Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama's Story

Shuichi offered a slight smile. "Oh, Shuichi is my given name, Minamino is my family name." Minamino corrected, forgetting that the Terrans didn't follow the custom of using the family name first.

"You may call me Tatsu." The younger man said with a smile. "At least, that seems to be what people have been calling me as of late." He said, turning to Shuichi. "I'm sorry, I seem to have foolishly left my royal passport back with the rest of my personal effects, you see; I've been away for a very long time."

He turned back to Shuichi, and offered a slight bow, to the paling Minister. There was something amiss about those two, though Minamino's ID checked out, and everything was legitimate, the eccentricities of the Taiyou royal family were something to behold.

"Right." Minimano said with a disarming smile. "Shall we? Tenchi." Minamino corrected.

"Minister Minamino, your highness," Shiya Calusdian said with a nod to Shuichi and his imperial counterpart, entering the appropriate information in the desk console. "Lieutenant Wouters will take you upstairs. If you need anything else during your visit, please let one of us know."

"Sirs." Karal Wouters inclined his head, motioning for the two to follow him, but chose not to make comment otherwise. Whether a visiting Hordakk dignitary or a Vyysuulian warlord, he'd learned early in this tour of duty to keep his mouth shut lest he find himself on the rather unpleasant receiving end of a diplomatic crisis. The threat of a few months - or years, even, for more egregious offenses - in the stockade was sufficient to keep most of the personnel at Government Center well behaved when surrounded by rather unpredictable and often volatile guests. Even without a terrorist attack since the last one a year prior, the place was swirling with the threat of some new battle at every turn. Karal, for his part, would have been more than happy to ship off to the outer fringes of the Local Region. At least he could understand ship politics. Civilian politics were another world unto themselves.

Government Center had been refurbished and renovated again over the past decade, to quiet dignity and beauty, meant to showcase Terran unity and pride while putting forward the image of humility. The floors were marble, but only parts of the ceiling inlay in the grand hall were gilded, and even then, the gold was shadowed intentionally by the soaring arches, meant to suggest communion between the built structure and the natural environment. The design of the new iteration of Terra's heart was meant to evoke simplicity and elegance, rather than ornate decadence.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, like most government ministries, departments, and agencies, kept most of its staff in another building off-site, but the Minister still maintained a formal office suite here. The current incumbent was more often down the block than in Government Center, but when occasion called, would have to receive visiting dignitaries of sufficiently high rank in Government Center. Anything less, of course, would be an insult.

Today, Minister Dvořák was waiting with Þorgerður Guðrúnar Vilhjálmsdóttir, Khayyam's choice for Minister of Justice sometime early in the past year after she'd ousted her own earlier pick, Azieb, months before the indictments against Cranford's cronies had gone public. Karal had heard a few disgruntled interns discussing where Azieb had ended up - some nonprofit in the middle of Wing City, according to one, a lobbying firm according to another. Either way, an ignominious way for a Minister of Justice to end her career - unless of course, she was a true believer, in which case, she'd likely have seen the Ministerial posting as the lowest point of an otherwise upstanding do-gooder career.

Dvořák was an enormous, broad-shouldered man who towered over everyone else the moment he ambled to his feet, a massive beard sprouting from his chin, his glasses perched atop a slender nose that ended with bulbous nostrils. He had reluctantly worn a tie, but insisted on leaving the top button of his shirt undone. Next to him, Þorgerður was a plain-faced, plump woman with light brown skin and frizzy curls pulled tightly into a bun atop her head, dressed in an olive green pantsuit that complimented her bright green eyes. Both stood and bowed when the two Taiyou arrived to the well-lit drawing room, finely appointed with Elizabethan era, hand-carved wooden furniture. Eyes narrowing slightly in recognition, Dvořák waved away the pair of aides that had been waiting with the two ministers.

He'd thought Nobuo Takayama was dead.

Minamino had kept his mouth shut as well, having attended hundreds of different classes on the finer points of diplomatic interactions, he knew that his words could be used against him, or it could be implied there was favor when there was not. So the Minister opted to keep his cards close to his chest, something that aided him in his pick for Minister at Shimizu's behest, of course it was clear only to the highest echelons of Taiyou Government that Shimizu was a pretender. So when the pair entered the room, they were contrasted, with Shuichi and Nobuo's lankier builds, though of course Nobuo was toned, rather fit, but was hidden in the flowing outfits of his Hakama.

Both Shuichi, and 'Tenchi' offered deep bows, but Shuichi opted to speak. "Apologies, I had presumed our meeting was to be with the Justice Ministry, not Foreign Affairs." The young Minister said respectfully. "But, I digress, and offer my most sincere greetings from the Taiyou Empire of Greater Niihama." The young Foreign Affairs minister spoke.

"I have been requested, by Her Majesty Princess Yukiko to discuss a particular case concerning a young woman that was incarcerated by the previous administration." The Foreign Affairs Minister offered another respectful nod, as he clasped his hands in front of him. There were a few nerves, afterall, he was appointed by the purported Emperor Shimizu, but his loyalties were clear, even if the sands of Imperial Dynasty were about to shift.

The younger watched Dvorak carefully, his head tilted slightly, the facial structure was certainly there, but it was not the aged, weathered Emperor standing before them, but someone much younger, someone who was nearly fifty years younger.

Dvořák nodded, sitting in an oversized piece meant more for decoration than actual use - but which suit him just fine - and Þorgerður took another chair on his side, casting him a worried glance. He'd seen something. "Of course, Minister Vilhjálmsdóttir's right here, and she can help any way you need."

"If it's within my power to do so, Minister Minamino," said Þorgerður with a polite smile. "May I ask what the nature of this case was, and what the interest of the Empire is in it? The Ministry doesn't typically oversee criminal prosecutions directly; that is the prerogative of the prosecutor general's office."

"I'd like to know how it is that Emperor Nobuo Takayama is still alive," said Dvořák, peering directly at the apparently younger Taiyou man. "Body double? Cloning technologies? I'm assuming it had to have been something like that." He kept speaking even as Þorgerður looked openly mortified, closing her mouth as she looked between her counterpart and the Taiyou guests. "You hadn't told us you were coming, tennoheika. I would have made sure Prime Minister Khayyam was here."

Minamino offered a slight nod. "If meeting with the Prosecutor General is required, I would like to facilitate it, but I believe you can help me, it's a simple enough request." The Minister reached into his jacket pocket, and began to fish around for a small notepad, he found it, and flipped it open.

"Ah! here we go. Roughly twenty years ago a woman was indicted for multiple counts of fraud, and identity theft, the Prosecutor was quite insistent she receive a lengthy sentence, which she did. It is my understanding she spent her final days incarcerated. This woman refused to reveal her identity, we are formally requesting all documentation pertaining to her case, for records purposes." Minamino offered, with a smile. That was until Dvořák spoke, and seemingly outed the younger Nobuo in front of them all.

Minimano went pale like a sheet, and then fainted, right there, on the spot, his legs giving out from under him, and the man collapsed into a nearby chair, but the younger Nobuo seemed unfazed, rather he returned a smirk.

"You know, there are only about five people who know that I'm alive, six now I guess if you count yourself, well, Seven." He said, casting his gaze over to Vilhjálmsdóttir, he didn't seem to show any reaction, rather he set his hardened gaze back on Dvořák.

He looked down to Minamino for a moment, the man was a nervous wreck.

"A magician never tells his secrets." Nobuo replied, a certain sharpness to his voice, almost a sarcasm that the older Takayama lacked.

"To be honest I'm not sure, Seno didn't explain it to me, I've never really been a man of science, though I must ask what gave me away?"

Dvořák shrugged, the motion rippling across his broad shoulders. "I've learned never to forget a face, especially not one of a foreign head of state." It was one of only a few things he'd ever learned from the old woman and put to practice. "But it begs the question ... Why is Shimizu still on the throne? And I have to ask... who did you tell him you were?" Dvořák glanced at Minamino with curiosity. "Some princely cousin or something?"

"Your highness," said Þorgerður, as recovered as she was going to be, clearing her throat. "I'm assuming that you personally have an interest in this case that your minister mentioned. May I ask why? Was this person a Taiyou citizen, or..." She looked at Dvořák. "Oh."

"A relative or a friend," Dvořák said, leaning forward and folding his hands together. "My money's on 'relative.' Refused to reveal her identity, he said. So. Could have been a spy, could have been a friend, but, my guess is, family. It's personal, and you came all the way here, before doing anything else that could potentially be on the bucket list of a ruler-thought-dead-back-from-dead." He looked at Nobuo, his gaze intent but overall quite neutral. "Am I right?"

"Can I get Minister Minamino something to drink? Can I help you up?" Þorgerður stood and reached toward Shuichi.

"There are many cogs that must mesh together before my son is abdicated." Nobuo said cooly, his eyes narrowed. He cast his gaze down to Minamino. "He knows everything, he knows who I am, as does most of my cabinet." He said, narrowing his eyes more at Dvořák. "Shimizu is a treacherous swine, and will soon learn his place."

Nobuo paused. "I hope that Mother-in-law of yours taught you some... discretion." Nobuo said coldly. "The fate of my people rests in the balance."

Minamino took a breath. "O mizu o kudasai.. Water please." He said, correcting himself, trying to pull himself back to his feet. "We tried to get Yosho to take the throne, and he refused." He said, pulling himself back to his feet after a few breaths.

Nobuo brought his gaze over to Þorgerður. "She was my first wife, Keiko." Nobuo answered. "She came here to flee the shogunate who made their attempts on my life the first time, as you know I have quite the habit of avoiding untimely death, a habit I share with a certain old woman." Nobuo chuckled at the joke, before he steeled his gaze once more.

"Every moment she remained incarcerated was an affront of the most gravest nature to the Taiyou Government, and was to be rectified immediately." There was a glimmer in the man's eye. "Unfortunately I mourn deeply for her passing, and seek to enter her life, including her imprisonment into the Ministry of Records."

The Emperor played his hands closely.

"She hid her identity to protect herself, and your world from certain doom."

"I'm ... still stuck on Shimizu as 'treacherous swine,'" said Dvořák, raising one hand a moment, then putting it back down on the armrest. "So, he doesn't just come across that way to other nations." He nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Ah. He doesn't know you're alive yet, which means, he'd be happier knowing - or believing - that you're dead. So he has an interest in your continued demise, officially." Dvořák tilted his head slightly to the side. "Don't worry - I'm not planning to run off to the press, or go online, or anything like that. I'm just trying to figure out everything that's happened. It'd be good to have you back. I've always respected you greatly, tennoheika. Shimizu, well... I'm assuming you've already heard, but, I suspect you wouldn't really like what he's done with the place. ...but why would your son Yosho refuse to take the thone?"

"Your highness, I'm sorry to learn of your wife Keiko's troubles here on Terra," said Þorgerður, reaching to pour a glass of water for Minamino, and offering it to the Taiyou minister. "Of course had we known we would have done whatever necessary to ensure all diplomatic protocols were followed, and repatriated her. If she died in custody, however, I believe her remains would already have been released to the Taiyou Embassy, at least. Have you been able to recover them? I can certainly ask one of my staff to retrieve the file and send it to you, in whatever way would be most appropriate."

Nobuo offered a genuine smile at the mention of repatriating her remains. "We have received her, and she will be honored accordingly." There was something about the way Nobuo spoke the words. "I understand everything was necessary, for all parties involved, from the file, I want to identify the aggrieved parties, and issue them a formal apology, with restitution, as I know a penniless jane doe wouldn't have been able to pay it. After the matter is settled, it will be put to records in our Government, and closed."

Nobuo paused a moment.

"I want to initiate the legal proceedings to expunge her records and clear her name, consider this a formal request from my office to do so." Nobuo said with a nod. "And send all relevant invoices to Mr. Minamino here, who can process them." Minamino took the water, disregarding protocol, and taking a fairly healthy swig of it, catching his breath.

"Please understand, how unsettling it can be to watch as your own son poisons you, fortunately. Seno Miyagi recognized what happened, and.. set up a way so that I can continue to exist. I don't know how he did it, I don't know if I want to know."

"As for Yosho." Nobuo took a breath. "He understood the most, what the problems holding office would create, fortunately, I believe my problem selecting an Heir has been solved, for now."

Nobuo took a pause again, and then he looked to the telephone. "I have one more, personal request, if you can humor me?" He gestured to the phone. "I want to talk to Superintendant Krstevska." Nobuo said, having difficulty pronouncing the name. "Just for a moment, I have a message for her."

"Certainly, as Empress, Keiko Takayama would have been protected by diplomatic immunity," said Þorgerður with a nod. "I'm happy to have my office initiate the expungement process." She looked to Dvořák a moment. He nodded. Well, she'd defer to Dvořák about what would best placate a potentially furious foreign potentate. It was technically his wheelhouse after all, and the whole building knew it. "If there is a specific person in your administration or in Minister Minamino's office whom it would be best to coordinate with, I will make sure to do that." She poured more water into Minamino's glass. "You should have all of the relevant files within the next week or so - I'll personally see to it."

Dvořák shook his head. "I'm sorry, tennoheika. I hadn't realized Shimizu was ... that desperate for power." He exhaled a moment, rubbing his beard. "If Terra can do anything to support you as Niihama makes its transition, please let us know."

Þorgerður frowned then. "Andrijana Krstevska, at Ĭtpraṽmår?" Dvořák raised an eyebrow. "I'm ... I can see if she's available, of course." Þorgerður picked up the phone, dialing back to her own office, and asked them to transfer the call out. "This might be a moment," she said apologetically. "Can I ask what the nature of the call is, to let her know?"

Nobuo offered a nod. "I wanted to let her know that we had received Keiko's remains, I understand that my daughter, Yukiko visited her on a related matter, and mentioned to me that she wanted to make sure the Superintendant knew that we had received our former Empress." It was a simple matter, though Nobuo cast a brief glance to Bozidar for a moment, and then nodded.

"I didn't realize it either, until it was too late, the transition will be easy, he's not well received among my people." Nobuo nodded, and smiled, clasping his hands behind his back. "I think, he will be caught off-balance, and swiftly abdicated."

He looked to Shuichi, as the man finished his water, and the man nodded. "Send them attention to me personally, my staff will make sure I get them." Minamino replied, looking to Nobuo. "Through all this, we will have a functioning government, the transition will hopefully be smooth, Shimizu has few allies."

"Princess Yukiko visited Dr. Krstevska as well?" Þorgerður looked questioningly at Dvořák as she nestled the phone between her cheek and shoulder. "As I said, I would have done my best to assist, if I'd known." Why would Taiyou royalty have traveled out that far, and avoided official diplomatic channels, even to the point where the Minister of Justice had had no idea? Þorgerður had a sinking suspicion she knew who the answer to that question was.

"Of course Terra can't officially comment or be seen as intervening in Taiyou internal affairs," Dvořák said, ignoring the look from his Terran counterpart. Whatever was happening out at Ĭtpraṽmår Prison had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with him.

"Oh, Dr. Krstevska? This is Þorgerður Vilhjálmsdóttir. I have ... an honored guest here who wishes to speak to you. Do you have a few minutes?" She offered the phone to Nobuo, not entirely sure she did want to know exactly what was happening. The story made sense, but it almost made too much sense. Shouldn't he be sending all these messages from Minamino to Dvořák? Þorgerður's domain was the administration of justice and enforcement of Terra's laws, though, not the management of intricate foreign affairs. "Calls from this hall are on secured lines, your highness."

Nobuo briefly cleared his throat, and then placed the headset to his ear. "Hello?" He said aloud, waiting for the voice on the other end.

"Ah, Superintendent, I wanted to ask you, I seem to be missing one of Keiko's personal effects, a book titled the Dragon and the Snake." He said with a nod, he was passing a message on that's for sure. "The one where the dragon and the snake do battle, and the dragon eats the snake." What was Nobuo saying. Nobuo remembered Keiko mentioning that Drulovic had called Shimizu a snake, and it was common knowledge that Tatsu meant dragon.

Nobuo briefly put his hand over the mouthpiece of the reciever.

"My only purpose is to discuss some things about Miss Keiko, this is more of an informality. Oh, and you should really treat your people better, It would be a shame if they started looking for better jobs." Nobuo let on that he knew what was going on at Itpravamar, Keiko had told him everything.

"You should be ashamed on how that prison is run, and it's not Dr. Krstevska's fault."

Andrijana had been partway through lunch when the call had come, and she had taken it out of sheer curiosity if nothing else. "I - ah, yes, a book. I'll ... I'll be sure to look for it." Something in her tone changed and had become deferential, as though even without a formal or official introduction, she'd intuited the nature of the call - or at least what it seemed to signify, even if she couldn't quite decipher the exact meaning. "I'm sorry, Minister Vilhjálmsdóttir didn't mention exactly who was calling...?" She hoped that it was not a friend or ally of Shimizu's - after all, if only from how Hokushin and Yukiko had both made clear, it would be easy for Shimizu to attempt to arrange her untimely death.

"I'm not sure I know what you're referring to, your highness," said Þorgerður, looking puzzled. "I've only ever met Dr. Krstevska two or three times. Do you mean to say that you've heard something about the prisons department? It'd be Director Smruti Boisvert-Panelo who's responsible for the prisons department. And I haven't heard any complaints about her before." She glanced at Dvořák again, willing him to say something to help, but he was staring off toward the window. "Did Princess Yukiko observe something unethical taking place while visiting?"

Nobuo furrowed his eyesbrows for a moment and tried to come up with something on the fly. "Oh yes, I'm Yukikos other brother, Prince Tenchi." He said into the phone, picking up the subtle hints on the other line, he tried to figure out how to reassure her, but couldn't for the moment.

Nobuo placed his hand over the mouthpiece again, and looked over to Þorgerður, he let his mind think for a moment. "Yukiko made a few off handed comments about how the prison was run, the shape of the facility, please understand that prisons on Niihama, especially under my Administration are very different than the prisons here on Terra, our facilities are clean, safe, and orderly. We focus on rehabilitation through hard work and discipline. Several complaints were among the memoirs that Keiko had written as well. Specifically how dignified treatment was delayed or frustrated, I recall something about medicine being withheld, or something simple like a cane or Walker, in her final days, Keiko requested one but it was never received."

It was a crafty lie that Nobuo had told, he was really referring to Yukikos comments about Drulovic, but of course these people could not know that.

There was a pause on the phone before Andrijana responded, having remembered what Aeka and Yukiko had shared about the family, about Nobuo Takayama's sons. "Yes, of course, your highness," she said, though her tone was uncertain. "Yes. I'll see if I can find this book about the dragon and the snake." There was no book, she figured. It was a message that she didn't understand. One that only one person would be likely to be able to decipher for her. Andrijana had hoped, in vain, that that chapter had closed. "Is there anything else that I can do to help you? I'm sorry; I'm just the superintendent of one prison outside Wing City. We weren't supposed to know that Keiko was here." She had caught mention of the empress dowager's name, something that only a handful of people were supposed to know.

Þorgerður nodded, frowning, as Nobuo spoke. "That's all very disappointing to hear," she said. "That is definitely not how Terra wishes to run its prisons. I'll be sure to follow up with Director Boisvert-Panelo about Keiko's complaints, and will make sure the inspector general's office knows too. Individuals in custody are the responsibility of the TNG, of course. Any withholding or denial of medications or medical treatment is unacceptable." Dvořák made some kind of noise that seemed halfway between a snort and a scoff, and Þorgerður shot him another look. What was going on with him? Dvořák waved it away, stretching his legs slightly in the chair where he sat, and leaning back, the better to watch the others in the reception space. He did not seem quite comfortable there. There was a reason he did not spend most of his working hours in the suite at Government Center. The pretension was too much. He had that, if nothing else, in common with the old woman.

Nobuo offered a smile, and a nod, though he knew the person on the other end wouldn’t be able to see it. “No, thank you, just see that the book is found and sent to my office. Send my regards to Keiko’s good friend, too. I know She would like to know that I have nothing but grattitude for the friendship they built.” It was another code, Nobuo was thanking Drulovic for freeing Keiko. “The situation has saved me a lot of trouble.” He added, when the call was concluded, he hung up the phone.

“It’s not my place to complain personally, but this is not a matter I want swept under the rug, you understand.” Nobuo said with a rather stern tone in his voice.

“I don’t think it was deliberate, I think it was more due to a shortage of funding, and quality staff.”

Minamino said nothing to the matter, rather he kept his thoughts to himself, and opted to watch Dvorak closely, and sip his water.

“This disturbed Her Majesty greatly, while it is not the policy for our Imperial Government to follow up on foreign matters, and naturally, how you run your own jails is your sovereign right as a country, we do believe, in the interests of justice, and prisoner welfare, that this matter be looked into, and we bring it to your attention as a diplomatic courtesy.”

Minamino was trying to soften the rough edges from Nobuo’s statement, despite being in a new body, and dead for a decade, he seemed to catch on quick.

“I want to bring up another matter.” Nobuo said, steeling his gaze. “My second wife. Kendra.” Minamino simply sighed, and shook his head.

"Of course not," said Þorgerður, "and I know I want this resolved too. Budget shortfalls are no excuse for maltreatment of individuals in the TNG's custody, regardless of their crimes. As I said, I'll make sure the inspector general's office knows of the complaints, as they have independent oversight authority." As independent as possible in a fumbling system anyway. But at mention of Kendra Shaw, she tensed, looking to
Dvořák for help. This was his portfolio, not hers.

He raised a bushy eyebrow, adjusted his glasses, then spoke, reluctantly. "The TNG can't dismiss the criminal case, your highness. We know it's a difficult situation. Kendra has diplomatic immunity as a member of the imperial household. And we've always respected that immunity. But here on Terra, she's also a symbol of basically one of the worst things ever done to us in recent memory. We can't dismiss the case because it'll look laughably ridiculous to essentially everyone on Terra, and a government doesn't really tend to function that well if its people think it won't even stand up for them."

“Forgive me, but I believe that blame is misplaced.” Nobuo responded, the corners of his mouth turning down slightly into a frown, as he considered his next words. “Kendra Shaw did what she thought she had to do, she did what she had to do in the face of unrelenting pressure. She could not refuse her order, and the guilt she suffers from it, I believe is punishment enough for what she had to endure, as an unwilling participant in one of the greatest genocides in Aschen history.” Nobuo explained.

“But I am not unreasonable, If you are willing to visit the Kendra Shaw order, I would be happy to surrender the one who gave the order, in pursuit of the spirit of friendship. She can bear the blame, and suffer for her actions in giving the order, for the suffering she has caused both to your people, and my Kendra.” Nobuo said.

“Perhaps not outright dismiss in the public face, but to... let fall into obscurity.”

Minamino interrupted for a moment, after taking a sip from his glass.

“Our justice ministry has forwarded complaints to my office, they seem to reject extradition requests, at least once a month, as you know, our courts cannot legally hold any member of the royal family in any judicial proceeding, the courts after-all are subject to the Emperor.” Minamino explained.

"We've heard the same thing over and over before," Dvořák said, shaking his head. "She isn't to blame; she was just following orders; she had no choice. And look. I don't even disbelieve that. But the thing is, here on Terra, we don't accept following orders as a defense in a court of law. If a Terran soldier violates laws against war crimes and crimes against humanity because of an order from a superior, that soldier will be charged - and so will the soldier's commanding officer. The soldier's responsible for the conduct. The commanding officer's responsible for the illegal order. Soldiers have a right - and a duty, damnit - to refuse illegal orders." Something tightened in his voice at that, and he slapped his hand on his thigh for emphasis. "And besides. We've prosecuted our own here, which you clearly know. We know you won't extradite her, and we're not expecting you to. We know she'll never appear in a Terran court. But we can't just dismiss the case because she feels guilty. Most people who aren't completely psychopathic probably feel guilty for what they've done on at least some level, and I'll bet that even applies to a significant proportion of our prison population too. Guilt isn't punishment. Guilt isn't justice."