More than fifty years ago the 2020-2025 pandemic had worsen the economic condition in Southeast Asia and intensified the labor migration to China and Japan.
China's economy had overtaken America but its human rights violations forced many Asians to shun its offer of better work conditions which were the opposite of the true condition in the mainland. Picky migrant workers like the Filipinos preferred Japan where their human rights were respected. Besides, compared to China, Japan's aging population had enticed many Filipinos to settle down in Japan after they found local partners. But the proliferation of mixed marriages was resented by the local population for their children were torn between two opposing cultures. Besides the children preferred to live in the urban areas, thus other migrants like Indonesians had to be recruited as farm labor. The children of mixed marriages had grown significantly and to some Japanese who shunned mixed marriages, the presence of the descendants in significant government posts was worrisome, aggravated by cloned children. The time was ripe for confrontation and Sato wanted to exploit this situation by stirring the pride of the blue bodied Japanese residents.
"How far are we, Tagasi, from our secret lair?" referring to an abandoned nuclear silo where Sato would direct his defiant insurrection against the government of his arch enemy, Prime Minister Akito, the cloned son of a Humanoid mother sired by a Filipino.
The silo had been secretly developed into a military command post equipped with landing hele/drone pad, storage arsenal, barracks for ten thousand armed men, hospital for both human and android soldiers, and underground food facilities. For years Sato and his military supporters who were descendants of the samurai clans had turned it into a well-equipped military facilities, secretly diverting military funds from his vast connection with both government and private military suppliers as well as business conglomerates, being the chief minister of military funds.
Their initial plan to take out Akito had backfired and he knew who blunted their plan.
"Those infernal clones," he muttered as he seethed in anger inside the drone plane. As they passed over the Fukushima nuclear facilities which had been decommissioned because of its meltdown when a tsunami damaged its reactors, the drone went farther northeast of the reactors to a mountain where its side opened up and received the drone like a lost hurt bee. Slowly the drone settled down on a raised pad while renegade soldiers waited in closed formation. A ranking officer approached the drone and saluted Sato.
"Good afternoon, Masuta. Welcome to our sacred headquarter." The officer signaled two geisha dressed girls to accompany Sato to his secret room.
"After my rest, assemble our warriors for my important instruction," said Sato as the girls led him to his room. Tagasi went to a separate room where other geisha girls would do his bidding.
Sato's room had triple sliding doors made of steel made to resist handheld weapons. Inside the room the girls helped to undress Sato for his warm bath. He looked around and was pleased by the surrounding which imitated a typical Japanese home, with bath room, massage bed and an area for tea ceremony.
Sato tested the water on the bath tub and found it just right, not tipid nor scalding. He slid into the tub as one of the girls rubbed him with Sakura scented gel. First on his back, then on his arms and chest down to his groin. Sato closed his eyes as the girl slowly rubbed his groin while the other girl waited for her part. Political ambition had kept him from marrying, but what the heck when you can have a partner and still remained single. As descendant of the samurai Sato excelled in martial arts, like karate, judo and sword skirmish. He had a chiseled slim body and was the envy in the Diet, but ambition had poisoned his mind. There was no turning back.
He signaled the other girl who approached him and wrapped him with the black kimono. He was dripping as he lay on the bed for his shiatsu massage. The soft touch of the girl relieved him of the twitching muscles on his nape. Was he unduly affected by their initial retreat? It was the last thing that should bother a warrior. Death was nothing. It was a thing to be desired to save one's honor. Seppuku would save me from my enemies, thought Sato. But for now I must relish this borrowed life according to our sacred tradition.
The soothing massage had cleaned his dark thoughts of self-annihilation, for life and death exist in continuum and Zen Shintoism has prepared its followers for it. After that soothing shiatsu Sato prepared himself for the sado by moving out of the bath room to the adjoining room with its tatami floor.
Sato preferred thick green tea or koicha, requiring more matcha powder. If this would be his last sip, then by all means let it be the best green tea ever.
As he sipped the koicha, the memories of his boyhood in Osaka came back to him. His uncle was a devout Zen Buddhist monk and expected him to follow his footsteps in the monastery where he spent his childhood. But he wanted so much to visit the famous Osaka castle of Hideyoshi. Everyday after their prayer Sato would peer at the imposing castle from the small window of his room.
Secretly he wanted to be a warlord like his forbear who belonged to the Tokogawa clan. So when he reached manhood he decided to leave the monastery and entered military training. Then again he drifted to another calling as a lawyer. In his practice he associated himself with powerful politicians in his prefecture until he rose to a national prominence as Diet minister. His rise would have been unchallenged, just a breath away from the post of prime minister until Akito, known offspring of a Humanoid, came to the scene and stole the thunder which was at his finger steps. Now he was a fugitive but swore to return with vengeance.
After gulping the third cup of koicha, he pressed the button of intercom and the voice of Tagasi came out.
"Yes, Masuta?"
"Are the warriors assembled?"
"Assembled and waiting your order."
