it is not to late to cancel the contract.  I can shutdown my
import/export business there and move it to another country.  There is no
reason for you to be worried if you're not in trouble.  I can if I work
quickly sell that contract in four pieces to other countries.  I am sorry
you felt it was not my business, but you did tell me you're in trouble.  So
good luck and my people will be leaving tomorrow." Joji was very calm and
never raised his voice.

   "Wait Joji we are not in trouble at all.  We are winning right now.  The
gold we agreed to pay you is coming from mines there.  I understand your
worry and will make sure your keep informed of events in that war.  But
don't close your office and my people will stay off yours over chasing
knowledge.  Looking at the money I understand your worries."

   "You need to understand you have never fought a real war.  Russia has
several times as has Japan.  In war governments never tell the truth.  That
is just a fact of life.  So your telling me things are going well does not
settle my mind.  I like you but we both know you would lie to me until a
bomb was dropped on you."

   The man chuckled at Joji and how well he knew governments.  "Your right
of course and I will let one of your people travel to the war zone once a
month, to see for them selves.  That way it is not government hot air. 
Please make sure that man is a military trained officer."

   "I have a colonel who should do nicely.  He was trained in the US and
was a division commander of tanks.  Of course he was Japanese American and
now is just Japanese."

   That was even better the man thought.  "Then he has seen fighting?"

   "Oh yes and lots of it.  He was totally pissed at the politicians there,
you just can't believe how much he hated them.  The politicians killed more
men than the enemy did he said.  Now he also really hated Russians as
well."

   This would be a very good man to bring him back reports on what he saw.
"I will approve his travel here and give him an escort to smooth the way.
Just have him stop by my office when he gets here."

   "I will do that and know I will get the same reports he gives you." Joji
laughed and enjoyed this.  He knew the man would be questioned and
intensively.

   "Yes I will be interested in his opinions.  It is hard not to listen to
experienced people.  So I thank you for the knowledge he will provide me."
There the call ended.

   Joji called Carlton and got him right away.  "My friend I brought you a
good tank commander from Japan.  Now I need to borrow him back."

   "What for Joji?"

   "He will be going to China and traveling under the Premiers orders to
the Russian front.  He will be allowed up there a week each month.  Of
course he will be briefing the premier when he gets back.  But we also get
his take on the war and it is first hand data."

   "That is amazing Joji and I will gratefully give your man back for as
long as you need him.  Getting first hand reports back on that war will be
of great help to me.  I follow the satellite reports each day, but that is
limited and you get no insights."

   "I covered my worry by the new contract I just signed with China.  I am
selling them Arab oil and it will be well over twelve billion credits
total. So I had every right to worry about the possibility of their not
being able to fulfill the contract.  When my people got called on the
questions they asked, I tried to pull my people out and cancel the
contract. That was when things changed.  Now they want us to feel
comfortable and in return we get some good feed back for an experienced
division tank commander.  Of course they will get that as well.  But we
both need to brief him on what not to tell them.  It is more critical they
end up in a stalemate than a major victory." Joji was sure this fit Carlton
as well.

   "To some degree your right.  But I would like to see some of the land
out there taken from Russia.  If China had the resources to develop they
would be to busy to fight other places and defend there as well."

   "Well they are paying me partly with gold they are mining there.  The
rest will be in goods we can move other places."

   "So they do have some of the better resource land?"

   "I was told that just a few minutes ago by the Premier.  So I assume he
knew what he was saying.  I know he is not directly over the army, but he
does have a lot of influence administratively." Joji was not that
knowledgeable yet on China's political structure.

   "No one in the army would cross him in any way.  The last general that
did that is in Tibet now." That story Carlton really liked.

   "I assume that is not a good place to be sent?"

   "It is the end of your service life.  Some have never gotten back to
China.  Many feel if the Earth was to get an enema that is where the tube
would be stuck in."

   "I see your point now.  Well I need to get my plan working and make
arrangements to get our man there.  He will have Japanese uniforms with US
eagles."

   Joji worked and got the uniforms, the tickets and had Chinese money that
would be waiting for him when he reached the office there.  He had assumed
the plane trips to both China and India from Tokyo at half the price Japan
Air was willing to accept.  Because of the lower cost his flights were
always full with a waiting list.  He was almost ready to add another flight
each week for both countries.  His flights to China or India did not make
milk runs with many stops.  He had one flight each week that was nothing
but a milk run.  That flight he was sure would never make money.  But it
did give him one ticket agent in each country to watch and listen.  If any
country had more than one or two people buying tickets it was a big week.
Mostly it was government people flying to other countries on business.

   What you found in these small countries was money went a long way.  So
often special things were purchased to draw down the bank accounts and
shipped back on the plane.  If an artist was making the equal of ten
credits a month they were doing well here.  So buying hand painted silk
scarves for the equal of one credit each was common.  They had some in
patterns and some with pictures on them.  They sold for twenty credits on
the Islands and in many developed countries.  A woman in the Arab countries
would kill to get one of these.  So they brought a very high price there.
This was what made the planes trips profitable for Joji.  Each agent made
at least two shipments each month, of something special from their country.

   Dink had created a web site of all the special goods that Kei had in the
warehouse on Okinawa.  This was update as soon as people ordered goods from
it.  New items were inserted each day.  It had carved jade, hand painted
silk scarves, painted silk fabric, pillows, silk sheets, laces, spices and
the item list was long.  These were looked at by the different sellers and
quantities of each were selected as part of the payments for oil.  It
seemed there was always over five million credits taken in these goods. 
Which helped the profits stay high for ITI.

   The hard part of ITI was the fact they had no contact from much of
Europe.  They knew they would have to try making contact.  The station
chief in Kuwait was talking to people who had traveled to countries there.
So he had a good idea of what things were like and what countries were
somewhat functional.  The only one in good shape was the Swiss.  You had
Germany and England in bad shape but still functional.  Poland and the
Baltic countries were doing well.  Russia was so busy with China they had
no time to try to assume power in those.  Then there was Norway, Sweden and
Finland all doing just fine.  They were not rich, but they also had not
lost many people and seemed to be producing goods needed just fine.

   The report was well received by Joji and he passed it on to John, David
and Carlton, so they were all on the same page.  All were surprised at the
quantity of knowledge Joji was producing now.  His information often called
into question interpretations of the analysis.  It did keep people really
studying the satellite photos to be sure of what they said.  Coming to a
fast conclusion could make you look like a fool later.

   The high mountain border areas between India and China were very much a
battleground.  It seemed each week some reports were filed of another fight
in those areas.  China was still pushing on India and would not stop until
someone hurt them there.  The number of troops between India and China were
unbelievable at 12 Chinese to each Indian in uniform.  China knew right now
they could not fight Russia and India in full scale wars.  But they could
fight Russia and hurt India in a few areas.  So that was what the military
was doing.

   The military had a way of not hearing what the government said.  It was
the shadow government within the government.  It had been grown so large
that it dwarfed the government.  But it was the refuge of the many boys
that could not find wives, due to polices to control population.  Many
female children were killed and never reported until a boy came to the
couple.  Girls had little value in China until there were not enough for
wives.  But the army benefited from this and became the major controlling
factor in much of the policy.

   The damage to the naval vessels, aircraft and areas to build these left
the land army stronger.  It never said it attacked anyone, but it was
always defending the country.  It stopped others from taking China's land,
never saying it had taken the land from another country.  It played with
words and never looked aggressive to most people inside China.  The way
they played with words kept the real image from being seen.

   It was a shock to make of the army brass, when all China broadcast
stations started to show the destruction of two villages in India by the
army.  It was well documented even with interviews with the men and
officers of the China army.  Then the people were shown how the army
reported this mass murder.  The big question is what else is our army
hiding from us?  That was the question asked over and over.

   This caused protests and marches all over the country.  People were
angry they had been lied to and were not in a forgiving mood.  The
government tried their best to figure out how this had been done and who
did it?  They had lost some control of their media and of the people now.
That was not good here as the party was not at the strength it once was. 
Police could not stop an attack on the government, so the army would have
to be called in.  It was weaker now as many troops were in Russia fighting
there.  That left the main government having to keep the people calm and
basically happy.  No confrontation could be allowed to happen right now.

   The general whose troops had done as they were told, was brought in and
shot.  Government made sure people were satisfied for the moment.  They
labeled this as a rogue action by one general.  But now generals would not
move without written orders.  Many withdrew from areas they had been
holding for months.  The fight on the India border was for now over.  It
had simply taken directing the people's attention to what was happening.

   "I saw your experiment with the TV in China and was impressed.  You
never showed your hand and still got the result you wanted." John was
pleased with this.

   "Showing any hand was just not needed.  The government was vulnerable as
the army is fight a war and most troops are in the north.  When they killed
the general to appease the people it made the army's other generals mad. 
So they made the government pay for that action.  It is not nearly over
John.  This is going to always be a problem with a country this size." Joji
was one never to be too open.

   "You see a civil war as being required to divide China?"

   "Really you have five China's pulled together as one.  With the war in
the Russian Asian area it will make for six.  The party and army was the
glue that kept it held together.  But capitalism has driven a wedge into
that.  It will take some time but I expect to see an implosion with people
bringing down the party, army and government.  What will come from that I
have no idea?  But I don't believe it will be a single country." Joji was
not comfortable yet guessing at the long term.  The economy was just too
fluid and could change in a just a few days time.

   John considered Joji's thoughts.  "I see the army ending up fighting the
people to try to keep the country together.  There will be a fracturing of
the military in that many men will not shoot their own people.  China was
not easy to build into what it is today.  It will come apart just as
difficult as it was to build.  You won't see the final product until it is
done.  But I expect to see many warlords running different areas like back
many years ago."

   "That will kill the technology growth of China." Joji was now seeing
what John did.

   "It opens it up to being taken over.  That could be by Russia, India,
Japan or any of several countries.  It could mean they all get a piece of
it?  But that will leave millions of people to die from starvation and lack
of warm clothing or fuels to stay warm in winter.  It will not be pretty
Joji and will make the collapse of the US look like it was easy." John knew
it would not be pretty for him to watch.  But it was way beyond his control
to stop.  It was like a freight train moving down the tracks with no
brakes. You could see the train wreck coming.

   "Who long do you think it is going to take for this?"

   "My guess is two to three years.  There will be many events happen
between now and then.  But the start of the implosion will be in two to
three years.  It may take another two or more years to finish the job."
John was sure he had it pegged right.

   "What will happen with Russia?"

   "It will still be very feudal and will have to operate with a
dictatorial government.  They never had the technology and were required to
steal it.  Now they have no one to steal it from and independent thinking
is not part of the Russian abilities."

   That statement caused Joji to laugh.  "You mean your not going to invite
them to put an embassy here?  It will mean I don't need guards for all our
complexes.  So your cutting employment options for lazy people."

   Now he had John going and the two enjoyed the humor.  "We have not had a
visitor from even Japan here this year.  So I see no reason to open our
doors to anyone we really don't like.  There is no UN any more and we are
most likely the best armed and protected country?  We don't have the
people, but we do have the technology.  I am happy with just that."

   They discussed the projects John had going in the technology section of
ITI.  It was amazing what they were into and building.  Joji had companies
in Japan, India, China and some small countries building parts for the new
spacecraft.  The one quarter scale model was a success and now the full
size ships were being built.  The first to launch would be in one year. 
That would give them the ability to place satellites and repair them.  It
also mean a lot of the junk out there could be cleared out of the way.

   The new laser was being tested and would be set up for Island defense in
less than a year.  It was deadly for aircraft and missiles.  If it got
within one hundred miles of the Islands it was tracked by this system.  It
saw everything even the stealth aircraft.

   "You seem to have things pretty well under control Joji."

   "No not really as Dink keeps me going in the right direction.  She has
the files on every job we have in technology now.  They are placed on a
schedule and as they are started, man loaded to reach the projected date
and follow to assure it is on time.  It was all her idea and design.  I
keep up to date on where things are and get into problems.  If there are no
problems people just don't see me.  When there are I know where it started
and normally how to fix it.  There Dink has done the research for me, so I
don't get tied up forever.  It makes me look a lot smarter than I really
am."

   John liked the way Dink and Joji worked together.  It was almost like
their minds worked in different areas but fit together.  She knew what he
needed and made sure he had it.  He never had to ask her as she was always
in front of his needs.

   "I heard from Hideki yesterday.  He is doing well and has started phase
two of your plan.  Kei sent us the people he needed and they were
transported last night.  He should start the next phase in less than a
week. Where you told him to settle has turned out to be good land, with
reasonable protective mountains between him and aggressive people.  So his
city is built and the land secured.  Farming is very productive and now he
is ready to build the port."

   "I have been working on the models he will need for small manufacturing
plants.  He cannot afford to go with computer controlled equipment, as the
people there will not be ready for it.  So we have the older machines that
require trained machinist to operate.  Those people can be trained to run.
He also will have either electric induction welds or stick welding only. 
He just will not have the gasses to handle other types of welding.  We have
kind of placed him in the early 1930-1950's for technology.  That is all
pre-computer." Joji had made some hard decisions.

   "I see why you have them set at that point technology wise.  We can't
send them everything we can make now here, as they will lack the people to
design, plan and make it.  So I assume your picking the technologies they
can survive with?"

   "Yes like heating for rooms or a home.  Refrigeration and freezing
technology for foods was critical.  Freeze drying for other kinds of foods
to assure people can store food long term.  So electric motors,
compressors, refrigerant gasses and all kinds of electrical controls had to
be built.  We have had to find ways to do some of this far differently than
it is done now.  They just will not have our knowledge or technology to
use. We had to make a way for gunpowder to be made safely.  Then for shell
for weapons to be made and assembled.  So if they can handle food for long
periods and make weapons and ammunition we have provide the basic
technology they had to have.  But for them to make it they must not depend
on us for any of the needed materials."

   Now John saw the full extent of the difficulty Joji's people were faced
with.  You had a lot of different technologies in each part of the process
for any one item.  This was not easy to do where no technology really
existed at this level.  "I see the main problem.  In the early stages your
really limited."

   "If the gate allows passage for many years that will not be a problem.
But if it closes tomorrow then he must be able to run on his own.  We can't
leave him with technology that cannot be used.  My people have a twenty
year plan.  If we can make it work, at the end of that time he will be in
very good shape needing little from here.  But I worry the next trip might
never happen?"

   It was the best approach you could take.  To do anything else was
insanity he knew from past stories.  "Your following a reasonable plan
Joji. I just worry that Hideki needs more and we are going to fail to
handle it?"

   "With his people and engineers he is where he could survive if he had
to. It would leave him far behind the plan and us but he should survive. 
Over years they would develop much of what was in the plan themselves.  We
have supplied the books they need to reach these goals.  So Hideki knows
just where he is at every step of the way.  There is no way for me to do it
for him."

   "That is the best we can hope to give him.  Life is no sure bet on
anything.  So we will discuss things next week again.  Don't take my
worries as personal they aren't at all."

   Joji left and headed to his office.

   Dink saw him slip into his office.  So she got up and went in.  "How did
your meeting go?"

   "We discussed things I had already sent to him.  There was nothing new
and yet it was all discussed."

   "Joji he reinforces his own feelings by seeing just how your react to
the discussions you have.  There may not be any new data, but your face
shows much and feelings do come out when you talk.  That is what he is
looking for."

   That he had not considered before.  "OK at least he gets some value. 
But what do we get out of it?"

   "It is just the interest on the loan he made and never charged us.  We
owe him far more than he owes us.  Of course he is always concerned with
the technology side of ITI.  If John were Japanese American he would be
doing your job and letting someone else run the corporation.  Here is where
his real interest is.  So husband your just going to have to let him enjoy
the meetings the two of you have.  It is all he gets of this side of the
business."

   That did soften Joji and he was not nearly as upset.  "I see your point
and will not do anything to show my displeasure.  For sure I own him much
and you are a major part of my debt.  It was his comment that opened my
eyes to how I felt about you."

   "Here I thought it was my beauty that got you." Dink was now laughing
and enjoying Joji's discomfort.

   "You just love to get me upset don't you?  If this is how I am going to
be treated here I'll start working in the tech labs.  They did give me a
nice office where people can't hear, see or bug me.  I doubt you could even
find it."

   "I know where it is and no I can't get in there.  They let you set the
security for it and no one can enter that office but you.  But unless your
going to sleep there you will have to come home eventually and that is my
domain."

   "I give up as you have me out gunned.  Why do the ladies have it so
easy?"

   "Because we carry the babies and make men fathers.  So daddy what is
your son going to think of you now?  Treating his mother badly."

   "You're pregnant and are going to have a child?"

   "Normally that is what happens when a woman is pregnant.  I sure hope it
is not a puppy."

   Joji was now laughing and enjoying the knowledge he just got.  "That did
sound dumb didn't it?  But I am in shock as being a father never crossed my
mind."

   "You do know what causes babies right?"

   "Of course, but you just don't think about that end result until it
happens.  Well the doctor said it did happen.  I am about a month into the
pregnancy.  If I get any jokes about my weight I will be kicking someone's
ass.  Is that clear?"

   "Very dear and there will be no jokes.  But we need to go out and
celebrate tonight OK?"

   "It sounds good to me and understand I am off any alcohol until after
the birth.  It was highly recommended to me.  I did opt for a C section to
speed my return to work.  My office at home will need expanded to let me do
everything I normally do here."

   "Just call the IT guys at tech and they will get it done the way you
want it.  I have not put an office at home, as it was the one place we
could be without work intruding."

   "Mine will be there to let me work from home when I am feeling bad,
after the birth or when the baby needs me due to his being sick.  So it is
not for everyday use or evenings or weekends.  We are going to have to hire
a woman to look after our son during the day.  She will have to be closely
checked out.  I am needed at ITI and will not walk away from my job." This
was said in a flat voice that never was raised or lowered.  It was just a
flat statement of fact.

   "It would take me several people dear to start to replace you.  Then I
would not be organized at all.  No one sees how I think except you.  I told
John I would not nearly be ready for his questions, were it not for you
making me look smart."

   "I may make you more organized, but never smarter.  Joji this child is
going to be one smart one.  We both are going to be pushed to provide it
with the love, knowledge and stability it will require.  Children in their
growth years don't handle change, uncertainty or unstable environments."

   "Your forgetting dear you had that stable life and I did not.  So I
understand more of what I missed and needed that you will ever know.  This
child will never go through what I did." The feelings he had showed for
just a fleeting moment on his face.

   Dink saw his true feeling pass quickly by.  Then back into that deep
well, where he kept things he did not want shown.  There was much Joji
would never talk about in his past.  She was sure it had been very painful.


   "Well husband if your going to feed me I think it might be time to go
home and change.  I feel like a fast shower and dressing up some.  We need
to celebrate a little."

   Joji knew this was very different from Dink's normal ideas.  She did not
care much for going out to dinner or getting dressed up.  Her idea of a
good night was one of a nice quiet dinner together and curled up with him
watching something they both enjoyed.  After her parents death she had lost
that close contact with anyone.  That door was just never opened again
until she married him.  So was this another door he had just never seen
behind?

   People he knew had many doors in their personality or some said
compartments in the mind.  Some were opened and others closed.  Things that
were painful in a persons past often were stored behind a closed door in
their minds.  If you looked deeply into anyone's mind they had many closed
doors.  Pain was just not something people learned to live with.  It was
just easier to shut it away than deal with it.  If you failed to do that
you became a martyr complex personality or just went off the deep end.

   Life was not easy for most and it for sure was not fair.  The way the
economic crash had hit people worldwide showed just how hard life was.  He
poorer you were the more the crash hurt.  Poor in this new world was not
money, as most currencies were worth nothing.  People with land, food,
goods and the likes could be seen as rich today.  Those with gold, silver,
gemstones and any high value tradable commodity had wealth.  Here the oil
and natural gas were real wealth and it was managed by John for all
islanders.  Being a light sweet crude make it even more valuable.  This
made the people here almost forget just how bad it was out there is the
real world.

   But Joji saw the problems each day and did what one man could with the
resources he had to create small changes.  He knew there was no way to
solve all the problems, but the few he could impact were enough to bring
him pleasure.