Oyoki bowed, slid the wall panel shut behind them, and seated herself in front of it.

Inside the room, Mishiko took up her usual position on the raised section of the floor. Behind her was a folding screen decorated with a painting of long-legged wading birds. Kamakura seated himself on the cushioned place-mat immediately below the dais. The difference in levels, a feature of all such audience rooms, was designed to emphasise the separation and superiority of n.o.bles from ordinary mortals.

'Captain, I speak to you as one who is known for his absolute loyalty to the Shogun, Prince Yoritomo, and who knows me as someone who serves him with the same devotion. But there are others in this family, who while paying lip-service to him as their supreme lord, chief of the armies and ruler of the seventeen domains, seek to take unto themselves the powers that are rightfully his.

'They have done so under the pretence of giving advice, but my brother has been ill-used by those intent on feathering their own nests. But that is not all. I have discovered he has been betrayed by those closest to him, and that is why I need your help.

'The Yama-s.h.i.ta have proof that the Lord Chamberlain has entered into a secret alliance with the long-dogs who live beneath the southern deserts without the knowledge of my brother! They have supplied him and his agents with devices filled with the Dark Light, and these have been used to extend Lord Ieyasu's control over the Shogun and this country in defiance of the Sacred Edict and the other honourable and ancient traditions we revere!

'Lord Ieyasu has undermined everything the TohYota and their allies have fought to maintain down the centuries - the purity and simplicity of our way of life. He has played into the hands of the Yamas.h.i.ta and their allies who - were they given free rein - would unleash the madness which afflicted our ancestors and bring down upon us the wrath of The Shining .One who sent fire from heaven to consume the World Before!

'They intend to spread word of Lord Ieyasu's duplicity throughout this land, and parade the proof they have - strange devices that send voices through the air and captured long-dogs who have been sent here to instruct the Chamberlain's servants on how they may be employed.

And when they do, our friends will think all this was done with my brother's connivance, or that he is a gullible weakling. Were this to happen, his position and authority could be fatally compromised.

'This I know and more. You can now understand why it is vital that I gain access to my brother without Lord Ieyasu intervening. The Shogun has to act swiftly - to cut out this rottenness before it brings down the Toh-Yota. Can I count on you to help me?"

Kamakura moved from a cross-legged to a kneeling position and went forward on his hands. 'To the death, mi'lady."

'I am deeply grateful, Kamakura. Happily, we are not alone. The G.o.ds have blessed our actions, and they have made their powers available to us through my two gifted companions." Mishiko extended her arms sideways and snapped her fingers.

It was the signal for Cadillac and Roz to step out from behind the screen. The kneeling samurai stiffened at the sight of the two white-masked, travel-stained figures, dressed in hooded capes whose hems were spattered with mud. They bowed to him, then knelt down on either side of Lady Mishiko.

Cadillac drew his voice from the depths of his throat.

'Greetings, Captain. Do not be alarmed by what you are about to hear or see. We are spirit-witches from the depths of the Red Hills, and we are here at the bidding of someone who remains dear to your heart - the Herald Toshiro Hase-Gawa. He has a message for you."

Kamakura gasped. Like Lady Mishiko and the overwhelming majority of Iron Masters, he believed in good and evil spirits and the existence of witches able to communicate with and conjure up the souls of the dead.

But he had never undergone such an experience and the prospect alarmed him.

Mishiko stepped down from the dais and knelt beside Kamakura.

'Courage, Captain,' she whispered. 'What you are about to learn will strengthen your resolve to protect my brother's honour." She addressed Cadillac.

'We are ready."

On being given the signal, Roz took control of their minds and made the Herald appear before them. By the time he faded from view, Captain Kamakura was left in no doubt that Ieyasu and his aides had plotted Toshiro's death and poisoned the Shogun's mind in order to achieve their objective: the discrediting of the College of Heralds and its takeover by the Office of the Lord Chamberlain.

Before falling under Roz's spell, Kamakura had already pledged himself to aid Mishiko. Now, as his spirit returned to his body - or so he believed he was prepared to offer her strange allies the same unquestioning a.s.sistance, for in a final twist to the seance, Roz had relinquished her control of Mishiko and concentrated on the samurai, ending his mind-trip with a scene filled with light and majesty in which the Shogun rewarded Kamakura's loyal endeavours by arranging for his daughters to be married to the scions of various well-connected families.

For this honest, long-serving soldier, it was the realisation of his most cherished dream. It was also the cruellest of deceptions, for if Cadillac's plan succeeded, Yoritomo would not live long enough to reward anyone, and the Captain and his family might soon suffer a similar fate ....

Mishiko resumed her seat on the dais, between the two spirit-witches.

Now fully aware of the task which lay ahead, Kamakura applied his mind to the practical problems that faced them. Mishiko and her party could not remain concealed in her apartments all day. Apart from needing a hot bath, they would need a supply of food, fuel and water. There was also the basic but unavoidable problem of sanitation.

The chamberpots in the wooden cabinets would have to be emptied if they were not to stink the place out.

None of these things could be done without risking discovery. Mishiko and Cadillac were forced to agree.

It would be dangerous to remain. What did the Captain propose?

'Mi'lady, if I may be so bold, I suggest you leave the castle by the way you came. I will meet you and your servants at a pre-arranged spot with a few trusted men, and convey you to my humble abode which as you know is situated beyond the Palace walls.

'Once you are installed in as much comfort as can be provided I will send my men with one of yours to collect your three children and the rest of your retinue from the farm. They too will shelter in my house for the rest of today and overnight, then tomorrow you and your companions can re-enter the Palace. I shall meet you here, by which time I hope to have found a way to conduct you to the Shogun's apartments without being stopped by men loyal to the Lord Chamberlain."

'I already know of a way, Captain. All you have to do is meet us here - leaving us enough time to be in position when the Shogun reaches his apartments."

Kamakura bowed. 'I shall not fail you, mi'lady."

Cadillac leaned forward. 'There is one more task which has to be completed before dawn tomorrow. We need to make contact with Secretary Ichiwara during the hours of darkness. Do you know this man?"

'Yes, I do, uhh. sire." Kamakura wasn't quite sure how you were supposed to address a spirit-witch.

'Good. By nightfall, we shall require a plan showing where his bed-chamber is situated within the palace, together with details of when he sleeps and whether or not he sleeps alone. If his servants are lodged nearby, we also need to know their names and how many there are, and whether the corridors leading to his quarters from Lady Mishiko's apartments are patrolled by guards around the hour of midnight."

And if his door is locked, I imagine you will require a key,' concluded Kamakura.

."That is correct, captain. We have power over natural objects, but locks, being man-made, do not readily respond to magic spells."

When it was their turn to enjoy the facilities of Kamakura's bath-house, Mishiko ensured that Cadillac and Roz were left to relax in complete privacy. Having his back scrubbed by naked body-slaves was something Cadillac had enjoyed during his previous stay in Ne-Issan, but that was one of the minor details of life under the Iron Masters he had omitted to mention to Roz. The way he told it, the long months had been spent in unremitting hard work in an atmosphere of constant danger made even more hazardous by Steve's double-dealing.

As always, Roz had refused to let him blacken the character of the person she still regarded as her kin-brother.

This continued support for someone whom she had a.s.sured him - she no longer loved was a constant source of annoyance. But since Roz wasn't frightened to stand up to him, he took care to avoid heated arguments wherever possible, contenting himself with taking the odd sidelong swipe at Steve's character and credibility when a suitable opportunity occurred.

Captain Kamakura had been cautioned not to reveal they were witches.

As far as his family and Mishiko's retinue were concerned, they were still high-cla.s.s courtesans hiding their ident.i.ty, in the time-honoured manner, behind the white-masks that signalled their calling. And if they wished to bathe without a.s.sistance, then that was their right.

It was fortunate they could rely on their hosts' discretion.

Had anyone entered the steam-filled room and caught sight of their long-dog features and multicoloured skins it could have ruined everything. In an emergency, Roz could mask their appearance, but it was not something she could do continuously. The mental effort was less debilitating than the act of summoning, but it was still exhausting.

As they wallowed neck-deep in the hot tub, Cadillac related the cryptic conversation about the Shogun's visitors, picked up by the bug they had placed in Ieyasu's room. 'From what Ichiwara said they're obviously outlanders - and they don't like fresh air. What does that suggest to you?"

'Trackers. Who else would fit that description?"

'Exactly. Two emissaries from the Federation. What are they up to?"

'Well, they haven't come all this way to wish everyone a happy New Year!" said Roz. 'It must be to negotiate some kind of a deal. The outfit Steve works for is already supplying radio equipment to Ieyasu's spy network ' 'Yeah, but the Shogun doesn't know about that. This has to be something else. Something bigger maybe."

'So what? If Mishiko does her stuff, there won't be anyone for them to do a deal with!" 'You're missing the point. It would be useful to know what the Federation is after. If the Shogun and Ieyasu supposedly the most powerful men in Ne-Issan - have travelled here to meet with them, these guys aren't going to be talking about doing a trade in cotton socks. This has got to be high level stuff - which means that the Federation will have sent a couple of heavyweights to represent them. Right?"

'Yes, I suppose they would. But I still don't see - ' Cadillac could not contain his excitement. 'Isn't it obvious?! If we could capture them and get them out of here, we could trade them for Clearwater and her child!" Roz fixed him with a wide-eyed stare. 'On top of taking out the Shogun and Ieyasu? You must be out of your mind!" 'On the contrary. It's the best idea I've had yet."

'Not from where I'm standing. If- and it's a BIG "if" - we manage to do what we came to do, we're going to have our work cut out just getting away without adding any further complications!" 'What do you mean??