As we approached the grand venue, I spied on Chon. He'd slapped his cheeks a couple of times before putting his 'game-face' on - a professional poker expression he'd learned from Xen. I was pretty sure Chon was still dreading being in the same room as the Green Justice leader and his Climate Secretary brother. From previous conversations, I knew he considered the Convention Center the possible tomb of his family's eternal shame. Especially as The Solution was also being held there, with everyone still having no clue what Xen would showcase. Once inside, we greeted our industry peers. Most treated us as normal, but a few copied Carla, and shunned us. Naturally, Mikey was quick to curse them in Star Trek Klingon, and I had to drag him away numerous times while keeping up with Chon. Despite getting delayed though, we entered the Convention Center Hall and found our seats. Due to our teams' acclaim, we were always pretty close to the front. But in this instance, the holo-displays on our chairs were clearly labeled, '2nd Row VIP'.

    "I don't know if this is a good thing, or a bad thing," Chon whispered to me and Mikey. We'd already sat down.

    "We'll be fine," I said while glancing upwards, "and it'll be over before you know it." Chon looked down on me with a brief smile, and then sat as patiently as he could.

    As much as I tried to hold myself together, Chon's demeanor was having an affect on me too. So, like Mikey often did, I distracted myself. Massaging my iDot, I beamed a fibre-mesh holo-mag from my wrist and indulged in some fashion therapy. While I flicked through holo-pages, Chon glanced at his surroundings. I imagined he was keeping an eye out for Robin Albers, who was probably being fashionably late on purpose.

    Mikey took up the safeguarding role and entertained Chon while we waited for someone to grace the stage. "So, Chon, think Xen will elaborate on any of the stuff we covered in our Pulp Science Fiction chat?"

    "Mikey, I doubt it," Chon said quite prudently. "But, I'm pretty sure he will during tomorrow's 'monumental presentation'. And while I remember, have either of you ever heard of, 'SS-CSP' before...?"

    "N-No," we responded simultaneously.

    "'SS-CSP'?" Mikey retorted. "Chon, what's your gut thought on it?"

    As Chon hesitated, Carla and Myagi plonked down in their fourth-row seats, and we scowled after looking back. None of us had forgotten how the Australian and Japanese journalists had disrespected Chon when the scandal broke.

    Slowly but surely, my attention flitted back to Chon as he exhaled an answer. "Mikey, regarding SS-CSP, I'm not sure yet," he said with an ominous glint in his eyes. "But I heard it from a saved message that Mùqīn played back on speaker this morning. And intentionally, I might add. If I know her, I wouldn't be surprised if it's something directly linked with Xen's presentation-"

    "-Look," I suddenly hissed, staring over to the far side of the venue. "Here she comes..." Albers graced us with her domineering presence, and I could sense Chon's internal recoil. Furthermore, despite the room brimming with the worlds' hungriest journalists; which included us; none were ravenous enough, or bold enough, to approach the middle-aged, hard-faced South African, who was always respectably dressed. Escorted in by her media liaison consultant, Tom Darcy, the two glided from the entrance to their front row seats and did so in a mute and ethereal manner.

    So, with a change of heart, I worried about Chon's emotions instead of my own. I snapped out of my haze; shut down my holo-mag; and placed a palm on his knee. I had a feeling things were not only about to get serious, but official too, and I chose to silently support Chon, no matter how awkward our surroundings were about to get.