Race against time

The world was dying.

That was almost the high point of the report. After that, it went downhill in a hurry. Our brightest minds were working in secret to try and figure out a way to either fix the problem or salvage as much as possible, but the logistics of such large scale global action were giving them headaches.

Not that I could blame them. International cooperation was a tricky dance at the best of times, and with each country trying to get the best for their own, old tensions were bound to rise. The last meeting degenerated into a shouting match and fist fight when one president accused another of withholding research and kidnapping scientists. As if we even have time for such squabbling when crops are dying and people are stockpiling food and weapons.

Oh yes, the general populace knew something was wrong. How could they not with the oceans emptying of life and the deserts spreading like fire? But they didn't know the full extent of just how very screwed we were. Keeping them (comparatively) blissfully ignorant was an unpleasant and often dirty job, but the alternative was global anarchy that would take precious time and resources away from saving our collective derrières.

Welcome to the 24th century, folks, enjoy it while it lasts.