KITSUKI AKANO<br/><br/>Halfway up the rickety staircase I saw movement in the doorway and a moment later a<em>samurai-ko</em>stood at the top of the stairs. I paused, my<em>katana</em>lowered into one of the known non-threatening positions. She spoke.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Who are you. State your business."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><em>A Scorpion. I see. Tread carefully.</em><strong>"Kitsuki Akano. <em>Ryu Shizoku</em>. The body in the street alerted me. What is the trouble here?"</strong><br/><br/>I had seen enough brawls and other incidents over warehouses in the last two to three weeks to tell me that some of the trading done here was anything but legal. What I did not want was to become embroiled in a common argument between<em>samurai</em>patrons of two warring merchants. The debris of battle inside the doorway indicated the ruffians guarding this warehouse had been no match for the three samurai I had seen rush in. It was rare to see three at once hurling retribution to such an extent on a corrupt businessman. I recalled the red crested helmet also among the bodies. Time to try and find out if this was an honourable<em>samurai-ko</em>before me or of otherwise intent.<br/><br/><strong>"Are you acting with the Thunder Guard or against them?"</strong><br/><br/>I glanced down between the slatted stair treads and noted a body crumpled behind a packing case, a broken bow at his side. I also noted a slow rolling in my gut at the downward perspective and quickly looked up again.<br/><br/><hr/>[<em>Ryu Shizoku</em>= Dragon Clan]