Albert’s body was spread eagle, suspended from the ceiling by a rope. Through a system of pulleys, Harris lowered him onto the dragon’s back. They devised a type of safety vest for his protection and clipped the rope to it. Pockets bulged with tools. The extra weight helped to control his descent.

Reaching the metal leaves, Albert used his hands and crawled across its back. Stopping at the three necks’ junction, he signaled for Harris to lower him some more. Dropping his feet down, he now straddled the metal dragon.

Seeing another hand wave, Harris tied the rope to a metal ring embedded in the floor.

They were two weeks short of the emperor’s birthday and Albert was making final adjustments to the controls.

“Harris,” he called down, “I think we have company.”

Royal guards marched in followed by Emperor Meiji. He studied the gleaming dragon. “Dr. Timmons, where is he?”

Harris pointed upward.

Albert grinned at him. “I would bow, but it might be a bit awkward.”

“Your creature is most impressive. The design is what our legends describe.”

He created it to match the drawings from ancient manuscripts. His dragon had three heads and moved like a lizard pulling itself forward on two feet. The tail was thick and long, and when in motion, swished side to side. It measured close to 30 feet in length and on the back was about 20 feet high.

“The workers you supplied were very accomplished in metal work. They made it possible to finish on time. The insides are a system of cogs and wheels all calculated to move in perfect synchronization. I can give you a demonstration. Harris, untie me.”

Albert flipped some switches. The dragon rumbled and shook. Steam burst from its nostrils. He waited for the pressure to build and then turned a series of knobs. Raising one foot at a time, it lumbered forward. The tail swung side to side and knocked over a pile of wood.

Emperor Meiji clapped his hands with delight. “It is more than I hoped. Truly, you are a genius!”

“The dragon is ready now, but I will keep making minor adjustments. And please send someone to ride it. I need to show him the controls.”

He turned and studied his stoic guards. “Yes, I have someone. He likes a challenge.”

Harris dropped to his knees and with head bowed, asked, “Your majesty, if I may request a favor. We are so close to the presentation. If we could have extra guards both day and night for security?”

“Yes, I will send them. Look at me. Is there a reason for this extra protection?”

Harris raised his head and replied, “My concern is for Dr. Timmons’s safety.”

“As is mine.” He glanced up at Albert hanging from the ceiling and nodded as if accepting the warning.

He stood as the emperor left with his guards.

“You can let me down, now,” Albert called to him.

As he unfastened the vest, Harris commented, “The emperor was deeply impressed.”

“What did you ask of him? I saw you on both knees. He is not going to send you off again?”

“I asked for extra guards. Someone might sneak in and damage the dragon. He agreed with me.”

“There was more, though.”

“Yes, I gave him a veiled warning. My relatives were so sure about the coming trouble, I had to.”

“His spies probably already alerted him.”

That night before going to bed, Albert set some of his alarm devices. A high-pitched whistle woke him from a deep sleep. When shadows moved across the screen room dividers, he pulled out his pistol and waited. Harris in the next room snored extra loud. Black clad assassins burst through the screens. Harris’s and Albert’s guns fired at the same time.

Guards stormed into the house. They immediately surrounded both men. Servants removed the dead assassins. Albert refused to give up his gun, but instead tucked it in his waistband.

Harris was wrestled to the ground. A man stepped on his hand until he released his weapon. Jerked to his feet, with arms gripped in tight fists, he was shoved out of the door. Albert started to follow but was blocked by a guard’s firm hand.

*************

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Harris was pushed forward into the throne room. He tried to steady himself, but a foot stuck out and tripped him. He slid face down across the stone floor. A guard unsheathed his sword and applied just enough pressure on his back to draw blood.

In the silence that followed, the emperor’s soft voice cut through the room. “How did you know? Are you part of the plot?”

Pinioned on the floor, Harris had trouble breathing. His voice came out in gasps. “When I was kidnapped, a man told me the wind talked to him. It warned of coming trouble. I wanted Dr. Timmons to be safe.”

“The wind? What else did it say? There are certain points in the body that experience pain more than others.”

The blade’s point was driven in deeper. This time pain hit him with such intensity his legs trembled. He could barely speak, “It likes the dragon.”

“Your command of the Japanese language has vastly improved. Help him up.”

“I will do it myself.” He shook off the guards’ hands and, using shaky arms, pushed up to his knees. With head bowed in submission, he waited.

Meiji crossed the silent room. His silk robes rustled as he moved toward him. “In an earlier generation, you would have been a samurai warrior with your fierceness and loyalty. These traits my personal guards understand. Look at me!”

A fist grabbed a handful of hair and jerked his head up. His eyes widened with shock. The emperor had his own gun pointed at him.

“This, I will keep for my collection. I am sure you have others. A final warning, avoid palace intrigues. They could be deadly. Take him away.”

“Your back is bleeding.” Albert sat at the table and watched Harris brew a pot of coffee.

“Only a lesson. Nothing serious.”

“You seem to be getting the hard part of this assignment.”

“That’s why I came along. Too many people want to hurt you. The emperor accepts my purpose. He just wanted me to understand who is in charge.” Harris poured them both a cup of coffee and sat next to him.

“Each time, Meiji treats you rougher. Next time you may not survive.”

“I told him about the wind and trouble coming. He told me to stay out of palace intrigues.” He shifted as a sudden jab of pain hit his back.

“While you were gone, the house was cleaned, and walls replaced. Servants scrubbed the floors. It is as if nothing happened.”

“Tomorrow, we need to work and forget all of this.”

Albert’s mind strayed. “The smoke the dragon breathes. I’m thinking maybe gold and red, the colors of the emperor’s flag. The assistants will locate the dyes for me.”

Harris yawned, “Good choice. Think we can try to sleep in what’s left of the night?”

The workmen were eager to find the dyes necessary for the dragon’s breath. But somehow their idea went awry. Red spewed from the left head, and yellow from the right, in the middle was clear steam. It all turned orange as they commingled.

Albert stood with his head bent to one side and squinted. “Probably best if we use only red.”

“My thought also,” Harris grinned at him.

The shop’s door creaked open. They both turned to observe a small, thin man enter. He stared up at the dragon with eyes wide and a slack jaw. With hand held out, the man moved forward to touch it.

“Can we help you?” he asked in Japanese. Ever since his last audience with the emperor, Harris gave up the pretense of not understanding the language.

Engrossed with the gleaming dragon, the man jerked around in surprise and stuttered, “I-ah, I-ah, was sent by the emperor. He did not tell me it was this big. How do you get up there?”

Albert studied the small man. “Are you the rider that Emperor Meiji promised us?”

“Excuse me. My name is Haruto.” He bowed.

“Well, I am Dr. Timmons, and this is Harris. We built this together. Do you think you can ride it?”

“How do you get on it?”

“I can show you.” Albert fastened the vest on and climbed a short ladder.

Harris uncoiled the rope and nodded he was ready. When Albert jumped off the ladder, Harris pulled the rope and slowly raised him. Clear of the dragon’s back, he waited for Albert’s hand signals.

Albert yelled, “I never get tired of the feeling, it’s like I’m flying.”

“Enough of the games, are you ready to work? I can send up the packets of red dye.”

Haruto asked, “Can I go up there with him? I can take up the packets.”

“We don’t have another vest.”

“That’s alright. You have another rope pulley setup. I can put a loop on the end and slip my foot in it. Then, pull me up.”

Harris studied the man. “Are you possibly the famous actor, Haruto, that flies suspended across the stage?”

“Three times every day.”

“Albert, I am sending him up to join you. He wants a ride on the dragon’s back.”

The man rose holding onto the rope with his foot secure in the loop. Even with the dragon’s back, he pulled his foot out and slid down. Clutching the loop, Haruto swayed back and forth, each time getting closer to Albert.

Albert reached out and caught a foot. Harris gave the rope some slack and lowered Haruto to the dragon’s back. The two men now straddled the dragon with Albert in front. He poured the red dye into the flap opening on each neck and started the steam reaction. After a series of hand motions, Haruto understood to untie the rope on his vest.

Harris shook his head. Both men sat on the mechanical monster without any type of safety.

A sudden burst of red steam indicated they were ready to ride. It stomped forward on its two heavy feet. The tail swept side to side in synchronization.

“We need more room,” Albert called down.

“The emperor would never let us take it out of here before the celebration.”

“Maybe at night, with no lights, just for a little jog, make sure it goes further than five feet.”

“I’ll ask.”

At dusk, the workmen were busy removing wall panels. Albert, with Haruto along for the ride, was eager to get moving. He started toward the wall just as the last panel came free. Breathing red steam, it disappeared through the opening.

Harris followed at a safe distance to avoid the metal tail. In the dark, several dogs barked, accompanied by screams. Small lanterns hanging on buildings gave him just enough light to observe Haruto climb over Albert’s head and take the controls. A movement caught his attention. The emperor hid in a dark shadow and watched the trial run.

Finished with his experiment, the dragon negotiated a sharp turn and headed back. Its metal tail demolished a fountain and flower bed. In the building, the workers replaced the wall panels and fastened them on.

Harris pitched a long rope across the metal back and tied it off. The men slid down hand over hand.

Haruto faced Albert and bowed. Harris translated his words, “A great honor Dr. Timmons to ride your masterpiece.”

“You did great! I liked that turn you did. And Harris, don’t worry. They probably have the garden replanted and fountain already running. What fun! Come back tomorrow. You can practice more with the controls.” Albert was circling the dragon, running his hands over the metal, and looking for flaws.

Harris escorted Haruto out. “Tomorrow, not too early. Dr. Timmons will be up late tonight to check everything.”

Albert looked up. “Don’t leave. I need to show you how the mechanisms work inside. If you lift this panel….”

“Tomorrow!” Harris and Haruto said in unison.