Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Chapter 19

   There were many meetings between Hideki and Snow's father.  The man was
so proud of his swords and bow and arrows he just beamed.  The stallion and
mares of the larger horses Hideki had brought were very prized possessions.
They would one day make him famous.  They were faster, stronger and seemed
to do almost as well as his did on little food and water.

   It was for sure he was a rich man now.  But his son was going to be an
advisor to the Emperor.  He knew that would give him no advantage.  Storm
was a man who would serve just one master.  But he would do what was right
every time and being family cut you no room.  Now working for an Emperor
his word was law and that for Storm would be the end of it.

   Hideki finally headed back home and Snow rode with him at the front of
the procession.  When they got out of the mountain he called in a chopper.
They left the caravan there and headed to the hospital.  It was important
the people see him leave just as he came in.  Once back in his territory
there was no reason to slow down.

   They got off the aircraft and headed to the hospital.  When they walked
in the room Storm was sitting by a window and looking out.  "Well my friend
we finally meet.  I was asked by my brother to find you and it looks like I
was none too soon.  You were being taken care of by an assassin and if he
had not wanted it to look like it came from your surgery you would be dead
now." The man started to get up and was motioned down.

   "Brother you look so much better today.  I was really worried about you.
But my husband keep telling me you were OK."

   Storm looked at Hideki and saw him smiling.  "Yes we did a simple
ceremony at the temple, so your mother and father could see it in your
village.  So Storm we are family and I take that very seriously.  You will
serve me as military and people advisor.  I must do more than win battles,
I must also win the hearts and minds of the people."

   A large grin broke out on Storm's face.  "Finally someone who
understands just winning a battle is not enough."

   "We took over three hundred ponies in fights we had.  I gave those to
the villages sworn to support me as a gift.  It will make their lives
better and more productive.  In the end I will be taken even better care of
by them." Hideki hoped Storm saw the wisdom here.

   "I am sure to many you're a Kami here on the land.  That was very wise
and will pay of many fold.  How is it you see things in such simple terms?"

   "In our world Storm we know to gain true wealth, you must invest before
you see it start to grow.  The wealth is not gold, food or the many items
people mostly consider wealth.  It is the people them selves.  Will you be
loved by all?  No that will never happen.  But you can be respected by all.
That has far more value."

   "Sir you show me great knowledge, as I never considered it that way. 
But I see your point and will remember it."

   "First I am Hideki to you and not sir or master.  I have yet to convince
Snow that is true.  So I will soon have to start spanking her cute ass
soon."

   That broke Storm up just thinking of his sister getting her ass spanked
by Hideki.  "I will agree to that when we are together and without people
around.  But we must convey to everyone else there is no room not to take
you serious.  Having any one person other than a wife be personal with you
opens the door to problems."

   "Oh we have a ship due any day now with ten thousand new troops and
people to build our port city.  We will trade over the world and get to
know every country here.  The ships have no sails and will travel many
years with no fuel.  They are faster than anything here now and are made of
steel."

   "What is steel?"

   "It is a metal like what our big ships before was made of.  These will
be smaller and have cranes to pick cargo up and lift it into a hole until
sold.  The are well armed and could fight off an entire fleet of sailing
ships."

   He remembered just how large the two ships he saw were.  "Do you fight
as well as your brother?"

   "I don't fight with my hands at all.  I use my swords and many other
nasty weapons I doubt you have seen?  So People who pick a fight with me
are dead.  The doctor and two of the assassins in your village lost their
heads."

   "I saw him cut one man many times.  Each cut was small and bled a lot.
The mans body had blood all over it.  When he told Hideki every things he
wanted to know." You could see she saw the value in that information he
got.

   "Was it a bandit?"

   "No it was one of the assassins.  They wanted me out of here and fast.
But we did not lose one man on our trip and had only two injured at all. 
No one was hurt bad enough to not be fit for battle.  Over time I will
teach you how to used many of the weapons I use.  It will give you some
real advantages."

   He doctor came in and smiled at Hideki.  "I thank you for taking care of
the man who tried to kill Storm.  The analyses of the compound was very
interesting.  It killed the pain, poisoned the body and made the person
lethargic.  In another month he would have been dead."

   "Is there any reason he has to stay in the hospital now?"

   "We had to repair some of my work from before.  He did not listen to my
instructions.  So I would have to know he will do as I told him."

   Hideki looked directly into Storms eyes.  "Well Storm what do you say? I
don't ever argue with a good doctor."

   "I will follow his instructions sir."

   Snow saw a chance to help.  "He will follow them or I will step on his
knee as Hideki's brother did."

   The doctor saw a tigress and knew he would follow the instructions or be
back here fast.  "You have my permission to kick his butt of he fails to
follow my instructions." He went over all of them and then let they wheel
him out in a wheelchair.

   They stopped by his office and Hideki sent Joji an e-mail saying Storm
was sitting across from him.  He then detailed the problems Storm had
encountered and sent the message.

   "Now my brother knows what happened and will be pleased to know you're
with me.  He was very worried about you when you refused to go back with
him."

   "He said there were women there that were as good if not better than
him. I would die of shame if a woman beat me."

   "Storm that is your world now.  But in our world that is not the same.
Over time women here will compete with men on many levels.  I have every
one of my girls going to school and learning each day.  It is important
that they are smart and bring my children up to be smart as well. 
Hopefully my children will do an even better job of ruling than I did. 
Your mother is one very smart lady.  She is far more educated than either
of you have seen.  I would guess she has been in our world."

   That really opened Storm's eyes.  "I can see why you say that.  Looking
back now she has always known more than she let others know.  When someone
said something she often would later if asked say that is just rubbish. 
Toss it away as it is not true.  How she knew it was not true she never
said?"

   "I stopped her and looked her in the eyes and asked her if she had been
to the Islands and Japan.  She told me yes she had and still had a sister
on the Islands."

   Now Snow was shocked and Storm smiled.  "She told me I made a mistake by
not going with your brother.  If I had just for a short time I would have
come back much smarter."

   "She was right you know?  I asked her sisters name and she refused to
tell me.  So I asked her why she would not tell me Kendra was her sister?
That shocked her so bad she cried.  She had not heard that name in many
years.  But in her last days Kendra worked for me at the school for the
Emperor's family.  She died just three weeks before I came here.  So I
brought her body back and buried it in here in her homeland.  I gave your
mother a picture of Kendra to keep."

   It was stunning to both of them this man knew an aunt they had never
known about.  He also had caught their mother and that had never happened
before.  "I see your much sharper than I had even expected.  There were a
few days between your brother beating me and when he left to go home.  We
talked much during that time of life here and life in your world."

   "Stop right there Storm.  This is my world and not by accident I choose
it.  I will never leave here and will grow old and die here.  So get the
worlds straight in your mind.  That is Joji's world and this is my world."

   Storm smiled at Hideki and knew the man meant what he said.  "Alright I
get your point and will never refer to the other world as yours.  But it is
Joji's."

   "Yes it is his and he is running the Intelligence service for it.  He
has his nose into every countries business.  He is seen as a rich
businessman people all want to know him and talk with him.  They tell him
things they would never tell others."

   "That is not a bad model for us to use.  We could have several very well
off traders moving around.  They could then communicate with your bigger
trading ships and get needed goods from them."

   "Just understand I will not help arm someone who we will one day have to
fight.  I will help allies and support them with weapons.  I they need it I
will come fight beside them.  I don't want every country or piece of land.
In the same respect I will take any land where people are poorly treated.
The two small ports on either side of our land have now been taken into my
kingdom.  My doctors went in and saved many from a plague that killed
millions in Joji's world hundreds of years ago."

   "I was told you could not survive that?" Storm was now not
understanding.

   "With the right treatment you can survive almost anything.  But you must
have a good doctor to diagnose what it is so it can be treated.  Medicines
are very different for different illnesses."

   "You mean one medicine does not work on everything?"

   "No more than one move in a fight would win every fight.  The plague
comes from fleas that travel from port to port on rats.  Then dogs and cats
pick them up and carry them into a home.  The flea bites the human and the
plague is inserted into their bodies.  Now a good antibiotic will knock out
the illness.  The person will survive the plague if they get that and in
time."

   "I see where doctors are needed."

   "You would be dead or dying, if the doctor had not quickly seen what
your problem was.  He is the man who did the surgery to repair your knee.
If you listen to him and follow his advice you will heal.  At that time you
will be able to do everything you could before.  Like all things you will
have to build yourself back up to your old ability."

   "You mean the doctor was telling the truth?"

   "In our laws if you lie you have broken the law.  You will be tried for
it and punished if it is proven you lied."

   This was not the way things happened it this world any place else. 
Telling lies and hiding facts were the way things were ruled.  "How does
this work for people?"

   "I have set up courts and appointed judges.  We have this book of laws
and anyone may file a charge against you.  But if they fail to prove their
claim they are punished and not the person they charged.  Each claim is
investigated by the court.  All findings are given to both sides.  Then a
trial is held and each side presents their case.  The judge hears from the
investigators and both sides.  Then makes the decision on guilt or
innocence."

   It seems pretty simple.  "Who presents the case to the judge?"

   "Each person involved must handle their part of the case.  But it is
simple either you broke a law or you didn't."

   "Have you given these laws to the chiefs?"

   "No it is not time yet to bring them further along.  Change must happen
slowly to be accepted.  Many of the laws we live by here may not in my time
be law in the outer areas.  We must find the right time to add them.  So we
will start with ten simple laws later this year.  Then add to them over
time.  That process will start all over in each new addition to our
kingdom."

   He could see how this would work far better than what he had seen
before. There had been no order in government here now or in past history.
Law was what ever a leader decided it to be that day.  So a man never knew
if he was breaking a law or not?  "Just the fact of the laws being written
and not changing dad to day will bring people to you.  Right now no one has
either protection by the law or knows what it is."

   "Can you read Storm?"

   "Yes, I had a scribe who taught me to read and write."

   Hideki handed him the book of laws.  "Then read this when you have time
and see what ones we can safely require the people to live by.  Take this
pen and just mark the ones you think we should start with.  Now Snow show
your brother to his room please."

   She pushed him to the room they had decided would be his for now.  They
both were sure he would want his own quarters when he was well.  She showed
him the different things in the room and his large bath.  "You have both a
bath girl and one to do the cleaning here for you.  Your bath girl will do
the massages the doctor wants done.  Hideki allowed me to choose the two
who will serve you.  So I hope you like them." She chuckled and he knew he
was in trouble.

   Snow left his rooms.  Then two beautiful girls of may be thirteen to
fourteen came into the room and he saw the twinkle in their eyes.  They
moved him to the hot tub and helped him undress.  Then slowly lowered him
in.  Quickly they undressed and got in as well.

   He waited for them to be seated and decided to ask.  "Why are you here
and not in the mountains?"

   "We were given as house servants to the master.  Our fathers were not
chiefs, so we could not be taken into his bed.  We got to know Snow and she
helped us escape the kitchen.  The women working there were not nice to
us."

   It made sense to him Snow would help the girls.  They were very nice to
look at and he approved of his sisters putting her nose into his life.  At
least here he would benefit and that was not the norm from past experience.
But then she had been just a little girl and now she was a full woman. 
From the discussion with Hideki he knew she had saved his life.  Only her
connecting Hideki's brother to him had made that trip to get him a
priority.

   The girls helped him into the hot tub and got in with him.  The water
was really nice and it moved around the tub.  This was the nicest tub he
had ever seen.  The fact it was just for his use, really said just how
wealthy this new nation was.  He had been shocked at how well people here
lived, ate and all were paid.  There were no slaves or poor people here at
all.  It left him wondering how they fought a war?

   As he sat there with his head back on a pillow of it felt like air he
knew he would find out?  Hideki said he would be involved in choosing where
to fight and whom they were going after.  But he did put a requirement on
it that seemed odd to him.  It had to be of value land wise and the people
had to be badly used.

   As he turned the idea over it started to make sense to him.  If the
people were badly ruled, treated unfairly and oppressed in many ways they
would join in the fighting.  It would grow an army fast and with people who
knew the area.  They also knew who was or was not fair in the dealings with
them.  Now they had the chance to become the judge.  It was just beyond his
understanding how someone had not used this before?  But think a little
further he saw the problem for most governments.  They were just as bad as
the one now ruling.

   The girls started to rub his knee and work it just like the doctor
showed them.  The second worked his neck and tried to keep him relaxed.  It
was something they found that worked well with Storm.  There had been many
questions before they tried it.  But now they knew it worked.

   When the tub shut down they helped him back out and into his wheel
chair. He was well dried off and then moved to the bedroom for a nap.  He
slept in the nude when in a bed.  So it was nice to feel the cool bed and
silk sheets.  That he could not do in the hospital.  It took no time for
him to drop off to sleep.

   He was awoken and helped into suitable clothing.  The two girls pushed
him into the dinning room where Hideki and his girls ate.  It was a large
room and lighted to fit a dinner.

   "I have to ask but why don't you have any torches or candles burning?"
Storm was used to that being the case.

   "Brother you need to see Hideki's ball of lighting.  But that is
electricity and that is also what runs the lights here.  It runs in wires
that are connected to what is called a grid.  Everyone here has this type
lighting, the ability to cook food using this power and it runs many shops
that make things."

   "I am impressed you know that much so far.  That tub in my bathroom was
something I just can't get over.  The people here have so much luxury it is
just beyond my ability yet to understand it."

   "I will take you with me one day when the supply ship comes in.  It is
one of the large ones you saw from the prison camp.  There are things to be
seen there you would not believe after seeing them with your own eyes."
Hideki knew he would have a hard time understanding nuclear power,
computers, radio, radar, sonar and the many technologies on the ship.

   "It is a very different world for me.  I still wonder if what I saw was
true or a dream?  The things you have are so advanced compared to our
world. How could we have been going to your world for thousands of years
and not moved forward?  Either our people were not very smart or they did
not stay long enough to learn?  Now which it was makes little difference,
we as a world lost out?"

   Hideki could see Storms feelings.  "Much of what people brought back was
seen as magic I would bet.  The Islands were not nearly as developed before
John went there.  They did not have electricity, so no one saw that from
here.  Matter of fact they were pretty much where things are here now in
the outer land areas.  The ones who went on to Japan did see a lot more. 
But they were never coming back here."

   That was an interesting idea.  "Then may be the Islands were just as
backward as we are today?"

   "They were that and from my studies they would never have moved forward
without John's intervention.  He brought the technology and ability to
change the entire ten Islands structure.  The oil find made for great
wealth and it was developed fast.  The liquefying of the natural gas made
for a very saleable product.  Then he was willing to trade those for goods
needed by the islands.  He built a refining plant for oil and could also
sell finished product.  Now my brother runs ITI and it sells goods and raw
materials all over our world.  The oil comes from both Shangri-La's stocks
and from the Arab wells also.  There the Islands make money by taking a
profit off what is sold if it is their product.  Otherwise Joji's company
makes the profits and uses them to keep doing intelligence work."

   Some of this he did not understand yet, but he would before he stopped
mentally worrying it to death.  "Then Joji must be a very wealthy man?"

   "I would say John is the one with the most wealth and Joji is second in
all of our world.  Now my friend you need some rest.  The sooner you heal
the sooner I can put you to work." Hideki laughed at this as he was working
now and did not know it.  To him work was all physical and here it was
often mental.

   Snow was not sure what had just happened?  "Why did you send him off to
bed?"

   "It has been a very long day for Storm.  He has been given more
information than any one man could possible process.  If you looked closely
he was about to hit overload.  Confusion was showing in his eyes.  So why
cause a problem and keep pushing him.  He needs to learn about this new
world at a rate he can absorb it.  That means he also will be able to use
that knowledge."

   "I will learn to watch for things like that.  In our world they just
keep piling the information on.  So you must absorb it fast or you will
make an error and it will cause you to lose your life.  My father has
killed more than one man who failed to carry out his verbal orders.  But
most of our people can't read."

   "Any Shinto Priest who cannot read and write will lose their position.
They will start a school in each village and train the children to all read
and write.  Girls will also be educated to serve as teachers for lands I
take over.  If any priest has a problem following my orders they will be
executed."

   That caused Snow's interest to pick up.  "Why girls for teachers in
lands far away?"

   "Dear like it or not you ladies talk far to much about things you should
not.  A teacher would hear much my troop commander would never pick up.  If
she just keeps her head down, she could be the best information provider we
have.  A school is a place of information transfer.  Not just the lessons,
but about life there and problems.  It gives you and early warning system
for many events.  It is just a matter of listening and reporting
information to the commander.  Both the children and mothers will talk with
the teacher."

   "That seems dangerous to me for the teacher.  Getting her information to
him means she must be seen with him at some point.  It could get her
killed."

   "Nope as she would type her reports at home into a laptop computer and
send them over the air waves to the commander.  It would be encrypted and
could not be read by anyone if they could get the signal.  Only his
computer would handle her encrypted signal.  So others would not read it
and guess who it was."

   She saw he was protecting the woman here and liked that he cared enough
to do it.  "I see how unusual you are Hideki.  Men here could not care less
about a woman's safety.  Most don't care about the safety of their own men.
They would expect to see so many killed in any battle.  If that did not
happen then the men were not fighting hard enough or taking the risks they
should.  One king they say used to kill the difference between his
estimated loss and the final counts."

   Hideki sat back and considered her comment.  "That would play right into
my hands.  My belief is the fewer dead the better we have planned.  I would
prefer to have no dead and few wounded.  But I am sure that will not be the
case at times and it will pain me.  People need to know you care about them
and their safety.  You need to give your troops the very best weapons and
skills to assure they are prepared.  It helps when you reward them for
doing a good job.  That will happen often in my military."

   She saw a man who did care about people.  It worried her that he could
suffer some major losses, not due to poor planning, but to unexpected
events.  When things are different from what you planned for, events just
seem to take over.  Your ability to control them is lost.  "I think it is
time for us to go to bed husband.  It would be nice to have a little time
in the hot tub before we reach the bed."

   That next morning the rest of the girls had made it home.  The dinning
room was loaded and there was lots of talk.  Only Storm and Snow were at
Hideki's table and the girls were wondering how this new relationship was
going to work?  Snow now was the first wife and because she was the oldest
of the group it seemed to fit.  But Hideki had 29 other girls to marry and
take care of.  But that was the worry of young girls that had too much time
to think.

   After breakfast Snow went to class and Storm to Hideki's office with
him. It bothered him Hideki was pushing his chair, as he was the Emperor.
Once he was beside the desk Hideki opened his computer and checked e-mail.

   "It seems we have the second supply and ship of settlers on this side of
the gate.  Joji said it left last night.  He needs 1 man to work with the
Emperor of Japan.  It must be someone who knows the old ways and is not
afraid to discuss them with him.  He does not want someone to agree with
him.  He wants to learn facts and understand where Japan really came from.
Do you know of a man who would fit that?"

   "There is an older man who calls himself a monk.  The man lives back in
the mountains and teaches a few young orphan boys from time to time.  He
can read and write beautifully.  But he is not someone to accept authority
and has come close to being killed many times.  Most leaders fear him and
just stay away.  There was a time when his counsel was sought.  What he
said always came true and when it was bad news predicted before the events
leaders wanted no more of that.  So he has been closed out of the
leadership counsels now for some time."

   The man sounded perfect and someone who was not afraid of bad news.  He
had risked his own life to tell leaders the truth.  So he should be honest
with the Emperor.  "How do I find him and offer him this job?"

   "You won't need to find him he will find you.  I assure you he knows now
he is wanted here.  If he comes he is interested in your offer.  So warn
your troops not to shoot him.  For Joji's needs this man is perfect."

   "What should the troops look for?"

   That did cause Storm to laugh.  "He is a man with a shaved head, a white
robe that never seems to ever get dirty and has a look in his eyes that
demands attention.  Tell them to look for a man like, that walking with a
tall staff in his hands.  But he will find them and demand to be brought
here.  If they argue with him he will attack them with that staff."

   "That would be a major error on his part.  My troops would not kill him,
but could make him wish they had.  You have yet to see our weapons and they
are not like yours.  They are much more deadly at a far more distant
range."

   That did cause him to look at Hideki.  "An arrow can only go so far
Hideki."

   "True but a much smaller bullet can go a lot further." He tossed a
bullet to Storm.

   Storm caught it and looked closely at it.  "This could not possible go
further than an arrow."

   Hideki took it back and loaded it in a rifle and pushed Storm out on a
balcony.  "See that pumpkin sitting over there?"

   "Could an arrow hit it?"

   "No that is too far away for any shot with a bow."

   Hideki handed him a set of field glasses and showed him how to use them.
"Now you can see the pumpkin very clearly right?"

   "Yes it is like I am standing right beside it."

   "Your going to hear a very loud noise and the pumpkin will just explode.
So keep watching and expect the loud noise."

   "I understand there will be a loud noise.  We have used a special mix of
things to make a black powder that explodes.  It is something to cause
fear, but it does no real damage." Storm had been very close to the
exploding items before.

   Hideki took aim and made sure Storm was watching the target.  He pulled
the trigger and the pumpkin exploded.  "Now I could do that every time I
fired.  This rifle is accurate to five times the distance to that pumpkin."

   Storm was now shocked at the distance and the damage the weapon did.  If
it had been a man's head it would have done the same thing he was sure. 
"How can anything so small do so much damage?"

   "There is an entire science to that question.  But understand we could
wipe out every person attacking before they got within bow range.  So we
must come up with a different way to fight a war.  This way is going to
cause people to run and hide, then fight in small groups.  It will be a war
where you never know who the enemy is or where they will strike."

   This Storm could see clearly and knew Hideki was right.  It would be a
war many innocent people could die in.  "I must think about this and
consider how any war could be fought.  This to most people will smell of
magic no matter how it happens."

   Over the next few days Storm learned a lot.  The power Hideki had was so
much more than people would ever believe.  They had been able to show him
how the technology advanced and it was a very logical progression.  One
step lead to another one and they kept building one on top of each other.
You just had to keep working to improve the weapon.  But today's weapons
were so powerful here, it was not a step up the ladder, it was a new ladder
with nothing in between.  It was like building a wall from the top down.

   Just thinking about that he could almost guess they could do it if they
had too.  The ability of Hideki's people had been just beyond any he had
imagined.  Here math was just rudimentary and for Hideki it was a science.
The things like physics, higher math, written history, astronomy and so
many areas just did not exist here.  There had been people from time to
time who did some small amount of work in these areas and yet it had never
grown or been built on?  Getting a good education was just not seen as
important here before Hideki came.  His people all had very good educations
far beyond anyone here.  Had Storm not read every scroll and collection of
papers, he would be just as ignorant as the others of his world.

   Because Storm and Snow's mother pushed the two of them to learn and
read, they were well advanced to others now.  She had brought back several
books from Japan.  Those she used to teach them to read and write.  The two
were far advanced to most here except for Hideki's people.  Snow was not
yet as smart as he was, but she was much quicker to see things and then put
them together.  Between the two of them they had been able to offer their
parents answers that later proved true.  The last time had been a couple
years ago and just after Storm graduated from the monks training.  Now he
understood just how young Snow had been and her abilities then were very
good.

   But now was the time to come up with a plan that would allow the
assuming of power here.  It needed to be done with the least loss of life
and showing far less power then was available.  They needed to bring the
people to them and not push them away in fear.

   This was going to be difficult in this world.  With communications slow
and a very limited abilities to reach people.  Getting the information out
would not be easy or fast.  That at least was his opinion now and he knew
it could change as Hideki solved some of the problems.