More Than Warriors continues to examine the human spirit which separates Man from the machines which seem to dominate his life and death on the battlefields of the 31st Century. The Draco Combine has its cultural roots in the traditions and spirit of ancient Japan, on Terra, and it is to be expected that Draco art forms be Japanese in flavor. Two of the pieces in this issue's More Than Warriors reflect that heritage. The first is a poem rising from the essence of bushido-the way of the warrior. The second is a haiku, a traditional Japanese verse form. The song DropShip Thunder, however, while indisputably of Draconian origins, proves that the Draco Combine is not a monolithic culture, but one which encompasses the traditions and philosophies and ways of thought of the dozens of ancient cultures which settled the Draconis star systems throughout history. Typical of the martial ballads sung by warriors everywhere throughout the Succession States, it has spread to the warriors of those other states who, after all, differ from their Draco counterparts only in political orientation. The final two verses may be recent additions, and reflect the common soldier's pessimism in a war which has lasted for centuries and shows no sign of ending. Untitled Poem From Iga's mountains Came my ancestors Samurai Warriors Followers of Bushido Now, I too am a warrior A follower of Bushido Samurai Here, far from Iga I carry my family's honor Among the stars Here, where battle is not The glory of flashing katana Or the thunder of horses' hooves But fear and heat And the cramped cockpit Of a battlemech Here where men Seldom see their foes Honor dwells in but a few Duty is my honor And to die in the service of my lord Is my duty For I am a warrior A follower of Bushido Samurai Back to BattleTechnology 2 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1987 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com