(Evening Day 6) Trying to forget (Open)

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

He shook his head.

"No it was a singular event and the one who caused it has been punished."

A slight edge to the voice. There was something else there if she chose to pursue it.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko hesitated.

"Forgive me, Agasha-san, but I am unclear. Am I supposed to distract you from your troubles or allow you to explain them in full?"

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

He blinked and leaned back against the rail.

"I don't know. I truly don't. Distraction from it would be welcome but does nothing to solve it. Explaining in full what one does not fully understand is not that helpful or even possible."

A sigh.

"We need to leave this city before it corrupts any of us."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko nodded.

"Well, that's the solution to one problem. Of course, that is its own problem in itself. The solution to that is to make sure we all remain pure while keeping our stay short."

She gave Qian-Fan a look.

"So which do you think is more possible to control, Agasha-san? Remaining uncorrupted or keeping our stay short?"

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"Remaining uncorrupted by far. We deny all but the most essential contact with the gaijin and only then the least possible number of people to minimise exposure."

An unlikely plan considering the Mantis Clan's connections here.

[Kaiu Seiko]

"Well, I for one, have no wish to contact the gaijin any more than I must."

She paused.

"Except, maybe, to see their boats."

Okay, so she had one factor of corruption of her own to deal with.

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

Kaiu. Suddenly Qian-Fan realised something.

"You are a shipwright then?"

[Kaiu Seiko]

Well, that made her grin!

"Hai, Agasha-san!"

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

Her smiling brought a smile to his own face.

"Then perhaps you could answer a question for me?"

[Kaiu Seiko]

"Ask away, Agasha-san!"

Still grinning, maybe more than before.

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"Gaijin ships are not built like ours, so the time I have spent studying this one has been somewhat wasted."

He really hoped this wasn't going to upset her.

"Where is best to strike one of their vessels to sink it?"

[Kaiu Seiko]

The grin faded, but not because he had suggested destroying the ships. She understood why he would have that concern. In fact, it was a thought she had herself from time to time.

No, the reason she frowned was...

"I don't know," she admitted. "I have not had the chance to study them yet. but when I do..."

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"I would very much appreciate you let me know."

He finished for her, maintaining the faint smile in the vague hope he hadn't upset her mood.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko smiled again, brightening immediately.

"Hai, Agasha-san! I hope to get some insight before too long!"

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"It will make things much easier at sea if I and my fellow priests are able to sink enemy vessels before they can board us. I am sure some of the bushi will be upset at losing the chance of a fight but I would prefer to keep as many of us alive as possible."

And yes that does include man whore Cranes . . .

[Kaiu Seiko]

Lacking the ability to read minds, Seiko could only continue to smile as if nothing was wrong. Because everything was just fine, right?

"If not the best way, I will be sure to find a good way to destroy them."

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"We will, Kaiu-san. The gaijin vessels must be inferior to ours. It should be a simple matter to find their weak points."

Oh that lovely Rokugani arrogance combined with a sense of supreme xenophobia.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko didn't say anything to that.

She was thinking of how similar this conversation was to the one she had with a certain Akodo yesterday. Only this time the situation was reverse and it was Qian-fan who was expressing the typical Rokugan attitude.

"...As it should be, Agasha-san."

[Agasha Qian-Fan]

"In all things, Kaiu-san."

He was smiling happily now at the thought of the inferior gaijin ships sinking to a single or perhaps two prayers to Osano-Wo's fury.

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seeing that the Phoenix was in a much better mood, Seiko decided to continue the way the conversation was going.

"With the Fortunes on our side, it would not surprise me to find that even gaijin wood is not as good as the wood we use to build our ships."

She did not mention that she found this thought highly unlikely.