7960/Talking to Grandpa

Talking to Grandpa
Date of Scene:	24 September 2021
Location:	Asteroid M Holding Cells
Synopsis:	Clarice and Rahne speak with Li Hu, learn about the Bianyi Jingcha and find out his wife is a casualty of the never ending war against mutants.
Cast of Characters:	Raven Darkholme, Clarice Ferguson, Rahne Sinclair

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Raven Darkholme has posed:
Li Hu had lived a pretty simple life, at least in the beginning. He studied hard, married the woman of his dreams, and together they build a small but comfortable life together. Then came their first child, Li Feng. He was a beautiful little boy, curious, adventurous, and so smart. The happy couple believed he would make something of himself some day.

That all ended when Feng was eleven and developed a mutation. The couple managed to keep the mutation to themselves for a few years, but in the end the Bianyi jingcha found him, and them, and everything changed.

Now an old man, Li Hu had no idea what happened to his son, or any of the other mutants for that matter, but what he did know is that the Bianyi jingcha came back into his life two days ago and that led to him sitting in a jail. He still wasn't sure how he got there, but it was most certainly a jail. He just hoped his wife got away.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    To Clarice's annoyance, the screen on her phone was now badly cracked. This is what happens when you hurl phones across the room - but she puts the need to get a new phone on the back burner as she concentrates on going over the plans Yang had drawn up - highlighting the security features on display, and studying the satelite footage of the place. What would be the best way to approach, without being spotted?
    She remains snuggled in place until Rahne wakes, and is brought up to speed - and is ready to get to here feet.
    "You want to go interview the old man with me?" she asks simply - and that's how they find themselves outside the man's cell door, giving a nod to the guard. The door slides open - and the pair stride in, with a translator in tow.
    "So. How about you explain to me how you're involved in all this?"

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
honestly Rahne still isn't sure what exactly is happening. She remembers trying to save Lydia, and then waking up on the asteroid in the medbay. she made a comment about it becoming a habit and sighed, but of course she'd come.

So she comes in, in human form, nothing like the wolf that the guy saw last time. Sneaky, she's still got an amazing sense of smell. Lies aren't gonna work so easily.

of course, it would be nice if she spoke the language.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
D had come along to this questioning, just in case it was easier for the old man to speak his native language, and because she was still on an adrenaline high from getting to go out in the field... she couldn't sleep.

As the door slides open, Li Hu stands himself up and offers a bow. He might be a prisoner but he will not be rude, that's just plain unacceptable.

"The Bianyi Jingcha," he says quietly, his English horrible like his wife's, but he's a little more understandable than she was. "They come two days ago. Lots of gas, lots of darts, take the blue mutant away. They tell me and wife, 'keep those who come there or they lock us up'." He sighs, sitting himself back down. "They come for Li Zhiang while I here, they will lock her up and nothing can be do for it."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
D leans over and whispers to Raine and Clarice, "Bianyi jingcha means Mutant Police."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Blue mutant, huh?" Clarice asks. She pulls out her phone - cracked screen and all - and does a quick image search for 'blue mutant.' Images of Beast, Nightcrawler, and Mystique all pop up from the search, and she holds the device out towards the man.
    "Li Zhiang - she the old woman?" Clarice asks. "They're gonna lock her up - just because we rabbited?"
    It doesn't really surprise her - there are a lot of assholes in this world.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
In her normal form, Rahne doesn't look like much. A bunch of kid mostly. She does turn and say, "He smells o' loss. Sadness, an' he be tired. Ah think we need tae take him at his word." That's what she's there for, after all. And it'd take a pretty good controller to get past her nose.

Then...she comes closer, and offers the old man her hands. "We be here tae help. All o' us."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The old man shakes his head, "I cannot seeing screen... no glasses." He pats himself down again just to make sure, but he doesn't seem to find the glasses. "Pretty woman, red hair, blue skin," he then offers, trying to describe her with what little English he has. "Yes, they lock Zhiang up and me, when I go back. We already criminals, have mutant son marked us for life, no more child allowed."

Again he sighs, looking down at the ground of the cell. "Many location for Bianyi Jingcha, all over china. Have to memorize locations, to prove loyalty."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice looks towards Rahne for a moment - then nods. This //is// why Rahne is here, and if the wolf-woman trusts the man's words... Popping her head out of the cell Clarice offers quietly, "Can you have some food and water brought for him? Thanks."
    She returns to the room, gesturing to D as she remarks, "If you want to speak Chinese you may. She'll translate." She takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly before she asks, "What do you mean, memorize locations to prove loyalty? Where can we find the Bianyi Jingcha?" She watches the man for a moment then offers, "If we find your wife, we'll bring her back here. Perhaps we can relocate you - to Genosha if you like?" Yes, she keeps dropping people on Genosha - but if they're being persecuted for having a mutant son...

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne is quiet. with Clarice here, there's no chance of the man believing that they need any further reason to be on the side of mutants, so she simply stays near the man and touches his arm, gently. She can understand, she can really understand. She's going to cry after this is over. And maybe throw up.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Li Hu looks up from the floor at Clarice, then over to D. It was easier to speak Mandarin, so that's what he does to explain. Seeming to rattle on and on to D, he finally falls quiet and sits back, looking over to Rahne and offering a very faint smile.

D remains all business, listens to every word and begins translating, speaking as the man, "We had a son nearly fifty years ago, Li Feng. He was a beautiful and smart boy, but he was a mutant. So the Mutant Police came, despite us trying to hide him, and took him away. We were marked as criminals, the lowest of the low, not allowed to have any other children and forced through a loyalty program to our government." She pauses here because he paused, then she continues as he does.

"All who have mutant children are sterilized as part of the program, then we learn where all the Bianyi Jingcha stations are throughout china, we have to be able to point out the name and location at any moment, so we can prove that if we see a mutant, we will report them, no matter where we are. Mutants are considered a gift to the Government, that is why they are taken away, to be raised loyal for the army, or so we are told."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Why sterlize them - if mutants are what they want? And they've been doing this for 50 years or more? Stealing children? Brainwashing them and forcing them into service? Anger, and frustration rises in Clarice, but she struggles to keep it contained. It only causes her voice to come out a bit more terse, and curt. "If we bring you a map of China, will you mark all the locations for us?" she asks simply.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne, still quiet, is here. Not much else right now. But she looks up at Clarice and squeezes the old man's hand gently.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Hu seems to grateful for Rahne's presence, as if he's been starved for attention and understanding for a very long time. He nods as he looks to Clarice and says, "Yes, I can marking them all, give names of all Captains." He tilts his head a little, "What is Genosha?"

D's eyes go completely white for a moment, just like H's had and then they return to normal. Her expression changes, from neutral to sadness before she leans over and whispers in Clarice's ear, <They caught his wife about an hour after we left and she has already been executed, used as an example. He is marked for execution when caught. H has managed to break into one of the Bianyi Jingcha computers and is gathering information as we speak.>

Stepping back, D looks to Li Hu and asks something in Mandarin, which he answers and she nods, "I asked what would have happened if they'd given their son to the Government willingly when they first found out, he replied they would have lived a life of luxury, wanting for nothing, but would have been used as constant breeders in attempts to get more mutants."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice stills for a moment, closing her eyes and lowering her head. Why hadn't they known about this sooner? How had this been allowed to continue for all of these years? Why hadn't the woman allowed her to- well. Of course she wouldn't have known what the javelin would do. Damnit.
    "Genosha is another country - far away from China. It's a free nation where all mutants and mutant-sympathizers are welcome," she explains. "You can start a new life there, and be free. But if you don't like it in Genosha, we can find somewhere else for you to stay. Here on the Asteroid, or in another free nation... We might be able to help you get refugee status in the United States," she explains.
    "If we ever find your son - how will we know him? What was his power?" It seemed unlikely they'd find the fifty-ish year old man, but she was willing to try.
    Looking to D she asks, "Is H looking for records about Li Feng?"

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne quietly hugs the old man, giving him something from her stores. She has a lot of love to give, this girl does, and even if she never says a thing she's going to have an effect.

"I'll visit ye there," she promises. "Ye should go." It's not a lot, but at the same time it's all she has the right to give. Herself, to someone who needs a helping hand right now.

Or a bazooka.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
D offers Clarice a nod before stepping away from her and looking back to Li Hu.

Again as the Hu speaks in Mandaran, she translates for him. "If I go home, they will lock me up. I would gladly accept any alternative to that. Can you find Zhiang, may she also come?" That was hard for D to translate, because she already knows the answer, but she has her business face back on.

"Feng could move things with his mind, they called it telekinesis. He was already quite strong by the time they found him, able to lift over two-hundred and twenty kilos." Her eyes shift to Rhane, "And he says he would love a visit from you Rahne, and muttered something about you being close to granddaughter age."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We will try to find your family," Clarice promises. "And if we do, we'll reunite you, you have my word." That's all she can offer for the moment. "We'll have someone work with you to get the locations of these 'Mutant Police' and the names of their captains." She looks to D, and Rahne. "Can you think of anything else useful we need to learn?" she asks.
    Honestly, she's glad Rahne is providing the poor man with some sort of comfort. They'd inadvertantly cost him everything.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne suddenly hugs the old man, trying to pretend that she's not going to cry. She was already close to it, and it's impossible to stop. So she cries, and she lets the old guy have a moment of peace. If that's something that she...that he will ever have again, in this lifetime.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
D shakes her head as she says, "I can think of nothing else. If there are no objections, I will take him to the map room to obtain the locations. It will be far easier there, and he can get a hot meal while we are there."

Hu offers Clarice a smile, but it's Rahne's hand he pats because she's there and in reach. When Rahne hugs him, he seems for a moment completely shocked and perhaps a little scared but then he hugs her back, looking a little helpless and patting her back.

D frowns now, and once again translates what Hu says, "I know that they have killed my wife, you are kind to try and spare me that knowledge. I can see it in your eyes, and in this young one's... tears. I am grateful for your generosity and kindness." Seems he doesn't blame them at all.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "They have," Clarice confirms quietly, before letting out a sigh. "I wanted to finish our conversation before we told you. Forgive me for that, but needed the information first. We intend to stop this from happening to anyone else, and we will try to find your son. If you have any other family members you think will be in danger, or who you think will want to leave China, let us know and we'll get them out. You've earned at least that much." Her tone remains calm and even - but her gaze is not without sympathy for the man.
    "For now - you'll be put up in guest quarters here. You'll have an escort for the time being - and ultimately, you can remain here, move to Genosha, or we can try to get you accepted by another nation of your choice. I'm sorry for your loss, sir."