Tweet
PRESIDENT Ulysses Alexander was in a place that had not known existed a mere hour before, riding an elevator below the new "computer" lab at Delphi heading to what his science minister had called a "secure nuclear research facility," The President understood what "nuclear" meant, however, there was a facet of "nuclear science" that was still not quite understood by the President, and HE had graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Thermopylae, the top University in Greece and one of the top 3 in the world!
He thought of the words his top scientists had said:
"Nuclear fission."
They had tried to explain the theory behind the splitting of atoms and the unbelievable amounts of energy such splitting released. There were other terms: Chain reaction. Critical mass. The President had read the reports and there were still more words: Isotope. Half-life. Electrons, neutrons and protons. The formula e=mc2 . One thing was for sure: this was a great leap from the basics of atomic theory that were just coming to light when he was in college a mere 20 years before!
General Icarus interrupted the President's train of thought. "Sub-level 3, Mr. President...we're here." General Icarus was the head of the entire Lab.
They walked out of the elevator and into a burnished white corridor which was flanked by doors, every one of which had a keypad. They turned a corner, and approached a guard station. The guard was already at attention and saluted, which the General returned crisply. Signs on the doors read:
RESTRICTED
NO ADMITTANCE
FOR UNAUTHORIZED
PERSONNEL
HELLENIC MILITARY FACILITY
* NO TRESPASSING *
* NO PHOTOGRAPHIC OR RECORDING
DEVICES ALLOWED *
USE OF DEADLY FORCE
AUTHORIZED
ALL PERSONNEL AND PROPERTY
IN THIS FACILITY
ARE SUBJECT TO SEARCH
UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT
OF 1802
This door was different: it had a large flat pad - this was a fingerprint scanner. General Icarus placed his right hand on the pad and a pleasant female voice said "Access approved. Welcome, Mr. President. Your presence here today is a great honor." President Alexander chuckled. The door opened, and they walked past tables filled with test tubes and equipment of every description tended by men and women who were too busy to notice who was in their midst. It pleased the President to see that the science budget was being so well spent.
A woman in her early 30's approached the group. As always, General Icarus was the first to speak. "Ahhh, Dr. Yannapoulos. Mr. President, may I introduce the head of our Nuclear Theory lab, Dr. Anthea Yannopoulous." The woman smiled and extended her hand, which the president shook; "An honor to meet you, Mr. President. I have something I know you will want to see right away. Please follow me." They walked down several more nondescript hallways. Signs had pictures of Cleopatra, Ghandi and other foreign leaders and gave glaring warnings like
"THEY MAY BE FRIENDLY TODAY,
BUT WHO KNOWS ABOUT TOMORROW?
DON'T RISK PROSECUTION!!
ALL THAT IS SAID AND DONE HERE STAYS HERE !
They reached a door that had the most secure lock yet.
"Identify for Retina scan....." said the same female voice.
"Yannopoulos, Anthea H. Authorization Zed Zed Beta One Two Four Niner." the doctor answered.
A small console appeared from the wall next to the door. The doctor removed her glasses and pressed her right eye to a small screen.
"Identity confirmed." chimed the voice, followed by a click. The doctor held the door open and everyone filed through into a room with a large thick window on one side. The President had seen rooms similar to this before - used to separate people from direct exposure to potentially dangerous substances that needed to be worked on.
Dr. Icarus said "The glass is a foot thick and leaded, Mr. President to protect us from....," "The radiation, I understand." Alexander finished. Two technicians in radiation suits walked into the room on the other side of the glass carrying a small case marked with the universal symbol for radioactivity.
"That is what we brought you here to see, sir." Icarus said. The techs opened the box, revealing a rock with green specks in it. "That is uranium, one of the most radioactive natural substances known to our science."
"And this could potentially make a weapon powerful enough to destroy a city with one bomb?" asked the President, still slightly doubtful; it seemed so...incredible.
"Yes sir. Unfortunately, we do not have a sufficent source of it within our borders. We have not..." Icarus was interrupted by a red phone flashing on a wall. "Excuse me for a second...," picking up the phone, he said "General Icarus, yes? Send it through..." An emergency alert telex began clacking away next to the phone. The General waited until it was finished, tore it off, and read it.
"Good news, Mr. President! Geologists have found an unclaimed large source of uranium!"
"Excellent! Where?"
"Coordinates 23'16" north by 54'40" west" said the General, Dr. Yannopoulos placed an atlas on the table. "There, Mr. President.." she said, pounting to an area 500 miles north of Sparta.
It appeared to be unclaimed, but an Egyptian colonial road bordered it! Failure to act quickly could lead to dire consequences!!
The President quickly turned to General Icarus. "General, call the Helennic Palace. Tell the Chief of Staff to covene an emergency joint meeting of the Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs!"
"Yes sir!"
*********************************************
FOR the first time since the Concordat of Sparta, Greek military forces were crossing the northern fortress line. Not wanting to take any chances, Alexander had ordered two airborne brigades, two veteran Mechanized Infantry brigades, and a full Tank Division to the site, along with a vanguard of fast Cavalry for reconnaisance. Settlers that had been destined for the Eastern Frontier were diverted.
Three days after they set out, the 3rd Cavalry Brigade sent back the word:
THE GODS SMILE UPON US YET AGAIN. THE SITE REMAINS UNCLAIMED. HAIL ZEUS! HAIL PRESIDENT ALEXANDER!
END
He thought of the words his top scientists had said:
"Nuclear fission."
They had tried to explain the theory behind the splitting of atoms and the unbelievable amounts of energy such splitting released. There were other terms: Chain reaction. Critical mass. The President had read the reports and there were still more words: Isotope. Half-life. Electrons, neutrons and protons. The formula e=mc2 . One thing was for sure: this was a great leap from the basics of atomic theory that were just coming to light when he was in college a mere 20 years before!
General Icarus interrupted the President's train of thought. "Sub-level 3, Mr. President...we're here." General Icarus was the head of the entire Lab.
They walked out of the elevator and into a burnished white corridor which was flanked by doors, every one of which had a keypad. They turned a corner, and approached a guard station. The guard was already at attention and saluted, which the General returned crisply. Signs on the doors read:
RESTRICTED
NO ADMITTANCE
FOR UNAUTHORIZED
PERSONNEL
HELLENIC MILITARY FACILITY
* NO TRESPASSING *
* NO PHOTOGRAPHIC OR RECORDING
DEVICES ALLOWED *
USE OF DEADLY FORCE
AUTHORIZED
ALL PERSONNEL AND PROPERTY
IN THIS FACILITY
ARE SUBJECT TO SEARCH
UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT
OF 1802
This door was different: it had a large flat pad - this was a fingerprint scanner. General Icarus placed his right hand on the pad and a pleasant female voice said "Access approved. Welcome, Mr. President. Your presence here today is a great honor." President Alexander chuckled. The door opened, and they walked past tables filled with test tubes and equipment of every description tended by men and women who were too busy to notice who was in their midst. It pleased the President to see that the science budget was being so well spent.
A woman in her early 30's approached the group. As always, General Icarus was the first to speak. "Ahhh, Dr. Yannapoulos. Mr. President, may I introduce the head of our Nuclear Theory lab, Dr. Anthea Yannopoulous." The woman smiled and extended her hand, which the president shook; "An honor to meet you, Mr. President. I have something I know you will want to see right away. Please follow me." They walked down several more nondescript hallways. Signs had pictures of Cleopatra, Ghandi and other foreign leaders and gave glaring warnings like
"THEY MAY BE FRIENDLY TODAY,
BUT WHO KNOWS ABOUT TOMORROW?
DON'T RISK PROSECUTION!!
ALL THAT IS SAID AND DONE HERE STAYS HERE !
They reached a door that had the most secure lock yet.
"Identify for Retina scan....." said the same female voice.
"Yannopoulos, Anthea H. Authorization Zed Zed Beta One Two Four Niner." the doctor answered.
A small console appeared from the wall next to the door. The doctor removed her glasses and pressed her right eye to a small screen.
"Identity confirmed." chimed the voice, followed by a click. The doctor held the door open and everyone filed through into a room with a large thick window on one side. The President had seen rooms similar to this before - used to separate people from direct exposure to potentially dangerous substances that needed to be worked on.
Dr. Icarus said "The glass is a foot thick and leaded, Mr. President to protect us from....," "The radiation, I understand." Alexander finished. Two technicians in radiation suits walked into the room on the other side of the glass carrying a small case marked with the universal symbol for radioactivity.
"That is what we brought you here to see, sir." Icarus said. The techs opened the box, revealing a rock with green specks in it. "That is uranium, one of the most radioactive natural substances known to our science."
"And this could potentially make a weapon powerful enough to destroy a city with one bomb?" asked the President, still slightly doubtful; it seemed so...incredible.
"Yes sir. Unfortunately, we do not have a sufficent source of it within our borders. We have not..." Icarus was interrupted by a red phone flashing on a wall. "Excuse me for a second...," picking up the phone, he said "General Icarus, yes? Send it through..." An emergency alert telex began clacking away next to the phone. The General waited until it was finished, tore it off, and read it.
"Good news, Mr. President! Geologists have found an unclaimed large source of uranium!"
"Excellent! Where?"
"Coordinates 23'16" north by 54'40" west" said the General, Dr. Yannopoulos placed an atlas on the table. "There, Mr. President.." she said, pounting to an area 500 miles north of Sparta.
It appeared to be unclaimed, but an Egyptian colonial road bordered it! Failure to act quickly could lead to dire consequences!!
The President quickly turned to General Icarus. "General, call the Helennic Palace. Tell the Chief of Staff to covene an emergency joint meeting of the Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs!"
"Yes sir!"
*********************************************
FOR the first time since the Concordat of Sparta, Greek military forces were crossing the northern fortress line. Not wanting to take any chances, Alexander had ordered two airborne brigades, two veteran Mechanized Infantry brigades, and a full Tank Division to the site, along with a vanguard of fast Cavalry for reconnaisance. Settlers that had been destined for the Eastern Frontier were diverted.
Three days after they set out, the 3rd Cavalry Brigade sent back the word:
THE GODS SMILE UPON US YET AGAIN. THE SITE REMAINS UNCLAIMED. HAIL ZEUS! HAIL PRESIDENT ALEXANDER!
END
Comment