Island Worlds by John Maddox Roberts, Eric Kotani Read Free Book Online

"I'm looking for a good dojo. Could you recommend one?"
    "I use the Honin Hall. It's about thirty minutes from where you are. I'll be heading over there this evening for a late workout You want to meet me there? It's jodo tonight, but you can probably find an instructor for some aikido."
    "What time?"
    "I go there at twenty-thirty. I'll flash you the address." He punched the location, then looked back up. "If you don't mind my asking, your name's Taggart, and your facial features resemble a certain gentleman of that name prominent in the early days of spaceploitation. Any connection?"
    "If you're talking about Sam Taggart, I'm his grandson." This kid was quick.
    "No kidding," said Fu, grinning. "And I only took you for forty gee! I'm going to be looking forward to meeting you in the flesh."
    "Just bring the study. And yes, reduce it to micro. See you in a few hours." Fu broke the connection and Thor stretched. It was late afternoon and he'd accomplished a lot already. There was still a lot to get done today.
    Leaving the Porsche in the subterranean parking garage of the hotel, he walked a few blocks to a rental agency and rented a battered electrical runabout. When he put in his deposit, his card got the raised-eyebrows treatment once again. That was another thing he had to change. His first stop was a bank, where he arranged for a more unobtrusive card, one which showed a modest credit balance. The teller showed no surprise at the request. Apparently, it was common for slumming rich types to adopt such protective coloration.
    At a second-hand store he bought a workingman's outfit of trousers, tunic, vest and boots. He studied the array of cheap jewelry in the case at the purchase counter, but decided to pass it up. He knew vaguely that body decorations served as insignia of sorts, and he didn't want to send out the wrong signal through ignorance. He returned to the hotel to don his new apparel and by then it was time to make his way to the dojo.
    Ronin Hall was located in the shabby, rundown Beverly Hills section, an area of thronged streets, shops selling cheap goods and old mansions cut up into slum housing for immigrants. Signs glared and flashed in multilingual profusion, projecting holographic images of goods or entertainments to be had. The dojo was located in a wing of a building which had once been the palatial home of a series of briefly famous flat-screen stars.
    He saw no sign of Fu outside, so he went in. The place was arranged on several levels and from somewhere he could hear the clatter of a kendo class. In a side room, he caught the glitter of real swords, wielded by iaido practioners. A short Japanese with a slightly pockmarked face walked to Thor and bowed slightly. He wore a lightweight gi of the karate practitioner. "May I help you, sir?"
    "I was to meet Chih' Chin Fu here," Thor said.
    "He should be here in a few minutes for the jodo class. Are you a jodoka?"
    "Aikido. I'm here from out of town and Fu said I might find an instructor for an aikido workout here."
    "We might be able to accommodate you," the man said. "Dr. Kobayashi will be finishing his iaido class in five minutes. He's always looking for someone new to practice Tomiki system with. If you'll let me have your card, I'll put you down for an hour and get you an outfit." The man walked away with his card just as Fu walked in the door.
    Fu was a bit taller than he had appeared on the screen. He still wore the silver coverall, with the addition of a beefeater hat and a brass-tipped walking stick. He grinned toothily as they shook hands. "You find somebody to practice with?"
    "A Dr. Kobayashi," Thor affirmed.
    "That old guy will work you to death. He just loves it. Look, I have to go change. We'll get together when the class breaks up and we'll go someplace where we can talk, okay?"
    "Fine," Thor said. The manager came back with Thor's card and sparring clothes. In a dressing room, he changed into the long, black hakama trousers and white jacket.