"So, this is Vancouver, but the main city of Canada is Toronto?" Shalamorn set her finger to a point of the world map lying in front of her on a desk. Diane, who sat next to her, nodded. "Right."

"And these are the nations of the European Union, capital Brussels. Senator Michael Ferrière. United Nations of Africa, Senator Irina Umbajali."

"Correct. She is a very strong and a very competent woman," Diane told in an admiring tone. "You will easily find common ground with her."

Shalamorn nodded. "Yes, I read about her progress in education, she was able to grant by the equality laws, recently becoming applicable."

The voices of the two woman repeating and discussing the political structures of the Global Union became a blur when Jason passed them by and reached the end of the small plane. He put the can of water in front of Neri and sat down next to her.

The minute the plane took off, Neri had taken off her shoes. Fascinated, she had looked out of the window, still, some time after they had passed the cloud ceiling.

Shalamorn wore a marine blue costume. Neri was wearing the turquoise blouse with a scarf, and the classic black trousers which Mera had chosen for her. A black blazer jacket was hanging over the backrest of her chair. She looked just as good in these clothes, as Jason had imagined it. When he had told her, she had rewarded him with a bright smile. "You also look beautiful," she had answered. Jason was wearing a suit: black trousers, white shirt, black suit jacket. The trunk, he had brought for these three days, were full of those garments. At least, he needn't wear a tie, for the upcoming conference was held in secret. Therefore, only the twelve senators and the president of the Global Nations would be attending. Plus, security staff, of course.

The oceanic security staff, although most of the time with indifferent facial expressions, still radiated a sense of unease in the suits they wore above their usual garments. Naturally, the shoes had lead to some quiet grumbling, but nevertheless, they had complied.

They passed another air layer and finally broke through the clouds. Neri's mouth stood open in admiration.

"You have never been that high up in the air, have you?" Jason assumed.

Neri shook her head. "You?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah, several times, when we were going on vacation," he explained. "Flying is the fasted way to travel – and statistically, the safest." Inside, he shook his head at himself. Why are you talking such bullshit? he asked himself. These were the last couple of hours, they had for themselves, and he just blabbed boring nonsense.

Neri must have sensed his discomfort, for she took his hand. "I am glad, you're here," she said. "I'm afraid, but you make me feel safe."

"I have a confession to make," Jason answered. "I'm scared, too. We are about to meet the highest authorities of the planet. This is huge!" He turned his torso in her direction to face her, his left shoulder buried into the backrest. "I have no idea, what your mother expects of me, Neri. I don't want to disappoint her – or you."

Neri turned towards him and laid a hand on his chest. "You never disappoint me. You always know what to do. You see."

Jason took her hand into his and lead it to his mouth to plant a kiss on it. Neri smiled happily. Then her face changed into a more serious expression. "Now, tell me about more about, what happened to Earth People. Why afraid, why so angry?"

Jason sighed. He would rather kiss her some more. But Neri was right. They both needed to focus. "Well, nowadays people from all over the world, markets, politics – everything is connected. Either in social and professional digital networks, value chains, financial stock markets, … You don't need to know the details," he quickly added, when Neri's face got more confused with every word. "But the problem is, if there's a crisis somewhere, depending on its significance, it can quickly result in consequences of a global extent. Look, " he took a tablet and a pen, opened a blank sheet and started drawing. Neri leant over to watch him. Her mouth curled up into an amused smile, when he painted a poorly version of a picture, showing a man in a boat with fishing gear and some fish underneath. Drawing had never been a strong suit of his.

With different stickmen, arrows, boxes and other symbols, Jason spent the next half an hour explaining the impact of the Red Virus to the fishing industry and outlining the consequences for the stock markets. He illustrated the close links between the four different world currencies and illuminated the constant swing between their values and those of goods, which could lead to the catastrophic ramifications for the poorer classes of the population.

"So," he concluded, "in times of panic, the value of the currency drops, but at the same time, food and other essential goods, are becoming more expensive. The swing at some point turns into a cycle, which spirals downwards. It is almost impossible to make it stop, or to make it rise again."

During his explanations, Neri's expression had changed from confusion into horror and disbelief.

"We now have some security measures, which means the value of the currency cannot drop under a certain level, and the value of vital goods cannot rise above a certain limit. But the impacts are still disastrous."

"Why rich people do not help poor people?" Neri asked with incomprehension.

Jason squeezed her hand. "Because, as I told you, people are greedy. Some even make money out of other people's misery. Rich folks often don't wanna even see or hear of poverty, starvation or cruelties happening in other parts of the world. They even pretend to be blind for the needs of the people at their front door."

Neri's eyes began to shine and soon after, silent tears were running down her cheek. Jason cupped her face with his hand. "Oh, Neri," he whispered. "I'm so sorry, you had to hear all about this." He caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I wish, I could keep you out of this mess. Shut you off from the dark and bad."

Neri shook her head slightly, so he wouldn't loose his grip on her face. "I need to know," she said with a husky voice.

Jason pulled her into a hug. "Okay. But that's enough for today."

Neri buried her head in his chest and he stroked her hair.

"Look," he said quietly after a while. "I don't claim, there are no good folks out there. In fact, there are all sorts of beneficial organisations, full of good-hearted, kind people. They do a lot for children, for animals, for the environment, for victims of war, natural hazards and other bad stuff. Maybe, or most certain, I am the wrong person, to tell you all about Earth, for I can be very cynical. I learned to expect the very worst of people," he admitted. "But you," he carefully loosened her arms around him, pushing her a few inches away, so he could look into her face. "You amaze me, Neri. With your kindness and your faith. With your ability to see, and bring out the best in everyone you meet, including me."

Neri mirrored his smile. "You are a good person, Jason."

"Well, if you say so, no objections here," he grinned. "For you usually know your way around people." He nudged her nose with his, and she laughed.

All in all, it seemed to be the worst of moments, wrong time and wrong place. But seeing her smiling, radiating, the words escaped him, before he could stop himself.

"I love you, Neri."

He had said it with a low voice. Seriously, sincerely, from the heart. Devout.

For a second, he had the impression, the world had got silent.

By the next, he rejected this thought due to his imagination.

Neri had stopped laughing, even smiling. She stared at him with big eyes, and for one heartbeat, he was afraid, she had stopped breathing. Then her expression changed slightly, and he found himself being looked at in astonishment. She laid her right hand on her heart, her left hand on the same spot on his chest.

Similar to many times before, he didn't need her to speak out. She made him understand perfectly.

With a glance of the most endearment, he had ever seen on her, she stretched her neck two inches and covered his lips with hers.

This kiss was none of the shy touches, they had shared before. There was nothing care-, or even playful about it. No trying, no clumsiness. No awkward attempt to find the same rhythm in breathing, or pace of movement, but a passionate meeting of tongues, a gently caressing and intimate tasting of flesh. Jason embraced her face with both hands, while he felt hers wandering under his jacket, stroking his back and pulling him closer to her. When he sensed her knee brushing against his, the rushing of blood into lower parts of the body got worse, but he didn't care. He shoved the fear, she might notice his arousal, aside and let her leg slide over his. He inhaled her scent when she sighed almost inaudibly. Her mouth felt soft and warm.

"Dear passengers, shortly we arrive Canadian airspace." The captain's voice from out of the speakers dragged them out of their bubble. "Please return to your seats, for we will begin our final descent in a few minutes."

"Well," Jason said with a grin, still in a tight embrace with Neri. There foreheads touched. "Unfortunately, it's time for shoes."