gns.theplutopact-第22部分

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llason　was　stolid；　as　usual；　but　without　the　eternal　cigarette。　There　were　four　others；　all　bearing　the　stamp　of　high…ranking　governmental　service。　One　would　almost　certainly　be　from　the　Radiological　Protection　Board。　They　sat　with　elbows　resting　on　the　table；　fingertips　pressed　together；　a　long…practised　pose　intended　to　convey　a　calmness；　an　illusion　that　all　was　perfectly　under　control。
　　
　　There　was　an　uneasy　silence　broken　only　by　a　few　coughs　from　the　press。　They　were　eager　to　begin。　Dyne　appeared　to　be　in　no　hurry。　Another　ploy　to　dispel　any　sense　of　panic；　Kent　decided。
　　
　　Finally；　the　head　of　Oxide　Reprocessing　rose　to　his　feet。　His　posure　was　perfection　itself。
　　
　　'Gentlemen。'　His　eyes　flicked　briefly　over　the　audience　below　him。　'My　colleagues　and　I　are　here　this　afternoon　to　counter　certain　rumours　which　appear　to　have　escalated　to　enormous　heights。　Firstly；　I　shall　explain　the　true　position　to　you；　exactly　what　has　happened　here；　and　I　beg　you　to　bear　with　me　until　I　have　finished。　After　that　we　will　do　our　best　to　answer　your　questions；　but　in　an　orderly　fashion；　please。　I　assure　you　that　no　facts　will　be　withheld　from　the　public。'
　　
　　He　paused。　His　eyes　met　Coyle's；　and　lingered　for　a　brief　second。　Hatred。　Coyle　did　not　drop　his　gaze。　It　pleased　him　to　think　that　perhaps　he　had　brought　about　this　conference；　brought　the　facts　to　light。　Dyne's　gaze　elevated。　He　stared　at　the　rear　of　the　room；　addressing　them　all。
　　
　　Kent　noticed　the　four　A。E。　A。　policemen　standing　at　the　rear。　Total　security。　No　chances　were　being　taken。
　　
　　'The　whole　country　is　aware；'　Winston　Dyne　began；　'of　the　exact　purpose　of　this　place…to　recycle　imported　nuclear　waste；　and　give　a　boost　to　the　economy。　The　rewards；　if　successful；　will　be　a　thousand　times　greater　than　from　North　Sea　Oil。　However；　there　are　risks。　To　quote　a　much　used　phrase：　nothing　ventured；　nothing　gained　。　。　。　'。　'Get　to　the　point；'　somebody　muttered　in　the　background；　but　the　remark　was　ignored。　Dyne　was　not　the　type　to　be　ruffled　in　his　carefully　prepared　speech。
　　
　　'We　have　taken　risks；　and；　most　unfortunately；　we　have　experienced　a　setback。　You　will　no　doubt　recall　the　leak　at　Windscale　in　1973。　Well；　a　similar　thing　happened　here…although　on　a　much　smaller　scale；　to　begin　with。　We　located　the　leak　in　Section　Number　Eight；　and　laid　off　those　workers　concerned　whilst　repairs　were　carried　out。　This　〃harvest　process〃；　although　far　more　advanced；　presents　greater　problems　in　the　case　of　a　mishap。　However；　the　blocks；　stored　for　an　eternity　in　a　bed　of　granite　more　than　a　thousand　feet　below　ground　level；　are　perfectly　safe。　The　leak　did　not　e　from　there；　but　from　a　backlog　of　waste　brought　in　and　not　yet　processed。　The　delay　was　due　both　to　increased　importation　from　other　countries　and　the　fact　that　the　reprocessing　system　can　only　operate　at　a　certain　speed。　Unfortunately；　some　radioactivity　escaped　into　the　atmosphere。　We　have　rectified　that　by　the　installation　of　a　〃trap…tower〃。　The　whole　of　our　stock　is　now　confined　within　this；　and　no　further　radioactivity　can　escape　into　the　environment。　You　have　my　word　on　that。　A　government　ban　on　further　importation　of　nuclear　waste　is　being　brought　in　today。　The　Secretary　of　State　for　Energy　has　just　left　for　a　Cabinet　Meeting　to　take　place　in　London　in　a　few　hours'　time。　I　expect　the　Prime　Minister　to　make　a　broadcast　to　the　nation　sometime　tonight。'
　　
　　'Why　the　panic　if　you've　already　contained　the　leakage？'　The　question　came　from　a　reporter　somewhere　at　the　rear。
　　
　　'The　full　effects　of　radioactivity　in　the　environment　can　only　be　guessed　at。'　Dyne's　answer　revealed　a　note　of　irritation　at　being　interrupted　before　the　pletion　of　his　carefully　prepared　oration。　'A　man　has　died　in　this　town。　Another…a　worker　actually　engaged　upon　the　section　in　question…fled　south；　and　also　died。　Animal　and　bird　Me　seem　to　be　particularly　vulnerable。　Some　pigeons　and　a　stray　dog　died　here　this　morning。　However；　the　spread　of　radioactivity　is　governed　by　climatic　conditions。　Winds　may　carry　and　deposit　it　over　a　relatively　harmless　area。'
　　
　　A　note　of　optimism。　Kent　smiled　wanly　to　himself；　official　pills　always　had　a　sweetener。
　　
　　'Has　the　leak　been　fully　checked；　apart　from　being　contained　within　a　structure　carefully　prepared　for　such　an　occurrence？'　It　was　Kent　who　spoke。
　　
　　Hesitation　on　Dyne's　part；　a　hint　of　embarrassment；　but　only　for　seconds。
　　
　　'No；　it　has　only　been　contained。'
　　
　　'Then　there　is　a　build…up　continuing　in　your　structure…the　equivalent　of　God…knows…how…many　atom　bombs！'
　　
　　Reporters　were　on　their　feet。　A　barrage　of　angry　questions。　Kent　remained　seated。　Coyle　gripped　the　edge　of　his　chair。
　　
　　'How　are　you　going　to　stop　it？　Let　it　all　out？　Poison　everybody？'　The　jumbled　questions　were　shouted　by　numerous　angry　voices。
　　
　　'Order　please！'　Dyne　held　up　a　hand；　and　Coyle　noted　with　satisfaction　that　the　man's　posure　had　been　visibly　shaken。　His　face　was　white；　and　he　seemed　to　have　aged　decades。
　　
　　'Silence　please！'
　　
　　The　four　security　policemen　had　moved　away　from　the　corners　of　the　room…poised　for　action。　Any　hint　of　a　riot；　and　they　would　move　in　at　once。　Doubtless　a　score　of　others　were　within　call。
　　
　　'Let　me　finish！7　But　it　wasn't　Dyne　who　restored　order；　and　caused　the　reporters　to　resume　their　seats。　It　was　the　threat　of　state　police；　something　hitherto　unknown　in　Britain。　It　registered　on　every　one　of　them…Big　Brother。
　　
　　'Thank　you。'　Dyne　glanced　at　those　seated　on　either　side　of　him。　T　am　merely　putting　the　facts　before　you
　　
　　'And　trying　to　cover　up　a　few　too；'　a　sullen　reporter　heckled。
　　
　　'Shut　up。'　A　hard…faced　policeman；　one　who　craved　for　such　action。　Loader；　chief　of　the　A。E。A's　Private　Police　Force。
　　
　　'It　is　not　our　intention　to　withhold　anything。'　Dyne　had　almost　a　note　of　pleading　in　his　voice。　'Facts…that　is　what　I'm　giving　you；　so　you　can　go　from　here　and　phone　your　respective　papers。　I　am　stating　that　there　is　a　dangerous　build…up　of　radioactivity　which　currently　is　only　being　contained。　Our　only　remedy　at　this　moment　is　total　reprocessing。　All　nuclear　waste　contained　in　this　station…now　stored　in　Section　Number　Eight…must　be　reprocessed　in　the　quickest　possible　time；　and　the　blocks　laid　to　rest　in　granite　with　a　minimum　escape　of　radiation。　All　men　previously　laid　off　have　now　been　recalled。　Twenty…four　hours　of　non…stop　work　is　in　process　in　the　hope　。　。　。　in　the　hope　that　a　disaster　may　be　averted！
　　
　　'Only　two　alternatives　are　open　to　us。　We　can　either　release　this　build…up　of　radiation　and　accept　the　terrible　consequences；　or　face　the　possibility　of　a　nuclear　explosion；　the　like　of　which　Mankind　can　never　fully　prehend。　Our　gauges　show　a　slow　but　steady　rise　in　radioactive　leakage　within　Section　Eight。　It　is　a　race　against　time；　gentlemen。　Can　we　plete　the　reprocessing　and　thus　avert　a　catastrophe？'
　　
　　'How　long　have　we　got？'　It　was　Kent　who　spoke；　softly；　but　his　voice　carried　to　every　corner　of　the　room；　which　had　suddenly　bee　unnaturally　silent。　It　was　the　question　everybody　wanted　to　ask；　though　fearing　the　answer。
　　
　　'I　don't　honestly　know；'　Dyne　replied　slowly。　'That　is　something　none　of　us　knows。　Britain's　Hazardous　Materials　Group；　British　Nuclear　Fuels；　and　the　Radiological　Protection　Board　are　all　working　in　conjunction。　It　is　estimated　that　reprocessing　could　take　up　to　ten　days　to　plete；　even　with　our　much　advanced　systems。　But　can　we　beat　the　rate　of　radioactive　leakage　and　build…up？　None　of　us　can　answer　that　one。　The　Prime　Minister　himself　will　inform　the　nation　of　the　situation。　There　will；　of　course；　be　an　official　State　of　Emergency　right　away。　People　will　panic；　but　we　cannot　hide　the　truth。　It　will　be　impossible　to　evacuate　the　whole　country　。　。　。　but　the　effects　of　such　a　disaster　would　reach　wider　than　Britain　itself。'
　　
　　Coyle　was　now　on　his　feet。　Questions　hammered　inside　his　brain；　matters　of　national　urgency。　Yet　his　parental　instincts　predominated。
　　
　　'The　bodies　of　the　two　men　who　died　from　radioactive　contact。'　His　voice　was　unsteady；　fighting　to　get　the　words　out。　'Copeland　and　my　own　son　。　。　。　what　will　happen　to　。。。　？'　He　could　not　finish。
　　
　　Dyne　looked　down　at　the　table　as　he　replied。
　　
　　'Cremation　。。。　a　total　extermination　of　the　whole　body；　including　disposal　of　the　ashes；　is　the　only　answer。　We　。　。　。　dared　not　contemplate　anything　else。'
　　
　　'Dared　not？'
　　
　　'I'm　afraid　it　was　impossible　for　you　to　be　informed　before　this　press　conference。　But　there　had　to　be　no　delay。　Everything　。　。　。　the　two　men　。　。　。　the　women　。　。　。　the　pigeons　。　。　。　the　dog　。　。　。　They　have　all　been　cremated。'
　　
　　Coyle　felt　his　senses　spinning；　his　vision　blurred。　A　fleeting；　fiery　flash　in　his　memory：　a　face　illuminated　by　flames；　so　very　old　。　。　。　almost　recognition　。　。　。　then　it　was　gone　as　though　shutters　had　closed　to　blank　it　out。　For　a　moment　he　thought　that　he　was　going　to　faint。　A　firm　hand　pulled　him　back　into　his　seat。　Kent　knew　that　words　would　be　superfluous。
　　
　　'So　that　is　the　position；　gentlemen；'　Dyne's　voice　droned　on。　He　had　said　it　all　now；　told　them　everything。　The　barrage　of　questions　was　already　beginning。　But　there　were　no　real　answers。　No　excuses…although　there　would　be　scapegoats。　Himself；　mainly。　A　country；　a　world；　less　than　ten　days　away　from　potential　annihilation；　has　little　patience。
　　
　　Questions　and　more　questions；　and　still　more。　Dyne　was　grateful　to　Stafford　and　Tyler　for　helping　him　out。　Eventually　he　glanced　at　his　watch：　4。15。　He　was　already　late　for　his　appointment　with　the　representative　of　the　power…workers'　union。　There　could　be　no　question　of　a　walk…out　by　the　labour　force。　A　State　of　Emergency　would　be　officially　declared　within　a　matter　of　hours。　No　negotiations。　Pay？　What　the　hell　did　pay　matter？　The　men　would　be　forced　to　work　under　armed　guards　if　necessary。　Tons　of　nuclear　waste　had　to　be　mitted　to　its　last　resting　place　in　the　shortest　possible　time…and　the　end　justified　the　means。
　　
　　His　sympathies　lay　with　the　Prime　Minister。　In　the　event　of　the　worst　happening；　he　wo