Chapters Twenty through Twenty-Nine Summary

Upon the orders of Toranga, Blackthorne is being treated very well. At one point he is so happy to have escaped death that he launches into a hornpipe dance and Toranga, arriving unexpectedly, joins him. Mariko remains with him, Toranga giving her instructions to answer every question except those related to politics and then to tell Toranga about their conversations. Later, Toranga interviews Alvito who knows that there have been secret deals between Ishido and two of the others who rule for Yaemon.

In chapter twenty-one, Kiri, who is somewhat overweight, prepares to leave by ship with Blackthorne, Mariko and several others. Kiri is to ride in a litter and begins to cry inconsolably. When one of Toranga's consorts, a young woman named Sazuko, slips and falls, Kiri screams out her name and shouts instructions to care...