King of All I Survey-Chapter 162: Taking Back the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

"First, is there enough staff in Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to keep it cooling and safe if we pull out all the Russians inside?"

"No," Joe replied, "There are only 5232 Ukrainian technicians and engineers remaining at the plant of the full staff of over 11000. It is completely shut down, but the maintenance and control of the radioactive materials and the cooling systems required to prevent a meltdown of the fuel rods still requires thousands. The Ukrainians and the IAEA monitors can mange to keep it going without the additional Russians for some time with extended workhours, but there are insufficient staff to handle any emergency or abnormal incidents- which are quite probable because of the poor state of oversight and maintenance under the Russian control."

"OK, contact the IAEA, at the start of my press briefing and ask them to immediately assemble a larger, capable team to supplement the staff on site. Assure them their security is guaranteed. Explain that the Russians have been removed from the plant. Simultaneously, remove the Russians, and provide a comm link between IAEA staff inside and their main offices so they can verify the situation and assist with expertise, if needed. Arrange the fastest possible conventional transport to get personnel there. Meanwhile, you take direct control of the systems if intervention is needed. LITV in a dark energy generator to run the cooling systems without interruption if the last remaining power supply cable is cut by the Russians, and staff to connect it. Don’t let any weapon touch the complex. Shield the entire thing. Send one of your androids there as a UEC Atomic Energy expert and take charge of the operation. As I’m in the press briefing, notify me when you have control of the facility. The Russians you take from Zaporizhzhia go to Blue Island for now. Simulate a scenario where they were suddenly overwhelmed by unidentified intruders and captured without injury, then transported to a nearby prison cell by truck. Anything missing to keep the pant safe?"

"No, I will note that cooling water is currently supplied by eleven ground wells since the Russians destroyed the dam which held the reservoir which formally provided cooling water. Nine of ten power supply lines have been similarly destroyed, jeopardizing the reliability of the ongoing cooling operations that are preventing potential meltdown. I expect the Russians, once they learn that they have been denied control of the plant, will attack the remaining cooling resources."

"Me too. The Dark Energy Generator should replace the electric cable, I assume you can work out some way to make sure water keeps flowing through the cooling systems?"

"Yes, I can protect the existing wells from any damage for now and later create a constant flow from a modified LITV used as a continuous portal from another more secure water source."

"Good, do it."

"Acknowledged."

"Just take the Russians from inside the facility buildings, if they are others outside on the grounds, leave them, but make sure the buildings are shielded and secure from anything they might do."

"Acknowledged."

Dad listened silently as I gave Joe his orders. "It looks like you made your decisions." He said, when I finished.

"I guess so. I’m hoping that securing the nuclear facility and putting it under IAEA control will help with international good will as well as removing it as a point of leverage or a weapon in Russian hands. I want to show the Ukrainians and the rest of the world that engaging with the UEC carries clear and immediate benefits."

Another though occurred to me, "Joe, make sure you check all involved IAEA personnel for Russian spies. Pull them out as well if you find any."

"Acknowledged."

I tried to think of anything else I was missing. "Joe, for the press briefing, put me inside the control room a t Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Make sure the background is recognizable, so they can confirm my location by comparing old pictures or whatever. I’ guess you’ll need a camera operator or something too to make it look like a normal operation."

"Acknowledged. I’ll need to secure the building ten minutes prior to the start of your conference then. We’ll put you and a cameraman in a private office four minutes ahead of going live, and have you walk to the control room. I’ll have my android accompany you with the security keys to get through. Note: I have already disabled detonators and explosives in the facility which are addressable from outside. The grounds are also heavily mined, shall I disable them as well?"

"No, but disable any active control that might let the Russians detonate them remotely."

"Acknowledged. Twenty-two minutes until your scheduled LITV transfer to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant."

I shrugged and held my arms out to either side. "Do I look presentable?" I asked facing Dad.

"Yeah, fine. Maybe add some kind of ID badge on the front of your jacket so you look official." Dad replied.

"You think?"

"Yeah. Joe, can you whip something up?"

A few seconds later, a small tray floated in with an ID badge. I picked it up and examined it. It had a little clip to attach it to the breast pocket of my suit jacket. It was a white plastic card with my picture, name, and title: Timothy Bailey, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Universal Earth Concord. Security Clearance Level: A1+ .

I shrugged and clipped it to my jacket. "How’s that?"

"Much better, Joe’s android and the cameraman should have one, too, but with lower security clearance levels," Dad suggested.

"Acknowledged." Joe replied without waiting for me to confirm the request.

"All right," I said, "I need a few minutes to figure out what I’m going to say. I’ll be up on the observation deck. Joe, give me a one-minute warning when it’s time to go."

"Acknowledged."

Using my android’s internal LITV, I disappeared and reappeared in the observation deck overlooking the countryside surrounding Cheshire, Massachusetts. I wanted to figure out how strong a statement to make about our involvement in Ukraine. Obviously, taking the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant away from Russian occupation and securing it was a pretty bold move. Russia would be completely pissed off. They might react with immediate, strong military action. Hopefully, we’d be able to handle anything they might do.

"Joe, prepare some irrefutable evidence of the North Korean involvement. Copies of orders for the North Korean soldiers to report to Russia for duty in Ukraine, video or audio of orders, a copy of the actual original request, contract or whatever between North Korean and Russia, names, ranks, and current locations of every North Korean soldier on Russian or Ukrainian soil. Plot it on a satellite map and include their full travel path to get there from wherever they were stationed in Korea with flight numbers, ground vehicle identifications, full chain of command for all the orders, right up to the original agreement between the countries. Prepare it as a data file to send to the news agencies broadcasting the live feed or recording it for future use. If any North Koreans cross the line into Ukraine, LITV them out immediately and log their exact location and circumstance of capture, weaponry, uniform, national insignia, everything we can use to show their identity, the fact that they’re masquerading as Russians, and that they crossed into Ukraine. Let me know immediately if you can find proof to tie it directly to Supreme Leader Pak or President Volkov."

"Acknowledged."

"And give me a memory implant lesson of UN rules and procedures that have any bearing on this issue. Right now."

"Acknowledged, memory implant to begin in three seconds."

A short while later, Joe told me it was time for me to go to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant for my public statement. He would use a previously unused and therefore unidentifiable android body, and we’d send one of our paramilitaries as a camera operator, with an memory implant briefing on the situation, proper use of the camera, and orders not to engage in any act of violence under any circumstances (unless directly ordered by myself).

The three of us appeared in an empty office just down the hallway from the main control room in the central building. We all wore ID badges. Joe and the camera operator wore crisp white jumpsuits with Universal Earth Concord written across the shoulders on the back and in smaller print just above the right front chest pocket. Joe opened the control room door with his security code and the three of us entered.

There were three IAEA monitors watching digital readouts at several stations around the room. They all looked up when we entered. One stepped back from his workstation and began walking toward us, a challenging look on his face.

From my briefing, I recognized him as Khaled Abadi from Jordan, the team leader of the monitoring group currently stationed here.

"As-salamu alaykum, al-ustadh Khaled," I greeted him in his native Arabic. "I am Timothy Bailey of the Universal Earth Concord. I believe you were notified of my imminent arrival by the Vienna office?"

He stopped short and his expression relaxed as he returned my greeting, "Wa alaykum as-salam." I reached out my right hand and we shook. "Yes, I was told you would be arriving to make a public statement about the plant."

"Yes, we’ll just set up right over here," I gestured to an open floor space away from the stations where the IAEA staff were working. "I promise we won’t touch anything," I said with a friendly smile.

He returned my smile, "Your Arabic is very good. Are you... American, may I ask?"

"Yes, does my accent give me away?"

"Not at all, I would have thought you born and raised in my native Jordan if I had only your words to judge by."

"Thank you, you are kind. I will be sure to pass the praise along to my tutor. If you don’t mind, however, the broadcast is about to start. We can talk more afterward, if you like."

"Yes, that would be excellent. I’ll get out of your way."

"Thank you." I took a spot with a bank of indicator lights and video monitoring screens visible behind me. Our camera operator lifted the camera to his shoulder.

"Forty-five seconds to the start of the feed," Joe informed us both, in English.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I made a conscious effort to keep the predatory grin off my face as I exhaled and looked into the camera to begin. Joe stood a step behind me and a step to my right, where he would also be in the frame and ready when I called upon him.

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