Play@YSDC

The rain still falls. No one is wearing an overcoat. It is dark, and everywhere is a quagmire of sodden earth mixed with the spiky stumps of the harvested millet. Admiral Kolchak, hand in hand with his wife, leads the way across the field along a low ditch--a deep furrow. Behind him is Elisabeth with Mingzhu and Posie, closely followed by Samuel Grey. The hulking Tatsuo treads heavily--he is carrying his mother, the tiny Arashi--mud splashes fleck his fat legs. Next, come the others, and, protecting the rear of the column of guests, are Dr. Renwick and Santiago.

After 50 yards:

"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 . . .

"It's a good thing we didn't stay back there," whispers Elisabeth as she continues following the admiral, certain that they'd all have been killed had they remained. "We'd best go quickly, before they discover we haven't."

"Yes, Elisabeth. But where are we going to? Tonight has gone from bad to worse, and its only going to end horribly, I fear," says Mingzhu. Posie stumbles, so Mingzhu moves round so that the girl is between herself and Elisabeth; she holds Posie's arm to keep her steady.

"Th--th--thank you, miss," says Posie, her teeth chattering.

"I said that you'd be one of the lucky ones--and you will be; you can count on it!" Mingzhu's ankle rolls as she steps in a muddy puddle. She says to Elisabeth: "That's my other sandal lost!" She tries to sound cheerful, but she isn't fooling anyone. Her thick mascara is running alongside her nose: Mingzhu looks like a drowning cheetah.

"We're not far from Peking," says Elisabeth, "but they'd expect us to head that way. Maybe we should go in the opposite direction."

Thankful to moving away from the sidings, Santiago el Aguila croaches low and makes his way along the ditch after Renwick. As they approach the mill he speaks low through the rain, "How long do you think we have Dr. Renwick? This rain is making it damned difficult but it could be a blessing - impossible to track through." He speaks in short bursts as he slides ankle deep in mud.

ooc,I'm finding it very slow or impossible to log on and post. I''ll update Santiago's sheet as soon as I can. I'm hoping this post will work this time.

Tatsuo puts his mother down and joins the group. He is huffing and puffing, his fat heaving in exhausted rolls.

His mother Arashi turns on Santiago.

Yes we are all ever so grateful that you have led us out into the wet and the cold! So now what then Santiago?!? What will you have of us in this hellish down pour?

aine wrote: "How long do you think we have Dr. Renwick? This rain is making it damned difficult but it could be a blessing - impossible to track through."

"I think that we will not have too much time before they see that we are no longer in the wagon, and are thus alive. There was only one way we could have gone and that is out the train at the back ... I would give us a minute ... two at the outside before they start their pursuit. I think the mud will do little but highlight the path we have taken. Tasurio is no fool anyway and will see the mill as our only viable destination." Renwick's breaths come short with the exertion of floundering through the mud.

"But where to go once we get there is what concerns me most. Unless this was all a ruse to drive us away from the sidings and restaurant - so there are no witnesses to the excesses of the Japanese soldiers. Do you think this is possible, surely not?" Renwick is surprised at his own logic.

aine wrote:

ooc,I'm finding it very slow or impossible to log on and post. I''ll update Santiago's sheet as soon as I can. I'm hoping this post will work this time.

OOC,[color=#FF4000]I too have encountered difficulties posting in the last 12 - 18 hours[/color]

Arashi cackles madly..

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Yes! The soldiers murdered the lot of them on Chinese soil to hide their love for drinking! Ha Ha Ha Ha! What else could it be? Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

Tastuo glares at his mother darkly but says nothing.

"At least we didn't see any dogs with them," says Elisabeth. "We'd never be able to elude them if they had dogs. Once we get to the mill, we need to go in a direction they think we'd never take. I'm not familiar with this area, but I can read a map if anyone's got one."

OOC,I wasn't able to get the site to load at all on Tuesday evening. I got an error every time. Even now, it's slow, and the graphics and display format look different.

I would give us a minute ... two at the outside before they start their pursuit. I think the mud will do little but highlight the path we have taken. Tasurio is no fool anyway and will see the mill as our only viable destination."

"You're right, we cannot afford to stop for a moment." Santiago moves more quickly towards the front of the group, he gives some encouraging smiles and a quick bow to the wizened old woman on the way. He catches up to the admiral with Elizabeth just behind. "Well led my friend, but we cannot stop here. If everyone is fit to continue then we must hurry on. Trouble is, I don't know this area at all so someone else should take the lead. As the young lady says," He smiles handsomely at Elizabeth. "Preferably in a direction the soldiers won't expect. So whatever you do, don't stop walking. If they do find us, Renwick and I will try to lead them away from the group." He grips the admiral's arm and then turns and waits for Renwick to bring up the rear, he joins him. "Doctor Renwick, if you know this area at all you may be better at the front finding a way."

"Thank you, sir," says Elisabeth as she hurries along, blushing slightly.

"We're not far from Peking," says Elisabeth, "but they'd expect us to head that way. Maybe we should go in the opposite direction."

"I agree," answers Mingzhu. She adds despairingly: "But I don't know of another way. Who can lead us?"

Dr. Renwick said: I would give us a minute ... two at the outside before they start their pursuit.

Professor Eichelstein, his arm supporting an exhausted looking Professor Pavlov, turns to Renwick and says: "Ever the optimist, I can tell. So, we only have a few minutes left?" He speaks into Pavlov's ear: "Life? Huh! Overrated I say."

Pavlov rasps back: "Oh, shut up, you fool!" Weirdly this exchange between the two professors is almost jocular.

Arashi cackles madly..

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Yes! The soldiers murdered the lot of them on Chinese soil to hide their love for drinking!

Li and Mae are astonished. Li says: "You owe the señor your life. Why so much anger?"

"At least we didn't see any dogs with them," says Elisabeth. "We'd never be able to elude them if they had dogs. Once we get to the mill, we need to go in a direction they think we'd never take. I'm not familiar with this area, but I can read a map if anyone's got one."

"I'm afraid of dogs," says Mingzhu apprehensively.

Santiago said: So whatever you do, don't stop walking.

Admiral Kolchak sweeps his dirty sleeve across his brow, smearing his forehead with mud, and it slides down to his thick eyebrows. "Yes, right you are. Not far to the mill, eh?" He sounds despondent.

The machine gun fire ceases; despite the incessant rain, the night seems deafeningly silent. Almost immediately afterwards, the two searchlights, with their rose coloured beams, begin to scan the millet field. The group have walked about 150 yards from the locomotive.

"Then it's good they haven't got any," Elisabeth reassures Mingzhu as they hurry towards the mill. She ducks down beneath the top of the crops. "Everyone stay low so the lights can't spot us."

"Keep your heads below ground but keep moving!" Santiago whispers frantically as the light sweeps in their direction, he despairs at the big sumo's back; it rises and falls like a whale in the mud as he crawls along. "Doctor Renwick, if the soldiers give chase, I'm going to high tail it in the opposite direction to the group. It may give them a chance to hide."

She ducks down beneath the top of the crops.

[ooc: The millet has been harvested. The deep furrow is knee deep. aine, try a Luck roll (PM sent as well).]

"Good man Santiago!" Renwick nods fervently "Keep down - there's that damnable searchlight again. While you do that, I shall go in yet another direction. If we see where the group goes first, and get the Admiral to try and cover their trails, then you can follow the road in the opposite direction and I will go straight ahead. If you loop round when you can and meet with me - God willing - about two or three mile or so beyond the mill. If there is a stand of trees or something similar there, then I shall wait for you. We can then catch up with the rest of the party. I shall make plenty of tracks for them to follow and would suggest you do the same. Agreed? We had better inform the Admiral and the group."

OOC,[color=#FF4000]Can anything be seen beyond the mill such as tree lines or anything like that?[/color]

OOC,- Listen Roll - 96 Link: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3931747/

Tatsuo hears nothing as his thoughts are focused solely on his Mother's worsening mood.

Arashi scowls at Li and Mae.

I owe him nothing! And don't think I haven't noticed you eying up my Tatsuo like a piece of ginger beef. Mingzhu's whore of a sister got what she deserved for defiling my son. Just see that you do not suffer the same fate little hens.

Tatsuo moves to collect his mother but recoils when Arashi glares at him.

Elisabeth doesn't hear anything either as she continues towards the mill, low to the ground.

Renwick suddenly freezes and angles his head as though trying to catch something on the wind.

OOC,[color=#FF4000][url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3933167/]1d100=13[/url] Success if no penalties[/color]

"Hsst" he says to Santiago and reaches out for his arm

Renwick,He hears the rushing of water--it is the swollen stream nearby. Also he overhears orders in Japanese. [color=#0000FF][ooc: Not very exciting! I was hoping Tatsuo would be able to translate.][/color]

[ooc: Let's see what Santiago rolls and does as a result.]

ooc,Listen (25) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3935287/]1d100=78[/url] Luck (65) [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3935293/]1d100=74[/url]

"Okay, let's meet at the trees if we have to flee." He feels the touch on his arm, Santiago stops crawling and turns to Renwick, "What is it? I can't hear anything in this rain, my ears must be blocked up with mud."

Renwick says quietly; - "I think they are coming now ... I can hear something ... probably orders in Japanese, but have no idea what is being said - we need to get a move on. There is also the sounds of a swollen stream which I presume feeds the mill. Might that be a better course to lead the civilians here than the road? We will have to see when we get there." Pausing to recollect his thoughts he continues thoughtfully. "Peking should be to the right if we don't get turned around getting to the mill - is it much further Santiago?"

Arashi scowls at Li and Mae.

I owe him nothing! And don't think I haven't noticed you eying up my Tatsuo like a piece of ginger beef.

She shivers noticeably: is it her thin, wet evening dress? or is it a shudder at the vile old woman and her insinuation?

"I don't like ginger," answers Mae.


The rose-tinted searchlight beams sweep the millet field, one brushes against the guests and then swiftly locks on to them; the second does the same, together they are like hornets feeding on distressed insects. Several rifle shot reports "crack," Mario Giovanni clutches his belly:

"The dirty rats!" He keels over and plants his face in mud. A woman screams, high pitched, loud and seemingly endless.

Somebody yells: "RUN!"

The water mill looms 30 yards ahead, illuminated by the searchlight beams.

"It's now or never then!" Renwick shouts to Santiago.

"Shall we attempt to carry this man to safety Santiago or leave him for dead - stomach wounds seldom end up in anything but a long painful death anyway?"

Arashi grins devilishly at Mae... She liked her alot.

Then hearing Renwick she says.

Leave him! Better he dies now!!!

Tatsuo cannot handle his shame any longer. He pushes his mother aside ( All be it a gentle shove rather than a push of any description.) and lifts the wounded man up into the air as though he were a feathered pillow. He rests the wounded man on the fat of his shoulder and looks down to Renwick for some direction and forces a "Hai" from his belly.

Seeing the Sumo wrestler lift the injured man as though he was a newborn babe, Renwick claps the Japanese man on the opposite shoulder and nods appreciatively before gesturing towards the road indicating the need for haste.

OOC,Did I make anything out from the orders from the Japanese Officers that I could pass onto Tatsuo in case he can (hopefully) translate some of it

[ooc: Good thinking. Renwick heard the command "Kanji" and "Hiragana."]

DSIGFUSS,Attack!

[/color]

Arashi grins devilishly at Mae

Mae takes a step backward, unsure of the old woman, and almost as frightened of her as she is of the soldiers.

Several rifle shot reports "crack,"

Taking Li by the hand, together they sprint away towards the mill.

Somebody yells: "RUN!"

The guests (those who are not player characters), almost to a man, bolt in panic; slipping, cursing, crying, sliding . . .



Some guests flee, Admiral Kolchak stands his ground--up to his ankles in gluey sod--and bellows: "No one is to be left behind!"

[ooc: Barring speech, let's wait for Mr. Handy.]

Santiago watches the huge sumo lift the wounded man as easy as lifting a doll. "Flee Kolchak, lead the others away!' He calls. "Come on Renwick, now's our chance! We must lead these soldiers a merry dance through the fields!"

Sliding up to Kolchak in the slimy mud, Renwick outlines the plan he and Santiago have hatched to lead the soldiers away with "Santiago will head in the opposite direction of the party whilst I head straight on into more fields making as much noise and tracks as we can whilst you try to cover the trail left by the civilians. The big sumo wrestler fellah looks capable enough to take the lead in my opinion. By the way, what do 'Kanji' and 'Hiragana' mean? well my friend, this is it!" grasping the Russian's arm in a vice like grip he continues "Me and Santiago will catch up to with you further on down the road if God wills it."

Tatsuo grimaces at Renwick.

It means attack Renwick-san.. We must move now!

Mrs. Kolchak says to Renwick: "But your brave sacrifice--"

"'Sacrifice'?" interrupts Admiral Kolchak.

"--will be in vain if something is not done about those searchlights--we are like rabbits caught in a car headlamp! The Japs can see us and will know what the doctor and the señor are up to."

"Madame is correct. I shall double round and take the lights out as soon as I can get a fix." Santiago hefts the rifle he took from the soldier, "Then you really can run; good luck gentlemen!" He nods to his friends and then looks around for the nearest cover where he can still get a line on the search lights. He keeps low and crawls away.

spot hidden if necessary,65% [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3942871/]1d100=83[/url]

Elisabeth sprints for the mill, helping Posie and Mingzhu along. Her father follows close behind. "Quickly, to the mill and get behind it!" she says. "It's the only cover around!"

Santiago drops to the earth and finds that he is in shadow of the deep furrow; also, when he wriggles forwards to take a fix on the searchlights he becomes caked in mud.

[ooc: okay, 2 searchlights, 5 bullets, Santiago has 65% Rifle skill.]


Admiral Kolchak scrambles away towards the mill, hand in hand with his wife. He calls over his shoulder to Dr. Renwick: "God wills it: we shall meet again!"

Dr. Renwick, and the camouflaged Santiago, are left alone.




"I can't keep up!" cries a despairing Posie. Elisabeth, with Mingzhu's help, lift the little girl and propel her forwards. They overtake Tatsuo who is labouring through the field, weighted down by the prone Mario Giovanni.

Another volley of rifle shots . . .

Elisabeth reaches the water mill. Li, who is stood beside an open wood-screen door, frantically waves the three inside.



[ooc: The entrance, described above, is on the far right-hand side of the photograph; the photograph shows the back of the water mill and the stream.]

Santiago tries to keep the rifle out of the mud as he shimmies round to get the first searchlight lined up. He checks the chambers and is glad to see there are five bullets left but is worried about using a totally unknown rifle. He hopes it shoots true. "They'll be after us soon as I shoot so get ready to run whatever happens." He says to Renwick. "I'll try to get them both quickly one after the other as we have no time, but it'll be tricky in this rain."
He aims just above on the first lamp that glows brightly through the murk, holds his breath and pulls the trigger.

rifle,65% [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3944318/]1d100=51, 1d100=32[/url] If he hits it, he aims immediately on the second one. If not, he'll keeping firing on the first until his bullets run out.

Tatsuo puts the man he had been carrying down and huffs looking back wild eyed for his mother..

ooc- Arashi would have been running behind Tatsuo.

Elisabeth helps Mingzhu carry Posie inside and then out of the line of fire. Samuel is not far behind them. "Quick, bring the wounded man inside!" she calls. "I may be able to keep him alive until the doctor gets here!" If he gets here... she thinks morbidly, then shakes the thought from her mind.

Santiago shoots well and his aim is true: both searchlights are extinguished, the millet field is plunged back into darkness.

[ooc: Santiago and Renwick, move to topic "Millet Field"]

Tatsuo puts the man he had been carrying down and huffs looking back wild eyed for his mother..

The big man is only ten yards from the entrance of the water mill. Mario Giovanni's body is very limp, like a rag doll, and Tatsuo's gi [robe] is drenched with blood and rain. As he places the Italian on to the earth Arashi catches up with her son; and behind her are the two professors, Pavlov and Eichelstein.

Inside the water mill Elisabeth finds Mae talking to a tiny man who is sat upon a kang--a raised brick platform, that has embers shoveled beneath. He is the most pathetic specimen of humanity she has ever seen.

"This," says Mae, "is Shaosu."

Tatsuo puts the wounded man down beside Elizabeth and bows.

Arashi moves quickly to his side and grabs Tatsuo's ear before he has a chance to stand fully upright where the tiny Asian woman would have no ear to grab hold of. She twists the fatty extension in her wrinkly hand.

That is for leaving your mother to fend for herself in the rain Tatsuo. Next time I will twist something far more important to a man of your gluttonous ways and devilish appetites.

Arashi, her temper now blazing like a rising sun, sets her attention to Mae and the old rail of a man she seems to know that lives in this decrepit old mill.

Arashi moves to within just a few paces of Mae and the old man. Tatsuo shivers and keeps watch at the entrance.

And who in the bloody hell is this? You keep strange company Mae!! Or do you live here in all the glorious squalor as well? Doing god knows what with this poor excuse for a man!!

"Ni hao, Shaosu," says Elisabeth, forcing a smile. When Tatsuo brings in Mario and lays him down, she kneels beside him and applies pressure to the wound using the man's coat, stopping the bleeding and greatly relieving his pain. "I think he'll live, but I don't know how to remove a bullet safely. We need Dr. Renwick for that."

Professor Pavlov and Professor Eichelstein enter behind Arashi and immediately flop down upon the floor and lean their backs to a wall. The two old men put an arm round each other. Professor Pavlov looks especially weary.

Shaosu nods almost imperceptibly to Elisabeth. He speaks to Mae In a warbling, sing-song voice: "Nǐ shì shuí?"

And who in the bloody hell is this? You keep strange company Mae!! Or do you live here in all the glorious squalor as well? Doing god knows what with this poor excuse for a man!!

"Oh you! You evil bitch, with your diseased mind!" shouts Mae.

"Don't listen to the foreigner," says Mingzhu, regarding Arashi with distaste. Mingzhu is sat upon the kang with Posie, sweeping the little girl's matted, wet hair from her forehead and neck, and tying it back with one of her own ribbons. Mingzhu's legs are splattered in mud and blood oozes from in between the toes of her naked feet.

Elisabeth works skillfully on Mario, saving his life--for now; but she is right: he needs the expertise of Dr. Renwick.

Admiral Kolchak limps through the doorway, supported by his wife and Li. He has been shot in one thigh, his white trouser leg is crimson.



He looks round the hovel. "Where are the others? Except Santiago and Dr. Renwick I was the last man. YEBATʹ!" He adds: "I reckon that we've got five minutes before the soldiers get here."



"Nǐ shì shuí?" repeats Shaosu.

"Goodness!" cries Elisabeth, rushing to the admiral's side. "Here, let me see if I can help." She tries to treat his wound, but it is beyond her skills. "I'm sorry, I've done all I can. I just hope Dr. Renwick makes it."

"Thank you for trying, my dear," says Admiral Kolchak. "I fear my femur is broken."

"O Vladimir!" gulps Mrs. Kolchak.

There is little inside this room, just the basics for living: the kang to sleep on, a hearth and cook pot, wooden utensils, a sack of millet, and a ceramic jug for water. A ladder leads up through a trapdoor in the floor above, that Li is climbing, "Shì shénme ne?"; also, there is an internal doorway, at the back of the room, covered by a cloth.

"You're quite welcome," says Elisabeth.



Samuel lays a hand on her shoulder. "You did an excellent job, Elisabeth," he says. "Thanks to you, our Italian friend will live."



Elisabeth nods. "Thank you, Father. But what do we do now?"

OOC,Do I understand the Chinese that was spoken?

Arashi looks as though she is ready to pounce on Mae and wring her tiny neck.. She stands grinning at her and imaging such pleasantries instead.

Tatsuo stands close to the door keeping lookout. He pokes he head back in and shouts to the others.

We cannot stay here! Are we ready to move if we must?

"I'm ready," says Elisabeth, "but where will we go from here?" She glances at the ladder. "Maybe we can get a better view of the surrounding area from up there."

Are we ready to move if we must?

The answer is no, excepting Elisabeth and her father. The professors are still sat upon the floor, their heads bowed dejectedly; Admiral Kolchak is emitting audible moans, and Mrs. Kolchak is trying to comfort him with hugs and smiles, "Vse budet khorosho"; Mario Giovanni is on the brink of unconsciousness; Mae and Shaosu are talking together in Chinese, "Firecracker?" says the miller, "No, gunshots," answers Mae.

She glances at the ladder. "Maybe we can get a better view of the surrounding area from up there."

[ooc: Don't forget, it is nighttime, outside it is dark and cloudy.]



Li pokes his head back through the trapdoor. "Up here is a storeroom: sacks of millet and barley, ready to be ground; there is a wooden shoot, I guess it runs to the grinding stone in the next room? I also found this"--Li waves an ancient fowling piece--"and this was buried in the thatch"--he drops down a rusty cutlass, à la Treasure Island.

The minutes are ticking away: somebody needs to make a decision.

[ooc: Roll Idea.]

Tatsuo, normally more fat than savvy, has an idea.

ooc,- rolled a 7. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3958149/

Elisabeth thinks quickly, but her normally brilliant mind is blinded by rising panic, and a solution just barely eludes her.

DSIGFUSS,if the plan is to run? then, there is somebody who knows the land round the water mill intimately: Shaosu.

Admiral Kolchak takes the old shotgun off Li and breaks open the single barrel. "Well done, sir, got any shot?" Li hands over several cartridges. "I don't suppose you found any vodka up there?" says he, smiling.



Professor Eichelstein scrabbles across the earth floor, and snatches the cutlass. The portly man jumps up, brandishing the weapon, the rusty blade shakes in mid-air: a signal to the man's emotion. He snaps his heels together, as if he is a cadet in the Prussian Army, and addresses Admiral Kolchak:

"Permission to mount a forlorn hope against the enemy! it may buy the women some time."

The Admiral watches the Professor's martial ardour; an incredulous look crosses his face, like he is going to laugh at the man; however, instead, he says: "Your bravery has been noted, but put the cutlery down, you'd be shot before you can shout 'Charge!'" He shakes his head and grips the shotgun tightly: anger, fueled by testosterone is surging through his blood.

"I need you with me, Professor Eichelstein--"

"Otto."

"--Otto. Together, we'll hold the mill against attack, and allow the women, and child"--he looks at Posie--"time to escape. I'm fu--sorry, I mean I'd slow you up--and speed is of the essence. Therefore the Italian stays here too."

Mrs. Kolchak begins to sob.

The Admiral continues in a grim tone of voice: "I need not elaborate on the fate of the women, should they be taken alive by the soldiers! . . . "

Elisabeth gasps in fright when she hears this last, her worst fears confirmed.



Samuel looks his daughter in the eyes. "You have to get away from here, Elisabeth," he says. "We men will hold them off and buy you all the time we can."



Elisabeth's eyes water. "But...you'll be killed, Father! You're not even armed, you'd just be throwing your life away! You can move quickly. You should come with us! Please..."



Samuel glanced back at the admiral and the professor. "Gentlemen, you have shown exemplary courage. I would gladly stand alongside you, but perhaps my daughter is right."

"Go with your daughter," says Kolchak to Samuel Grey, "the women will need you. I include Li, and the big man"--he looks toward Tatsuo; he doesn't mention Professor Pavlov, who he considers to be less effective than Posie. "Were you in the army, Mr. Grey?"



Mingzhu and Posie are sat upon the kang, the Chinese woman, wearing an inane smile, is still fiddling with the girl's hair, seemingly oblivious to the conversation round her.

"Yes, sir," says Samuel. "I was a captain in the Great War."



"I was only a baby when he left for the war," says Elisabeth. "When he finally came back, I didn't know who he was at first! Thank you both...for everything." She pulls at her father's arm. "We'd better go while we still can, Father. And I won't hear any more talk of you dying heroically. I need you alive! And Mother would be distraught if anything happened to you."



Samuel bows. "I'll take your leave now, gentlemen, so that your brave sacrifice is not in vain."



Elisabeth leads her father over to where Mingzhu and Posie sit. "We have to leave now. The soldiers will be here soon." She translates into Mandarin for the benefit of the Chinese woman.

Tatsuo eyes the old man from the mill and speaks to Mingzhu, not having been formally introduced to Shaosu.

Maybe your man in the mill could guide us to safety. He works here, does he not? He will know the land better than the rest of us.

Tatsuo's mother Arashi glares at her son. She is not used to him having a voice in important matters such as these.

"A splendid idea!" says Elisabeth, silently berating herself for not having thought of it. She smiles at Shaosu and speaks to him in Mandarin. "You know this area well, yes? Can you show us a route that will get us all safely away from the soldiers?"

Mingzhu stares glassily at Tatsuo, but perks up when Elisabeth exclaims "A splendid idea!"



Shaosu seems unsure. He warbles in Chinese: "I want you to leave my home--leave me in peace--that is all."

"Please help us!" pleads Mingzhu, "We are--"

Mae cuts in: "--We will be shot; you as well, Shaosu." She digs down in between her cleavage and pulls out a Mexican silver dollar.

"I can lead you through the paddy fields to the Catholic Mission," says Shaosu, his eyes wide at sight of the glinting coin.

"Thank you," says Elisabeth with relief. "I'm no Catholic, but any port in a storm."

Shaosu, without any further ado, heads into the back room, he doesn't check if the others are following.

The "heart" of the mill has grinding stones that revolve via the water wheel and antediluvian cogs. Shaosu takes a hawthorn walking stick, a couple of straw mats, which he places over his shoulders, and a wide-brimmed straw hat, like a flattened cone; then, he slides a screen door open--the door is at the rear of the mill--and steps out into the rain.

"Let's go, quickly!" says Elisabeth to Mingzhu and Posie, leading them out the back after Shaosu. Samuel Grey follows, gesturing for the others to come with them.

Mingzhu and Posie get up and join Elisabeth.

Li and Mae take a crying Mrs. Kolchak by the arms and lead her away; the Admiral is staring at the earth floor, not wanting to see his wife go.

Eichelstein leavers Pavlov off of the floor, the two professors shake hands:

"I'll be seeing you upstairs," says Eichelstein.

"Undoubtably," answers Pavlov.

Everyone, except Admiral Kolchak, Professor Eichelstein and the unconscious Mario Giovanni gather behind Samuel Grey.

Outside, Shaosu crosses a rickety bridge, and then keeps walking straight on into the night, leaving the water mill behind.

Elisabeth leads the group, following Shaosu across the bridge. "One at a time," she says quietly to the others. "I wouldn't count on this bridge to support more than one of us." She looks back at Tatsuo. "Some of us, it might not support at all."

Tatsuo stops at the bridge and nods to Elizabeth.

He waits patiently for his mother to cross before he begins to cross himself. By all appearances, the sumo is quite dextrous for a man of his weight.


Arashi scowls at Elizabeth as she reaches the other side of the bridge but holds her tongue.

A hand slips into Elisabeth's hand.



"I'm glad you're with us . . . and I'm glad you're my friend," says the little girl matter of factly, who, in her other hand, is holding on to Mingzhu and seemingly leading her along. "Daddy always says 'Cream rises to the top!'" Posie adds: "Have you seen my daddy and mummy? They have got lost in the dark!"

[ooc: Everyone begins to suffer due to the cold and wet; because of Elisabeth's skimpy clothing (coats were not worn when the guests were herded outside), she suffers 1-2 hit points of damage. Tatsuo, the blubbery walrus, can roll vs. Luck 70% or lose 1 h.p.]

Shaosu stops at the edge of the waterlogged fields. Li consults with the miller, and says in English: "Shaosu said follow him in single file, step in each others footprints." He nods to Shaosu to indicate that he has conveyed the instructions. The tiny man enters the paddy fields.

Elisabeth shivers deeply from the cold, but she tries not to let it show. She grins at Posie. "Thank you, Posie," she says. "I'm glad you're with me and that you're my friend too. Now, let's see if we can find your mum and dad. They can't have gone far. Has anyone seen them since the bridge?" She looks around and at the ground, hoping to find some indication of their trail in the mud.

OOC,Is a Track roll required to find footprints in the mud, or will a Spot Hidden suffice?

Elisabeth's intuition tells her that Posie's parents never made it to the mill.

"I...I can't imagine where they might be," says Elisabeth, not having the heart to voice her suspicions to Posie. Did they even leave the train? she wonders. "But I do know that they left you in my care, and they'd want me to get you to safety more than anything. We have to keep going and hope they catch up with us later."

The little girl looks up into her eyes and squeezes Elisabeth's hand by way of reply.



"You are first," says Li to Elisabeth; "and the princess." Posie giggles. Li bows subserviently to Mingzhu and respectfully to Samuel Grey.

Shaosu is 5 yards ahead, his silhouette is becoming lost in the dark. Although all the ground appears waterlogged, the route the miller is taking through the paddy fields is only ankle deep; Shaosu constantly dips his walking stick into the mud in front of him.

Samuel bows in return. "I'll follow right behind you two," he says.



"Step exactly where I step, Posie," says Elisabeth. She follows Shaosu, making sure to step precisely in his footprints and wishing she had better protection for her feet.

15 minutes of careful steps brings Elisabeth to the pagoda in the centre of the paddy fields, the pagoda is a dry, sheltered haven for those toiling round about in the day. Shaosu pauses, hunkering down upon his haunches and stares out across the watery landscape, watching the ever increasing circles of the innumerable raindrops that plop in the water.

Posie and Mingzhu are chaperoned by Samuel Grey, who is followed by Mae, then, Professor Pavlov, Mrs. Kolchak and Li.



"The Jap is too fat: he is not coming," says Li without emotion.

"If we leave him behind, they'll kill him, Japanese or not," says Elisabeth. "Can't he...swim? I'd think he'd be better at it than a normal person."

"He could try," says Li.

"Hard luck, I say," chimes in Mae," too much monstrous stuffing'--a description of a fat English schoolboy."

"'Billy Bunter,'" says Professor Pavlov, his head lifting from where it had sunk, disconsolately, on his breast.

"Maybe Buddha will look after him?" continues Mae. "Anyhow, his mother is most unpleasant--"

Mrs. Kolchak adds: "That's an understatement!"

"--so, it's not too bad for us."

"She'll probably come with us and leave him behind," says Elisabeth. "She seems to be especially unpleasant to him."

Posie looks back to the water mill. "Oh! I hope not."

Mrs. Kolchak approaches Elisabeth, leans toward her, and says confidentially: "Your Chinese friend is taking it badly. She's lost her father and sister tonight . . ." Mingzhu is sat by herself on the floor of the pagoda; her knees are drawn up to her chin and her head is bowed.

Elisabeth nods and sits down beside Mingzhu, putting a comforting arm around her. "I know I can't imagine how much this is hurting you, Mingzhu," she says, "but I'm here for you. We will get through this and survive."

"Do you think so? I wish I could share in your confidence."

"I do think so," says Elisabeth, shoring up her courage. "I'd be grief-stricken too if I lost my father, but look at it this way: your ancestors are watching out for you, right? And now your father is with them, doing the same."

Mingzhu smiles. "That is a comforting thought--"

Posie interrupts: "Look, over by the water mill: fireflies!" Several gold spots dance with a regular, juddering movement.

"I don't think those are fireflies..." says Elisabeth, squinting at the torches. She leaps to her feet and helps Mingzhu stand. "Electric torches, more like. We have to leave now."

"By God!" exclaims Professor Pavlov, squinting myopically toward the water mill.

"Do you think they're coming for us?" asks Posie of Elisabeth.

Mrs. Kolchak, with Mae's help, lift Mingzhu on to her feet. Li shakes Shaosu and points back at the danger, he urges in Chinese:

"Come on! Show us the way."

"I'm sure they're looking for us," says Elisabeth, taking Posie's hand, "but I don't think they know where we've gone yet. They probably think we're still at the mill. Some of us are..."

"Boom" followed by a terrific explosion.

"Vladimir!" cries Mrs. Kolchak with abandon.

Shaosu steps away from the pagoda to continue across the paddy fields. The little China man is muttering prayers to his gods and wishing the "Lǎowài" would disappear.

"We must go now," Elisabeth says to Mrs. Kolchak. "Your husband's courage was to buy you and the rest of us time to get far away. If we make it to safety, then it counts for something."

There is a second "BOOM," Mrs. Kolchak looks at Elisabeth with renewed hope, but the sound is followed by the crack of a rifle shot, and the woman chokes back a sob.

"I wonder if Otto is still alive?" says Professor Pavlov speculatively.

"Hoi!" shouts Shaosu, pointing to the Catholic Mission, which is revealed by moonlight that shines through parted clouds.

"Oh, thank God!" says Elisabeth, relief washing over her. "Come on, let's get inside. It's wet and freezing out here!" Holding Posie's hand, she follows Shaosu to the mission.

The entrance to the Catholic Mission is inside a brick portico which has an oak door with studs and iron bands, to keep out bandits and unbelievers. At head height is a shutter covered by a grill and a heavy door knocker.

Elisabeth approaches the front door, grips the knocker, and knocks loudly on the door.