As Theodore neared the dais, he focused on the frowning face of Tai-shoZangi, commandant of the Wisdom of the Dragon School. Smile, Old Leather Face,he thought. I am your best.

The Tai-shocontinued to frown as Theodore mounted the dais and knelt before him. As Theodore executed the formal bow, the Tai-shospoke in a voice so soft that even the officers kneeling three paces behind could not hear him.

"You have not done your best here."

"But I am first," Theodore replied.

"You are arrogant," Zangi retorted. "You still have much wisdom to learn."

"Not from you."

"As you say."

Zangi held his right arm out to his side. An aide approached and handed him a sheathed katana.The Tai-shoheld the weapon out crosswise to Theodore and spoke in a voice that carried through the courtyard.

"This is the fighting sword of a Kurita samurai. Elsewhere you learned the arts of a MechWarrior and the science of a tactician. Here you honed those skills and learned the art of strategy. Will you accept this sword to use in the service of the Draconis Combine?"

"Hai!"Theodore answered. Taking the sword from Zangi's hand, he slid it through his sash and completed his formal acceptance with a bow. Only the mat saw his smile of jubilation.

Zangi held out his arm again. This time the aide handed him a wakizashi.

"This is the honor sword of a samurai of the Draconis Combine. Elsewhere you learned the code of bushido.Here you learned to live bushido.Will you accept this sword, joining your honor to that of House Kurita?"

"Hai!"Theodore repeated. His motions were fluid as he placed the second sword in his sash.

Even as Theodore bowed, Zangi reached to the black lacquered tray at his left and removed the top sheet from a stack of brilliant white rice paper. With brisk motions, he folded it closed and sketched on the outside the characters for sho-sa.Careful of the wet ink, he held out the packet to Theodore.

"These are the commands of the Dragon. By accepting the swords, and with them your duty, you have accepted these orders."

As custom demanded and heedless of the still-damp ink, Theodore tucked the orders unread into his tunic. The orders were also a promotion, the prize for the first in the class. Even his father had not managed this coup.

Theodore bowed to the Tai-shoand stood, carefully steadying the swords as they tugged at his sash. He walked backward to the edge of the dais and bowed again before turning and descending the five steps. In response to the cheers of the crowd, his reserve cracked and he smiled broadly for all to see. As Theodore strode down the aisle, discipline vanished completely and he searched the gallery with his eyes. He sought his father among the ranking guests, but did not find him.

Theodore's first thought was that his father had been somehow delayed. Perhaps there had been a minor mechanical difficulty with the DropShip, the planetary spaceship that an interstellar JumpShip used to convey passengers to and from the jump point at the edge of a star system. Or perhaps there had been some delay in aerospace traffic. Theodore knew better, though. The Coordinator's space transports were maintained to the highest standards, and no air traffic controller would dare interfere with Takashi's chosen time or path of arrival. His father had been here, but had not chosen to witness his son receiving the swords and the coveted first ranking, with its attendant promotion.

Your father only wishes to see you succeed,old Zeshin's voice told him again, as it had for years.

Liar,Theodore thought. I have succeeded and he refuses to see it. Was I a fool to believe that this success would change the way he treats me?

Confucius speaks highly of the duty that a son owes to a father, but duty is a curious river. It flows uphill as well as down,Tetsuhara- sensei's voice counseled obliquely.

So why can't he see that?

This time, the voices offered no answer.

Barely noting his surroundings, Theodore entered the honor court. He walked carefully along the stones of the path and took the central place of honor among the carefully tended trees and precisely raked patches of gravel. Lost in his thoughts, he experienced the continued calling of names and shouted cheers as a meaningless susurrus of sound. Those sounds were absent for some time before he noticed.

While he had been contemplating his situation, the honor court had filled with the other graduates, each taking his place according to class ranking. All kneeled in silence, meditating on their new lives in service to the Dragon. Custom demanded that they remain so until the first in the class released them. Without opening his eyes, Theodore finally remembered where he was, and spoke the phrase they awaited, "We begin."

Around him, more cheer broke out. The normally restrained Kuritans cut loose with yelps of joy as they flung their gray academy caps into the air. Some left the court, searching for family members to share their happiness. Most simply jostled and pummeled each other in a tumult of rejoicing and congratulations.

"O-medeto,"said a soft voice beside him.

Theodore opened his eyes to look at the speaker. The late afternoon sun, peeking over the garden wall, haloed her black hair and threw her lovely features into shadow. It was a face he knew well from these years at the academy and one he had preferred to see on his staff rather than the opposition's. What was new was the open smile on her face.

"So, Tomoe Sakade, you are friendly now," he said. "What brings a sudden thaw to such ice?"

"We are no longer rivals, Sho-sa,"she replied. "Now we can be friends. There is a celebration at the House of Tawamure."

"I'm not interested in a rowdy party."

"Neither am I," she said with a devilish grin.

He was intrigued by her statement, but before he could investigate the possible meanings, a man in a Chu-sa'suniform thrust himself to Theodore's attention.

"Sho-saKurita, the Coordinator requests your presence in the Agate Pavilion."

* * *

Theodore was almost surprised to find his father wearing his formal ceremonial garb; Takashi Kurita had not participated in the ceremony. The black cutaway tailcoat revealed a gray satin waistcoat stretching over the expanse of his belly. The gray pinstriped pants fell without a crease to touch the white spats that covered the mirror-polished black shoes. His short black hair, with its white temples and forelock streak, matched the outfit and lent him the air of a distinguished diplomat of ancient Terra. Theodore had always found the diplomatic garb as anachronistic as the traditional Japanese garb affected throughout the Combine.

As Theodore entered, Takashi turned and dismissed his aides. He studied his son from head to toe with his ice-blue gaze. "O-medeto, Sho-sa."

"Domo arigato, Otosan,"Theodore responded automatically. Though he heard the sharpness in Takashi's tone, he could not help but ask, "Are you pleased?"

"Do you expect me to be?" Takashi retorted, all trace of politeness gone. "The ISF has informed me that you have not worked to the best of your ability. I have received reports of shirking, liaisons in the town, and missed assignments. Disgraceful."

"Yet I am first in my class," Theodore said, lifting his head in pride.

Takashi's eyes narrowed. After a moment, he turned toward the window that overlooked the multi-roofed buildings of the academy and stood there for a long moment. Takashi's voice was gruff when he spoke.