[Hey guys just a quick note the encounter with Captain Zao has been tweaked a bit for this story. This is my first try at a one-shot, so hope you enjoy :)]
No matter how many times over the centuries he had looked over the old maps scattered across the holo-table situated in the middle of the Bridge of the ancient submarine, it hardly grew tiresome for Zao to study them over again. It was one of the very few things left that kept him sane other than the desire to return to his beloved China. The sapphire blue and white tinted holo-frame display showing the world and the oceans, highlighting the borders of nations and continents as well as red dots showcasing enemy positions, traps and routes not yet fully deemed safe to travel.
Only now it meant nothing.
The world he had known to his approximation of 210 years ago was gone, blown away to history in the hellish fires of nuclear weapons. It plagued him to this day for his part in it, albeit small but the results were no different. For two centuries the thick mushroom clouds of widespread death and destruction lingered in his dreams as he relived not only the demise of American city of Boston, but the horrid end humanity had brought on itself. The creaking of metal broke him from his thoughts as he stared up the ceiling of the Yangtze. The sound was a lot more frequent since departing from the port of Boston but the old ballistic sub was much like him in its stubborn refusal to die. The battle with Capitalist submarines on their arrival to the American coast, striking a sea mine and the long and painful years of exposure to radiation and seawater along with skirmishes with bandits attempting to board were finally beginning to take a toll on her aging hull.
Glancing back down to the holo-map Zao watched the green blip representing the Yangtze pass into the East China Sea and away from the annexed territory of Formosa, one of the first of a long list of territories the People's Liberation Army had invaded and conquered in the name of the People's Republic. Not that it mattered much any more anyway now since he doubted there was a People's Republic any longer. If America was now a radioactive, uncivilised land it was no question China shared the same ruinous fate.
Rubbing his tired eyes he gazed up to the wall opposite, at the torn and battered propaganda poster stuck above the long abandoned station of one of his dead crew. It was a common poster seen by all PLA servicemen and women before the end to human civilisation of three Army soldiers cautiously looking out over a mound in a snow laden landscape with the sun rising behind and a squadron of bombers flying above their position. The captions at the bottom read 'Onward To Victory'.
Victory.
Zao couldn't help but scoff at the message. What kind of victory ended in every nuclear armed country firing their payloads at each other, bombarding the Earth in nuclear fire bringing about the death of untold millions, even perhaps numbering in the billions. Zao was so pleased he was returning without any of those monstrosities on his vessel. The last thing the Motherland needed was those devil weapons to be put to any kind of use ever again.
He took his off his officer's cap and ran a hand across his hairless head, feeling the rough rotting texture of his skin the reactor leak had cursed upon his person. Zao had long wondered for a while now if the reactor leak was nature's way of paying him and his crew back for launching the Yangtze's nuclear armament. The radiation had infected each and every crew member, turning their skin into that of a decaying corpse and infesting their brain driving them to madness.
Why and how Zao was spared from their horrible fate he'd never know but watching the men and women he served with, his crew, his comrades, people he came to see as family turn into mindless beasts. It was heartbreaking having to see those under his command sculk below the Yangtze's lower levels snarling and gurgling like Jiangshi, their humanity cruelly stripped from them in such a cruel fashion. In some ways he was relieved they had lost all awareness of their surroundings, their conscious lost to insanity, never knowing the of aftermath of their orders had plunged civilisation into chaos.
For him nature had cursed him with a different punishment. While his skin became disfigured and flaked away by radiation like the others his sanity however remained intact, to bear witness to the horrors they had helped inflict on the world. He remembered bringing about the submarine safely into the harbour after being struck by a mine, raising the periscope out for threats above but was instead met by the raging inferno of one of the United States most historical cities.
Skyscrapers were burning and buildings crumbled to the ground in huge heaps, throwing up massive clouds of debris and dust. Mushroom clouds littered the landscape of Boston, rising all over the city like giant plumes of death over the detonation spots. He was the one who typed the codes to the nukes and pushed the button, followed his orders without question but it didn't stop his conscious and heart from questioning the launch of the Yangtze's ballistic payload. Thousands of souls perished under those clouds, from a simple push of a small red button over by the console near the weapons control systems.
Every time he closed his eyes he saw the hell on earth scene over and over the centuries, a torment that will forever be embedded in him until he joined his ancestors. Zao lost count on how old he was, guessing around 240 or so years of age. It wasn't possible for any normal human to live so long but he knew the radiation poisoning had to be the culprit for his longevity.
The long years dragged on as he watched behind the periscope the aftermath of Boston's destruction, a metropolis that Zao assumed was once bustling and enjoying the fruits of the capitalist dreams now turned to into a warzone between survivors, bandits and tall, green human like monsters. More than once his observations were spotted by bandits who got too close for comfort to investigate where the periscope was rising and lowering from. Those who had tried gaining entry he fought off with little trouble. There was no chance in Diyu those honourless, ill disciplined foreign devils were going to take the Yangtze from him.
Despite this he still watched behind the scope, everyday on the post apocalyptic goings on from within the relatively safe Bridge of the submarine. He had tried over the years to establish contact back in China but was always met with silence. It made him wonder if this was what Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and all other cities back home were like now, a lawless mess of people trying to pick up the scraps leftover by their ancestors foolish decisions in nuclear attrition.
There wasn't much he could remember seeing as noteworthy amongst the witnessing of skirmishes and pieces falling off the long disused buildings left to decay. It wasn't until recently before the departure from American shores Zao had two things he would remember from his lengthy stay in Boston. The boy who had for weeks been watching him through the periscope on the edge of a worn down dock and the stranger who helped set him on his return home.
When doing his usual sweep of the surrounding area, Zao turned the scope toward the docks finding a small boy who couldn't be more than nine or ten years of age staring back in a mix of awe and fear. The boy then ran away, leaving Zao confused by the child's actions but shrugged it off leaving him to resume his daily watch. The next day at the same time Zao searched over the landscape and again found the same boy back in the same spot, looking fearful but instead of running he remained put.
Over the weeks every time he rose the periscope out the waters above he found that same boy at the dock, looking back with no idea as to what he was seeing coming out the harbour below. Sometimes Zao saw the child attempt to throw objects at the periscope but they always fell short considering the distance, otherwise he would've been tempted to leave the sub and scare the mischievous child off.
Then one day as he turned the scope to the docks once again, instead of finding the boy standing there watching him as always Zao found the youngster looking up and talking with a tall, heavily armoured person. The boy pointed over in his direction, showing the metal man where he was located.
For a moment Zao was worried about the child's safety having witnessed the horrors people committed against each other for past two centuries. To his relief the armoured giant did nothing to harm the young observer and instead turned his attention over to the submerged Yangtze. Fire and smoke suddenly appeared out the back of the being and then he flew off the dock, out of the periscope's sight and ability to move further upward.
It wasn't until Zao heard the loud clang from a heavy object up top to know where the metal man went. He grabbed his Shanxi Type 17 pistol and officer sword and stood ready for the would be boarder. The sound of the hatched being spun and opened caused him to tightened his hold on the sword's grip and his index finger on the pistol's trigger on the other hand. Zao remained where he was as he heard the heavy footed landing followed then by the re-closing of the hatch, prepared to defend his Yangtze to the death if need be.
He watched the bulkhead open up in anticipation for the foreigner to emerge. As the bulkhead opened up it revealed the armoured man again, walking in with no weapon in and stopped briefly as they saw him standing there at the controls. Zao eyed the stranger, who was donning a military green power armour suit he recognised from the reports over the Americans deploying them in Anchorage and their counter invasion of China. His weapon, a long barreled laser rifle of some kind was attached to his back and pistol in a holster to his right. The stranger didn't make a move for either.
It gave Zao pause and lessen his threatening stance. The stranger's own stance was non threatening, giving him hope this was the first time someone outside his sub came in peace. The stranger asked for who he was to which Zao gave him his rank and name as well as that of the Yangtze, though he said her name with more pride than being a Captain of the Chinese Navy and he cared not if the newcomer was to insult him but did if he directed his curses to his boat. Zao in return asked the same question in a mix of Mandarin and translating words into English, asking the purpose for why he came aboard and if he was looking for treasures or loot to plunder he was in no luck for such highly sought possessions in this ancient vessel.
The stranger had introduced himself as Nate and he had come to investigate the apparent 'monster' the boy at the dock was telling him about. Zao couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, understanding now why the child was frightened at first and kept throwing objects toward his qianting. Needless to say this Nate person was completely shocked to find he'd and the Yangtze have been floating under the harbour for over 200 years since the War ended. Although Zao had known his lengthy stay, hearing somebody else say it aloud brought astonishment.
Explaining how he came to be where he was, it dawned on Zao that this American could help in his quest to fix the sub and finally return home. At first Nate was sceptical at his request for aid. Zao could understood why, after all they barely knew each other. But for him he had to use the resources at his disposal and because this was the first time somebody other than raiders had boarded his vessel in peace, shown a level of respect to him and his Yangtze.
Nate questioned on what he would do once the sub was repaired if he were to help. Zao could hear the tone of hesitation in his voice, seeing as for all he knew the flesh rotting man in front of him was a crazed fanatic still willing after all these years wanted to destroy the old enemy of a nation destroyed in the same fashion as the rest of the world.
In a mixture of hope and enthusiasm Zao told him he was to return home, to do anything he could to help rebuild China, house by house. If not he would die in peace on the sacred soil of his homeland, his jia. His sincerity to his relief won over the American, Nate as he agreed to help, proclaiming he was at his disposal. Zao was glad the Ancestors finally granted him with a bit of luck.
Wasting no time he explained if the reactor was fixed then there would be enough power for the Yangtze to finally set sail again but he was in need of fuel and a new damping coil. Having been residing in the sub for so long Zao had learned near off by heart the wartime intelligence reports given before they had set sail to the Atlantic, so he knew one place for certain to have a replacement coil was the Saugus Ironworks. The question came of why he hadn't repaired the submarine himself throughout the years since the War's end.
Zao admit he was content to stay where he was but over time the more he thought of China, his zu guo, the more he wanted to return home and find out what had become of his nation. However leaving the Yangtze would of been certain death for him and his boat. There was no way he would allow raiders to set foot on her, pull her apart and destroy her showing no ounce of respect.
The stranger nodded, calling by his rank to which Zao scolded him for using it such causal terms. He may of have agreed to help but he was not this Nate person's Captain. Even after all these years he took his rank and responsibility seriously. After the American left he went about fixing the Bridge controls, working away with a new found spirit as hope filled his mind and heart at the prospect of finally returning home. Thankfully he hadn't the need to request findings tools and parts to fix the controls with them all stored away in different levels of the submarine. The only hard part of his job was walking by those lost and degrading souls who once his crew.
A day had passed and Zao began thinking the American was not coming back, feeling his hope starting to fade and dream turned to dust when to his relief and delight he came back with a floating robot in tow. In its pincers was the damping coil that looked as if it had just come straight from the factory assembly line. Next on the list of repairs had been where he could locate nuclear fuel for the reactor so the Yangtze could actually get moving.
His new capitalist friend had questioned where he would get hold of such a thing, considering any kind of nuclear fuel on the outside was long gone or leak all over the landscape. The answer had literally laid below deck in the silo room, still untouched and residing inside the high yield kiloton SLBM warhead having failed to launch with the rest of it's destructive brethren. Zao explained this and of his role it bringing the untold death toll and nuclear fire he brought on Boston, living with the horror and shame of dutifully following orders that brought an end to the world as he knew it.
The stranger said nothing at this, remaining silent as Zao told him of his actions. Even the machine who had accompanied him twisted it's three eyes at him waiting for a response but still there was silence. He couldn't exactly blame the American for any anger he may or may not of been bubbling up inside him over this confession. For a moment Zao was sure Nate was going to pull his laser rifle and pull the trigger at him but that worrying thought never came to pass. Instead he quizzed him why hadn't got the fuel himself.
He told him he was to ready the reactor while he went down and collected the fuel. Zao had then warned him of the danger down there, of his irradiated and deforming crew still lurking below decks. They may of not harmed him but he was certain they would kill the American on sight. In all his years stuck in the harbour Zao could never bring himself around to put his old crew out of their misery, Even if they appeared as nothing more than mindless beasts they were still his crew, his command...his family, jian ren. But he knew the man had to do what must be done to get the fuel so he can get the Yangtze running.
Nate nodded and left for the deck where the nuke was located with his robotic companion in tow. Zao had been typing at the reactor terminal getting it ready when he heard the faint blasting of laser fire and snarling from the end of the walkway. He felt his heart clench in anguish and eyes close in sorrow at the sound of the men and women he once commanded, sat down and ate with talking about a range of different topics other than their war with the capitalists, and he had personally promised to return home to their families being put down like the animals they had become.
At least he took some small comfort knowing they were now with their Ancestors instead of rotting away on this forsaken world. Soon there was no more gunfire, only eerie silence whilst he had worked on getting the reactor operational and safety protocols in check. It wasn't long after he heard the loud clamping of footsteps coming from down the walkway and Nate appeared behind him with the robot again with the warhead. Asking if there was difficulty obtaining it, his question was met the bad humour Americans supposedly found funny about gaining new superpowers from the radiation and poor choice of clothing.
Zao had scoffed at the 'joke' Nate had told, telling him even if 200 years have passed their taste in humour was still bad. What he did find funny about the Americans was their so called 'liberation' of Anchorage, a joke he still laughed at to this day. Although he couldn't take his own country's invasion of Alaska as seriously.
He had then gave the last set of instructions on getting the reactor to work, all joking aside as this had been the last and most dangerous part. If Nate didn't put the parts in the correct order his dream of returning to China would of been a short lived one. Thankfully the American proved his competence yet again by carefully inserting the damping coil in the correct way and placing the warhead into the reactor. The power levels were sound and for the first time in over two centuries Zao felt joy swell his aging, long pained heart, the sight of illuminated blue glow of the reactor such a strange but welcoming sign all was ready to go.
A smile had cracked on his decaying face as all thoughts were now of home but he remembered the American behind him and knew the capitalist way was payment for his services. Instead Nate had waved him off saying he was glad he could help out but Zao didn't feel it was right for all his hard work to go without some kind of compensation. His people's way was to reward service with service. Leaving the foreigner for a second he headed to the armoury and collected three homing transponders, giving them over to Nate and explaining their use of firing small but powerful tactical nukes Yangtze still had in her arsenal.
He was grateful for the gift but Nate had wondered why he would give him use of his missiles so freely. Over the years and reliving the nightmare of seeing Boston destroyed over and over in his dreams Zao had grown disdain for the weapons of mass destruction and wished not to bring their cataclysmic fire back to China. On the plus side Zao told him in an ironic chuckle they could one day 'Save his bacon'.
Bidding the American farewell Zao thank the man one last time, admitting he had met worst capitalists before and was glad to finally meet one who had some level of honour.
And after all that hard work he was finally close to goal... home.
As expected the journey was at time difficult and Zao had been worried the Yangtze wouldn't hold together. He crossed the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, through the disused and lifeless Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean to get to where he was now, a long trek that was perilous 200 years ago dodging enemy patrols and avoiding submarine traps belonging to other capitalists and their puppet nations. It was only from the honed skills of himself and his crew they were able to bypass these threats. Zao knew he must of set off half a dozens alarms through the journey but he highly doubted the personnel who once sat at the monitors were there anymore to call his submarine's presence.
Now however Zao doubted half these threats existed anymore, other than the threat of striking another sea mine or colliding into wreckage. It was both a haunting and lonely voyage for him to endure, with only his hands and the few auto piloted consoles steering them back home instead of his deceased crew. Maybe due to madness or out of habit he called out a command only to be met with cold hard silence, realisation hitting him no one of the Yangtze's old crew will ever answer his orders ever again.
Whilst still sailing through the Atlantic Zao took the time to gather the bodies of the crew and lay them out in the mess hall, draping blankets over their deceased bodies. The most shocking one Zao found was his First Mate Jian who he had found in the silo room. Jian was so badly irritated and deformed Zao wouldn't of recognised him if it wasn't for the officer cap still on his head. He remembered the young and promising man Jian was, popular and respected by everyone aboard and a hard worker, never afraid to get his hands dirty. What saddened Zao more was the fateful trip was the first Jian had been away from his newlywed wife. He hoped perhaps they were now both finally together again in the afterlife.
Jian's body was covered in the red and yellow starred flag of the People's Republic. As much as Zao preferred to drape each in his comrades in the Five-star Red flag there was only one and he thought it fitting for Jian to hold the honour of resting in peace with banner of their Motherland. Soon they were to be buried in her sacred soil.
A persistent beeping from a nearby console broke from his dwelling, bring his focus to his present surroundings. Going over to the noisy console Zao read off the terminal screen the Yangtze was coming up to set coordinates he had set into the navigation computer. Glancing back at the holomap he realised from all his thinking of his time in America and the American Nate who helped repair his sub, the Yangtze was closing in on Shanghai.
Bringing up the periscope he could make the coast of his long lost country. So joyous was Zao at seeing the land of China again he didn't notice the stray tear falling down his cheek. The sub steered itself toward the harbour but upon closer inspection he found the Yangtze would be unable to find somewhere to dock from the wreckage of ships, junks and other debris that clogged up the entrance. Seeing no way to get through thanks to the wreckage of two large cargo freighters completely blocking the mouth of the bay he changed the submarine's heading to travel up the Huangpu river, in hope the small harbour there had some place to dock.
Sailing up the river that ran through the heart of the jewel of China, the city dubbed by the capitalist West as the 'Paris of the Orient' Zao looked once again into the periscope. Zao knew the nuclear hell China had unleashed on to the United States the Americans would certainly return the favour in kind, and seeing the aftermath of Boston's demise he assumed Chinese cities would be gone too.
But with all assumptions he was still taken aback what he saw through the scope. His beloved Zhongguo was gone.
Shanghai, the city once seen as a symbol of advancement of his people and had been occupied by the Americans in their counter invasion after Anchorage, appeared to be a lifeless husk. Like Boston much of the infrastructure was either destroyed, crumbling or no longer in existence. There was only so much he could see with the periscope but it didn't take much to know the city had taken a beating from the nuclear oblivion.
He heard the scraping of metal from the Yangtze's hull ringing in his ear as they hit something but it soon went as she broke through. Zao pondered on all the souls that were vanquished from the fires and explosions, dead or dying under the mushroom clouds that would of littered the landscape. Of the billion of citizens who once populated China, Zao wondered how many must have perished and how many were lucky enough to escape and shelter from the bombardment. Very little, the aging Captain grimly thought.
Twisting the scope to the front of the sub he could see the whole Huangpu and to his relief the harbour. An old broken up junk and a number of fishing boats were crammed against each other in one of the docks and a small cargo ship was at another by a pair of battered cranes but luckily Zao spotted one free big enough for the Yangtze to fit.
Turning off the auto control he took over steering the sub, careful bringing her in avoiding the debris and damaged boats. He heard a few objects clanging against the hull but with great handling Zao docked the Yangtze into harbour. He released a sigh and ran a hand down his tired eyes, slowly rising from his seat at the controls and going back over the periscope he had locked his eyes into for untold number of time since he been command of the ballistic submarine.
Scanning for any signs of trouble or concerns on the outside Zao twisted the scope anticlockwise in a full 360 degree turn, finding it to be devoid of life but a gut feeling was telling him otherwise. It would be a great shame he had travelled thousands of miles to finally reach China to find he was unable to to disembark from the Yangtze safely in fear of raiders or other unsavoury characters who mistake her for rich pickings. Grabbing his pistol and attaching his sword and sheath to his waist Zao headed over toward the exit hatch behind the Bridge.
Before climbing up he released a deep breath through his nose, feeling somewhat nervous he was about to walk once again on the land of his people. How the survivors of the bombs were going to treat him however was going to be another issue.
Climbing up the yellow stepped ladder he turned the hatch, pushing it upward and was immediately greeted by sunlight peeking into the sub. Zao stepped out of the sub for the first time in what felt like an eternity since he last saw natural light with his own eyes. He turned to the city that was once the busy, most populated but foreign occupied Shanghai, now nothing but a shell of it's former glory and took out his binoculars looking through at what was left.
Gazing at the Pudong skyline further down the river he could make out the famous landmarks of the city, the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Jin Mao and Shanghai Towers and the People's Financial Centre dwarfing all the buildings below. All remained standing but battered and bruised, disfigured by an external force and left to crumble. The spheres of the Oriental Pearl had large chunks missing exposing the insides to the air, the top of the Jin Mao no longer standing and presumably shattered on the roads below. The glass faces of the Financial building and Shanghai Tower appeared to be shattered and cracked with signs of battle damage too scaring the once proud skyscrapers that drew envy from foreign states over their futuristic looking architecture.
Realisation hit Zao that he was staring at Old China, a China that had once been a superpower that once rivalled the capitalist empire of the United States. What his country had become now he would soon find out once he came across any inhabitants. Lowering his binoculars he turned back to the Yangtze to close the hatch when he caught something in the corner of his eye move behind a metal crate a few metres away. Zao placed a hand over his pistol as he cautiously approached the crate, keeping his eyes peeled and checking the distance to the sub in case trouble came around the corner.
Reaching the crate he leant over about to pull his gun out, only to flinch slightly in surprise when a small boy jumped from cover behind the metal box. The child couldn't of been more than eight years old and dressed in raggedy clothing, his eyes filled with confusion at fear at his presence. For a brief moment the boy reminded of the youngster who had for days on end observed him from the platform back in Boston
"Oh, hello there young one" Zao chuckled loosening his grip off the pistol "Is there somebody I could speak to around here. It has been awhile since I last in Shanghai"
The boy remained dumbfounded for a second, fear still lingering in his young eyes over what to do next. Suddenly he nodded then ran out of sight, shouting over to a building down the end of the dock.
"Father, Father!. There is a man from the Water Dragon!"
Water Dragon?, Zao pondered over what the child meant. He looked back seeing only the Yangtze behind, when he realised the boy may have mistaken her for monster much like the American child did. It was a thought he found amusing that two different children from lands so far apart had the same mind trek as each other.
His attention was soon drawn to the building again when a man dressed in dirt and oil stained clothes appeared from one of the doors, presumable the boy's father watching his child run to him. The younger of the two stopped as he reach the elder, pointing over to him their conversation out of Zao's hearing range. The man looked to where the boy was pointing and stared over at him, his eyes widening then speaking back to his son placing a hand on his back as he hurried him off somewhere.
Zao frowned at the action then saw the boy disappear from sight and the man approach with gun. Upon closer inspection he found it to be a double barreled shotgun once he was a few feet away from his position.
"Greetings-"
"Who are you and what are you doing in my harbour, zombie-devil" The man interrupted raising his shotgun, glaring at him with suspicion.
"I am Zao. I have just arrived back from a very long voyage" Zao said remaining vigilant, holding his hands out in a sign of peace "I mean you no harm"
"We shall see. You will stay here until Imperial soldiers will know what to do with you" A hundred questions raced through around in Zao's head over the man's words. Any questions involving those thoughts were halted by the sound of heavy footsteps coming from the same direction the man pointing the gun had came from.
Seeing the source of the rushing footsteps Zao felt his eyes involuntary widened as squad of six men came running over in armoured attire that caused Zao to think for a second he was seeing ghosts. The armed men were dressed in armour and possessed helmets that had an eerie resemblance to ancient Chinese soldiers, only with a more modern touch of metal plating mixed with leather attachments. They circled around him all pointing the same standard Type 93 Assault rifles PLA forces used before the War.
"Place all weapons on the floor now, zombie-devil!" One barked at him, using the same insult the harbour worker had called him. Doing as ordered Zao pulled his pistol from his holster dropping it on the floor then his sword. Looking ahead he saw two more people arriving, one in heavier armour and the other a woman in clean and smart clothes like an Old China businesswoman.
What surprised Zao more was the woman looked young, barely in her twenties as she stepped in line with the other soldier who behind him was the boy. Remaining calm over the confrontation he kept his hands up a little to continue showing he was no threat to these people, hoping his return home wasn't going to end in such a way.
"Who are you stranger?" The woman ordered, her voice full of authority that didn't match her age.
"I am Zao, Captain of the submarine Yangtze-31, officer of the People's Liberation Army Navy" His declaration caused a stir amongst the small crowd, noticing the expressions of shock and confusion on the soldiers faces.
"Well, Captain Zao" The woman spoke with uncertainty in her voice "In case you have not noticed, there is no People's Liberation Army and People's Republic anymore. That era is long gone"
"So it would seem" Zao glanced back to the city skyline.
"Where have you come from?" She persisted with her questioning.
"I have been trapped in American waters since the civilisations end. It is only until recently I have managed to bring myself and the Yangtze home"
"Wait, you have been out there for over two hundred years?" The soldier next to the woman asked in astonishment.
"Yes" Zao saw the revelation was deeply shocking to them all.
"After all these years, how and why have you returned to China now?" The woman quizzed, her observing eyes not leaving his person.
"How is a long story. I returned in hope I could help rebuild China, house by house if need be, to bring her back to her former glory"
"Is that so?"
"Yes, seeing the Motherland in the state she is in pains me" Her eyes softened at his words, her stern stance loosening a little. Silence befell them for moment as the woman stayed quiet, as if she was deciding the next course of action and his fate.
To Zao's relief she nodded to the soldier beside her.
"Lower your weapons" The man ordered, clearly an officer by his tone of authority.
"It appears we have something in common Captain. My name is Mei, I'm a representative of the Hong Empire and this is Lieutenant Han of the Imperial Army" This Mei woman introduced herself and the officer, who saluted him "Our goal is the unification of China since the Nuclear War has torn our country apart. Sadly Shanghai is one of the many cities that have devolved into barbarity and war, and it is our duty to restore order and protect the innocent citizens caught in the Warlords crossfire"
Zao was at a loss for opened his mouth but words failed to form over the information she had given, having some difficulty taking it all in. An Empire built on dynasties, warlords splitting regions apart and yet more war. Something things never change, Zao sighed inwardly at the prospect of China repeating history.
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation in more appropriate surroundings" Mei suggested indicated a hand toward the exit of the harbour to whatever safe location she and the others had.
"Wait. My Yangtze, what will become of her" He asked holding back the fear that started to swell at the idea of being separated from his boat with people he didn't fully understand and trust as of yet. The young woman then turned to the officer.
"Lieutenant, nobody is to board the vessel and access is strictly limited to the Captain and...is there anybody else aboard?"
"No, my crew are gone" Zao said with sorrow, dropping his gaze from the representative. When he gazed back up he saw her eyes soften in sympathy.
"I am sorry. But come, we must talk with the diplomatic and military command of your presence here. I'm sure hearing the tales of a lost son's long return home will cause a great level of attention" A smile crept on to her face as she lead the way. Behind them he could hear the Lieutenant relay Mei's orders.
There was so much new information in Zao's mind he had trouble thinking over it all. He expected to find China in a similar state to America but the post so called 'Nuclear War' aftermath was something he didn't ever of dreamt of, but then again he never dwelled on what life would be like in his homeland now. It was clear there was many hardships out here and it would take a long time before China would even remotely feel civilised again. All this however would be solved in the future whether with the help of this Hong Empire or not.
For now Zao was content. For so long he wanted this moment to be real and he would forever be in debt to that American. Through it all he suffered many heartbreaks with the loss of his crew and enduring the radiation poisoning that made him appear as the man he was now, a zombie-devil to these people.
But he didn't care. He was finally home.