THE OLD KAMIKAZE HEADBAND

CHAPTER 2 : ABOARD KAGA

Upon arrival on board the huge aircraft carrier Kaga, the reconnaissance strike force's flagship, he was summoned to his commander private room.

He knew he was in for trouble because of the stupid buffalo.

He knew it the moment he stepped onto the six inches thick of Kaga's massive steel deck.

How embarrassing and stupid of him to toy with his prey.

"You ask for me, Honourable Sir? " Lt. Yamaguchi bowed his head low, dare not raided his head till he heard his superior's horse voice

"Yes. Please take a seat Lt. Yamaguchi! " Commander Hiro, his Chief Squadron Leader took a seat in front of him, offered a cup of sake which they swallowed in one gulp.

His hawk eyes scanned at the weird decorations of his boss' private room : full of small lanterns shaped like a yellowish pumpkin.

On a second thought, it would not a surprise really, after all his chief squadron leader was a graduate from the American University before the war broke out.

"Any Japanese Americanized guy could have picked up such traditional," he thought.

Together, they sat down in silent while Commander Hiro studied the face of his favourite squadron leader.

Then he said, "Lt. Yamaguchi. You're a samurai warrior and we live by the Code of Bushido. We fight for the glory of our revered Emperor. To death if need to be! "

Lt. Yamaguchi bowed his head and rattled with the ritual predetermined answer, "Yes sir. Yes! Chief Commander sir! "

Slowly Chief Commander Hiro stood up, walked across his miniature table placing his right hand onto Lt. Yamaguchi's right shoulder as he paused.

His gripped was firm, indicating some sort of non-verbal gestures to his subordinate.

Lt. Yamaguchi dared not lift up his clean shaved chin. He froze in total silence.

"Yamaguchi San. Your bombing and shooting skills are at par to that of elite pilots," commended Chief Commander Hiro, "Of which we all are! And we are proud of it! "

He paused again and walked toward the porthole leaving Lt. Yamaguchi guessing : his small eyes wandered upon a flotilla of destroyers and battleships cruising along side with the mighty aircraft carrier, second only to Hiryu, the flagship of the Japanese Imperial Fleet.

Their destination was Manila Bay and the weather was perfect with only a few puffs of clouds above the horizon.

Turning toward Lt. Yamaguchi, he dropped the bombshell : "But, what you did back there was not you! You wasted your bombs and bullets for a miserable buffalo and its rider! "

His horrid voice trembled in anger.

Lt. Yamaguchi was taken off guard.

He stood up and said, "Sir! "

He bowed his head low as if expecting at any time a blow to shear his head with samurai sword.

He was so ashamed that he was thinking of commiting harakiri right after this humiliating session.

He had made a calculative blunder and someone did see him, brought a disgrace to his squadron.

No escape this time.

Chief commander Hiro walked toward him, paused beside him as he turned his head and said, "But don't worry! Your honour is intact. No one saw anything a miss but me! "