The Solution (2nd Edition)

Sarah

Surrounded by thousands of other eligibles, and at the mercy of The Track, the three of us jogged and panted aggressively, working hard to burn away our frustrations. This included calories, too, and the desperation for personal A.I.D.A's to quickly turn their combustion into as many Star Credits as possible. But while I worked up my sweat, contemplation forced me into a serious stupor, and I began to reflect.

    My journey to tranquillity among the stars hadn't been easy by any means and I'd had a lot of luck along the way.

    Centrifuge had beaten me, and without Sam's exemption, I'd be down on the surface. Pruning plants and securing saplings with my parents in Base Team One would be the norm right now, and all without Chon by my side.

    Once we'd reached the exosphere, it had taken a few minutes longer than expected for me to come around from sedation. Combined with having to take my nauseating medication, I generally wasn't feeling great, either.

    And morally, the absence of Michelle was the real contrast to my good luck. Naturally, I felt it in my stomach every time Mikey lashed out with heartbroken words, and so in respect of morals, I still didn't want to be seen as inconsiderate in front of the big guy. For me and Chon that meant public displays of affection were still absolutely off limits.

   Other things also purged my wandering mind...

    Orbital resentment among The Eligible was growing.

    As were calls from a majority of The Eligible to disconnect our sanctuary; descend back to Baikonur; and initiate some type of second, Lottery Draft among The Coalition...

    I was really scared, even more now than when Emo's goons had put petal-filled sacks over our faces, months ago. Going back to the surface quite possibly meant losing my eligibility, and never getting it back. After all, Sam, the VG Elder who'd granted my amnesty had now settled back on Mars. I doubted the old-timer would ever act as SMC Head Physician again, and so, I was, 'vulnerable'. The only thing which balanced my conscience was the thought that maybe, if The Contingency of The Solution did reset, then Michelle and Mikey might get the chance to become eligible together, and fulfil their destiny among the stars - specifically those green twinkling ones far, far away, in the realm of Andromeda. In respect of this, I didn't feel as bad for myself and Chon, and hoped that it wouldn't be much longer before fate and fortune served the 'Geek Guru Extraordinaires'.

    I managed to snap myself out of the stupor with a deep sigh.

    Following that, Chon had asked me and Mikey individual questions which he was probably poring over as we powered across more track. "Sarah, have you, heard from Sukes, recently?"

    "N-No," I managed, while we all battled an incline. "She's been quiet for months."

    "I haven't, either," he explained.

    "Chon, your māma and Cassius, sure are keeping her, busy," I stated when breathing allowed.

    "I know," Chon frowned. "And their Shadow Project, is proving to be, just as elusive as, SS-CSP.

    "Big guy," Chon then spat, "you got anything on the, last part of, the acronym...?"

    "Nothin'," Mikey said with ease, his fitness far better than most.

    "Okay," Chon exhaled again, his frustration sweaty and evident. "Let's just hope that, their card decks, are well stacked. And don't leave us, without a hand, to play..."

    Chon was right, and based on everything we'd brainstormed, my hope was that the elusive Lais really did have a full house up their sleeves.

End of Chapter 18