West Passenger Station

[Tabs]

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.

[aine]

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.

[DSIGFUSS]

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.

[Cearlan]

"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."

"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."

[Mr. Handy]

"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?"

[Tabs]

"Señor?" says Kolchak.

[Tabs]

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).

[aine]

Renwick & Kolchak,As soon as Dr. Renwick and Admiral Kolchak are close by, Santiago speaks in a low voice,[color=#0000BF] "My apologies Gentlemen. But without alarming the other passengers I want to alert you to the two covered machine gun turrets on the platform over there. And the disturbing fact that they are pointed AT our carriage here. I am reminded of that terrible tragedy in 1857 when Indian troops massacred women and children of the British Army in northern India. Although this is a very different situation, I'm concerned about us walking into a trap of some sort. I haven't spent long enough in China to know but would it be possible to shoot up the train and then blame the terrible 'accident' on Bandits? And did either of you see who shot the bullet that killed our host or threw the knife? I confess I was too nonplussed by the lady's eyes to see anything myself at the time."[/color]

[DSIGFUSS]

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.

[Cearlan]

Kolchak & Santiago,Renwick stiffens at the quiet words from Santiago. He tries but cannot fail to look out the carriage doors and he sees the Japanese soldiers surrounding the train carriage with their rifles held in readiness. [color=#0040FF]"Santiago, they cannot, hopefully, shoot at us through their own men."[/color] His adams apple works overtime as his nervousness comes to the fore. [color=#0040FF]"But I see at least one of the tripods, so assume the other is more to the other side of the platform. Ah I see it now."[/color] as he steps slightly to one side. [color=#0040FF]"My God I fear you are right."[/color]

[Mr. Handy]

"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."

[Tabs]

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 . . . "

[DSIGFUSS]

OOC,- Hey Tabs! Could you please indicate where we are on the map. I'm a bit confused.. thanks!!

[Mr. Handy]

"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."

[Tabs]

[ooc: The guests are in or around the block marked "Wagon." The blocks are the locomotive--"Loco" is the engine--in the siding. The siding connects to the main track--Peking to Chengchow.]

[aine]

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."

[DSIGFUSS]

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.

[Tabs]

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?"

[DSIGFUSS]

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!

[Cearlan]

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.