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End Act II: Interlude – Fallible Gods
Date: May 1st, 2170
Location: London, United Kingdom, Terra, Sol System
"Cambodia's government fell last night. Rioting is tearing the country apart, and there probably isn't an end in sight." Kim, a middle aged woman of Japanese descent, was reporting, flicking trough a report. She continued, "That makes three in the last year. Myanmar is still in anarchy, and Ethiopia is back on its feet, but is under a military dictatorship."
Wallace wanted to punch his desk in frustration. We held the world together for all these dammed years, but now it's all starting to unravel, with the end so close we can almost taste it!
Charles, his friend and the current head of the American-continents network, spoke up next, "The public in the Americas is concerned, but not overly so. The mass-increase of actual food over the last few years as the reclamation project moves across the Great Plains region has everyone feeling rather calm and content."
"It is similar here in Europe," Wallace reported as the Secretary-General's gaze landed on him, "People are ecstatic about the lowered costs of real food from Russia and America. Beyond that, the reclamation projects remain as popular as ever, but most people are not overly concerned about what is happening in Asia or Africa. As far as they're concerned, their lives are fine, and that's all they care about."
The elderly man, effectively the leader of the human race, rubbed his eyes tiredly. "If we resort to military operations, what kind of backlash can we expect?"
"Bad. The other Asian and African nations will probably take it in the worst possible way," Kim reported, "They'll take it as a threat of military force if they don't stay in line, and the people are already getting sick of the media running so many vids of Europe and the Americas becoming green again."
The tanned Egyptian agent leaned in, "What about mustering public support for it before hand? Leak horror-vids of what's happening in those nations to the media, especially in those regions, to get them to act?"
"Probably our only chance." Kim replied with a nod, "Won't be as effective the farther from those nations you get, but running them constantly for six or seven months should give us enough reason to be able to move in. With your permission Secretary-General, I can start on that right away with the media corps. We can concentrate on India and China. Probably Pakistan as well. As long as those three are behind us, everyone else should follow, if for no other reason than no one wants to piss them off."
The Secretary-General seemed to take that it in. "That will do." he said finally, sounding both very old, and very tired. "I will call a full meeting of the United Nations in four months to discuss the issue. Hopefully by then public perception will be enough to bring pressure on their governments for military intervention in those nations. I do not want to wait, to leave those people like that.. but I don' see that we have a choice at the moment."
Wallace grimaced. The old man is starting to feel it. Only been two years, but his idealism is already crashing down. I feel for him. Being the leader of the United Nations during what could become humanity's darkest hours...it's bad enough being where I am, knowing what I do. Depressing to realize just how fragile the lie we're living is. He knows more than I do about what's going on. Exactly how bad things are, how bad they could become. We still have seven years until the shipments resume.
He sighed and leaned back in his chair, glancing at his computer as everyone else began to stand and leave. It's all in the hands of those we sent, and they're light years away with no way for us to help them if things, god forbid go to hell.
Letting his head fall forward, he rested it on his hands, trying to will away the depression that had overcome him. Wars, probably a new variation of the resource-wars of the early 22nd century, would probably break out before the unobtanium began to arrive again. There wasn't much they could do about that, save delay it as long as they could. Another World War... that had to be stopped at all costs.
We barely survived the first two, and the third was a hairsbreadth from annihilating us. The fourth would finish the job. Dammit, we're not going to go out like that.
Steeling himself, he rose his head and began to compose a message to Pandora. They were due for a report in any case, and though he doubted they forgot, he would remind them the stakes they were playing for.
(extrapolated from low-bit code words)
To: UNEF, Pandora
From: UNG, Terra
Situation worsening. Three Governments fallen. Brush-Wars imminent.
Worse on horizon. Request haste. Failure not option for humanity.
Good luck. God be with us all.
Next up: Act III: Upheaval, Chapter 20: So It Begins
Glad to see people enjoyed the last chapter, as I always am. Here's another short interlude about things back on Terra and how things are starting to fall apart there.
Review responses:
robby cartwight & sana-dracios: glad you both liked it. It is something that I don't think a lot of people realize.
andreyrus: I know I know. I have the characters and situation like I want it, but i'm having a hard time getting the emotional aspect out like I want to. Hopefully you'll see some improvement in that in the next few chapters.