Feudal Pacific

16

Hijikata and Isami led the rest of us, their faces stern and determined. Yasuo and I followed at the end of the group, both of us feeling the weight of what we had to do. People bowed and gave us room as we rode down the streets, and I frowned remembering how Serizawa had almost ridden down a few people just for laughs.

As we approached the docks, the scent of saltwater and the sound of gulls filled the air. The Ōsaka harbor was always busy, but today was more chaotic than usual. Merchants shouted and haggled, sailors hauled heavy crates and barrels onto and off of ships, the smell of fish and seaweed mixed with salt almost thickened the air. The greatest knot of activity was at the farthest wharf where Katsu Kaishū's ship sat at anchor. Squinting at the bright water against the light blue sky, I saw several smaller boats lowered into the water with sailor and samurai boarding them to get to shore.

"I don't see many sailors," I told Isami. "Mostly samurai. How could they sail a vessel that large with so few?" Katsu's ship, the Hiryū Maru, was an enormous galleon of almost 500 tons with a long beakhead and three main masts between the smaller foremast and aftmast—though even those were taller than most mainmasts on other Portuguese-style ships in Japan. A ship this size would need a crew of two hundred, at least; but I saw only a few walking about on deck while the sails lowered and packed themselves.

Isami nodded. "Yes, I'd heard about this ship, but I didn't think it was as it was described to me. An entire galleon crewed by ten sailors? But here it is. Katsu must have been successful in procuring that famous American."

"Which American?" I asked. "An engineer?"

But Isami only shrugged, and we pressed on down the dockyard as he said, "All I know is that he has a way with machinery, and ships most of all." We came to the promenade where all of us dismounted. The samurai from the ship rowed up to the docks nearby and lined themselves up in preparation for their employer's arrival. We Shinsengumi stood well back, but some of Katsu's men caught sight of us and bowed in respect when they saw our uniforms.

Finally Katsu Kaishū himself came ashore. He was a middle aged man of average height, with a pointed beard on his chin and short receding grey hair that he had combed back. He wore a black western-style suit jacket and trousers, and a wide hat to shield his eyes from the sun. As Katsu stepped from his longboat onto the dock, we moved forward into his samurai squad. They moved away and bowed as we passed.

Katsu bowed with a smile as we approached, and we all bowed in return. "Kondō-san," said Katsu, "how is it that we live only a day's ride from one another, yet it's been a year or more since I've seen your face?"

"I see you all the time," said Isami, "that's why you never see me." The two men shared a laugh, and Isami turned to introduce the rest of the Shinsengumi, starting with Hijikata. When he had named everyone, he came at last to Yasuo and me.

At the sound of my name, Katsu's eyebrows lifted. "Not the same Ishida Takeko who fought in the battle at Rokukashi?" he asked.

I bowed my head. "I had that honor, Katsu-san. This is my student, Manane Yasuo."

"Ah, I've heard much about you as well," said Katsu with another bow. "The freed slave from Van Diemen's Land. And now a samurai! My congratulations to you, Yasuo-san."

My student tilted his head. "You know me, Katsu-san?"

"By reputation only. Perhaps the two of you would care to make your way to the end of the wharf to my ship. I expect you'll find something there that will make you smile."

I looked to Isami, and he nodded his permission. I had no idea what Katsu meant, but Yasuo and I bowed to Katsu once more, mounted our horses again and rode out over the wharf. It had been built of crushed stone, but wasn't especially made for riding over, or even walking, but the wharf was long and would hurt our feet to walk on it for too long. We pushed our horses slowly and gently.