Hida Emi drummed her fingers impatiently on the lip of the table, shifting slightly in her seat.  The courtiers seemed to want to talk around the subjection of the Oni, rather than address the issue directly.  Well, that was what her sensei had told her to expect from the courtly northern clans, though to a Crab such time wasting was foolish.<br/><br/>Emi considered the potential of the governor or the Scorpion being behind the attack.  The Clan of Secrets was known for treachery and it didn't elude Emi that the governor had arranged for them to be in the place were the attack occurred.  However, it occurred to Emi that they hadn't yet met with the governor -- Only a functionary claiming to represent the governor.<br/><br/>Could it be that they were the targets of the attack?  By some power that opposed the will of the Son of Heaven, or perhaps by a faction that wanted to draw the Emerald Magistrates to Ryoko Owari in force?  The first was treason, suitable only to maho-tsukai and the dogs of Fu Leng.  The second was politics; perhaps attempting to generate an excuse to annex the City of Lies from the Scorpion on the pretext that the Scorpion couldn't maintain order in the city?  It would be a daring gambit if someone was attempting it.<br/><br/>"Doji-san," Emi said slowly, to redirect the conversation, "You have said you wondered if we might aid you in your investigation of this attack.  This implies you have a suspicion or leads to investigate.  Tell me, whom do you think the target of this attack was?  And who do you think might have been willing to consort with an Oni?"<br/><br/>