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In a dystopian China blighted by climate change, a troubled genius sets out to save mankind and redeem his family's honor, but not if his enemies have anything to do with it...
By 2048 climate change is deadly and threatens the existe...
In a landscape that was desolate and untouched, something foreign stirred amid the bitter cold. It was a metallic sphere, and thawing heat had begun to emanate from it. Subsequently, the small star shuttle melted snow and ice from the surrounding taiga. Steam was conjured, too, which ghosted skywards.
Inside the shuttle, its operating system became functional. Then it conducted a rudimentary scan. Almost immediately, it had picked up two life signatures.
Next, it began processing data on its holoscreen display...
Injuries: mild concussion, heavy bruising, broken ankle.
Despite suffering a deep grogginess, Chon managed to open his eyes. A desperate gasp for air, followed. Moreover, Chon could not help but hold the side of his head. "...What did I do to deserve the, hangover of a lifetime," he groaned, drearily. "And what the hell is that light? Where, am I?"
Chon disengaged the orbital Seatstream and leaned forward from his pod seat. Understandably, sharp pain shot up from below, accompanied by soreness from all over. "Arrgghh! What the...?" Once Chon had shaken off the excruciation, he squinted at the display.
"Oh great," he quipped. "That's why I'm in such a bad way. But I can't complain. Sarah and Skye, I'm still alive." After his acknowledgement, Chon suddenly remembered that he had not traveled alone.
"Mùqīn!" he thundered, as concern moved through him, "are you okay?"
But as Chon shifted in his pod seat, he received no response.
Furthermore, his gaze was not cast upon his mother, directly...
Instead, it was cast over an opaque holofield of some sort. "Shit. Something's not right!" he blasted, all while staring into the cold synergy doffed above her body. "Okay, Chon, don't panic. Just think..."
In good taste, my youngest son heeded his own advice and began to search his surroundings. This only went on for a second or two, until Chon looked at the display again. "Hmm," he grumbled, contemplatively.
Holoscreens worked on a responsive basis, and users needed to be conscious, especially when sharing screens. Nevertheless, my beloved Laina, was calculated. Therefore, it was a given that she would have programed our sons and niece as override users, in order to activate her Fuji-Apple biotec. Chon shifted his finger across the holoscreen, and naturally, his index unlocked a display of touchable icons. "Thank Huányīn." It had only taken moments of probing before Chon had found the icon labeled, 'SS-CSP'... Upon accessing it, a third piece of information beamed outward.
Star Shuttle Triangulation Point - Update
Tracking Beacon: damaged, offline, unable to transmit to Baikonur.
Location: Old Russia, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal,
Surroundings: automatic hail acknowledged, Scandinavian rescue team approaching...
"Again, thank you, Huányīn! Your salvation is a godsend! But none of it means anything if I can't save mùqīn!"
It was at that point that the Lord Emperor spoke to me with, finality. Our bargain had come to an end. And so, before I ascended to the Sanctuary of Souls within his Spirit Realm, he granted me a farewell whisper, that I was proud to share with Chon. "Little Dragon, to save mùqīn, one must think like mùqīn..."
Chon looked above.
And it was my hope that he could see me.
Nevertheless, physical manifestation was forbidden for spirits.
Instead, my whisper came to Chon as an epiphany, and galvanized, my son looked back to his mother, as I finally floated away to join the rest of my fathers. "...To save her, I must think like her...?" Once the second lightbulb had illuminated Chon's mind, he revisited the touchable icon, pushing it for a second time.
Then, came the revelation, that he had longed to know.
Terminal Condition: malignant tumor of the frontal lobe; Cold Cloud continues to stunt growth of cancerous cells; Phase One of The Shadow Project, successful.
Chon was brought to tears by what he had read. "M-Mùqīn," he whimpered with a genuine sadness. "You never told me. You never said a word. What have you been through? And for how long?"
Before Chon could wrangle answers for his questions, more contemplation followed. "Oh my god..." he breathed, still glaring over his matriarch. "...I think I understand it all now. I'd overheard the mention of SS-CSP, years ago. You'd known back then. You and Cassius had planned this from the very start, hadn't you...?"
"...Indeed, we had," the man himself answered over an incoming transmission.
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"However, Chon, your māma is the true architect of SS-CSP. In case the World-Ender got the better of her, I merely reconfigured my cryogenic technology, so that it would work within the confines of a Star Shuttle."
Chon was caught off guard and flinched a little, startled by the new presence. "Cas, is that you?"
The Elder nodded.
"Wow," Chon buzzed. "I just can't believe this!"
"Well, Chon, you can. Also, know that Laina is okay, for now. Dr. Thunberg of The Nordic Realm has cryo-medics among the rescue team who are almost with you. And, I've authorized them clearance to be able to assist with a physical check of her vitals. If all goes well, we'll get you and Widow Lai back to Baikonur as soon as possible."
"And after that?" Chon asked.
"You'll both head back up here to your family. A UNity Shuttle will bring you. Lastly, upon your return, Suki will bring you up to speed on Phase Two of our Shadow Project..."
"Cas, how so?"
"Chon, by revealing the 'Ace of Spades'..."
As the realm of Earth closed itself off to me, I'd clung to Chon's words, hoping he was smiling like he had always done so as a boy. "Mùqīn. We might just get a happy ending after all."
