Teraku arose slowly, while listenning to the Taishogun. Then he replied in the same polite tone:
'Honorable Taishogun, my sword is yours. I won't fail to the Hideyoshi's dinasty.' He nodded 'I'll visit the Court again in order to inform you about our progress... Arigato...'
The lowly ashigaru once again adorned the courtyard outside the Imperial Court. It had been a long time since Akiko Kumakura had left her room. They betrayal of Sachiko-ojousama was still fresh in her mind. However, she had decided to move on.
Her dress was conservative and her wakizashi was secured tightly within the waistband. There were more pins in her hair than usual.
She sat outside the courtyard and wondered whether or not to enter the Imperial Court. She had heard representatives of The Order were present, or soon going to be. Akiko wondered what the men who had served with her father were doing and whether any of them were still alive, and how much the group had changed.
She decided she would enter when the representatives of The Order did, if she could.
Soon, it was time to meet the Taishogun. Robert D'Souza, head of the delegation, shifted nervously in his tailored suit. He disliked formal attire, but on such an occasion ,it was demanded. Along with him was a team of scientists, to be able to present what the Order had to offer this time. And with him was the Ex Blood-Dragon Namura, from aboard the Khonsu. He walked slowly to the Imperial Court, guards shadowing the delegation.
As they reached the massive doors that opened to the Imperial court, they were stopped by the ever-present guards. Robert sighed impatiently and showed his Identification to them, they nodded, and said curtly "We'll have to check first before you can meet with the Taishogun"
"Very well" Robert replied. He expected Mr Trent to be already here, he'd given ample time for him to get here.
After it was formally noted that the Order Delegates had arrived to see the Taishogun, the doors were opened and their presence announced.
The Delegates were directed to the middle section of the Court. Other Dragons, and the usual Court members and officials were also coming in from other doors.
There was none of the noise and fury of the Order's initial reception on Kyoto, and no guards were required to restrain the crowd. It was clear though, that those in the Court who despised the Order were giving the sternest looks a Samurai could muster, or ignoring them with as much hatred as one could.
Shogun Sum-Gok-Li entered from a side door, and cut a lonely figure as the sole remaining Shogun. He nodded to an Official, and it was announced that all shall bow for the Taishogun - who entered soon after.
The Taishogun bowed his slight bow to the Court.
"The Taishogun acknowledges the presence of delegates from the Order. Let them now speak, and We shall listen."
Akiko Kumakura felt the gust of air the mass of bodies made before they entered the courtyard. She wondered how many representatives The Order had sent.
They eventually came into view. The gust of wind was not from the small party the paramilitary organisation had sent, it was from the mass of guards that shadowed them. She wondered whether they were intimidated.
The courtyard burst into a flurry of motion. People were deciding they needed to get a closer view, or that they did not want to see it.
Akiko decided that today she would enter the court herself. After all, there was electricity in the air. She hurried through one of the other passageways that would lead inside the court.
She took her kneeling seat at the side of the court, on the eastern wall. Now she waited for the Taishogun, Shogun and The Order delegates to enter.
[color=#000000][font=Century Gothic]Ryuu was still thinking about his plan for research into the drone technology with which he was more and more obsessed. But at the same time he was beginning to gather some serious doubts about the plan he had made. In any case, that would have to wait a bit longer.
Ryuu then focused his attention on the Order delegation entering the throne room. There was notable stir amongst the Dragons as the delegation moved throughout the Kyoto base, as many Dragons were still mad at what they perceived as an act of treason by Order some moons ago.
He decided it would be wise to participate in this event, as it would shed some more light on the lowly Ashigaru's mind about how the more delicate diplomatic matters work around the throne. Sitting quietly on the low stool in the throne room, he crossed his legs and listened to the Order representative's speech.
"My lords this is unacceptable! Sorry for this outburst in our court but these men cannot set foot in our humble presence. They have dishonoured us time and time again throughout the course of history. Do you really think we should keep giving these men more chances? Crying out loud they are seemingly neutralised towards the Kusari emporer himself! Even the Hogosha are allied with these Order. I for one am against them here. I respect all dragon life here but if it threatens the very fabric of our existance then i will fight against this to my last breath."
The room's doors open quickly, as Edison Trent had finally arrived to the delegations. With the opening of the door he could sense he just walked into a minefield of politics and anger.
"Sorry I'm late, there are so many enemies to you guys that its hard to see who are your friends. With this in mind, I think that we all understand that our friends are dwindling while our enemies are all eyeing the men and women that are in your organizations."
Trent looks toward the Blood Dragons delegates. "I know you guys like your traditions and are very aggravated with The Order. But are you going to let that get in between your survival and goal of retaking the Kusari government and holdings?"
Trent now glares at The Order delegates.
"Now then you guys, don't even get me started. You do poke and prod in the places where your never welcome. But, you do want to stop the Nomad threat and that allows me to put up with you guys."
At Kintaki's impassioned comments, there were many cheers of agreement. However they went silent when Shogun Gok-Li spoke.
"Kintaki-san! Your grievances shall be heard this day! But know that the Order made the mistake changing with the times, seeking only raw power to fulfill their mission. If they are here to regain their honour - I say they must be granted the chance to do so!
There were many murmurs of agreement with Sum, as many remembered the Nomad War, and the encounters with aliens that still occurred to this day.
Then Mister Trent, who had entered during the last heated discussion, said his piece. It was a welcome relief, and in Trent's usual comic timing, delivered some freshness - to the point of eliciting some laughter from the Dragons at Trent's somewhat disdainful description of the Order delegates.
Shgoun Gok-Li spoke again "And the Court bids a hearty welcome to the honourable Trent! A fair assessment if ever there was one."
Sum looked across the Court. "The Dragons share an interest in the fate of humanity, and shall not abide the Nomad threat. I for one wish to know what the Order stands for now, and how it has been able to reconcile its questionable past actions."
Robert D'Souza looked around the expansive hall. He saw faces, glad faces, carefully neutral faces, clearly angry faces. He sensed this would not be a warm gathering.
Once the murmur had died down, and the man, who appeared to be a person of status, had finished speaking his piece, he walked forth, and spoke in a loud voice, addressing the gathering, and most of all, the Taishogun.
Konnichiwa, Blood Dragons. He said this with an hispanic accent, bringing forth some laughter from the interesting pronunciation. After a while, the hall was almost completely silent, and he began speaking.
Allow me to start with the past. The Order, and the Blood Dragons, working together, to take out a common enemy. Friendships were formed then, alliances were cemented, bonds were made. One of the evidences of this bond stands right here.
Here he looked at Edison Trent, leaning against the wall.
But the times changed. Our two organizations were sundered, by design, or by fate, or by chance, I do not know. All I know is that happened, leaving a feeling of well-justified betrayal among both organizations. I'll say, the Order has erred in it's choices over the years, and we have failed somewhat in our purposes. No more.
He said the last two words with powerful tones and strong emphasis.
We both know the problems that plague Sirius, and we know the threat that the Order fought, and still fights. I ask this, should the people which are fighting the common plague, the dark forces that threaten Sirius with destruction, be separated? Certainly not! I ask for old bonds to be renewed, for us to fight together once more, against the common threat of nomads and their auxilaries, and hope to end this menace.
He turned towards the man who had voiced his worries regarding the Delegation, and spoke in a carefully neutral tone.
Your information is outdated, somewhat. In this gathering, let just this be said. This...proposal is very important for the Order, and we are willing to go to many lengths to make it possible, even the breaking of old bonds. The exact details of this however, we will speak with the Taishogun in private, if possible.
He bowed, and waited for the other side to respond.