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THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST

Synopsis: A quiet day on ship lets Jessie and Jonny share a few things.

"FORTUNE'S WIND", chapter 7

by Eric R. Umali

"Steel and Silk"

The *Questor* was two weeks out of Kingston. They had gone ashore for provisions a few days after leaving, and between their head start and Hadji's piloting, they had managed to elude Surd and the *Talon*. By now, they were sure, they had lost them completely, since only they had the map.

It was nearly sunset, and the sea and the sky were turning the same gold-tinged crimson. Quest and Bannon were in the captain's cabin, trying to decipher the clues and markings on the treasure map. Hadji was at the helm, and the dozen or so other crewmen were mostly belowdecks.

Jessie sat on the railing, watching the sun set. She looked up at the sails, pulled taut by the good, steady wind they were following. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and turned towards the cabins. Jonny exited, nodded to Hadji, and walked silently to the bow of the ship. He carried his sword beside him, in a black lacquered scabbard.

She watched as he knelt on the deck, eyes closed, laying the sword before him. He stayed that way for a minute or two, not moving a muscle. Slowly, one hand slipped beneath the sword and deftly flipped it into the air. Jessie blinked, and suddenly Jonny was on his feet, three feet of shining steel in his hand. Jonny began what seemed to Jessie almost like a dance-- his movements were fluid, graceful and deliberate. The sword sliced through the air, and, having seen it up close, Jessie believed it would cut through almost anything with the same ease.

After several minutes of constant action, Jonny came to a smooth stop. He pulled the back of the blade across the crook of his arm, then sheathed it. The young man dipped his hand into the nearby rain barrel and splashed himself in the face. He took a long draught from his cupped hands and looked up to see Jessie standing before him. She stood with her back to the setting sun, her long red hair flying around her like a halo. She had one hip out, and a hand on the hilt of what used to be her father's sabre. Jonny was convinced he had never seen anything as beautiful.

He dunked his head into the cold water and didn't come up until he believed he was able of carrying on a conversation. Jonny's hair splashed water all around when he did.

"Thank you, Captain," said Jessie, wiping her face.

"My apologies, Miss Bannon. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Where did you learn to use a sword like that?"

"Ahh. That would be Japan."

Jessie's eyes lit up. "You've been all the way to Japan?"

"That's right. 'Black Dog' and I laid up there for several months. We came for silks and spices, and found ourselves in the middle of an assassination attempt on one of the major nobles. 'Black Dog' was hurt in the process of helping him out, and had to stay landlocked. Oh, he was miserable."

"I'll bet. Is that where you got that sword?" Jonny nodded. "May I see it?" she asked cautiously.

Jonny thought for a moment, then held it out to her. She took it gingerly and sat on a bench.

He sat beside her as she drew the sword and took the scabbard. She held it up to the light, fascinated.

"It's so light."

"But very strong," he added.

"I know that firsthand," Jessie replied, bringing a smile to his face. She turned her eyes back to the sword before she started staring at him. "How?"

"Do you know how your sword was forged?"

"A piece of steel is heated and hammered into shape, yes? This sabre is Toledo steel-- it's supposed to be the best."

"The quality of the metal, perhaps, but it's in the construction. This sword is called a 'katana.' The blade is made of two kinds of steel-- the core, lighter and more flexible, the outside, harder. The outside is heated and folded again and again. Do you see the graining in the metal?" She nodded. "This blade has more than _thirty thousand_ layers. This wavy line along the blade is called the hamon. It comes from the tempering of the blade, and is unique to every sword."

Jessie placed her finger near the edge. "No!" he said, pulling her hand back. "The edge is very sharp. After it was polished and sharpened, I saw them drape a piece of silk on the edge-- it cut through it without effort." He handed her the scabbard, and she replaced it, now looking at the handle.

The handguard was beautiful-- a black metal with a golden inlaid design. "That," Jonny went on, "is called the tsuba. The making of it is an art separate from the making of the blade, as is the polishing. Look here," he said, indicating something on the handle. Jessie looked closely. Under the silk wrapping was a golden dragon. "The decoration is called a menuki. The dragon on the handle is supposed to give the warrior strength."

Jessie handed the katana back. "It sounds more like an art than a craft," she said.

"Very true. The swordmaker prays and cleanses himself before beginning. All the artisans learn for long years before they ply their trade. A sword is supposed to be like a part of the warrior. When they were first made, they had straight blades. The curvature was added to make it look more graceful in motion."

"It is at that. When you were practicing-- it has a kind of beauty to it. And it certainly does seem to be a part of you. You learned that in Japan, too?"

Jonny nodded, then smiled. "They gave me the sword in appreciation, but weren't about to let me keep it without knowing how to use it properly."

Jessie smiled.

"You should do that more often," he said.

"What?"

"Smile. You have a beautiful smile, Jessie."

The young woman blushed. "Can you show me?" she asked, indicating the sword.

"Sure." They stood. Jonny spent the next hour showing Jessie some of the elementary practice forms he had learned. Soon, they were both very tired, and called it a day.

"Do you have anything else left from your visit to Japan?" Jessie asked.

Jonny thought for a moment, then smiled. "Yes. Rest a bit in your cabin. I'll send for you in a bit." Jessie nodded uncertainly and went into the cabin area. Jonny turned to Hadji. "Mr. Singh, hand over the wheel. I need some help in the hold."

**********

Jessie looked at herself in the small mirror on her desk. She wore the long silk robe Hadji had brought for her. The kimono was a jade green with a white collar and cuffs, and a flower pattern woven into it. A wide dark green belt went around her waist, and slippers on her feet. It was beautiful-- Jessie had never worn such a garment. Her hair was pulled up into a bun in the way she had seen in pictures of Japanese women.

She spun around, all at once admring herself and chiding herfelf for vanity.

Hadji knocked. "Are you ready, Miss Bannon?"

Jessie took a deep breath and opened the door. Hadji's eyes widened. "You look very beautiful," he said.

"Thank you." They walked towards the captain's cabin. "Tell me, Mr. Singh-- what does the captain have in store for me?"

"Oh, no, Miss Bannon, you will not get me to talk." They came to Jonny's door. Hadji opened it, and Jessie stepped in. The door closed behind her.

Jessie couldn't believe her eyes.

TO BE CONTINUED...