Manos stands and turns to the audience. “Dr. Andrews, let me understand what I’m hearing. You are standing there proudly announcing another negative earnings report. Am I directionally correct?”
Beth tenses. “Manos, save your questions for the end of the speech.”
“It’s a simple question. Are you happy with your performance?”
She points at him. “Mr. Kharon, Google has delivered a solid quarter. Let me remind you that we are in a global depression. The world is at war and our competitors face bankruptcy. Our business remains sustainable in the face of deteriorating headwinds.”
Manos turns and faces Beth. “That’s not a track record I support. You can do much better. As head of GoldRock, I led my company to a $50 billion profit this quarter, and our revenues are up consistently for the last five years. Google hasn’t reported positive earnings in over a decade. Your performance is lackluster at best.”
“We are navigating Google through an extremely difficult environment.”
Manos makes a fist. “Why should investors continue to support you? Why throw money at a company that cannot grow or turn a profit?”
Beth looks away and faces the audience, standing tall. “As the world’s largest technology company, Google’s value and place in the world cannot be questioned. We have a high-level strategy to reclaim profitability—”
“How will you possibly do that? There’s no way your company will return to growth.”
Beth stares at Manos. “Let me give you specific details of our plan. First and foremost, we have launched Project Titan, a clean energy initiative that will finally stop global warming.”
Manos walks on stage and laughs into the microphone. Media cameras zoom on Manos and Beth growling at each other. “Dr. Andrews, this is ridiculous. You are out of your mind. Google is not an energy company.”
“In fact, we are an energy company. Last year we acquired TransAtomic, a start-up with a breakthrough solution for the world’s climate crisis. They have designed a nuclear fusion platform that’s portable and cost-effective. Our A.I. department is working with their employees to build a prototype.”
Manos chuckles. “Nuclear power? You mean the pipedream that was supposed to change the world a century ago?”
“Fusion will run our homes and factories at a fraction of the cost of fossil fuels. We can finally end our addiction to oil and natural gas and stop greenhouse gas emissions. We can end the War and stop the scourge of global warming.”
Manos shouts back. “As Google’s largest investor, I am telling you that this is a waste of time. Your plans are fantasy and they’ll never make you a dime. Frankly, you are out of your mind!”
Beth removes her glasses. “Enough of this! I don’t know what kind of business GoldRock engages in, but most companies today struggle to exist. We are in a global depression and stocks have declined every year since 2042. Look across the world and you’ll find a shortage of water, food and fuel. Our problems reflect the planet’s dire state—we are in the early stages of a mass extinction and our only hope is a revolutionary clean energy technology.”
Manos shakes his head. “Folks, these are the words of an out-of-touch executive. She spews liberal lies and fake data from the left. There is no evidence of a mass extinction. I see things differently—"
She points her finger. “Look at the facts. The world’s population hit 10 billion in 2050, and now it’s 9 billion sixteen years later. War and famine plague the world. During the last century, ninety percent of plant and animal species disappeared from the globe. Tell me, Manos, when did Earth last face such a set of circumstances?”
Manos remains quiet.
“It was 66 million years ago. The Cretaceous-Tertiary epoch, also known as the K/T event, wiped out three-quarters of life on Earth. In fact, we have had five mass extinctions occurring every 60 to 100 million years, and we are due for the next catastrophe. Extinction 6 is here.”
Manos rolls his eyes. “Do you know why businesses today face bankruptcy? Because false, alarmist statements like yours create unnecessary taxes and regulations. When executives focus on the bottom line, the futures of their companies are bright.”
“I’m talking about the future of the planet—”
“Human beings control the planet, and we are different from any species that came before us. You can’t compare us to the dinosaurs. We will adapt to the direst circumstances and survive under the most hostile conditions. Human innovation will never go extinct.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Are we really different? Extinction 3, the Permian event, occurred 250 million years ago and wiped out 96 percent of life on earth. The cause? A massive volcanic eruption that released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which in turn fueled methane-producing bacteria. It was methane that accelerated greenhouse warming and destroyed the Earth’s balanced ecosystem, triggering its third global calamity. The same sequence is happening today, but this time it’s because of human activity. Just look at this chart.”
She beams an image on the screen—a graph showing average world temperatures and atmospheric methane concentrations from 2015 to 2066. The two lines overlap, climbing higher together beginning in the mid-century. “When methane levels increase, temperatures rise. It’s the same sequence Earth knows all too well—when the climate warms too quickly, it triggers a global catastrophe.”
Manos hoots. “That is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. Where did all this methane come from? Cow farts?”
The ballroom erupts in laughter.
Beth flips to a vintage photo of Earth from 2018. “I’m glad you asked. Take a look at the North Pole as it appeared fifty years ago. What do you notice that’s different from today?”
A board member raises a hand. “There was more ice back then.”
Beth nods. “Exactly. ‘Permafrost’ used to cover thousands of miles of Arctic tundra, stretching across continents and seas. Back then, there were 1500 gigatons of methane trapped in the northern glaciers, and as the ice melted it released huge reservoirs of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.”
Manos wags his finger at Beth. “That’s where you’re wrong. Methane is not a greenhouse gas.”
“Sorry, but you’re mistaken,” Beth replies. “Compared to carbon dioxide, methane is thirty times more powerful as a heat-trapper. Its abrupt release into the atmosphere has accelerated global warming, triggering sea-level rise and a man-made cataclysmic event.”
The room grows silent.
Beth turns to her shareholders. “I’m afraid to say that Extinction 6 is here. Global temperatures are expected to rise 2°C in the next few decades. With the excess heat, fresh water will disappear, making it harder to grow crops and sustain livestock. As a result, food supplies will dwindle, triggering famine and wars. Fewer plants mean fewer insects and birds, further destroying the world’s fragile ecosystem. The cycle of destruction is accelerating and by the of the century, most species will be gone.”
Murmurs arise across the venue.
Beth approaches the audience. “But it’s not too late… we can stop the release of methane and carbon dioxide. We can eliminate the use of fossil fuels, and it’s all possible with sustainable clean energy. Fusion power will return the planet to its balanced state.”
Manos seizes the podium. “Folks, don’t be fooled by this absurdity. Dr. Andrews has been at the helm for too long. She has made many empty promises, and her business acumen is poor. These lofty pipedreams will not restore our company to profitability but only add to future losses. As CEO of GoldRock, I have built the world’s most profitable corporation. Let me propose a more pragmatic vision for Google.”