Act III: Life

     Souro walks into a room where resistance officers have gathered," What is the report?"
     "A quarter of our forces were taken out by the battery before we even entered the castle.
About half of it was taken out once we were fighting within the castle."
     "And what leaders survived?" he asks.
     "Most resistance officers made it out alive, except for... one leader."
     "Who?"
     The group looks sullen. Souro repeats, "Who!?"
     "Tenkei Hachimonguu took his forces into the center of the castle as planned. A couple
members of the group managed to escape in the confusion when the militia tried to break free
from their captors. Originally they had the area secured, but they were surprised by hidden
forces. The head of the emperor's guard, a young man named Rakushoda, ah... killed Tenkei in a
duel."
     "What!?" Souro shouts.
     The group stays quiet. The man who was speaking continues, "Reports are coming in that
upon the news of Tenkei's death, the people are losing faith in the cause."
     "We have no choice," Souro states. "We are going to have to withdraw for now. Our
militias were devastated, somehow the emperor must have known we were coming. But save all
that for later. Men, go back to your colonies and keep the spirit alive there. Whatever happens
we can't ;et the resistance die, with or without Tenkei."
     "Yes, sir," the group responds as they depart.
     Souro stays behind until everyone is gone. He sits down heavily on a chair. Thoughts run
through his mind:
     Oh, Tenkei. I told you to stay behind. But as I promised, I will watch over your family.
Just now they will have to go through life without you. Wherever you are, Tenkei, I hope the best
for you. And I know one day you will be joined with your family again. But, hopefully, it will be
a long wait. I think you would agree that it better be a long time, for their sake.
     Souro gets up, leaves the building and walks the streets. He finds his docked ship, and his
crew sets course to head back to his colony on the moon.

     "Sire, there is nothing we can do for him," a doctor announces to the emperor. "The
wound is through multiple bones, and it has severed part of his airway and an artery. He won't
live long. It is amazing he is still alive. Anyone who wasn't as calm or as in good a condition as
him wouldn't have survived the initial blow."
     "There has to be something," the emperor says.
     "Nothing in medical science," the doctor replies.
     "Then how about all of science," the emperor states.
     "Sire?"
     "I want all the top engineers of the land to work with you doctors to see what can be
done for him. I will not let my best man go untreated. Do what you must, failure will not be
tolerated. Now go."
     The doctor leaves, and an Imperial messenger heads out to gather the top scientists in the
land to engineer something to save the young Rakushoda's life.


     It is a brightly lit room, white. Rakushoda lies on an operating table.
     "I hope this works," a man says
     "I hope so too," another says. "If we pull this off, who knows what the emperor will do
for us."
     "And if we fail," a third man adds. "Who knows what the emperor will do TO us."
     "Right."
     Pieces of some mechanical device lie around the patient. A blueprint design stands
propped where the doctors/engineers can see it.
     "This is quite a design," one of the men say.
     "It had to be, if it was done by the emperor's orders."
     They move as quickly as they can for Rakushoda has little time left. Nearly an hour or so
passes.
     "Done," the head doctor says. "Let's give him some rest, and hope for our sake that he
pulls through."
     Rakushoda is carted away from the operating room. Now everyone can only wait.

     Rakushoda wakes in a room set up especially for him to recuperate in. He reaches over to
feel his shoulder. It is cold to touch. He looks over and sees silvery metal. He leans back down
on his bed.
     He thinks to himself: What now? I have to fight. It's what I know best. It's all I know.
     The day passes and a doctor walks in to check up on Rakushoda. He sees he is awake and
walks over to him.
     "You're a lucky one," the doctor says. "Any longer and you would have died."
     "I have only one thing important to ask," Rakushoda says. "Will I be able to fight with
this thing in me?"
     "Not likely," the doctor answers. "But you should be happy that you are alive."
     "Okay, when can I get out of here then?"
     "You should probably rest for awhile," the doctor replies. "We don't know what could
happen to you if something happens to that mechanical piece we put in."
     "I don't care."
     Rakushoda struggles out of his bed. The doctor tries to push him back in.
     "No, stay in bed."
     "Never."
     Rakushoda shoves past the doctor. He walks out the door, and heads straight to the
throne room in the palace.
     He reaches the large doors and pushes them open on his own. On his sight, the emperor
stops his conversation with a general next to him.
     "Rakushoda!" the emperor exclaims. "You are okay?"
     "Rakushoda walks forward, stopping before the emperor, kneeling and bowing his head,
"I am at your service, my lord."
     The doctor from before comes running in after Rakushoda. He stops and bows before the
emperor, "Your majesty, I do not think he should be out of bed. He needs more rest."
     Rakushoda looks up from his bow at the emperor.
     The emperor says, "If he can come here and pay his respects to me, he can choose
whether or not he wants to rest."
     "But, majesty..."
     "Thank you, my lord," Rakushoda rises from his position.
     "I am very happy you were able to eliminate Tenkei Hachimonguu," the emperor says
standing from his throne and placing his hand on Rakushoda's uninjured shoulder.
     "Your majesty," the doctor speaks again. "We don't know what could happen if he fights
again with that mechanical object in his shoulder."
     "I must fight for my lord," Rakushoda responds, still looking forward.
     "You are my beloved servant, Hirohisa," the emperor says. "I will let you choose. If you
wish to stop, and protect your life, I could give you a position in my army. You could create
strategy based upon the lessons of your budo."
     "Never," Rakushoda replies. "My life is meant to serve you."
     "I see," the emperor says. "Do what you feel you must do, and I will support it."
     "I must test this, thing," Rakushoda says. "I must know if I am any use. I am hailed as the
greatest swordsman in the land. No one could touch me, until Hachimonguu. And I nearly paid
with my life for that."
     "Okay," the emperor says. "How are you going to go about figuring that out."
     "I want the emperor's support in finding the most skilled fighter besides myself, of any
style, to fight me so I can see if I truly am the best and can defend myself from being struck
where it could be dangerous."
     Rakushoda raises his hand and places it on his right shoulder.
     "Yes, it shall be done," the emperor acknowledges. The emperor turns to his messenger,
"Send out the notice that I want the most skilled warrior in the empire to face Rakushoda. Great
recognition will go to the one who gets the position."
     The messenger exits the room to send out the message.
     "Now then," the emperor says. "We wait and rest."
     "I will not rest," Rakushoda says. "I must adjust to how well I can wield my sword in this
condition."
     The doctor chimes in, "So you know, the object is in the side of your neck, through the
middle of your collar bone, and in your chest. It acts as part of your airway, as a piece of bone in
your neck, and as bone in your rib cage, as well as part of an artery that was severed in the
injury. As time goes on, some parts will grow over the metal, like the skin for example, although
remnants will remain. The device is widest at your neck, I doubt skin will grow over that, so you
may always have metal sowing."
     "I don't care," Rakushoda says. "I am not here because of good looks."
     "Also," the doctor continues. "We are unsure, but if the device gets punctured harshly
with a sword, we expect it could splinter apart, shredding your innards. You may die."
     "I have always been willing to accept death," Rakushoda states as he turns to walk away.
"It is part of my duty."
     Rakushoda exits the room. The doctor bows once again to the emperor and exits as well.
The emperor sits on his throne, and after a moment, resumes his conversation with the general.