Meiya didn't think that Usagi seemed very impressive on first sight. But as he had warned his agent-in-0place, Kakyuu was not a complete fool. With this in mind, he chose his words. "Since all the retainers of my consort have made their oaths over to you, then so must I. I place myself in your service, Usagi-temou." He bowed deeply--but not quite as deeply as he had seen Lords Taiki and Seiya bow.
"Thank you, Meiya-san," replied the Rabbit Queen.
"I am no warrior. I fear my talents are for the lesser but useful fields of diplomacy and politics."
"I am sure Kakyuu-san will find your talents useful here."
"As will you. Remember, I am in your service now. May I speak with you privately?"
She released her guards. Instead of repairing to some office, Usagi-temou led him to a room filled with clothing. She took a garment, laid it on a peculiar long narrow table with one end forming a rounded point, sprayed it with something, and began plying a peculiar contraption Meiya had never seen or even imagined. Occasionally she pressed a button on the heavy implement, whatever it was, and vapor emerged from it's bottom edges as she moved it along the garment.
"What are you doing?" asked Meiya.
"Ironing," she said, using an Eigo-word, and then a Japanese-sounding word Meiya did not recognize.
"I do not understand."
She smiled. "Kakyuu-san asked me about this too, but she understood what I was doing. You have people who do this, you know."
"We do?"
"Yes. You have never had to think of them until now, have you?"
"No." He felt the woman was making a fool of him as no other had ever dared, not even Kakyuu. But h e betrayed none of his true feelings. "This is a chore unworthy of you."
"Someone has to do it or it will not be done. This is one of the first things I learned to do really well. I had to learn to iron all over again after my injury. I am rather proud of my work. And I can think, and talk while I do it. Now, what is it you wish to talk with me about, Meiya-san?"
"Many things. I will start by apologizing for being so ignorant of your world and its diverse ways. I made appalling errors when I first met with the people aboard your space platform."
"You are forgiven. I will let you keep your head."
"Your Majesty's jests are appreciated, but I am too upset to laugh. I wonder how you are able to follow my horrible Japanese so well."
"Practice with Taiki's people, perhaps." She had finished two garments as they conversed, and was starting a third. "What Else? My world seems to have surprised even you, Kakyuu-san's husband, when you have had so many years together."
"Yes. I had the impression, for instance, that Nippon was the most important nation on your world."
"People of all nations believe their nation is most important, and it is, to them."
"Ah, always true," said Meiya. "But what I meant was--"
"America is the most powerful nation on our planet, Meiya-san. It has been for about a century--one hundred of our years."
"And Japan?"
"Second in wealth and in industry. Japan is more advanced in a few technologies, perhaps. We--that is, we Japanese--usually adapt new gadgets widely before anyone else does, even if we do not invent them.
"If you speak of power to wage wars, Japan is weak. Japan has not fought a war for many years. Japan is afraid to let soldiers grow too powerful. We fought bloody wars for foolish reasons, and because soldiers--men soldiers--wanted to keep fighting long after there was any good reason to."
"And these Americans you live among now are wiser?"
"America has never let soldiers run the country. Still, America keeps an expensive army, more expensive by far than anyone else's, even though some countries have more soldiers. Wealth going into an army is wealth that will not be used to build more wealth, Makoto-san's husband always used to say. He thought America was making itself poorer and poorer by spending too much for weapons. He says that this is why our great rival for many years fell apart."
"And now you have come," said Usagi-temou, selecting a new garment to iron. "You have weapons we do not have. Of course we must have them for ourselves, in case Russia or China or terrorists get them too. And, of course, people are already telling our President that Kakyuu's enemies may follow her to Earth, and we must be ready for them."
"Usagi-temou, were you one of those people?"
"Yes." She ironed the garment, put it away, and selected another. "Well, Kinmoku has brought more than deadly toys for soldiers. We must hope these gifts will balance the burden of more weapons."
"Your Majesty may dispense of our technical advances over your world's as she pleases, but I should point out we have little else to trade. This is a fleet of refugees." Meiya went on to emphasize this point. Of course, anything that would delay the acquisition of advanced technology by the Terrans could help the Hrrr fleets that must eventually come . . .
(more to come)