Verdicts (Day 1, Early AM)

[Isawa O-Washi]

Of all the many jobs an officer in the navy had, particularly one who was also the ship's medic, there were few things more unpleasant than telling someone they were going to die. Usually it was someone too wounded for O-washi to fix, though illness had claimed one or two in his time at sea as well. It was an unfortunate necessity with which he was by now far too familiar and he liked to think that he'd learned to do so with compassionate expediency over the last several years.

This was, however, the first time he'd be saying the words to a man who was totally healthy, about to be stricken by the demands of society and not the will of the Fortunes. As a Phoenix, he abhored the waste of life, heimen or otherwise, and so his expression was sorrowful as he descended into the cargo hold and toward the place where the heimen made their home away from home.

[Volsung]

Dageki was alone in the hold. Touhi was out being distracted, Happy had been called up to help the Captain, and Furaito was on duty. The other heimin were either busy or knew well enough to stay out of the hold for now. The ashigaru was reading a book quietly when O-Washi's soft footfalls came down the steps. Dageki stopped reading for a moment and looks up at the big man, scanning his face for a moment before he looks back down at the scroll in his hands and rolls it up.

Dageki gets to his feet slowly, still standing tall, though weary. The look on the ashigaru's face said that he could guess what he was about to be told. But still, it never hurt to ask. "Well?"

Dageki wasn't particularly submissive in his question. After all, what were they gonna do, kill him twice?

[Isawa O-Washi]

Accustomed to plain speaking, O-washi didn't sugarcoat the news.

"You've got the next three days to make peace with anything you've got lingering. Captain says you're to be sped on to your next cycle once we're landbound and can give you a proper pyre." He sighed. "Your sister's going to be sent to Yoritomo-chui's ship so she won't have the reminder of being around all these folks and the places you should be but aren't. You're to keep away from the samurai involved."

[Volsung]

Dageki didn't react but to frown some, having already accepted that he would die. Perhaps he had not thought it would be like this, but one could not expect everything. "And what about after we're back in Rokugan. You'll get Touhi sent off ship like I asked?"

[Isawa O-Washi]

"I swear it by Suitengu, may he take me if I lie, that I'll send her off to my sister if she's wanting to go." O-washi's face was very solemn as he made the ritualistic gestures so commonly seen with such a dire oath, the most serious a sailor could make. "It won't be safer, exactly, but my little sister is kind and will give her the chance to live comfortably and well provided for in turn for her service."

[Volsung]

Dageki nodded at the oath. "Arigato Isawa-sama. She's never had 's much love for the sea as I have 'n after this... well... She's best off somewhere else." Dageki sat back down. "As for the rest. I'll get myself prepared for execution, much as one can anyway. But I'd like to ask you one more favor. Keep that Daidoji away from my sister at least, until she's off this ship. He's gonna try somethin' to make amends again 'n just make matters worse."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"I'll give him orders to that effect next time I see him." The Isawa rather thought that Dageki had the right of it, both in what Fuichi would do and how Touhi would take it. "If there are prayers you want to make to a Fortune we don't have a shrine for onboard, let me know and I'll get one of the carpenters to make a proper idol and sanctify it for you."

[Volsung]

Dageki shrugged. "Haven't needed another fortune besides the one's we've got on the boat yet, but I'll keep the offer in mind." The ashigaru considered it for a moment. "If you've got some extra paper. I think I've got a few letters I'd like to send at least."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Certainly. I've got something else for you too...just wait a moment..."

The gunso disappeared into the mass of crates for a few minutes, returning with the requested parchment, writing supplies, and a rather large bottle. He set all of them down and gave Dageki a very serious look. "That there's the last good batch of shouchu I brewed using an old Yasuki recipe. It's stronger than it tastes so bear in mind you watch the others so they don't get themselves in trouble with it when you take part in your own funeral celebration."

[Volsung]

Dageki looked at the bottle and chuckled. "Well at least somethin' good can come outta this mess. Been too long since I've got a drought o' the good stuff. I'll keep an eye on 'em. Two if I can. Maybe I can get cook to help out too." The ashigaru was starting to get ideas again and smiled slightly. "We'll try to leave some for you too, Isawa-sama."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"I doubt that any samurai'd be welcome and justifiably so. Tell me what day you want your dustup and I'll even ban the lot from the lower hold if you like." He had observed the changes in the peasant crew already and was sorrowfully certain it'd continue for some time, possibly the duration of the voyage. "Best I can do, trapped on a boat as we are."

[Volsung]

Dageki set the bottle down carefully. with a small amount of reverence. "I'll be sure to let you know 'fore I get it started. But aye, I don' want them recruits sneakin' in on our party. We'd owe you again Isawa-sama."

[Isawa O-Washi]

All of this thanks was making the big gunso visibly uncomfortable. "Yes, well, you can thank the Captain for putting me up last winter. Phoenix are fond of educating our peasants and I'd always thought that a kindness until I saw how the Mantis did things. It's better, I think, especially with how ships operate, but I'd never have come to it without that winter to show me the difference."

[Volsung]

"Hai, we wouldn' be where we are at all wit'out him. Good ta hear the Phoenix educate. I've been teachin' Touhi a bit or reading here and there. Good if she continued it." Dageki sat back down in the cot that would soon no longer be his.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"My Clan considers it part of their duty to be sure everyone who serves them can read the Tao for themselves, should they wish to. Most of our temples teach the children of the local heimen the basics before they're apprentice age and I'm sure that my sister will be happy to help yours finish what you started. From what she's told me, any aid with paperwork is a welcome blessing."

[Volsung]

Dageki nodded. "Don' see much o' that among samurai. Wonder why that is."

Dageki pulled out a small writing table and flattened one of the sheets of paper on it.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"I'm uncertain. It is hard to guess just where the rules society operates under originate, especially with a culture as old as ours."

O-washi sat down too, though he chose the floor rather than a bunk that wasn't his.

"The variance from Clan to Clan is very distinct, too, which makes it all the more difficult. With my own Clan, I imagine it is our devotion to knowledge and reverence to the Fortunes that encourages us to teach those who serve us. By teaching literacy through the writings of the Little Teacher we protect the soul as much as the body, as is our Duty."

[Volsung]

Dageki looked up at O-Washi. "So most people don't even know why they do it? They just do it because that's what their father's did and their father's before them?" The question seemed innocent enough, the question of a peasant who does not fully understand the Celestial Order.

[Isawa O-Washi]

One corner of the gunso's mouth quirked up. "Clearly you've not heard the Lion go on at length about how their ways of warfare are superior because they've changed nothing since Akodo One-Eye first penned Leadership. They're bad enough sober but get sake in them and it's worse than that one grandparent everyone has that insists they know everything just because they're old."

Slowly, though, the humor faded as O-washi tried to answer well. This might be important for how the man before him fared on the next spin of the wheel, after all, and no one else would think to teach him.

"To answer your question, however, yes, that's a large part of it. Every samurai knows that the Family name they carry bears the weight of generations of others, the eyes of those who have gone before always upon them. I have heard a Lion say, "My name is not mine, it is only borrowed from my Ancestors. I must simply treat it well until I give it back." Many samurai think that way and so yes, over time habit becomes a tradition that is stronger than law...even if it becomes outdated. Take this fine ship." He patted the planks he sat upon. "Until the time of the Toturi, it never would have been allowed, for Imperial edict dictated that the Kobune was perfect as it was and so changing it would be to shame the Emperor who made it so, despite the increases in the understanding of construction that were made over the centuries."

[Volsung]

Dageki laughed at O-Washi's first comment, looking at the man with curiousity as the big Isawa sobered up and explained how things worked. He frowned a bit.

"Seems almost silly, throwin' away perfectly good ideas cause someone in the past didn' think of 'em first." He considered this celestial problem. "Though I guess since the Kami were the sons and daughters of heaven an' such, wouldn' want to say we know more'n them."