el.the miko-第18部分

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　Tomkin　winced。　〃Goddamned　Japanese　bug。　I'm　getting　it　from　the　inside　as　well　as　the　outside。〃　He　gave　a　short　bark　as　if　to　dispel　Nicholas'　concern。　〃Whatsamatter；　Linnear；　don't　you　think　I　know　the　flu　when　I　got　it？〃
　Nicholas　stared　hard　at　him　for　another　minute；　then　gave　a　curt　nod。　〃Okay。　Sit　down　at　the　table。　I'll　be　there　in　a　moment。　I　want　to　be　the　last　one。　Then　shut　up　and　let　me　do　the　talking。〃
　〃What're　you　gonna　say？〃
　〃Don't　you　like　surprises？〃
　〃Not　with　a　multimillion…dollar　merger；〃　Tomkin　muttered　but　did　as　he　was　told。
　Nicholas　turned　back　to　the　blurred　cityscape　and　thought　of　nothing。　Behind　him　silence　had　settled　over　the　room。　He　could　smell　the　tobacco　from　the　fresh　cigarette　Nangi　had　lit；　hear　the　soft　whir　of　the　central　air…conditioning。　Nothing　else。
　Strategy。　He　went　back　to　the　master；　Musashi。　What　was　called　for　here　was　a　variation　of　〃Existing　Attitude…Nonexisting　Attitude。〃　He　had　been　taught　that　in　battle　when　one　takes　up　the　katana；　whenever　one　springs；　strikes；　hits；　even　parries　the　enemy's　sword；　one　must　cut　the　enemy　in　the　same　movement。　If　one　thinks　only　of　springing；　striking；　hitting；　or　parrying　without　the　inner　sense　of　cutting；　no　damage　will　be　done。
　Nicholas　took　three　deep　breaths。　He　turned　and　went　back　to　the　conference　table　where　the　other　five　men　were　patiently　awaiting　him。　He　now　knew　what　he　had　to　do；　but　he　required　a　clue　to　the　Japanese　strategy　before　he　could　decide　how　to　do　it。
　He　looked　to　Nangi；　who　was　in　the　process　of　tapping　his　cigarette　on　the　edge　of　the　ceramic　ashtray　before　him　like　a　conductor　bringing　the　assembled　to　order。
　〃Perhaps　we　have　covered　as　much　ground　today　as　it　is　possible　to；〃　he　said　in　a　neutral　tone　of　voice。　Sato　shook　his　head　immediately。
　〃In　my　experience；　bargaining　is　often　difficult。　Pathways　are　often　locked　for　long　periods　at　a　time；　then　quite　suddenly　are　free。　I　think　we　should　continue。〃
　Nicholas　watched　this　charade　with　intense　interest。　He　had　encountered　this　bear　and　badger　strategy　before；　he　knew　it　well；　in　fact。　When　he　had　been　working　for　Sam　Goldman's　advertising　agency　in　New　York；　he　had　suggested　just　this　line　to　take　on　a　recalcitrant　client。　It　had　worked　quite　well。　Goldman　had　been　the　bear　on　that　one…the　hard　man。　That　had　made　the　client　instinctively　want　to　bring　Nicholas　into　his　camp。　Nicholas　had　played　the　badger…the　soft　man…to　perfection。
　Before　Tomkin　had　a　chance　to　respond；　Nicholas　said；　〃As　far　as　I　can　see；　we're　at　a　total　impasse。　I　agree　with　Nangi…san。　I　don't　see　where　further　discussion　at　this　time　will　do　any　of　us　any　good。〃
　〃You　want　to　break　this　off？〃　Sato　said　somewhat　incredulously；　so　startled　that　he　neglected　to　use　the　polite　form　of　address。
　Nicholas　nodded。　〃Unless　you　can　e　up　with　a　more　constructive　suggestion；　I'd　say　the　best　thing　for　all　of　us　would　be　to　cool　off　for　a　while。〃　The　thing　was　to　confuse　the　roles：　side　with　the　bear；　rebuff　the　badger。
　〃My　feeling　is；〃　Sato　said　quietly；　〃that　a　recess　will　only　solidify　our　respective　positions。　The　next　time　we　meet；　I　fear　we'll　be　even　further　apart；　more　mitted　to　making　a　stand。〃
　〃None　of　us；　I　think；　wants　a　confrontation；〃　Nicholas　said　carefully。　〃We've　e　here　to　work　together　for　mutual　profit。〃　He　paused；　fully　expecting　Tomkin　to　chime　in　with　a　statement　reiterating　the　urgency　of　starting　up　the　chip…manufacturing　process。　But　the　other　was　silent。
　〃We　are　all　by　now　aware　of　the　necessity　for　speed　in　setting　up　the　Sphynx…Sato　kobun；〃　Nicholas　said。　〃I　must　tell　you　that　there　has　already　been　a　certain　amount　of；　er；　clandestine　activity　around　our　main　Sphynx　locations　in　Connecticut　and　in　Silicon　Valley。　We　are；　quite　frankly；　in　a　similar　situation　to　the　one　in　which　you　find　yourselves　here。　We　are　small　with；　to　be　sure；　an　enormous　growth　potential。　But　for　today　we　are　overshadowed　by　the　three　or　four　giants　who　would　literally　give　up　half　their　net　profits　for　the　past　five　years　to　gain　the　secrets　of　the　new　Sphynx　T…PRAM；　the　totally　programmable　random　access　memory　chip。〃
　〃If　you　are　having　security　difficulties；〃　Ishii　said；　rising　to　the　bait；　〃you　surely　cannot　expect　us　to　lift　a　hand　to　help　you。　Not　after　the　scandals　of　last　year　and　the　year　before。〃　He　was　referring　to　the　members　of　a　number　of　Japan's　most　prominent　puter　panies　being　caught　in　their　attempts　at　industrial　spying　in　Silicon　Valley。
　〃You　misunderstand　me　entirely；〃　Nicholas　said；　his　tone　as　well　as　his　words　deliberately　abrasive。　〃What　I　mean　is　that　if　attempts　at　industrial　espionage　against　us　are　beginning　in　America；　it　is　only　reasonable　and　prudent　to　expect　the　same　situation　to　arise　here。　Other　than　the　property　in　Misawa；　which；　I　think
　we　are　all　agreed；　is　perfect　for　our　joint　venture…if；　of　course；　you　were　not　already　in　the　process　of　greatly　expanding　the　Niwa　Mineral　Mining　kobun…what　is　available　is　a　small　but　adequate　tract　in　the　middle　of　the　Keiyo　industrial　belt　in　Chiba　prefecture。〃
　Ishii　nodded。　He　was　a　bearlike　individual；　roughly　handsome；　with　short　bristly　hair　and　clever　eyes　a　soft　brown　color。　The　muscles　of　his　arms　and　chest　rippled　his　suit　jacket。　〃There　is　our　perfect　site。〃
　Nangi　smiled　thinly；　sensing　the　er　into　which　the　gaijin　had　painted　himself。　〃Ishii…san　is　quite　correct。　As　you　know；　Keiyo　is　built　on　landfill　reclaimed　from　Tokyo　Bay。　It　is　close　to　the　center　of　the　city；　close　to　Sato　Petrochemicals'　main　offices　and　plants。　The　logistics　of　shipment　and　transceiving　would　be　greatly　simplified　and；　as　such；　would　more　than　pensate　for　the　higher　real　estate　cost　of　the　land　itself。〃　Nangi　sat　back；　pleased　with　the　way　in　which　the　negotiations　were　progressing。
　But　only　Nicholas　could　read　that　subtle　display　in　a　face　that　was　in　all　ways　perfectly　serene。　He　allowed　a　small　silence　to　build　before　he　leaned　forward　and；　directing　his　words　at　Nangi　in　particular；　said；　〃But　that　is　what　worries　me　the　most。　Keiyo's　nearness　to　Tokyo。　That　closeness；　bined　with　the　fact　that　our　plant　would　be　virtually　surrounded　by　our　larger　and　more　powerful　petitors　fills　me　with　alarm。
　〃Sato…san's　konzern　could　not　employ　enough　personnel　to　stave　off　the　inevitable　security　problems；　nor　would　we　want　him　to。　The　cost　as　well　as　the　added　activity　would　surely　be　counterproductive　to　the　new　kobun's　best　interests。　While；　by　contrast；　when　we　set　up　shop　in　Misawa；　a　small　town　far　to　the　north　of　any　major　industrial　center；　we　would　have　as　neighbors　only　Niwa　and　the　U。S。　Army　base；　neither　of　which　as　far　as　I　can　see　pose　any　security　threat　to　the　Sphynx　T…PRAM　secrets。〃
　He　glanced　down　at　several　sheets　of　paper　before　him　as　if　they　pertained　to　what　he　was　about　to　say。　〃And；　gentlemen；　as　far　as　the　lost　land　to　Niwa　is　concerned；　I　have　spoken　to　Mr。　Tomkin　and　he　has　agreed…since　at　the　time　of　our　merger　Niwa　will　be　one　of　our　sister　panies　whose　welfare　we　must　take　partial　responsibility　for…to　finance　the　purchase　of　new　acreage　so　that　the　kobun's　plans　for　immediate　expansion　will　not　be　delayed　in　any　way。〃
　He　spread　his　hands；　watching　the　awe　suffuse　the　Japanese　faces。　〃Now　what　could　be　fairer　than…〃
　A　motion　just　outside　the　office　door　caused　him　to　break　off。　Several　voices　had　been　raised　in　alarm　or　anger。　Then；　riding　above　these　dominantly　male　voices　was　a　higher…pitched　female　voice；　much　closer　than　the　others　now。　It　was　laced　with　an　emotion　close　to　hysteria。
　In　a　moment；　the　door　had　burst　inward　and　Miss　Yoshida　half…stumbled　in。　Strands　of　black　hair　had　e　undone　from　her　perfect　coif　and　now　drifted；　untended；　over　her　ears　and　eyes。
　Her　face　was　pinched　and　all　color　seemed　to　have　faded　from　her　cheeks。
　She　bent　at　Sato's　ear。　At　first；　Nangi；　who　was　still　smarting　from　Nicholas'　remarks；　paid　her　no　attention。　He　was　far　too　angry。　But　as　Miss　Yoshida　continued　with　her　whispered　report；　as　the　sallowness　of　Sato's　skin　became　more　apparent；　he　turned　his　withering　gaze　away。
　He　said　nothing　but　watched　carefully　as　Miss　Yoshida；　her　tale　of　woe　pleted；　stood　up。　Her　eyes　darted　about　the　room　like　a　pair　of　frightened　plovers；　never　ing　to　rest　for　long；　never　looking　any　of　the　men　around　the　table　in　the　eye。
　After　a　moment；　Sato　said　to　Ishii；　〃Please　inform　Koten　that　he　is　needed。〃　Then；　as　the　executive　departed；　he　leaned　over　and　spoke　for　a　moment　into　Nangi's　ear。　The　older　man's　body　stiffened　and　he　jerked　away　from　Sato　as　if　the　other　were　giving　off　an　electric　shock。
　He　turned　his　head。　〃You　will　excuse　us　now；　gentlemen。　I　really　must　insist。　This　meeting　is　at　an　end。　Please　see　Miss　Yoshida　on　the　way　out　and　she　will　schedule　our　next　session。〃
　But　Sato's　hand　was　on　his　arm。　〃If　you　don't　mind；　Nangi…san；　I　would　like　Linnear…san　to　acpany　us。〃
　〃What？〃　Nangi's　exclamation；　a　breach…at　least　as　far　as　he　was　concerned…of　iron…clad　etiquette　that　history　dictated　could　not　be　broken；　was　quickly　stifled。　He　wanted　to　say　that　this　was　none　of　the　gaijin's　business；　that　taking　him　in　on　such　a　matter　of　utter　privacy　was　dangerous。　But　he　had　been　taught　never　to　argue　with　a　family　member…whether　business　or　blood…in　front　of　outsiders。　Thus；　despite　his　bitter　opposition；　he　held　his　tongue；　merely　bowed　his　head　curtly。
　〃Please；　Linnear…san；〃　Sato　said　by　way　of　explanation。　〃There　has　been　a　terrible　tragedy。　I　know　of　your　skills。〃　He　held　up　a　hand　as　Nicholas　began　to　protest。　〃Denials　are　really　quite　unnecessary。〃　He　put　his　palms　flat　on　the　conference　table。　〃But　before　we　go　I　must　have　your　own　assurance　that　what　you　will　see　and　hear　will　also　be　held　strictly　private。〃
　Nicholas　understood　the　privilege　he　was　being　accorded　and　began　to　nod　his　head。
　〃No　member　of　my　pany　will　make　such　a　unilateral　promise；〃　Tomkin　said　abruptly。　〃What　you　are　asking　could　ultimately
　result　in　actions　detrimental　to　Tomkin　Industries。　He　cannot　make　such　a　pledge。〃
　〃I　can；〃　Nicholas　said；　〃and　I　do。　You　have　my　word；　Sato…san；　that　I　will　reveal　nothing　of　this　to　any　outside　party。〃
　〃Does　that　include　the　police？〃
　〃What　the　hell　is　this？〃　Tomkin　cried