I-Quantumrun

ISIKWELETU SESITHOMBE: I-Quantumrun

I-Russia, ukuzalwa epulazini: I-WWIII Climate Wars P6

UDavid Tal, Umshicileli, i-Futurist
@DavidTalWrites
I-LinkedIn

ULwesibili, 09/15/2020 - 13:03

2046 - I-Southern Khabarovsk Krai, Russia

Ngabubula kakhulu lapho ngigqolozele uSuyin eguqe phambi kwami. Wayekwazi engikuthandayo, esebenza ngokushesha, eqinisa izindebe zakhe ukuze aqoqe wonke amaconsi okugcina. Yiqiniso, ngezinye izinsuku kwakunabanye, kodwa lapho ngibona uSuyin ehla esitimeleni zonke lezo zinyanga ezidlule, ngabona ukuthi kufanele ngibe naye.

“Sengiqedile?” wabuza ngesiRashiya sakhe esiphukile, umbuzo ofanayo, njalo egwema ukubheka emehlweni.

“Hamba. Isicabha sangemuva kulokhu,” ngasho ngibuyisela ibhulukwe phezulu. “Hamba naleyo sikhwama sembewu. Buya kamuva uzolebula ukuthunyelwa kwanamuhla ekuseni.”

USuyin waphakamisa isikhwama wasibeka ehlombe lakhe washiya inqolobane, waqonda ensimini. Kwaba sekupheleni kuka-August futhi saba nesinye isikhathi sokukhula ngaphambi kokuba kufike ubusika.

Ngithathe i-blazer yami ngiphumele ngaphambili, ngikhululeke ekuqabuleni kwelanga ebusweni bami. Kwase kusele amahora amabili kuphela ilanga lishona, laqhubeka limboza amasimu ami amazambane ngokufudumala kwawo okunomsoco. Umhloli angamangala ngenjabulo phakathi nokuvakasha kwakhe ngenyanga ezayo. Isivuno sale sizini sibukeke sisihamba phambili eminyakeni emibili, esihle ngokwanele ukuzuza ingxenye enkulu yomhlaba ekuhlolweni kabusha kwaminyaka yonke kwenyanga ezayo. Kodwa okubaluleke nakakhulu, ngizothola ingxenye enkulu ekuthunyelweni okulandelayo kwabalimi baseShayina.

846 bebengaphansi kwenkonzo yami. Ingxenye yamachashaza epulazi lami ibanga elingamakhilomitha amaningi, ukuhlwanyelwa, ukuhlakula, ukuchelela, nokukha. Enye ingxenye yayisebenza emapulazini ami amaqanda, yanakekela amapulazi ami omoya, futhi yayiphethe ulayini womhlangano embonini yami yama-drone. Bonke bayalalela. Bonke baphelelwe yithemba. Futhi konke kukhokhwa uhulumeni waseShayina, ngaphezu kwenkokhelo yami yokuphatha ikhanda ngalinye. Okuningi, kungcono ngempela. Kungani uzihlupha ngazo zonke lezo zikhethi ezintsha nezimba eqolo.

Ngangihamba emgwaqeni omkhulu wepulazi, njengoba ngangihamba nsuku zonke, ngihlola futhi ngiqondise izisebenzi engangidlula kuzo. Eqinisweni, basebenze ngokuzikhandla futhi ngaphandle kwephutha, kodwa umuntu kufanele ahlale ebakhumbuza ukuthi basebenzela bani, kufanele bajabulise bani, ukuze bagweme ukuthunyelwa ngomkhumbi babuyiselwe endlaleni eShayina.

Phezulu, ama-drones okulima andiza esibhakabhakeni, amaningi ngamaqembu amane. Zandizela unyaka wonke. Abahlomile babegada imingcele yepulazi kubaphangi bezitshalo. Abanye bagcina ukunaka ukwakheka kwenhlabathi yepulazi, ukugcinwa kwamanzi, nezinga lokukhula kwezitshalo, beqondisa abalimi lapho kufanele bagxilise khona imizamo yabo yosuku. Ama-drones amakhudlwana ayethutha izikhwama zembewu, umanyolo, nezinye izinto zokusekela eziyise kubalimi lapho kudingeka khona. Konke kwakuhamba kahle. Angikaze ngicabange ukusebenzisa iziqu zami zesayensi yekhompyutha empilweni elula, kodwa ngemuva kokushada nendodakazi yomlimi, kwaba nengqondo.

Ngemva kwesigamu sehora, ngafika emzini wami omkhulu ekupheleni komzila wenkonzo. AbakwaSamoyed, uDessa, uFyodor noGasha, babedlala engadini. Umnakekeli wabo, uDewei, wayebhekile. Ngama ngasekhishini ukuze ngibheke ukuthi umpheki wayehleleni isidlo sakusihlwa, ngaphambi kokuba ngikhuphuke ezitebhisini.

Ngaphandle kwekamelo lami lokulala, u-Li Ming, umbelethisi wethu, eluka enye ingane encane. Wavuma ngekhanda ukuthi wayesephapheme.

"Irina, sithandwa sami, uzizwa unjani?" Ngahlala embhedeni ngokucophelela, ngiqaphela isimo sakhe.

“Ngingaba ngcono,” esho, egqolozele buqamama ezithombeni ezihlobisa isigqoko. Kwakuyinkumbulo yesikhathi esingcono, lapho sihamba kabanzi futhi sithanda ngokujulile.

Isikhumba sika-Irina sasiphaphathekile futhi simanzi. Lokhu bekuwukuzama kwethu okwesithathu ingane. Kulokhu udokotela wethu uthe uzoyiletha ingane esikhathini esingamaviki ambalwa nje kuphela. Kodwa noma kunjalo, izidakamizwa ezivikela ingane beziyiqeda amandla ikakhulukazi ku-trimester yokugcina.

“Ingabe kukhona engingakwenza? Ngingakulethela okuthile?” Ngiyacela.

U-Irina walala wathula. Kunzima njalo. Kulo nyaka ikakhulukazi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi nginikela kangakanani. Ikhaya elihle. Ubucwebe. Izinceku. Ukudla okungeke kusathengwa emakethe evulekile. Noma kunjalo, ukuthula.

***

"Lezi yizinsuku ezinhle eRussia," kusho uGrigor Sadovsky, uMhloli Omkhulu Wezolimo esihlokweni sombuso saseKhabarovsk Krai. Waqeda ukuhlafuna isiteki esinenani eliphakeme, ngaphambi kokunezela, “Uyazi, ngangisewumfanyana nje lapho iSoviet Union iwa. Into engiyikhumbulayo ngaleso sikhathi kwakuwukuthola ubaba ekhala embhedeni wakhe. Lapho imboni ivalwa, walahlekelwa yikho konke. Kwakunzima kakhulu ngomkhaya wami ukunikeza mina nodadewethu ukudla kanye ngosuku.”

“Ngiyacabanga, mnumzane,” ngisho. “Nginesiqiniseko sokuthi ngeke siphinde sibuyele kulezo zinsuku. Bheka konke esikwakhile. Sondla ingxenye yomhlaba manje. Futhi siphila kahle ngenxa yalokho. Akunjalo, Irina?”

Akazange aphendule. Esikhundleni salokho, wakhetha ngokungenangqondo usizo lwe-carp nesaladi, wakushaya indiva ukudla okucebile okwethulwa ngokucophelela etafuleni legumbi lokudlela. Lesi bekuyisivakashi sethu esibaluleke kakhulu sonyaka futhi indlela yakhe yayingenandaba kangako.

"Yebo, iRussia inamandla futhi." USadovsky wathulula inkomishi yakhe yesibili yewayini elibomvu eliyivelakancane neligugile. Inceku yokudlela yasigcwalisa masinyane. Ngangimyalile ukuthi agcine umhloli ejabule, noma ngabe kungilahlekisele ngamavithamini ami angcono kakhulu. “AbeLungu babecabanga ukuthi bangasibamba bengasawudingi uphethiloli wethu, kodwa bheka manje. Angikaze ngicabange ukuthi iRussia izophinde ithathe indawo yayo emlandweni ngezolimo, kodwa nakhu sesikhona.” Waphuza elinye iwayini, wabe esenezela, “Uyazi, ngimenywe ukuba ngihambele inkundla yesimo sezulu yomhlaba wonke eZurich ngalo Okthoba.”

“Yeka ukuhlonishwa okukhulu, mnumzane. Uzobe ukhuluma? Mhlawumbe ngalezo zinhlelo ze-geo-engineering iNtshonalanga ekhuluma ngazo kamuva nje?

“Ngizoba uhlaka lwekomiti le-East Asian climate normalization. Kodwa phakathi kwami nawe, ngeke kube nokujwayelekile. Isimo sezulu sesishintshile futhi umhlaba kumele uguquke nawo. Uma bebuyisela izinga lokushisa lomhlaba ezingeni lika-1990, sizolahlekelwa amapulazi ethu ebusika. Umnotho wethu uzowa.

Wanikina ikhanda uSadovsky. “Cha, iRussia inamandla manje. AbeLungu bayakudinga ukudla kwethu. AmaShayina adinga umhlaba wethu wababaleki bawo. Futhi ngemali yabo yomibili ihlanganisa emaphaketheni ethu, singathenga ongqongqoshe abanele ukuvimba noma yiliphi ivoti ukuzama kwamaMelika ukuphusha ukwehlisa amazinga okushisa omhlaba.”

Imfologo ka-Irina ingqubuzana nepuleti lakhe. Asukume, avule amehlo, isandla sobunxele sibambe isisu sakhe esivuvukele. “Uxolo, Mhloli,” wabe esephuma egijima ekamelweni.

USadovsky uyangihleka. “Ungakhathazeki, umkami wayefana ngesikhathi enezingane zethu. Ngobukhulu besisu sakhe, ngiqinisekile ukuthi ingane yakho izoba ephile saka. Uyazi ukuthi umfana noma intombazane?”

"Umfana. Simbiza ngo-Alexei. Uzoba ngowokuqala wethu. Sesinesikhathi eside sizama, kunzima ukukholwa ukuthi kuzokwenzeka lesi sikhathi.”

“Yiba nabaningi ngangokunokwenzeka, Bogdan. Izwe laseRussia lidinga izingane ezengeziwe, ikakhulukazi njengoba wonke la maShayina ahlala lapha.” Welulela indebe yakhe engenalutho encekwini yokudlela ukuze ayigcwalise futhi.

"Kunjalo. Ngemva kokuba u-Irina eseluleme, sithemba ukuthi—”

Kwavuleka iminyango yegumbi lokudlela ngesikhathi umbelethisi engena egijima. “Mnu. Bogdan, umkakho usemihelo! Ngidinga ukuthi uze.”

“Hhayi! Uyabona, ngikutshelile ukuthi ngizokulethela inhlanhla.” USadovsky wahleka kakhulu futhi wathatha ibhodlela lewayini esandleni senceku yokudlela. “Hamba, ngizosiphuzela sobabili!”

***

“Phusha, Nkosikazi Irina! Phusha!"

Ngalinda ekamelweni ngaphandle komnyango wasendlini yokugezela. Phakathi kokukhala kuka-Irina, ukusikwa okubuhlungu, nokuphimisa kwebhodi likamzanyana, angikwazanga ukuhlala kulelo gumbi elincane nabo. Sakulinda isikhathi eside kangaka. Ekugcineni indodana engizoyibiza ngowami, ozothwala igama lami, adle ifa lakho konke engikwakhile.

Kudlula amahora ngaphambi kokuba kume ukukhala kuka-Irina. Ngemva kwesikhashana, kukhala kwengane kwaqeda ukuthula. U-Alexei.

Bese ngizwa u-Irina. Wayehleka, kodwa kwakuwuhleko olubi.

Ngavula umnyango wendlu yokugezela ngathola u-Irina ehlezi kubhavu onamanzi anegazi, ubuso bakhe bugcwele umjuluko nokwaneliseka. Wangibuka isikhashana, wabe eseqala ukuhleka kakhulu. Umbelethisi ethule, eqhaqhazela, ebambe ingane wayiqinisa emzimbeni.

“Unjani yena? Ingane yami, u-Alexei."

Waphenduka umbelethisi wangibheka, uvalo lugcwele amehlo akhe. “UMnu. Bogdan, mnumzane, mina, angi—”

"Ngiphe ngane yami!" Ngakhipha u-Alexei ezandleni zakhe. Kuphele uhleko luka-Irina. Ngikhiphe ithawula ebusweni buka-Alexei. Ngabe sengiyibona. Amehlo akhe....

“Ucabanga ukuthi bengingazi?” kusho u-Irina, ubuso bakhe buvutha ulaka, igazi liphuma emakhaleni akhe. "Ucabanga ukuthi ngiyisiwula? Lokho ngeke ngikuthole?"

“Akunjalo, Irina. Lokhu, ungakwenza kanjani lokhu?"

“Ngithatha konke, Bogdan. Konke!”

"I-WHO? Nobani!" Ingane yaqala ukuklabalasa. Umbelethisi wazama ukumsondeza, kodwa ngamkhahlela phansi. "Ubani ubaba?"

U-Irina wasukuma egeza, umzimba wakhe upendwe igazi. "Ubani omunye ngaphandle kwendoda yesifebe sakho."

Ulaka lwakhula ngaphakathi kimi njengoba ngigijima ngiphuma endlini yokugezela.

“Ngithatha konke, Bogdan!” U-Irina wamemeza.

Ngehla ngendlu ngigijima ngiyongena egaraji. Ngalalisa ingane esihlalweni somgibeli we-jeep, ngabe sengiphuthuma elokhani eliseduze. Amaphinikhodi ambalwa kamuva futhi ngakhipha isibhamu sami sokuzingela.

I-jeep yadiliza umgwaqo wesevisi wasepulazini. Ingane yaklabalasa yonke indawo, idonsa amehlo ashaqekile kubasebenzi basepulazini abasebenza emasimini aseduze. Akuzange kuthathe isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba ngifike endaweni yokugcina izinto. Ngithathe isibhamu esihlalweni esingemuva ngingene phakathi.

“Suyin! Ukuphi? Suyin! Ngiyazi ukuthi ulapha.” Ngehla eziphasejini zezikhwama zembewu namathuluzi epulazi apakishwe izitezi ezintathu phezulu, indlela ngephasishi, ngaze ngambona. Wama ngokuthula ekhoneni eliseningizimu-mpumalanga ye-barn. “Suyin! Ukuphi?"

Uhamba ngomoya ophansi lapho engamboni futhi engena ephaseji elingemuva. Ngimjahe, ngijike ekhoneni nangu ekhona.

"Mfana wami unjani?" ebuza ngokubandayo.

Ngadonsa isibhamu sami, ngafaka isibhamu ngomunwe, ngabamba isibhamu, ngase ngibanda. Ngibheke phambili lapho i-blade ingena phakathi kwezimbambo zami. Isibhamu sawela eceleni kwami njengoba ngibambelele eceleni kwami.

USuyin wangicindezela ngemuva, isandla sakhe esikhululekile sizungeze umphimbo wami, izindebe zakhe zihlezi eduze kwendlebe yami. “Lapho ukuphila kwakho sekuphelile, yazi ukuthi ngizokumbela iqhude lakho emlonyeni wakho.

*******