Play@YSDC

The evening temperature is rapidly falling as the sun disappears below the horizon; lovely saffron sunbeams shoot upwards from the West; overhead, faint stars begin to appear.

Walking outside, Byron replies to the question of lordship. "Might I be a count of courts? No, I´m afraid not. Do I consider me the count of architecture and adventure. You can take it to the bank! I´m a member of The Sepuchre Order, The Royal Archaeological Institute and The Royal Geographical institute." He waves his free arm to take in the world in a gesture. "I´ve found the true location of both Atlantis and Ophir. I´ve sat on the throne of Alexander the great." He leads Itka to a bench and adds. "To answer your query, in a way I´m a count but not in the real sense. But in our day and age a title is a winning concept, true or false. I live the part. The admiral wouldn´t mind my stealing you away from the restaurant?" He gets his pipe out and knocks it on the mahogany leg of the bench. "Now let´s slip away, for real."

"Ha! And where did you find Atlantis and Ophir and Alexander's throne?--I can guess. So you weren't lying about seeking a Lotus Cult; you know what, Count de Prorok, I'd like to go to these places too, can you take me there?"

The admiral wouldn´t mind my stealing you away from the restaurant?"

Itka Kolchak simply stares over the train tracks at the millet field beyond.

She takes a packet from her handbag and hands it over to Byron. "This tobacco is a blend of the finest Chinese plants, and have an aromatic hint of ginger." Itka adds: "Of course, I've mixed cannabis in there too."

"No, I did find those locales." He fakes indignation and takes the proffered package and starts to handle the mixture affectionately. "A truly magnificent aroma." He prepares the pipe meticulously. Then lights it with a long match, handing the ember and fume to Itka Kolchak. "Mrs Kolchak..."

Itka Kolchak accepts the pipe, giving a little laugh that sounds nervous. "I feel like a virgin, who is in bed with an experienced lover." She draws on the pipe and holds the smoke as long as possible, before emitting a stream of it in a satisfying mix of smoke and vapour--from her breath, and ending with a delicate cough. Blinking her eyes, she hands the pipe to Byron.

He takes the pipe and huddles the pipe, restraining air from coming to the tobacco. Then he draws on the pipe. Letting the tobacco get revivified again as he looses his grip. He leans his head backwards and exhales a thin streak of smoke towards the ceiling of the platform pillars.

"A splendid blend, Mrs Kolchak." He extends his arm to embrace the back of the bench. He proffers her another blow.
"I´m indeed looking for a den, that´s for sure. But I´m afraid it´s not for highborn women as yourself, Itka. I hear they sell more than opium for pleasure at those houses." He looks up and down the station. "I will, however, make sure I get to repay your offered blend with a white lotus blend. When my journey has come full circle." He composes himself and leans forward, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped. "As it turns out, my plan is to write about this journey. It will regard the wrongdoings of the men who gain off of the poor who grow the opium. Would you mind being in the story?"
He turns at her, head slightly bent.

Itka Kolchak receives the pipe again. "You are right, of course, I cannot come with you to an opium den. Oh, how I wish I was a man!" She sighs . . . and draws on the pipe. "Young women?--ha! Happy hunting, Count de Prorok, I wish you luck."

"I will, however, make sure I get to repay your offered blend with a white lotus blend. When my journey has come full circle."

"Yes, thank you, I shall be expecting you," laughs Itka.

"And, I would love to be in your story." She is becoming very mellow and carefree.

"Look, isn't it enchanting?" Itka points over a parked train--in its railroad siding, across the millet field to a water mill.

Byron taps out the pipe on the side of the bench and walks over to Itka. "Sure, tranquil as a memory of days gone by. Frozen in time." He puts the pipe in his vest pocket and lends an elbow to Mrs Kolchak. "Back inside, my lady?"

"Lovely," says Itka, in response to Byron's words. She links her arm round his proffered elbow. "Yes, back inside."



[ooc: Syrinx, move to topic "The Golden Pumpkin: Bar" where Byron will be introduced to Admiral Kolchak and others. Look for * in the topic.]

• @

Outside it is dark and chill, however, the guests are not allowed to don overcoats, they are herded by the Japanese soldiers across the tracks towards a parked locomotive--engine and cars--in a siding.



Officer Toshiro and Mad Dog, who are stood on the platform several yards away from the locomotive, are presented with a camera and book by the "Toothy" man.



"Hey! that's my camera," says the photographer.

The gravel between the tracks crunches and is kicked, and a bedraggled Mingzhu joins the guests. She finds Elisabeth and throws her arms about Elisabeth's neck, all the while making loud, convulsive gasps.

Orders are issued to the soldiers, the platform becomes a hive of activity.

[ooc: Here is a list of the "guests" beside the locomotive:
Samuel Grey
Elisabeth Grey
Posie Franklyn
Mingzhu
Dr. Henry Renwick
Santiago el Águila
Admiral Kolchak
Mrs. Itka Kolchak
Mr. Franklyn
Mrs. Franklyn
Count Byron de Prorok
Mrs. Alice de Prorok
Jos, the photographer
Tatsuo Akiyama
Arashi Akiyama
Prof. Ivan Pavlov
Prof. Otto Eichelstein
Violet Montgomery
Mario Giovanni
and . . .]

Tatsuo takes a few steps away from the crowd and stands as inconspicuously as a fat man could. He rocks back and forth on the pads of his feet like a bored child, his eyes rarely leaving the train cars. His mother Arashi stares devilishly towards Posie for a short time before approaching Mingzhu with an accusing sort of body language.

Tell me Mingzhu, We all know Dr Chee was a drug addict. He told us so himself. Is that what this is about? Did Dr Chee owe this man with the gun some money for some powder of some sort? Tell me Mingzhu... Tell me now!!

Arashi finds herself reaching for Mingzhu's arm to shake her. Her usual interrogation technique... But she pulls back and simply glares with her uncaring dark eyes.

Elisabeth hugs Mingzhu, turning to shield her from Arashi. "Oh, Mingzhu, thank God you're alive!" she says. "When they dragged you away, I feared I'd never see you again. Did they hurt you?"



Samuel Grey makes his way to his daughter's side. "Elisabeth, my dear, are you all right?" he says, his face lined with worry.

"I'm fine, Father. And you?"

Samuel nods. "They have no right to treat us this way! I shall lodge a formal complaint with the embassy!"

The pressure is building up inside Renwick and is close to the surface despite his seemilngy calm demeanour.

He starts grumbling to himself about the preposterous behaviour of the Japanese soldiers. As the overly large Japanese man steps back from the sword wielding officer, Renwick swallows hard and takes half a step backwards in spite of himself.

"Steady on there chaps ... whatever is going on here there is no need for this barbarity. We are after all civilised people here are we not?" This last question was spoken with an arched eyebrow in such a manner that indicates that Renwick does not really view the actions of the Imperial Japanese troops as worthy of such lofty status as being civilised.

Santiago el Aguila stands on the siding with his new friends. He looks around the large crowd of guests; some portions larger than others as he watches the antics of the Japanese man. "Have either of you seen my friend the monk?" He asks Dr. Renwick and Admiral Kolchak in a low voice. "Am I right in thinking they want us to board this pile of scrap?" He looks with distaste at the dirty train.

Arashi fumes with fury at Elizabeth's interruption.

She lunges past Elizabeth's backside and grabs Mingzhu by her dress and shakes her like a bottle of settled soya sauce.



Tell us what us happening here Mingzhu!! You must know something! I will shake the answers from your soul to your grave woman!! Tell us!!!

Elisabeth rounds on Arashi, standing tall. "You leave her alone, you horrid old witch!" she shouts.

Admiral Kolchak says to Dr. Renwick: "What you said about Chunhua, you are right, of course, no one deserves to be murdered.

"Imperial Japanese troops are not civilised, by our standards, a different culture; we all need to be vigilant and careful."

He replies to Santiago: "Let's hope your monk has disappeared, out of harms way."



Prof. Eichelstein scrambles into the train wagon. "Oh, my suit!" he says, brushing at his trouser leg. He helps Prof. Pavlov as well, "Come on up, you old man." Eichelstein calls down to Santiago: "There are some sacks inside, I'll lay them down, so the ladies don't get too filthy. Give them a hand, please."



"Yes--out of this rain--wet and cold!" His English is fine, but not perfect. He stands beside the wagon entrance and helps his companion.




Mrs. Kolchak joins Elisabeth. Placing a protective arm round Mingzhu, she says to Arashi: "Khristos! You are truly horrible. Haven't you sense enough to keep quiet?"

Renwick nods agreement with the Admiral as he goes to scramble up and assist with either the ladies and older people being helped aboard or the placement of the sacks as seems more appropriate.

"Alright gents, should I help with the Ladies or the sacks?" As he finishes saying this he is already heading towards Prof. Eichelstein to help hm with the threadbare sacks as Santiago and Prof. Pavlov seem to be coping with getting the fairer sex aboard quite well.

Santiago helps aboard any ladies that require assistance and then makes his way to the officer. He bows, "Sir, may I have the honour of your acquaintance? We have not met before I think. may I ah, humbly inquire as to our destination?"

Samuel Grey stands on his daughter's other side and speaks sternly to Arashi. "Your behaviour does not reflect well on the Empire of Japan, madame," he says. "If you do not cease and desist at once, I shall include it in my report to the embassy."

Mingzhu's face surfaces from Elisabeth's shoulder. "No, they didn't hurt me, well, not too much."

Mingzhu nods in appreciation to Mrs. Kolchak and Samuel Grey, and pats Posie tenderly on the little girl's arm. She pulls away from Arashi, and answers, obliquely: "Japanese soldiers, here, outside Peking, it is madness. Why are they here? I don't know, but they will not allow news of this incursion into the wider world. We are in grave danger."



"Thank you, Dr. Renwick," says Professor Eicelstein. He is inside the train wagon, smoothing out the folds of a grimy sack. "Did I overhear that you are attached to the archaeological dig at Zhoukoudian?" While he is talking he is also helping the others to climb aboard.



Officer Toshiro bows in reply to Santiago.

aine,"Toshiro Saitou. Destination? . . . Chengchow." He doesn't say anymore in English, but barks orders at his soldiers. Santiago notices that two canvas covered machines--he can see the gunmetal tripod legs--have been positioned on the platform facing toward the train wagon.

Santiago bows curtly and turns away from the officer. He lets his eyes wander innocuously as he returns to the carriage looking extremely grim. "Admiral Kolchak, Dr. Renwick, may I have a word when you have a moment." He calls through the door and then waits on the ground away from the ears of the ladies and the Japanese.

Arashi scowls at Mingzhu.. She is lying. If there weren't so many people here I would choke the truth from her coward neck.


She backs away from Mingzhu and allows her her a brief respite. She watches the officers closely and takes a moment to be disappointed in her son who still waited patiently for further instructions with the smile of a child plastered ridiculously on his fat face.

Tabs wrote:
"Thank you, Dr. Renwick," says Professor Eicelstein. He is inside the train wagon, smoothing the folds out of a grimy sack. "Did I overhear that you are attached to the archaeological dig at Zhoukoudian?"

"Indeed I am based there, yes. I have been there some eighteen months or so, originally under Dr. Black before his demise, but more recently under his Chinese replacement, Dr. Wenzhong; a Pei Wenzhong. I did not get along with him or his ideas so I have decided to take a short break ... and so here we are."

aine wrote: "Admiral Kolchak, Dr. Renwick, may I have a word when you have a moment."

calls Santiago. Renwick says to Professor Eicelstein, "Please excuse me a moment Sir."

"I do not see how they can hope to keep it quiet for long," says Samuel. "The British Ambassador knows I am here this evening, and he would notice my absence tomorrow morning and make official inquires."



Elisabeth gasps at what Mingzhu says. "Do you think they mean to kill us?" she asks. "Or...or worse?"

"Señor?" says Kolchak.

Mingzhu appears doubtful. "I hope you are right, Mr. Grey."

"Of course he is," says Mrs. Kolchak.

"Yes--yes . . . " replies Mingzhu.

"Elisabeth," says Mingzhu, "Imperial Japanese soldiers wouldn't harm westerners . . . I think." She answers Elisabeth's earlier comment: "What could be worse than death? . . . oh, I see."

"Less of that kind of talk," says Mrs. Kolchak. "Things will turn out alright. And that horrible Japanese creature has left us, so, cheer up!"



Professor Pavlov produces a flask from his jacket pocket. "Brandy, anyone?"

[Arashi] watches the officers closely

DSIGFUSS,Arashi sees a squad of riflemen dispatched to the left and another to the right; they jog away into the darkness towards the ends of the locomotive. On the platform itself are two canvas covered machines (being several yards away she cannot make out what they are).

Arashi squints as she eyes either side of the train suspiciously. She motions for her son to approach and then hobbles over to Mingzhu, speaking in a far more calm and dignified manner. She whispers so only those closest to Mingzhu can hear

Do not hide anything from us Mingzhu. There are soldiers with rifles at the ready surrounding the train as we speak. Whether they intend to board or execute the lot of us I do not know. What are they looking for Mingzhu? Or what did Dr. Chee Witness or take from the dig that would bring the Japanese army down upon us?

Tatsuo makes himself more alert as well. He scans the outlying darkness for suspicious movement.

"I think we'd better board the train," says Elisabeth, looking around nervously.



"Quite right, my dear," says her father. "Don't worry, we shall get through this."

Santiago & Renwick,"It was the Malay man, Mad Dog, who did the killing--he must be some sort of assassin." Kolchak listens to Santiago and Renwick. "I question who these soldiers are? can we be sure that they are under the ultimate command of Tokyo? Anyway, we need to do something, right now!" As he speaks, any soldiers who are in the line of fire from the platform, back away from the train, with their rifles still raised. Obviously, there is no escape back to the Golden Pumpkin Restaurant.

"Uh-oh, she's back," says Mrs. Kolchak.

Mingzhu is a little more collected--she has stopped sobbing, and answers Arashi with growing anger: "How dare you, you Rìběn guǐzi! I know nothing!"

Tatsuo,Any soldiers who are in the line of fire from the platform, back away from the train, with their rifles still raised. He can see that there is no escape back to the Golden Pumpkin Restaurant.

Inside the train wagon the opposite door slides open. "That photographer fellow is making a run for it!" says Pavlov. He jumps down from the wagon, giggling almost like an hysterical child, and sprints away across a muddy millet field that borders the siding where the locomotive is parked, and into the darkness. A shout: "Oi!" comes from close by, and searchlights with a peculiar tinted beam--rose in colour--criss-cross the millet field, illuminating the stubble with a gruesome pink hue. The searchlights pick out the photographer and play over his body. Seconds pass by, then, a shot is fired, followed by two, three, four more. The top of his head flies off, and the beams are switched off.

"Good God!" cries Eichelstein.

"THERE'S NO WAY OUT!"



Mrs. Kolchak states in a strained, staccato voice: "There's a water mill--the other side of the field--saw it earlier this evening . . . "

"Good heavens!" cries Elisabeth, covering her mouth with her hand. "We'd never make it. I think we should just get on the train. If they were going to simply kill us all they could have done it already."

Santiago cannot see the gruesome act played out but guesses what happens from the noises and the pink glow reflected from the nighttime clouds. He shakes his head. "Stupid fool. Still, that persuades me not to try the same gambit." He smiles ruefully. "Well, maybe we should board the train and see what fate, and the Japanese, have in store for us. If we are all murdered then I have hopes my friend the monk can at least bear witness. He seems to have escaped."

Arashi takes her son's arm and walks slowly towards the closest entrance to the train. The fat drooping over Tatsuo's belt shivers with nervous anticipation.

Mingzhu follows Elisabeth. She gives Posie a little shove up inside the wagon, and clambers up after her, clasping the hand of Eichelstein who is helping. Mingzhu sits on a sack beside Elisabeth.

"This is the most miserable night of my entire life.

"I hope the soldiers are not looking for something, and so far they haven't found it, which is the reason why we haven't been killed yet. Oh, Elisabeth, my father does . . . did deal in opium, and the events of tonight must be connected."



Kolchak says to Santiago: "Did you hear that 'Oi!'? There must be a 'spotter' under the train, watching if anyone tries to escape over the millet field. Let's 'deal' with him, and then everyone can make a run for it. What do you think?"

Arashi scowls at Mingzhu... She had suspected that Dr. Chee was an addict and and could see no other reason for the soldiers presence on the train. She was somewhat relieved to hear they were no here for another reason..

When Kolchak mentions the spotter Arashi turns on him.

My son would never make the run.. He is too fat!

Renwick hears what the Admiral says and shakes his head regretfully;

Admiral Kolchack and Santiago,Get ready Admiral ... Santiago.With a slight nod to the pair of them he seems to mutter to himself

"This is just wrong ... these damned barbarians will not get away with this. It just needs someone with sufficient backbone to stand up to their downright disgraceful behaviour. It should never happen to an Englishman, let alone a woman"

Throughout the muttering his face starts to turn red with anger. He makes for the edge of the carriage and lowers himself down to the ground and heads towards the platform fists clenched at his side as he strides forward with a determined look on his face.

"I thought he might have been using opium after I heard his account," says Elisabeth, "but I hadn't suspected he dealt in it too. Still, the Japanese wouldn't invade just because of opium. There has to be something more going on."



"Our own country has started wars in China because of opium," says Samuel, "but you may be right." He looks after Renwick. "Brave man, but I fear this is not the right opportunity."

Mingzhu looks between Elisabeth and Mr. Grey, she begins to cry quietly.



He replies to Arashi: "Too bad for the Sea Slug."

Kolchak does a little bow towards Dr. Renwick. "Santiago, the good doctor will buy us some time. Shall we . . . ?"

Elisabeth puts a comforting arm around Mingzhu, deep in thought. She can't imagine what the girl is going through after having just lost her father; after all, her own father is alive and well right here. I'd go to pieces if I lost him, she thinks, glad that he isn't trying to go outside and do something.

"Allow me, Sir. Coughs if someone comes along and keep an eye on our impetuous friend." Santiago grins and, keeping to the shadows, quickly lowers himself until he can see under the carriage. He has a good look round for a spotter.

A persistent drip-drip-drop is creating a puddle beside Mingzhu's knee. The water swells upon a knotted wooden plank of the wagon floor, until the surface tension can no longer hold back the rainwater, and a tiny flood spills, through a gap in between the planks and continues its descent to the track below. She places a limp hand upon Elisabeth's arm.

"Earlier this evening, father said to me: 'We shall meet in a place in the darkness': What did he mean?"



A feathery beard appears in the gloom, the curious face of Professor Pavlov is inspecting Mingzhu's. "'A place in the darkness': an imagined future." The professor and the young Chinese woman exchange complex, unspoken thoughts. "In what did your father believe?"




Dr. Renwick steps over the rails of the train line which runs to Chengchow and stops at the foot of the platform. He casts a quick glance back to the locomotive in its siding, he can discern the outline of the wagons through the rain and early nighttime dark, but little else. Officer Toshiro, who is standing on the platform so that Renwick's eyes are level with his shins, looks down upon him: "And what can I do for you . . . sir?"


"Of course I will," replies Kolchak to Santiago with a smile, but despite the smile, he is deadly serious and grimly determined. "If you can, pull out the soldier, and I'll throttle the bastard."

Sure enough, Santiago spots a pair of booted feet of someone who is beneath the wagon.

"What can you do for me? That is a question somewhat related to what I was going to ask you. But first off, who do I have the highly dubious pleasure of talking to?" As he speaks, Renwick attempts to climb onto the platform so that he and are more on an equal footing. Renwick tries to focus his thoughts on the indignation he had worked up as he crossed the tracks.

He tries to keep his face impassioned, something his years in the Great War will hopefully have prepared him for, at least a a small amount, though his very bowels are churning like a demented whirligig. All the while he watches the Japanese Officer for signs that he will lash out with one of his highly polished, if mud spattered boots.

Elisabeth takes hold of Mighzhu's hand and squeezes it gently. "Be ready," she whispers. "One way or the other, something may happen."

Tatsuo feels a tap on his elbow. "The Admiral and the Spaniard are trying to save us--all of us," says Mrs. Kolchak. "They may need your help . . . "


"Okay, I'm ready," answers Mingzhu. She doesn't reply to Professor Pavlov's question.


"I am Toshiro Saitou," states the officer to Dr. Renwick. The doctor attempts to climb up onto the platform. Mad Dog, who is standing beside Toshiro, takes a step forward, fingering the collection of knives on his belt; Toshiro raises a hand, "stop," and with his other he pulls Renwick up.

"You have my name, who may you be?"

Tabs wrote: <Snip>
"I am Toshiro Saitou," states the officer to Dr. Renwick. The doctor attempts to climb up onto the platform. Mad Dog, who is standing beside Toshiro, takes a step forward, fingering the collection of knives on his belt; Toshiro raises a hand, "stop," and with his other he pulls Renwick up.
"You have my name, who may you be?"

Renwick takes note that Mad Dog is under the Japanese Officer's control, for now at least. He nods his thanks to the Officer and takes a step forward so that Officer Toshiro has to turn towards him with Mad dog behind him, sideways onto the train carriages. As talks he takes half a sidestep away from the train.

"Thank you for your helping me up there Officer Toshiro, I appreciate it. If I may say, your grasp of the English language is very good Sir! As for me, my name is Renwick, Henry Renwick, a British Medical Doctor attached to the archaeological excavations at Zhoukoudian. He does not offer his hand though does give the slightest of bows, little more than a nod of the head really.

"And now that we are acquainted, I feel that I must return the question you asked me back upon yourself ... Just exactly what is it that you want with us and what has led to this situation coming about? The murder of Dr. Chee and his daughter by your associate behind you; and on foreign soil as well, could easily spark an international incident similar to the assasination of the Archduke Ferdinand led to the Greta War." Despite himself he shivers at the mention of that terrible conflict.

"This could be further compounded by your detaining a large number of foreign nationals without permission and against their will. I am sure that you would not wish to cause Japan any undue embarrassment, now would you?" As he waits for a response he takes another half sidestep away from the train.

"I wonder what 'a place in the darkness' means?" muses Elisabeth. She turns to Mingzhu. "Could Dr. Chee have meant the afterlife? Did he know they were coming for him?"

"This is more like it - less cowering like sheep-I'm not going to done in by a cocky chap in shiny boots without a fight." Santiago grabs hold of the ankles and pulls the soldier out, hoping to knock the man's head sharply on the undercarriage. "Here he comes!" He whispers urgently to the admiral.

Tatsuo looks nervously from his mother to Mrs. Kolchak and then slowly begins separating himself from his mother as Arashi continues to watch the activities of the soldiers positioning themselves around the train. The sea slug was not going to be outdone by a Spaniard and a white man.. As they say in the America.. No way hose!

When his moment finally arrives, Tatsuo steps off the train and approaches the admiral and Santiago just as the Spaniard pulls on the soldiers boots. His fat clenches tightly to his buttocks as he takes a sumo stance and raises a foot to come crashing down on the soldier's chest.

"'Afterlife'? oh no, father didn't think that," replies Mingzhu.

"Reincarnation, then?" asks Professor Pavlov.

"Rejuvenation." Mingzhu wonders: "Maybe he did know that tonight his enemies would try to destroy him."





[ooc: Posts for Renwick, Santiago and Tatsuo will be up tomorrow.]

"How did he know?" Elisabeth wonders aloud. "Did someone warn him?"

Santiago grabs hold of the ankles and pulls the soldier out, hoping to knock the man's head sharply on the undercarriage. "Here he comes!"

Like a rat out of a drainpipe, a scrawny Japanese soldier is yanked by his ankles from beneath the wagon. Admiral Kolchak falls upon the soldier, and claps a hand over the man's mouth. "I can't strangle with only one hand!" And . . . Tatsuo thumps his foot upon the soldier's chest, his breastbone cracks and his lungs collapse--he is dead.

"Uh!" Mrs. Kolchak grimaces, turning her head and screwing her eyes tight shut.

Admiral Kolchak lets the lifeless head drop. "My dear, what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to fetch Dr. Renwick. It's time for us to go, isn't it?" She marches away towards the platform.

If I may say, your grasp of the English language is very good Sir!

Officer Toshiro bows in reply. "The language of our century.

"It is--ah--a delicate matter. How do you say? oh, I do not know, but I have my 'Orders' . . . I am forbidden to explain further.

"Dr. Chee was a criminal," states Officer Toshiro. "And the death of his daughter--how very sad. Which reminds me, there is another daughter, is she with you foreigners, Henry Renwick?"

Mrs. Kolchak appears at the foot of the platform.

"Dr. Renwick," she says tremulously, "sir"--acknowledging Toshiro--"the Admiral requests your immediate assistance, your wife is having a decline."

Tatsuo looks nervously from Admiral Kolchak to Santiago and the dead Japanese soldier he had just crushed with the fat of his feet....

He waits patiently for one of the two men to make a quick decision. This is the sort of thing his mother usually handles for him.

"We may have our chance after all," says Samuel quietly. "Not yet, but soon."



"Get ready," Elisabeth whispers to Posie. "We may be leaving soon, but don't go anywhere until I do. You'll need to stick close, okay?"

"Quick!" Santiago bundles the body back under the train. "Good work. Thank you for your timely help Sir." He whispers to the big man with a bow and a smile, his teeth glinting in the darkness. "I hope it's now a clear run to that mill on the other side of the field. I wish I knew the area better but I'm probably the fastest of us three so I'm happy to go. Do you know who I can go to for help once I'm clear? I don't like leaving you all in the lurch but it may help to have a man on the outside - so long as the Captain doesn't notice I'm gone." He adds darkly.

Tabs wrote:Officer Toshiro bows in reply. "The language of our century.

"It is--ah--a delicate matter. How do you say? oh, I do not know, but I have my 'Orders' . . . I am forbidden to explain further.

"Dr. Chee was a criminal," states Officer Toshiro. "And the death of his daughter--how very sad. Which reminds me, there is another daughter, is she with you foreigners, Henry Renwick?"

"As an ex Military man I can fully understand the need of a chain of command and the following of orders is ingrained in all who served in the greatest of all wars. But criminal or no, surely the man deserved to undergo a fair trial ... for would you not want that for any of your family or men under your command or indeed yourself. The death of his daughter is more than just sad, it borders on the ..." Renwick pauses as he searches for the right phrase. Having got the attention of the Japanese Officer he is reluctant to get on his wrong side - this was not how he expected the meeting to go, at this point, Mrs Kolchack approaches.

Tabs wrote:Mrs. Kolchak appears at the foot of the platform.

"Dr. Renwick," she says tremulously, "sir"--acknowledging Toshiro--"the Admiral requests your immediate assistance, your wife is having a decline."

"My wife? M ..." a quick look of confusion passes over Renwick's face but is quickly masked (OOC;- well as least as quickly as it can be) "Officer Toshiro, you must please excuse me whilst I go tend to my wife who is not in the best of health right now. I will return to continue this conversation if and when I may." Renwick gives the Officer a deeper bow than the one he had given him earlier. he turned and reached the edge of the platform and nimbly jumped down off the platform and started to walk with Mrs Kolchack to the train. Once out of earshot of the guards and platform he asks Mrs Kolchack "What has happened Mrs Kolchack, why did you draw me away from distracting the Japanese Officer?" He quickly scans the carriage as he talks and is not too surprised that he cannot see either Santiago, the Russian naval man nor the Sumo wrestler.

"How did he know?" Elisabeth wonders aloud. "Did someone warn him?"

"It was a guess only," says Mingzhu, "I have no idea. I suppose I hoped, vaguely, that he had prepared himself . . . "--she pauses, or hesitates--" . . . I'm lost, I mean, I wasn't aware of what father thought--I didn't really take note"--Mingzhu has a catch in her throat--"or care."



"Alright," answers Posie. "Don't let them hurt me!" She snuggles against Elisabeth and squeezes her hand.


"You're right Santiago," says Kolchak. "Reconnoitre the mill, make sure it is safe, the rest of us will follow, I think. Here, take this." He hands over the soldiers rifle--it's a bolt action weapon with an internal chamber containing five rounds. The long, slender bayonet he keeps.

"What has happened

Mrs. Kolchak says to Dr. Renwick: "The men have killed a Japanese soldier. We need to get away."

Tatsuo bows to Santiago and quickly returns to his mother's side as if he had done no more than walked away for a short time to release some gas from deep within the fat of his innermost bowels.

"I won't let them hurt you," Elisabeth assures Posie, embracing her. This must be what it feels like to be a mother, she thinks. Her own mother and father are here with us of course, but she's depending on me.

Tabs wrote:
Mrs. Kolchak says to Dr. Renwick: "The men have killed a Japanese soldier. We need to get away."

Renwick pauses slightly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he asks "Did the Admiral send you to bring me? I was trying to get information from ... from the officer there which I was doing reasonably well until you drew me away. But no matter - what's done is done and we had better tend to my 'wife' I suppose"

Once they reach the train, he assists the Admiral's wife aboard and scans the dark interior of the carriage looking for his new friends.

Santiago takes the gun and checks it is loaded. "Watch for a signal. It'll mean the coast is clear. Good luck Admiral, I hope we see each other soon." He says no more as time may be short but shakes the Admiral's hand and then sinks to the ground. He crawls under the carriage and, keeping to the darkest places starts to run crab like (!) towards the mill. Every few paces he stops to listen and scan the darkness for enemies.

"Did the Admiral send you to bring me?

"No, he didn't, but he knew I was coming for you." Mrs. Kolchak listens to Dr. Renwick and appears doubtful when he says he was gathering information from the officer--"I hope I did the right thing? . . . "



"On your signal," repeats Admiral Kolchak to Santiago. "I'll see you again, at the mill or Valhalla!"

He addresses everyone inside the wagon: "The Japanese intend to murder all of us--why? I cannot say." His gaze wanders toward Mingzhu. "We shall escape across the millet field. You must be quiet!" hisses Kolchak. "Assemble in the field beside the wagon. We await a signal to advance--all of us at the pace of the slowest--from Señor el Aguila."

"When the time comes," whispers Samuel, "make sure you crouch low as you move. You'll be a smaller target that way, and harder to hit."



Elisabeth nods, knowing her father had learned this lesson in the Great War. Those who had learned it the hard way hadn't returned. She grips Posie's hand with her left and Mingzhu's with her right and slips out of the train and into the field. Samuel follows close behind them.

Santiago scans the mill in the low light, he is glad to see plenty of hiding places; if necessary some people could hide while he and some of the stronger ones could lead any chasing soldiers away. He thinks about a signal but is concerned about alerting any soldiers that may be looking this way and whether they could hear anything from inside the carriage. Also, speed is of the essence and the surest way of delivering a signal ... Santiago el Aguila lopes silently back up the furrow to the carriage and, crouching low, "Psst!"

Admiral Kolchak steps forward from the gathered "guests" to greet Santiago. "All clear, señor?"

Several rifle shots--dull sounding reports--echo from inside the Golden Pumpkin Restaurant.

Mingzhu pipes up: "The staff are being executed!"

"My friends!" moans the barman.

"I think Ladies and Gentlemen that that is the signal we need to make good our escape. But where can we get away to?" Renwick asks with a grave look on his face. going over to the barman he continues, "There is nothing you can do for them now. Honour their memories by getting out of here in one piece and making sure their untimely demises are not in vain."

OOC - Regarding the rifle shots from inside the bar - have the soldiers between the platform and carriage moved into the bar or are there other people at play here? If there are others at play, how do the soldiers, react if at all and if they have moved into the bar then there is little to stop us making for the mill that I don't know about just yet. I would have seen the presence or absence of soldiers as I returned to tend to my 'wife.'

"Well spoken," says Samuel, lowering his voice. "If we don't go now, we may never get the chance. We will no doubt be next. I know that Chenchow is along the tracks to the left when facing the field, and Peking is to the right."



Tears drip down Elisabeth's cheeks. "Those poor people..." she says quietly. "You're right, Father. We have to go now."

Santiago climbs into the carriage, he speaks quietly and succinctly, "Ladies and Gentlemen, for those who don't know me I am Santiago el Aguila. We are in serious immediate danger and we must escape from here now. I have found a route away from these soldiers, Admiral Kolchak and Dr. Renwick here are good men and will help you along the way. We will creep low along a deep field ditch to a mill first and then further on.

You must keep silent, don't talk as sounds will travel to the soldiers. Keep together and move as quickly as possible. If we are discovered by the soldiers then you must hide as best you can and I and some of the other men will try to lead the soldiers away from you. Those who would rather stay may do so: may God go with you."

He turns to Kolchak, "Admiral, lead the group: follow this ditch to the mill, if all is quiet wait for us there. Renwick and I will wait until the end and bring up the rear. And, (he smiles) keep the ladies quiet." He says meaningfully.

Li, the barman, nods to Dr. Renwick. He puts his arm round Mae and says something encouraging in Chinese.

"Hǎo," answers Mae quietly, but with determination.

[ooc: There are other soldiers inside the restaurant, under the command of a delightful sergeant, one Sergeant Takahashi. The soldiers outside are next to the platform beside Officer Toshiro and Mad Dog. The guests are in the field on the opposite side of the wagon--too far away, with the rain and darkness, to see.]

Admiral Kolchak, holding his wife's hand, leads the way into the night; he follows a low ditch.

Elisabeth follows the admiral, leading Mingzhu and Posie by the hand and crouching low as she traverses the ditch.



Samuel proceeds behind his daughter, also ducking low to avoid being seen.

Tatsuo waits for a short moment for Posie and Elizabeth to gain some distance on him. He does not want the child to be hurt by any stray bullets directed at him. The sumo's hand grips his protesting mother's arm tightly.

They are Japanese you fat oaf. They will not kill their own.. We must stay and weather this storm.

Tatsuo has not yet told his mother that he just murdered one of these Japanese soldiers and suffers no further protest. When hie is confident Posie is out of danger from any bullets directed at him he lifts his mother into his arms and moves with alarming speed toward their rendezvous location; his fat shadow like a small hut in the dark.

Drawing Santiago off to the side, Renwick says in hushed tones to the Spaniard, ensuring as much as he could that he faced the platform whilst Santiago faced the ditch and field.

"I was talking to the Japanese Officer trying to get some information about what is going on here and I was pleasantly surprised by him. He came across as erudite and was certainly well spoken. He did not reveal too much about what was going on other than to say it was a delicate matter and the old military catechism of 'just following orders.' I would have liked to have had some more time with him to see if he would open up some more but that damned fool woman dragged me away at the most inopportune time." Shaking his head regretfully he continued. "Still and all, that cannot be helped now. There is something more afoot here - He said that he was sad that Chee's daughter had been killed, so I think that the assassin in his control may have overstepped the mark a bit. But with these inscrutable eastern foreigners you can never be sure that the words or actions reflect their true motives."

Santiago keeps watch over the field as the passengers make their way fearfully through the dark. "You are right, Doctor; there is more here than meets the eye. However, innocent people have died - and are still dying - those staff in the restaurant." Santiago shakes his head. "If we can get these people to safety then we'll be in a position with options - sitting here we are just sheep. What can his orders consist of that he can slaughter bystanders? Why send an assassin backed by a whole contingent of soldiers? Was the whole restaurant from Owner to bottlewasher involved in some crime? Will we, by escaping, become implicit in this crime? It's a far cry from a simple drink at the bar eh Doctor?"

"UTSU!" The brace of machine guns on the platform begin their furious chatter, the bullets are directed at the locomotive wagon; deadly splinters are torn off and fly all round, especially inside the wagon; sparks flame where stray bullets strike the undercarriage and steel wheels . . .



[ooc: The end of the introduction. Time to roll your characters, but no rush, because I fancy a few weeks away from China. Roll only for your main characters: Dr. Renwick, Santiago, Tatsuo and Elisabeth. Attributes will match the characters you've created, e.g. Tatsuo's SIZ s/be 16+, so a bit of rejigging may be necessary.]