Fast forward a while. The pandemic is still a thing, with no vaccine yet ready and folks becoming more and more polarized over basic mitigation policies (mandates for masking have caused fist-fights -and worse- on the streets.) The election cycle is in full swing, with uber-polarized folks on both sides. Russia and the U.S. are actively probing each other's defenses with bombers and naval exercises right up to, and occasionally over, each other's recognized borders. Fifty year old nukes are being carefully polished and maintained. Nobody seems to be centrist or willing to negotiate any more. T