ILEX

In the not too distant future the small Asian island of Ilex is holding its next Ballot for the resettlement of citizens living in the east displaced by the surface mining of a precious mineral which is making the country rich. A randomly computer-chosen half will go to its new town in the west and the other half to a satellite colony in the neighbouring country of Mangovia. Tei Peng his brother Jiya and his parents Bai and Kai all live in Tamara the affected suburb and end up in different places with completely new lifestyles. The Government under PM Ruong Wong has built a massive wall across the island to stop citizens knowing about the mining activities behind it and have passed laws prohibiting any scrutiny from the adjacent sea or the air above. Even planes must take off and land with window shades closed by law. With each new ballot the wall is moved westwards to encroach further on more existing housing areas and displace more citizens. An even grander project has also been started in the west … the Dome. Ruong’s dream is to encase the whole island under a massive airconditioned cover supported on pillars to keep out the heat humidity and equatorial flooding that all sap human endeavour. In this ‘democratic dictatorship’ there is no opposition party to contest elections with the long-standing ruling party or indeed challenge the PM so for years these policies have never been opposed except by the Incursors an underground protest group rapidly gaining traction from its insurgent activities. Tei reluctantly joins them and with the help of Avi a district judge in the satellite colony sets about discovering the secrets Ilex is hiding with a view to disclosing corruption and external manipulation at the highest level.