The Solution (2nd Edition)

Chapter 16 - With A Little Help From My Friends - Chon

Aboard the supersonic flight, we didn't even have the chance to settle as we usually would. Instead, we were on edge as the VG pilot coasted our solar-powered craft along the Nur-Sultan stratosphere, until cleared for landing. "Passengers, VG-Voyager has now been given the green light for our descent into Yesil District. As always, please accept our apologies for the bumpy finale. Down there, you'll have highs of eighteen degrees Celsius - sixty-four degrees Fahrenheit, and at the moment, it's humid - with unusually strong breezes. Aside from that, you'll have sunshine and clear blue skies until dusk. Thank you for flying 'VG' and we'll see you soon."

    "Hopefully not 'too soon'," Sarah grimaced with an achy jaw. Despite having a good refresher on breathing technique, she'd still blacked out, and ground her teeth until a steward assisted her. The Loc-Jaw had happened moments after the firing sequence drop from the mothership, which always churned my stomach.

    "Sarah, are you kiddin' me?" Mikey hissed, tugging his G-Suit lapels. "I forgot how good four gee feels! Seriously, I hope The Solution happens and that we're all eligible after The Draft!"

    "Sure, big guy, Earth looked amazing," I offered. "But if The Solution goes ahead; and if we pass The Medical; then we'll be put through far more rigorous paces for official pre-flight prep... I'm sure the centrifuge and altitude chamber training will change us. Literally..."

    Mikey and Sarah lowered their heads for a second, probably thinking about the physical ramifications of the possible mass exodus.

    As VG-Voyager broke into the turbulent troposphere, Sarah and I braced again.

    Meanwhile, Mikey refused to sit still and lifted open one of the window's circular shutters. Angelically, it let in a perfect contrast of azure and cerulean blue, as we plummeted through the Kazakh skyline.

    Despite the forces on our bodies, Sarah and I were also drawn to it.

    "L-Look," Mikey prompted while juddering. "There's the observation Tower of Bayterek. It's still so s-shiny, even after all these y-years."

    "And there's the Ishim River," Sarah added. "I'm glad to s-see it still flowing, and not dried out c-completely."

    I'd nodded in agreement.

    A short while later, we'd exited Astana International and reached our new destination - the perimeter of Akorda Palace. Situated behind us, it was protected by an armed battalion of A.I.S.U's and human soldiers which made up the republican guard.

    "Great, just great," I whined, while battling the ferocious breeze. "It doesn't matter that we're one of the first teams here - nothing's happening. No sign of Lebedev, whatsoever."

    "And sorry to say it," Mikey added, "but things might not improve. Look who's just showed up..."

    As Sarah and I twisted our necks, we saw Carla Dwyer and Myagi Koisuni approaching.

    It was the last thing we needed.

    "G'day, guys," Carla buzzed. "Any action yet?"

    "No, nothing," Sarah snapped.

    "Not to worry," Carla waved off. "Us dingos can wait all day! After all, Madame President Aurora Lebedev can't hide forever!" The Australian spun on her heels and signaled for her team to set up right next to us with a finger.

    I loved the Australian spirit. But when it came to Carla, I wished she'd just 'rack off'.

    Next, Myagi moved towards me. This was until Mikey put an arm out across the little man's chest. "That's close enough," he growled. "Talk."

    "Okay, okay," he whined. "Listen, guys. I just want to say that I'm sorry. I know I've been a pest of late. It's just, The Solution's been the biggest story of my career and such opportunities are hard to come by. No hard feelings?"

    Taking on the conscience of my fùqīn, I stepped in front of Mikey and answered Myagi. "Sure, no hard feelings." Despite Mikey and Sarah holding relative grudges, hate was something I knew wasn't worth harboring.

    Soon after, the growing media crowd became animated as the Chinese presidential hovercade approached.

    Lee and Xen had arrived.

    Moreover, it wasn't me who'd noticed. It was Sarah, who was also kind enough to snap me out of another daydream about my deceased father. Once I'd come around, I watched as the media community and paparazzo drones blazed forwards with head starts!

    "C'mon, guys! Let's move!" Carla squealed.

     "Targets acquired! Pursue!" one of the drones hummed.

    "Chon, let's go-let's go!" Sarah screeched, as she and Mikey tried to drag me in hot pursuit.

    But I hesitated and pulled back. "No!" I protested. "Sarah - Mikey - Xen's smart! He knows we're here, and I'm sure he'll expect the renegades to swamp the hovercade up ahead! I know it sounds crazy, but let's just hold our position in front of the palace!"

    Stunned, Mikey and Sarah dematerialized their equipment, potentially confused about what kind of epiphany I might've had.

    "Are you sure?" Mikey challenged. He grabbed his Ponytail in frustration. "No one's ever done anythin' like this..."

    "I know, big guy, I know - that's why it's going to work!"

    The incoming hovercade slowed dramatically. Once the three CPC hovermousines came to a complete stop, the swarming media crowd bore the brunt of fierce gales and engulfed them fifty meters away. Aggressively, fists and plastic nodes then thumped the static of the blacked-out holo-windows.

    Meanwhile, behind Mikey, Sarah, and I, the Kazakh battalion leaped into action! We turned and observed them moving around hastily! With precision, they'd collectively opened the political compound and created a narrow throughfare. The media crowd was completely drawn away from the palace entrance. It was only us in proximity. As I'd foreseen, holding our position had served us well! In unison, the three hovermousines revved their hovercells. Collectively, this caused a miniature shockwave which pushed the media drones backwards - and threw the media personnel down onto their asses! In an act of karma, this included Carla and her team. Once the media community was incapacitated, the hovercade power-drifted towards us and the doors to the last hovermousine dematerialized. "You three; quick; jump in!" It was the leader of Xen's entourage, and we bundled in like getaway drivers from a looted scene. Once inside, the door rematerialized. Flustered and limp, we flounced around for a moment or two, until the Seatstreams beeped for holobelt initiation. Then as they draped over us for the shortest ride ever, Mikey, Sarah, and I received a four-way com-link.

    It was Xen.