The Solution (2nd Edition)

Xen

Inside UN headquarters, emergency talks which I had prompted, were finally coming to a close, with the collective din of voices, lowering. But frustratingly for the project heads of my team, not even the current Super Storm seemed to give our cause a galvanized edge. Nevertheless, I'd taken another combustible breath, and tried to blast home my point. "Fellow Council Delegates, Seymour was our final warning," I insisted. "And I don't know how else we can express this. My team and I feel that the World-Ender storm draws even closer as Mother Nature continues to churn, ready to release more angered Gaia. Our ability to live is what is at stake.

    "Via The Vote, all that we're asking is for The Result to be verified, and published now, as it stands. If confidence is more than fifty per cent, we would like to swiftly start and finish The Recall; The Lottery Draft; and The Medical of Phase One. Then internationally, initiate Phase Two of The Solution. Regarding construction, there is lots of logistics to implement, and the sooner the better." Lee stood next to me and nodded in agreement, while the rest of our associates sat silently behind us.

   While they maintained composure, I'd looked at Samir, hoping for a miracle to flow from his mouth. "Mr. Secretary...I'm not entirely sure where I stand on this idea anymore..."

     I burned inside but held together a dignified response. "Secretary-General, you seemed truly supportive before the summit, so why the drastic change now?"

    "Yes, Mr. Secretary, I did. I did. However, alongside your normal destabilization claims, you then threw an orbital mass exodus into the mix! Furthermore, most of Phase One is merely experimental feedback. Whereas, Phase Two would actually be the start of large-scale production, and of the perilous journey, itself.

   "...Mr. Secretary; Mr. President;" Samir pleaded, now looking at Lee, "with all due respect, there are one hundred people living in Old Japan today. More to the point, the miniscule population only suffered one fatality when Seymour just descended. Yes, Seymour has now utterly blighted Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, but the cyclone cannot be issued with a Category 8 status or be compared to Sadie. For this to happen, we would need an official death toll of over ten thousand, as well as a financial estimation of catastrophic damage. We all know this. Therefore, we cannot justify your request to act hastily, considering ninety-nine per cent of Old Japan is already uninhabited because of Chiba.

    "Internationally, if The Solution is to continue, then the program must adhere to the time parameters that you initially submitted it with. However, if The Tripod Coalition chooses to evoke your contingency, then we will respect it, and cease these emergency talks."

    Despite observing the steam funneling from my ears, Samir rattled on. "Mr. Secretary, with everything it would require to actually happen, maybe Robin Albers is right?

    "Maybe, The Solution is trying to achieve, the impossible...?"

    I couldn't stifle my dragon oil any longer. "Why, why is it the impossible?" I blazed back.

    "You senior politicians are all so obsessed with the outdated guidelines of modern politics, that you've missed the profound opportunity to stand for something new; for something better; for something more! There's a difference between us, Secretary-General. You probably think the people of this world exist to provide you with position to inspire hope. I think your position exists to provide those people with the active initiation of hope. And I'll go on to make sure that they have it."

    "But at what cost?" Samir questioned, with palms pushing up air. "By plunging the fragile world into further debt and turmoil?

    "A world which right now needs financial aid and relief more than ever before?

    "Gentlemen, I understand what you are trying to do. The program has been truly inspirational over these past months. But like the Plastic Protocol, I think that inspiration was all it might have ever been."

    As I'd absorbed Samir's defeatist words, I huffed, and placed hands upon my hips. But I couldn't yield. Not after all my team and I had endured and sacrificed so far. Therefore, I'd moved back in front of Samir and continued to release words with blistering pace. "As Secretary-General, your title gives you claim to actively champion world politics, but you do nothing significant with it; you just talk; even though you profess not to. But desperate people don't follow talk, they follow courage, and they follow action. Now, Samir, the people across this Earth know you. The wealthy and the poor, and they respect you. And if you would just actively lead them to a worthwhile future for their children's sake, then they'd follow you all the way to the stars. And so would I."

    "...I'm, sorry, Mr. Secretary," he then mumbled - his words laced with cowardice. "But as a majority the Council Delegates have spoken, and I will not overrule them. Things will remain the same, and The Result of The Solution Program Proposal will be revealed in December. No sooner."

    As a buzz of whispers ghosted throughout the conference arena, I'd turned to my team who'd then risen, in order for them to create some of their own.

    "Xen, you speak for all of us," Lee explained, still stood next to me with stature. "We are sticking to what we agreed in the event that they showed no true purpose on this."

    To my left, concurring nods came from the Jong Brothers, Stephen Wu, and Ling Xiodau.

    To my right, a second set came from Yan Kazuya, Emperor Heimachi, Olaf Fedor, and Aurora Lebedev.

    Finally, from my centered wrist, a third volley emanated over holoscreen from James Raythorpe, Sam Branson, my mother - Widow Lai, and the newest member of my cause - Cassius Wu...

    "Move for the vote," Lee then said, with conclusive and presidential authority. "The vote, we all know we shall never regret."

   As I harnessed the supporting energy of my collective groups, I'd turned to face Samir and the council delegates one final time. But, before I breathed my last wisp of smoke, I'd activated a second holoscreen, and selected a four-way chameleon com-link.

   The option allowed hijacked broadcasts...

   And respectfully, the special link brought Mikey, Sarah and Chon into the simmering fold.