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OUTSKIRTS OF SHANGHAI, YANGTZE RIVER DELTA, JIANGSU PROVINCE, OCCUPIED CHINA
06:03 LOCAL TIME, JANUARY 6, 1750 AD
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A wisp of smoke curled and drifted from beneath the brass housing of the spyglass as Pip withdrew it from in front of him, sliding the length of its assembly back into the main housing as he grimaced, turning his head to one side and spitting out the stub which remained of his cigar. He handed the spyglass off to a Lieutenant who had been allocated to watch over them and crossed his arms, staring at the city of Shanghai. "Well fortified," he spat. Even from here one could see the Xia Han flag fluttering in the wind without the aid of the optics. He opened his long coat and withdrew another cigar, biting the end off and discarding it before putting it in his mouth, lighting a match and cupping his hand around one end to light it. As he puffed on it he continued to regard the city, pondering. His thoughts were broken by the discharge of a rifle immediately to his right. He glanced to the side at Seras, who was laying prone in a firing position, staring down the barrel of her newly acquired favorite toy. It was a a fairly ordinary rifle, but it used something new called cartridges. It had been ordered from the Noveau Amsterdam, along with a shipment of Cuban cigars. After a moment she perked her head up and squinted, before glancing up to him with a smile "I think I got one."
Pip up-quirked an eyebrow before gesturing for the Lieutenant to bring him the spyglass. The Lieutenant promptly handed it back and he extended it, peering out in the general direction of the shot. He could see a group of Xia Han soldiers gathered around one who was laying inert on the ground. He let out a
heh and exhaled, the wind carrying the smoke forward and making it look as if he breathed the stuff, "Zo it zeems you did."
He compressed the spyglass once more and again passed it off to the Lieutenant, who by now had seemed to have become used to holding objects when it was not convenient for the "observers" to do so. Shoving his hands in his pockets at the early morning chill Pip looked back to Seras "You're going to get your outfit dirty."
She stood up and shrugged, saying "Not like it's particularly made to be clean," holding the rifle under one arm and dusting herself off. He watched as she opened the breech of the gun and ejected the brass casing, pulling another off of the bandolier she had fashioned and resealing its breech. She didn't bother cocking it yet. At the sound of someone clearing their throat he saw her look up and turned himself. Both found themselves looking at an Imperial Japanese Army
Sansa. He was flanked on either side by French soldiers. Pip gestured for him to approach, telling the soldiers "Thank you, that will be all" and dismissing them. They nodded and went back to guarding the position. The
Sansa approached and stopped within a few feet of Pip, stating ""
Issa Berunadotto-sama," before bowing. Pip gave the cursory bow back and the the
Sansa handed him a letter. Pip took it and as he began to check his coat for a letter-opener the
Sansa bowed again and did an about-face, making his way back to wherever it was he had come from. Although he had been informed the Colonel had at least a rudimentary understanding of Japanese, after having seen the mythical
Oni-chan in person he was not particularly interested in staying around and making small talk. Not finding a letter-opener, Pip took out one of the fighting knives he was known to pocket and used it to open the letter. Folding it out and looking over it raised an eyebrow and let out a somewhat surprised "Oh?"
Seras was immediately at his side, looking over his shoulder (well, more around him, as she wasn't quite that tall) to try and read at the letter herself "What’s it say?"
The letter was, oddly enough, in French. And although it bore the Imperial Japanese Army Seal it also happened to have one of the French Foreign Legion. Apparently whoever had written it had found it important enough to get it translated with the input of a French field unit. Which meant it could come from only one place. Pip began reading its contents in a quiet voice so Seras could hear after having scanned it. It was in a sort of memo format:
TO: Issa Bernadotte "Pip"
FROM: Isshou Ikari Gendo
DATE: 01/05/50
RE: Immediate Return to Headquarters
The field situation has changed. You are to immediately return to the Zhengzhou Joint Operations Headquarters for briefing on Allied withdrawal and redeployment within the Chinese theater. I ask it as a personal favor that you return with all due haste. May your trip be safe.
Sincerely,
碇ゲンドウ
Ikari Gendo
Seras blinked as he finished and, resting the barrel of the rifle on her shoulder, asked "What does he mean ‘the field situation has changed’," before she turned and looked at Shanghai across the golden water, reflecting the morning’s sun “I don’t see anything that’s bloody changed.”
Pip inhaled sharply and then exhaled, shrugging and starting to walk toward the guards "You know how zecretive zey can be; come on, let’z go."
Seras hmphed and gave the city a parting glance before following after. As they passed the French cordon guards Pip stated in French "Hey, zoldier, tell your commander zey need to move ze bombardment four degrees to ze right if zey really want to lay into ze port."
The Private blinked and nodded before giving a somewhat hesitant salute "
Oui… mon Colonel."
Pip merely smirked as they continued toward the carriage which had brought them there.
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OOC: All this bellyaching over a couple of pathetic countries in the boondocks. Honestly.
