Description: First, the nation of China was ready to ostracize and demonize those who had the power to fight - even among those who called the nation their own. Now, they're more than happy to try and have them fill their ranks in the name of world conquest. One of those victimized by these double standards, Quon Chen, finds himself being served his draft papers by perhaps the one person he'd rather not have them served by. Meanwhile, Howard Rust attempts to explore the innards of a mostly intact Chinese tank.
The battle to push back Chinese forces before they could really settle themselves in Thailand was, by many accounts, a narrow one. The Chinese forces - as so far have been witnessed - are incredibly numerous, willing to fight to the last man even in a clearly losing scenario, and do not care who they run over in their tireless march to secure the entire world under their banner. They are a relentless force who only seem to understand 'no' in the form of outright violence - certainly frightening enough for those whose homes are being burned and bombed.
The Thai resistance forces, though victorious with the combined efforts of Sagat, Quon, and Rust, are barely able to rest about their various outposts and camps to keep vigilant around the borders while the various wounded recover. There are scouting parties out and about trying to find any various Chinese operative cells they may have missed in their attempt to drive them right back out. You can never be too sure - Thailand itself is war weary from a Shadaloo power play years back, and will probably always have to suffer their presence in some form or another.
Howard Rust, at the moment, a bit bandaged up, is looking over a mostly-intact Chinese tank out of morbid curiosity just outside one of the medical tents. He's never really handled military hardware before, but who knows - maybe if he looks closely enough he'll find a good place to hit future tanks if they ever roll one up on him.
Quon for his part is covered from neck down in bandages with a few bandages here and there on his face. Over his bandages, the young fighter wears one of his spare kung fu outfits since the one he wore while pushing back the Chinese forces didn't quite fare too well.
As he moves around camp, the fatigue of fighting the platoon is quite visible, but through it all, the Chongquan prodigy tries to keep a bit of a smile on his face. Even if it's to maintain his sanity. A glance and then a nod is given to Howard Rust before Quon makes his way to a tree and practically slumps against it. Then he jumps away with a loud hiss because he ended up applying pressure on a gun shot wound that hadn't completely healed yet.
Cammy was originally slightly miffed at being given this assignment. Deliver a letter? Does she work for the Royal Mail? Especially now Chun-Li is in Shadaloo she's starting to get a bit worried, maybe the Master is still upset with her, and tasks like this are part of her new unspoken demotion.
So when she sees all these tanks and Thai soldiers milling around generally being trouble, she cheers up immensely. Having to sneak past wandering guards, assassin style, maybe it's not such a demotion after all. Of course, who she is delivering to might have something to do with her selection as well, but she is sure the Master doesn't care less about what his servant got up to last year, so maybe not.
Skulking around the camp, she eventually sees her chance, and abruptly drops down from the branches above Quon onto the ground, arms and legs all spread out like some sort of spider briefly before she jumps to her feet. She's clad in her dark blue Doll uniform, but with the addition of a PRC pin affixed to her uniform, and with a PRC flag on one shoulder. She's all focused on Quon. "Hello. You look like you've been busy.". She eyes his wounds, and blinks, pausing for a long moment, before she eventually remembers herself and reaches into an almost invisible pocket to draw out a foot long metal tube.
Man, Howard thinks atop the tank, looking into the cockpit, he knows there were tanks back in the Southtown Invasion. He kind of hopes none of the kids ever got his hands on them... who knows, they'd have probably knocked over a casino with one of 'em or something, knowing how brazen they could get when possessed of significant power but little common sense.
There is a brief hand wave to Quon when he sees him pass some seconds before - for the moment there really isn't much for the ex-shop teacher to say. Perhaps he has been lulled into a false sense of security given Sagat is likely around, and that they are surrounded by thankful Thai troops to even consider the possibility a certain someone is willing to try and slink by.
That, and as he thinks to maybe ease himself into the cockpit for a better look, his footing slips thanks to the unsteadiness in the leg that took a direct hit by artillery and he falls into the tank noisily with a muffled four-letter word.
Quon gasps when he sees Cammy drop down right next to him? "What the..." There is a few moments where the former aspiring actor is stunned speechless for multiple reasons, the first being the fact that there's a woman suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Second, the woman appearing out of nowhere is someone who he knows to be trained to end lives. Third, he thought that Cammy would stay away from him due to the fact that she realized that her being in his life would only bring him misery.
Eventually Quon gets over the surprise long enough to see the PRC pin and flag on her confirming beyond a shadow of a doubt of Shadaloo being involved in this. And as a result, Quon is all the more convinced that he made the right decision to join in the good fight.
As Cammy gives him the once over, Quon's heart starts racing as he wonders if he's going to need to go into fight or flight mode. Quon, in his mind, concludes that Cammy wouldn't be here if Vega wasn't already aware of how much of a nuisance he made of himself in Thailand and Indonesia and begins to wonder whether she's here to surgically remove him from the equation.
Quon's voice takes on a calm quality that doesn't quite match his emotional state. "Yeah. I'm a bit busy. Did you just stop by to say hi?" And then his eyes move to the metal tube. Where did that come from? What is it anyway?
Cammy nosewrinkles a little at Quon, and shakes her head slowly, braids swishing. Didn't she tell him she wouldn't do that anymore? Is he doubting her word or something? If nothing else, she prides herself on her reliability. "No... of course not." she tells him flatly.
She glances around to see if trouble is incoming, before tugging the cap off of the tip of the tube she has, and drawing out a sheaf of tightly wound documents. Lord Vega's choice of doll uniform doesn't really allow much space for pockets, and a suitcase isn't very practical when rooting around Thailand and avoiding soldiers. "I have a delivery for you.". She holds out the papers, which turn out to be covered with Chinese characters. Which she can't read... though she does know what it means, she does have some vague smidgen of curiosity after all. "I do not know why I was chosen to deliver them. I suppose it is rather dangerous here, though.".
So fortunately for Cammy, Howard's busy noisily shuffling around in the inside of a tank after a bit of a slip. He's almost terrified of accidentally setting something off in there! There's the noisy sound of coughing from inside the tank as he realizes that something got ruptured from before and is already emitting some very chemical fumes... cripes, he thinks, I should open something else up (as opposed to 'I should get the hell out of this thing' like an ordinary person should be thinking!).
He stumbles into the tank driver's seat, where a cursory push shows a secondary opening to look on out. It's a very narrow view - he coughs a few more times, trying to force it open a little higher.
Considering the tank is facing the vague direction of the tree, this might be a problem the moment he gets a clear view of what's actually going on.
Quon takes the unfurled document and glances at. And as he is fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin, he knows exactly what the documents are. An eyebrow is raised at first and then confusion and curiosity. The whole thing does not make sense to him. Why would they send someone to a camp in Thailand to draft someone who had already made his allegiances quite clear.
"You were chosen because someone has a sick sense of humor." He takes one more glance at the papers. "You know what these are? I'm being drafted by the Chinese military. Right after they declared it illegal for me to return to my homeland." He lets out a laugh. "Oh man. That's rich."
He then turns to that tank, a tank that is obviously of Chinese make and then hears some of the noise. He shouts towards the tank. "Hey! What's going on over there?"
She nods. "I know what they are... though I did not know the bit about you not being allowed to return. That sounds like... bureaucratic problems.". A knowing nod indicates that perhaps Shadaloo needs a few more Marz's and a few less Balrogs to run efficiently. "Hmm. Maybe they'll let you off if you show up." Cammy offers hopefully. Mmmm, it'd be fun to fight alongside Quon, she thinks. Maybe that would even be permissible? Especially if he is mind controlled.
These happy thoughts are disturbed by Quon suddenly shouting at the tank, causing her to half turn, facing it with blank eyes. Which soon narrow noticeably when she realises the gun barrel is pointing vaguely at them.
The shouting is clear enough thanks to that front crack for the driver. This must be a much older tank they decided to roll out when they decided quantity was a little more important than quality for the sake of intimidating people into submitting to Chinese rule - made ever the more evident when the fingers of Mr. Rust's hand peek through and start to lift up.
"I'm j-just," cough, "god damn," he mumbles a bit before he sucks in breath and speaks up - this voice should be entirely familiar to Cammy at this point, "just checking this... this tank out."
Metal squeals horribly - Howard learns that maybe this front piece was never actually meant to open enough to allow people in and out, as metal horribly squeaks under the added strength he puts to just forcing the damn thing open enough. The other hand's busy waving out the foul chemical air. His eyes are starting to water, even, to say nothing about the shoulder of the arm trying to push apart metal.
"D-Don't worry 'bout... uh," he coughs once more, but his speech trails off as he eyes what's going on at the scene a little better. It's kind of hard to squint with watery eyes, but it's easy enough to tell that's a still-recovering Quon and...
Those pigtails. That outfit. Is that a Chinese flag?
"H-HEY!" He shouts angrily, interrupted again by another cough. Maybe he really should've thought about getting out of this thing the moment he smelled the air in here!!
When Rust, begins to stretch and strain the metal of the tank, Quon begins scratching his head in confusion. To his credit, Quon doesn't let out a long suffering sigh, even though he's broadcasting the fact that he wants to really really bad to Cammy by way of her empathic ability which most psionic users seem to have.
And then when he hears the voice he just shakes his head. "Try getting out of there!"
He still has time to at least say a few words to Cammy before Rust gets there let alone someone running off to tell Sagat what's going on. "Remember what I said outside of that house when you were bringing me along on that mission of yours. You know, the one where you didn't want me kick up a fuss for some odd reason? Probably because there were supposed to be consequences for me raising an objection?" He pauses for a moment. "I don't want to live in the world Vega wants to create because of the fact that all of those things are true. He wants to create a world where he rules over people with fear, he wants a world where he is free to hurt people just because he has the means. This war is all further proof of that. And I still don't want to live and that type of world. I want to live in a world where people live and let live and considering the way the Chinese army and your organization has been conducting this war, they have no interest in that kind of world. The difference between then and now, is I'm not going to let myself be ruled by my fear and my sadness any longer. So either kill me now and get it over with, or walk away."
"Fortunately for us both, my orders did not mention killing anything this time." Cammy tells him, shaking her head slowly. "You are breaking the law now as well." she reminds him, reaching out to poke at the papers in his hands. "I am not surprised though somehow." she shrugs, though permitting herself a small smile - not quite understanding this rebellious and awkward nature he clings to, but being amused by it nevertheless. It is part of what he is, after all.
She glances over at the tank again, and this time she does look quite irritated, putting her hands on her hips to administer the almost mandatory bitching at Rust that any conversation with her involves these days. "I suppose that is Rust in that. I see some things never change. Always hanging around, a bad influence, argumentative, keeping us apart... not that I was going to stay here for very long. I had orders this time, see.". She sniffs, and glances back to Quon. "I suppose my mission is complete now though, and I should leave again." she says, with some faint reluctance.
When Rust is pretty sure he is seeing someone he does not want to be seeing, let alone be near someone he'd rather not see them be, the thought that he should retrace his steps and climb out and then amble over doesn't set well - the more expedient thought of 'force part of tank open, jump out, amble towards there' seems much more apt.
There's not much room to move about in there, but he gets just enough clearance to hold onto something with one hand for stability before bringing his healthier leg up for a series of two very nasty roundhouse kicks. The first one puts a serious dent in the hull. The second makes it shudder.
A final side kick sends it blowing all the way off. The piece of armor plating rolls about the ground a bit as the middle-aged man has himself a coughing fit while taking back in sweet, sweet, (comparatively) clean(er) oxygen.
If Cammy looks over, she might not see just the one and only Howard Rust, but there's... something... on his head. Something dark purple. Horrible. Terrifying! Or... perhaps worthy of mockery? She certainly has a head start for bolting if she's going to - she should remember he doesn't actually have the greatest foot speed.
Quon shakes his head. "Don't you get it? China had outlawed fighters. Just by being one I would be breaking the law. The only out I would've had, would've been to join you guys. And actually Rust had nothing to do with this decision." When Rust bursts out of the tank's hull, like a toupee wearing Kool-Aid man, Quon shakes his head and gives a long suffering sigh. "Thank god."
"If anything, this decision has more to do with someone I've known longer than you or Rust. Someone who I couldn't look in the eye because if I took your side, I would have to compromise everything I am do so. And to be honest, I think there's a reason that you liked me in the first place."
Cammy would talk more to Quon, but is soon distracted by the creature approaching them. She peers at Rust with blank eyes, that then widen slightly, before she glances aside down to Quon again. "I do not believe this. This unfortunate and most likely unhinged creature is still following you around? And people tell me /I/ have some sort of issue, like when Ibuki nag nag nags. What has he done to himself now? He has a purple thing on his head. And you think he is better company than I am?". The purple toupee has apparently killed the mounting anger inside Cammy stone dead, for it to merely be replaced by exasperation and confusion.
"I suppose this means I /definitely/ should go, anyway. He is not a man known for either his taste, or his reasonable nature, after all.". The Killer Bee rolls her eyes, and offers a small wave to Quon, before heading off back into the deeper area of forest where she came from. Her pace is outwardly unhurried, but it nevertheless eats up the distance in the blink of an eye as she scampers off.
To be fair, Cammy's opinion of this man being unfortunate (to have the sense to think what he has on his head is hair) and unhinged (to have the sense to think what he has on his head is hair) is likely entirely justified, for he has the sense to think what he has on his head is hair. It's... something, all right.
To say nothing about taste or reasonable nature.
"Friggin'... how'd she," he mumbles aloud as he visibly limps a ways towards the tree that Quon parked himself at while Cammy bolts to safety, "of all the... times."
One last (...hopefully) coughing fit follows before he changes gear in so much as conversational focus goes. His knee certainly does, given the pop that happens. "Quon, the hell's she doing... you... you okay?"
Thankfully Quon has had time over the past few days to build up an immunity to the toupee that Rust is wearing as long as it's kept to small doses. He also makes sure that he doesn't look directly at the toupee which is why he decides to turn towards the retreating image of Cammy the fact that he has one last thing to say himself, is only incidental.
"Actually, I'm here because I decided to take Sagat up on his offer of training me." So much time spent in trying to get Sagat to train Quon, it isn't until both are aligned against Shadaloo that he finally does so. And it's not like Quon is revealing anything new. After all, Sagat backing up the Thailand army isn't a secret.
When Cammy finally is out of ear shot, Quon looks at the papers for a moment which is when Rust asks about the situation. "Cammy came as a representative of the People's Republic of China to give me my draft papers, considering that I'm a Chinese citizen." He then tears the documents in half. "Was..."
All eyes are on the retreating form of Cammy - there's probably no doubt now that any Thai soldiers are on heavy alert. Some are likely to try and pursue her into the forest to no real avail, but any news of a potential PRC soldier having infiltrated the camp is news enough to send what army is around these parts into full-on alert.
The middle-aged man, for his part, stays quiet as Quon discusses what it was she was actually here for. Draft papers as a Chinese citizen... the way he just tears them up without a second thought. It brings him back to that brief time he got to know Chun-Li en route to India. The disquieting thoughts about those of their own being cast out of their home, only to be called back as part of their war machine and to be treated as little more than a weapon more than a person.
The idea of really giving up one's national identity, just like that, is something that elicits real silence. Rust cannot possibly know how that must feel deep down, to be treated as such by the nation they called home - what can you really say to something like that at a time like this?
He takes a whack at thinking of something to say, eyes still over to where Cammy ran off when he speaks up again. "I'm... sorry," is about all he can really get out.
Log created on 11:57:37 02/21/2012 by Rust, and last modified on 16:04:19 02/21/2012.