Play@YSDC

Elisabeth turns to look out the window at the approaching city.

Posie rubs her knuckles against her tired eyes. "Are we there yet?"

Bo, followed by Caroline, enters the compartment.



"Doctor?" says he to Renwick.



"Ah--yes---" starts Dr. Renwick. He looks round the compartment. "How can I phrase it so that Bo understands that we want him to come with us?"

Dr. Renwick, with Elisabeth's help, conveys to Bo that they want him to come along as an interpreter. Bo agrees for a fee of $1 per day.

The Peking-Hankow Express pulls to a halt in Chengchow station. The time is 5.00 p.m.



Mingzhu takes Posie by the hand. "This is where we get off."

Santiago meets them in the corridor. As the train slows he stick his head out of the door window and looks at the multitudinous hoard on the platform, "We'd better stick close together; it's a, how you say, bun fight out there. We'll make sure to get the luggage first- before anyone else does." He finishes, catching Caroline's eye.

Caroline smiles, a curious glint in her eyes.

"Looks like we'll have to wrestle."



"We'd probably do best to leave the luggage in a store room while we sort out our paperwork. It would be even better if someone managed to get us a car or truck while we're stuck in administration."

The station platform is crowded, just like Santiago guessed it would be. Caroline, Santiago, Dr. Renwick, Elisabeth and Mingzhu, with Posie in-between the last two, alight from the locomotive to the concrete. Mingzhu holds a business-like chat with Bo, who is still with the group:

"The porter says he will store our luggage at the station for us," relays Mingzhu; "when we need him we will find him here; he must leave us to fulfill his current duties."

"We need to find a hotel or something," says Dr. Renwick.

Beside the group are the members of the Swastika Society.

"You're right, Henry. We'll need a base for a day or two; we need to visit Mr. Norrin at Cheng Kung University Hospital and get a truck and supplies." He looks at the swastika team, "I wonder where these men are staying? I suppose we'd better find the office for paperwork and red tape - everyone happy with our story? Ms Lamarr is taking us to see the monastery."

"We can always stay at the Swastika Society compound," suggests Elisabeth. "One of them invited us to stay there when I was speaking to him earlier."

I wrinkle my brow as I cast my mind towards what I know of the Swastika Society. "The Swastika Society is a buddhist charitable society and whilst they are more than able, willing even, to provide shelter, it may be a bit basic for some tastes. The being said, it may be a better place to maintain a lower profile than whatever hotel is in this town."

"Somewhere to stay," muses Mingzhu, thinking about their lack of funds. She looks indecisively at Elisabeth: "A place that is free; we only need to stop for tonight." She says to Dr. Renwick: "What you say sounds encouraging," and then, "Señor el Aguila, what do you decide?"

The Swastika Society members are leaving. . . .

"Ahh, well in that case, definitely the Swastika compound. I didn't realise you'd been chatting to them. And as to rustic accommodation, we'd better start get used to it. Which is the man we should ask?" says Santiago.

A smug grin appears on Caroline's face for a moment at the mention of more rustic accommodation.



"I have to agree, it would be easier to lose yourself amongst the society's members than in a hotel. Isn't that the man you were chatting with earlier, Elisabeth?"


She indicates one of the men in the group.

"Yes, that's the chap," says Elisabeth. She hurries after the Swastika Society men and calls out to the one she recognizes.

Mandarin Chinese,[color=violet]"Excuse me!"[/color] calls [b]Elisabeth[/b]. [color=violet]"May we accompany you? I'd like to take you up on your earlier offer."[/color]