[Father Domingo briefs John on the Council of Regents]
Dear God, you're a child in the wilderness. You don't know their games. Toranaga is a prisoner in Osaka castle. Isolated by his rivals on the Council of Regents. There's Sugiyama, descended from the richest samurai family in Japan. Ohno, a feared warrior, whose affliction of leprosy led him into the arms of the Church. And Kiyama, a man whose faith in Christ is guided only by his greed and ambition. All of them are in the palm of Ishido, caretaker of the castle. Any day now, these men will vote on Toranaga's demise.
I came here in '72, clutching my rosary, visions of the souls I would save. Then I learned the true tenets of the cloth: silk, gold and guns. These Jesuits care nothing for their souls. They've made an idol of that cursed Black Ship. That's how they dominate trade. The Chinese hate Japan. So all trade goes through the Portuguese. It's usury. The late Taiko even tried to put a stop to it, but the Church had incited the rebellion, smuggled guns from that secret base in Macao... I met a man who said he'd been to that fortress, said there were Japanese soldiers... hundreds of them... all converted to Catholicism.
But your black ship must stay where it is. Toranaga has come to understand the great profits being made from our monopoly over the China trade. He has invited us to provide a report on our rates of exchange.
FFerreira
You men of the cloth with your impotent pricks. [Pokes table We... bring the profits. We... dictate terms.
FVFather Visitor Carlo Dell'Acqua
And we are here at their pleasure.
Until Toranaga receives this report, you won't get clearance to leave.
FFerreira
[Points at them] I am sitting, on one million ducats that has to get to Macao. [Points behind him] I won't lose this wind. That pilot should have been taken care of, before, he even reached Osaka.
DADell'Acqua
Captain, you forget yourself.
FFerreira
And you forget I don't work for the church, I work for the crown. [Walks away] Let it be known the Black Ship sails tonight.
What's been said about the assassin?
Only that she belonged to a very dangerous sect.
She had served as a palace maid for years. Some train their whole lives for a single kill. It is very costly.
A price few could afford. You refuse... to see it. What those priests are capable of, even now. [Doctor pricks his arm] Christ! How much are the Jesuits priests are paying this one to kill me?
PPhysician
He's too tense. He doesn't need a doctor, he needs a woman.
Oh, my God, dear, what did he say? What did the warlock say?
Since, you are so upset, the doctor suggests we send a... woman to pillow with you instead.
Uh, it is polite for... the physical joining of man and woman.
[Groans] If he's not a warlock, he's most certainly a pimp.
Would you prefer a male companion?
Dear God, where am I? [A general enters] Who's he?
THToda Hiromatsu AKA Buntaro
Is the animal behaving himself?
We're leaving Osaka immediately. The barbarian is to join us.
Back to Ajiro, with members of Toranaga's clan.
It's not for you to understand. [Walks away]
[a special party is leaving Osaka Castle with Lord Ishido's clearance but a detail commander stops the group just before they reach the outer wall]
GGuard Captain
I need to verify all members of the party.
NJNebara Jozen
Lord Ishido cleared us to depart.
GGuard Captain
It is Lord Ishido's order. All travelers are to be verified.
[To Mariko] No one's going to stop him? [Guard captain peers into royal sedan, John announces to himself] No one's going to stop him. [Walks up to Guard Captain] This is unacceptable! Peering into ladies private quarters?! It's not proper!
GGuard Captain
What is the barbarian saying?
Worse than that! It's vulgar! Unholy perversion!
[Walks up, in Japanese] I think the barbarian is offended. In his country it is improper to... leer at women.
GGuard Captain
This is Japan! [Shoves John aside]
Am I the only man present who treasure the purity of a women?! [gets knocked down from the Guard Captain's backhanded slap]
[Gasps, to Guard Captain in Japanese] You must excuse him! He is ignorant of our customs!
Low! A women's virtue is her glory! A blight on us all! My God, the shame of it!
His customs are very different! And I find it's very hard to reach him...
[blocks Guard Captain from opening door of royal sedan] You, sir, are a silly little man! And your hair looks like the tail of a pony!
What is this buffoonery?! Lord Ishido has ordered us all to the harbor. Let them through! [Envoy departs]
[To Toda] Well, I hope you didn't mind the part about the pony.
[while John and Mariko sit at the rocks, they feel a small tremor]
You will most certainly experience more while you are here. There are also tsunami that come from the sea and fires that break out in the villages and cities. It is why our houses are built to go up as quickly as they come down. Because death is in our air. And sea and earth. It can come for us at any moment. Before you meddle with our politics, just remember... we live and we die. We control nothing beyond that.
[over dinner, Fuji-sama presents John with her father's katanas but he refuses to accept]
FFuji
I can't be consort to a man without swords.
IKIshido Kazunari
Any day, the Lady Ochiba will be returned to us from Toranaga's castle in Edo. Let us ensure that the mother of the heir comes home to a safer city than what she left. Toranaga must be impeached.
SLord Sugiyama
I agree. His escape from Osaka was not only a mockery of this council but also an insult to the heir. Ohno... what do you think?
IKIshido Kazunari
How fortifying to see us this united. It's only... Toranaga's resignment has made impeachment impossible with our council now incomplete.
SLord Sugiyama
Let us vote on his replacement. Ishido's friend, Ikeda, would make an excellent regent. [Kiyama scoffs]
KUKiyama ukon Sadanaga
The man's an idiot. The seat would stink of countryside. Perhaps Hiroda?
IKIshido Kazunari
The seat would stink of Christian. Lord Kiyama sends his regrets. I propose Maeda.
SLord Sugiyama
I won't sit on a council with that rotten syphilis. I'd rather slit my own belly.
IKIshido Kazunari
Sugiyama. Perhaps you were unaware. Maeda is Ohno's cousin. [Servants carry away seats and tables with Sugiyama coughing helplessly]
