(It is three years later. Saigon has been renamed Ho Chi Minh City. A
street pageant is celebrating the glorious victory of North Vietnam and
the Third Anniversary of Reunification.)

FIRST GROUP
on silent feet it came
breathing a sheet of flame, it came
closing in on its rightful prey
burning a hundred years away

the morning of the dragon truth lit up the street
the tiger we were stalking walked on paper feet
and in the clear white heat of dawn
was gone. . .

FIRST GROUP SECOND GROUP
from every door they came victory
these children born of war, they came victory
sharing a secret word, which they victory
waited a hundred years to say

FIRST GROUP SECOND GROUP
the morning of the dragon truth lit the morning of the dragon all the
[up the street [walls fell down
the tiger we were stalking walked brother greeted brother in a
[on paper feet [sudden light
and in the clear white heat of dawn and in the endless night
it's gone was gone

FIRST GROUP SECOND THIRD GROUP
on silent feet it came victory may all our children learn
breathing a sheet of flame, it came victory
closing in on its rightful prey victory the tide of right will turn
burning a hundred years away

FIRST GROUP
the morning of the dragon truth lit up the street
the tiger we were stalking walked on paper feet
and in the clear white heat of dawn
was gone. . .

(two soldiers enter with the ENGINEER)

ENGINEER
three years of school was nice
in rice fields, planting rice
you did good work you see
re-educating me

SOLDIERS
who lives a lie must change or die

ENGINEER
three years - how quick they moved
look how the world's improved
Saigon, that queen of sin
renamed for Ho Chi Minh

SOLDIERS
who lives a lie must change or die

ENGINEER
but men, will always be men
they washed out my brain
I'm still who I am
deep inside, I know what I know
wherever I go, I speak Uncle Ho
and think Uncle Sam

SOLDIER #1
your name is Trahn Van Dinh

ENGINEER
at your service

SOLDIER #1
you're called the Engineer

ENGINEER
yes sir

SOLDIER #1
the people's commissar

ENGINEER
am I free?

SOLDIER #1
has ordered you back here

SOLDIERS
who lives a lie must change or die

(THUY, now the people's commissar, enters)

SOLDIER #2
we found the man that you wanted so bad

SOLDIER #3
and Commissar, you were perfectly right

SOLDIER #2
he had been take up north to a camp

SOLDIER #3
we brought him down under cover of night

SOLDIER #2
once he had served the American clique

SOLDIER #3
selling our sisters and daughters for gold

SOLDIER #2
notice we caught him in less than a week

SOLDIER #3
when we get orders we do what we're told

THUY
alright, alright
that's it, that's all
you've done your job
that's it
now go back
I'll take over now

(the soldiers leave)

THUY
Kim. . .
find my cousin for me
I know she worked for you
you knew who her friends were
one of them is the clue
sniff her out, you know how
think now what would she do?

ENGINEER
I never saw her again
I am a different man
I've been enlightened since then

but. . .
men must help other men
and seeing it's you
I'll work to the bone

THUY
I'll give you 48 hours
if you want to stay free
don't come back here alone

(the ENGINEER leaves)

THUY and SOLDIERS
FIRST GROUP SECOND THIRD GROUP
on silent feet it came victory may all our children learn
breathing a sheet of flame, it came victory
closing in on its rightful prey victory the tide of right will turn
burning a hundred years away

FIRST GROUP
the morning of the dragon truth lit up the street
the tiger we were stalking walked on paper feet
and in the clear white heat of dawn
was gone. .