The Solution (2nd Edition)

Ling

Nervously, I'd adjusted my waves of hair, followed by smoothing over the creases set into my maroon-colored suit. With all the grace I could muster, I then rose up and moved next to Xen - my friend and fellow visionary. After that, I dared to look into the unwilling crowd. Negatively, their combined energy emanated a dreadful reluctance.

    In all honesty, Xen and I knew to expect nothing less. Our mentor, Widow Lai, had forewarned us. The Solution might free Earth of humanity. But we knew it would be even harder for our species to break free of our naive and psychological chains. Still, I'd straightened my back defiantly, and waited for Xen's cue.

    "Ladies and gentlemen," he said confidently, "Climatologist and bio-holodome pioneer, Ling Xiodau..."

    I shuffled closer to the podium and proceeded with dialogue. "Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and greetings to the people of the world. I will continue on with Phase Two...

    "I have been consulting with Secretary Lai on this for the last three years, since we submitted global planning permissions for each nation to have a permanent refugee site. Faithfully, and without knowing all of the specifics, the UN Committee approved every one of the permissions, respecting the disruption that displacement can cause on an international scale. Using the core principles of bio-holodome habitats, The Jong Brothers and I have worked hard on the Land Chosen Areas, and the Land Technologies required for the journey.

    "National Land Chosen Areas would be located in remote and sparsely-populated regions, suitable for structures of such great size. We would leave it for nations to decide where their city-sized Land Chosen Areas were. Land Chosen Area perimeters would be approximately five hundred square miles, and their foundations would be reinforced a-quarter-mile deep.

    "Regarding the Temporary Dormitories/Sub Colonies, they would be built on Land Chosen Areas. They would be anchored to the ground and supported with Base-Isolated-Technology, used by the Meiser Group in their finest structures. A key feature of B-I-T is that it uses a coil or a flexible base, which would counteract the motion of earthquake seismic activity.

    "Tectonic shifts are also why our refuge would be orbital, and not submerged on a prone seabed.

    "As a result of B-I-T, the Land Technology structures would move in one direction, the coil foundations in another, with the structures remaining almost stationary as a result."

    To my delight, the crowd started to ease, and I elaborated. "Regarding the Fortress Docks, they would also be built on Land Chosen Areas. Like Toronto's rebuilt Sky Dome, Docks would have retractable roof openings. Freighters would then use the openings to enter and exit these vast refuges. Dock interiors would have state-of-the-art gas suppression mainframes. This would be to extinguish overwhelming vapor and fire fuel exhausts that Freighters created upon entering and exiting. Additionally, Docks and Freighters would sport Black Mamba Modules - a photovoltaic system provided by Yingli-Solar-City for energy power. This, as well as interior and exterior thaw-pylons designed by our architect..."

    I tailed off, left the crowd guessing, and took a slight step backwards. Next, I'd looked to Xen who gave me a rehearsed nod.

    Despite all the expected disruption, we were sticking to the revised plan.

    Moreover, Stephen, the man I'd grown fond of in the last year, winked at me...