js&cs.thebridge-第22章

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s　no　one　else　could　see。
　　Micki　pushed　through　the　hysteria；　helping　her　up；　holding　on　for　dear　life。　〃Shhhh；　it's　okay；　baby；　it's　gonna　be　okay　。。。　〃
　　〃No；〃　Gwen　rasped：　hands　clutching　her　belly　protectively；　head　cocked　as　though　listening　for　distant　tremors　in　the　earth。　〃No；　something's　w…wrong　。。。　〃
　　〃Shhh；〃　Micki　said。　〃It's　a　dead　animal；　baby。　Just　a　poor　dead　deer　。。。　〃　She　reached　for　Gwen；　grasping　her　shoulders。
　　〃Something's　wrong！〃　Gwen　cried；　shaking　loose　of　Micki；　not　even　seeing　her　through　the　dread；　terrible　veil　of　certainty。
　　〃What？〃　Micki　shuddered　in　her　grip。　〃I　don't　understand　。。。　〃
　　〃It's　DEAD！〃　Gwen　wailed；　suddenly　snapping　into　focus。　〃CAN'T　YOU　SEE　IT！　IT'S　DEAD　。。。　！！〃
　　Then　unconsciousness　swept　over　her；　and　she　dropped　to　the　ground　like　a　stone。
　　
　　
　　　Twenty
　　　
　　At　twelve　fifty…five；　Reactor　One　began　to　sing。
　　Fred　Jenkel　blinked　back　sweat；　unable　to　deny　what　was　happening　even　as　he　refused　to　admit　the　evidence　of　his　senses。　He　was　not　having　a　good　time。
　　He　had　worked　in　nuclear　power　for　going　on　ten　years；　he　knew　the　heart　of　the　plant　from　the　ground　up；　every　tick　and　hitch　of　its　proper　operation。　The　system　worked；　he　believed　that　with　all　his　heart　。。。　no；　more　than　that。　He　knew　it　worked；　because　he　knew　how　it　worked　and　why　it　worked。　Jenkel's　first　article　of　faith　stated　that　there　were　no　miracles；　only　mechanisms；　that　all　things　physical　ultimately　functioned；　and　that　functionality　ultimately　made　sense。
　　So　when　noon　had　rolled　around　and　the　berated　water　had　failed　to　halt　the　power　surges　or　significantly　reduce　the　ion　population；　Jenkel's　next　impulse　had　been　as　clear　as　it　was　logical。　Increase　the　boron　content　of　the　coolant；　he'd　thought。　Max　it　out。
　　Supervising　Operator　Roger　Sykes　had　agreed。　He　was　a　congenial　man　in　his　fifties；　lantern…jawed　and　brush…cut；　with　a　military　trimness　only　lately　giving　way　to　civilian　middle　age。　Sykes　had　spent　fifteen　years　on　Navy　subs　before　moving　into　mercial　nuclear　power；　and　he　ran　a　tight　ship。　He　was　an　engineering　anomaly；　a　good　manager　who　was　still　a　good　engineer；　and　he　and　Jenkel　worshiped　at　the　same　altar。
　　〃Increase　the　boron　content；〃　he'd　said。　〃Max　it　out。〃
　　This　they　did。　It　worked；　for　a　while。
　　Then；　at　twelve…sixteen；　the　neutron　count　inched　up　again。
　　〃Hmmmm；〃　Sykes　murmured。　〃Hmmmm　。。。　〃　They　were　not　the　type　who　panicked　easily。　Besides；　it　was　nothing　fast　enough　to　trigger　an　automatic　reactor　trip　or　anything。　It　wasn't　unstable。　Just　drifting。
　　Slowly。　Relentlessly　upward。
　　At　twelve…thirty；　Sykes　turned　to　the　crew。　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　〃Do　a　turbine　runback；　shed　the　load。〃　He　checked　the　meters。　〃Let's　slow　this　unit　down。〃
　　Henkel　and　Jenkel　obeyed；　began　stepping　in　the　rods：　the　control　rod　clusters　ratcheting　down　their　exactly　spaced　chutes；　each　tucking　in　its　portion　of　the　fuel　assembly　for　a　nice　little　nap。
　　By　twelve　thirty…seven　the　reactor　core　had　slowed；　rolling　off　as　the　rods　stepped　into　place。　Everyone　nodded　and　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief；　chalking　the　aberration　up　to　the　fact　that　it　was　an　older　fuel　assembly　ready　for　shuffling；　with　a　higher　number　of　spent　rods　and　an　overabundance　of　available　neutrons；　and　hence　was　livelier　than　usual。
　　At　twelve　forty…five；　the　power　slid　back　up。
　　It　was　surprising　in　its　seeming　willfulness；　the　meter　arcing　up　as　if　some　invisible　arm　wrestler　had　grabbed　ahold　of　it。　The　reactor　hit　the　one　hundred　and　three　percent　power　mark　and　tripped　every　alarm　in　sight。
　　〃Sonofabitch！〃　Jenkel　gasped。　He　was　reaching　for　the　controls　just　as　Sykes　came　hauling　ass　out　of　his　office。
　　〃What　the　heck　is　this？〃　Sykes　blurted。　He　wanted　explanations　and　logic。　He　got　neither。
　　〃Beats　me；〃　Jenkel　said。　〃The　power　just　surged　again。　It's　getting　pretty　hot。〃
　　〃Pull　her　back　to　thirty　percent；〃　Sykes　said；　eyeing　the　meters；　less　alarmed　than　irritated。　Jenkel　nodded　and　cut　it　back。
　　It　stayed　down　for　even　less　time。　Then　up　up　up　again。
　　They　continued　this　cat…and…mouse　game　for　a　while：　borate　and　step　down；　borate　and　step　down。　The　reactor　didn't　seem　to　care。　It　just　kept　climbing　back　into　the　maximum　operating　range。　Denying　logic。　Defying　them。
　　〃Sonofabitch；〃　Sykes　muttered。　〃What　is　going　on　in　there？〃　They'd　been　dicking　with　the　reactor　for　almost　two　hours　now；　and　his　alarm/irritation　ratio　had　long　since　flip…flopped。
　　Sykes　rubbed　his　temples　and　stared　at　the　meters。　The　hum　of　the　reactor　made　his　fillings　ache；　put　a　hot　lump　of　slag　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。
　　He　looked　over　to　the　glass…walled　cubicles　lining　the　side　of　the　control　room。　〃Ros！〃　he　called　out。　〃Did　you　get　through　to　the　NRC　yet？〃
　　〃No；　sir。〃　Rosalyn　White's　face　popped　out　of　the　doorway。　She　was　a　slender；　pretty　woman；　the　day　shift　clerk；　and　at　the　moment　she　looked　very　nervous。　〃I　can't　get　through；〃　she　said。
　　〃What　about　PEMA？〃
　　〃No；　sir；〃　Ros　said。　〃I　can't　get　through　to　anyone。　No　one's　in。〃
　　〃Great；〃　Sykes　muttered。　〃Keep　trying！〃　he　snapped；　and　was　instantly　sorry。　He　softened　his　tone　incrementally。　〃And　patch　me　through　to　ChemTech。〃
　　Ros　nodded；　disappearing　into　her　office；　a　moment　later　the　console　phone　started　blinking。　Sykes　punched　a　line　and　picked　up。　〃Control　。。。　〃　he　said。　〃Sykes　here。〃
　　〃Yeah；　this　is　Bergens　in　ChemTech。〃　The　voice　was　female；　with　a　slight　Southern　twang。　〃I　got　coolant　sample　readings　for　ya。〃
　　〃Yeah？〃　Sykes　replied。　〃So　tell　me　some　good　news。
　　
　　The　ChemTech　labs　were　a　long；　brightly　illuminated　set　of　rooms　off　in　the　main　plex。　Like　the　control　room；　they　were　safety…sealed；　redundantly　filtered。　Becky　Bergens　sat　at　her　station　and　stared　at　the　coolant　sample。　She　was　petite；　pretty；　with　a　thick　mane　of　russet…colored　hair　and　wide…spaced；　almond…shaped　eyes。
　　〃Oh；　it's　borated；　all　right；〃　Bergens　said　into　the　phone　wedged　in　the　crook　of　her　neck。　〃You've　got　boric　acid　ing　out　the　wazoo。　That's　not　your　problem。〃　A　furrow　of　worry　lines　etched　into　her　brow。
　　〃The　problem　is　。。。　〃　she　continued；　then　stopped；　puzzling。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　don't　know　what　the　problem　is。　I've　never　seen　anything　like　this　before。〃
　　〃What　are　you　saying？〃
　　Bergens　held　the　beaker　aloft；　squinting　at　the　contents　as　if　they　might　bite；　the　water　inside　swirled；　transparently　viscous；　woven　into　liquid　striations。　〃I'm　saying；〃　she　reiterated；　〃that　something's　not　right　about　this　water。〃
　　〃What；　is　it　contaminated？〃
　　Bergens　shook　her　head。　〃If　it's　a　contaminant；　it's　a　damn　sneaky　one。　It　got　past　the　carbon　filters；　the　ion　exchangers；　and　every　other　trap　in　this　joint。
　　〃No；〃　she　concluded；　〃this　is　something　else。　This　is　new。〃　She　held　the　vial　up　to　the　light；　tilted　it　this　way　and　that。　The　water　swirled　lazily　in　its　beaker。
　　〃Great；〃　Sykes　moaned。　〃So　the　water's　not　right。　What's　wrong　with　it？〃
　　〃You　tell　me；〃　she　began。　〃It　ain't　too　hot　on　absorbing　neutrons；　for　one　thing。　I'm　double…checking；　but　I'll　tell　you：　the　moderator　characteristics　are　really　screwy。　And　if　the　water　doesn't　slow　this　fission　properly；　there　isn't　enough　of　it　in　the　world　to　keep　your　baby　cool。〃
　　〃Yeah；　well；　thanks　for　the　good　news。〃
　　〃That's　what　I'm　here　for；〃　she　replied。　Becky　date…labeled　the　beaker　with　the　coolant　sample　and　shelved　it　next　to　other　dated　containers。　Then　she　went　over　to　her　puter　terminal　to　double…check　on　moderator　characteristics。
　　Slowly；　the　striations　began　to　undulate；　assuming　a　definitive　pattern。　The　patterns　became　much　clearer；　as　the　oily　striations　began　to　swoop　and　dip　and　swirl。
　　Over　and　over；　over　and　over；　over　and　over。
　　A　figure…eight　pattern。
　　Twenty　seconds　later；　the　liquid　in　the　other　beakers　did；　too。
　　
　　Back　in　the　reactor　control　room；　Roger　Sykes　was　beyond　pissed。　He　was　getting　nervous。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　asked　Jenkel。
　　〃Not　sure；〃　Fred　said；　looking　a　lot　more　worried　than　he　sounded。　〃Dilution　accident；　maybe。〃　He　pondered　the　point。　〃If　untreated　water　got　into　the　feed　supply　。。。　〃
　　Sykes　paled　a　little；　pleting　the　thought。　God；　throwing　untreated　water　on　a　hot　core　would　be　like　dousing　a　fire　with　gasoline。
　　Sykes　hit　a　switch　and　activated　the　acoustical　monitoring　system；　a　series　of　strategically　placed　microphones　that　relayed　the　sound　ing　from　the　inside　of　the　reactor　vessel　to　the　control　room。
　　A　deafening　roar　spilled　out　of　the　monitor　speakers；　the　sound　of　coolant　water　pummeling　the　core　into　obedience。　Henkel；　Jenkel；　and　Sykes　leaned　forward；　scrutinizing　the　rumbling　wall　of　noise。
　　Jenkel　was　the　first　to　notice。　〃There；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　hear　that？〃
　　Henkel　and　Sykes　cocked　an　ear　toward　the　sound。　It　hit　them　within　seconds　of　one　another。　〃Jesus；〃　Sykes　whispered；　as　the　fleshy　pan　of　his　neck　prickled　with　dread。
　　It　was　an　eerie　barbed　filigree　of　sound　that　rose　and　fell　and　twisted；　not　beneath　the　roar　or　behind　it　but　somehow　in　it；　a　frequency…shifting　inside　the　water…sound。　As　they　listened　one　thing　became　clear。　It　was　no　accident。　It　was　too　plex　and　multi…timbral；　too　。。。　intelligent。
　　The　reactor　was　singing。
　　It　was　the　scariest　thing　they'd　ever　heard。
　　〃No；　no　no。〃　Henkel　sat　in　his　chair；　mumbling　a　mantra　of　pure　denial；　as　though　it　were　up　to　a　vote。　〃No；　no；　no；　no。　Not　liking　this。　Not　one　bit。〃
　　The　sound　reminded　him　of　something　he'd　read　back　in　college；　something　about　seductive　creatures　who　lived　in　the　water　and　sang　to　the　sailors　in　passing　ships。　He　reached　into　the　recesses　of　memory　for　the　name；　felt　it　slap　him　in　the　face　as　it　came　back。
　　Sirens。
　　While　over　the　speaker；　under　the　water；　an　amorphous　mesmerizing　chorus　shifted　in　and　out　of　focus。
　　Luring　them　onto　the　rocks　。。。
　　〃Shit；　what　do　we　do　now？〃　Henkel　said；　looking　like　a　man　who　wished　he'd　gone　into　another　line　of　work。
　　Behind　them；　Sykes　paced　in　tight　little　circles；　the　engineer　in　him　butting　heads　with　the　manager　until　it　produced　a　whanging　headache。　In　the　event　of　an　emergency　the　utility's　unwritten　policy　was　to　stay　on…line　until　the　shit　hit　the　fan；　and　not　to　go　public　until　things　were　either　under　control　or　uncontrollable。　In　the　post…Three　Mile　Island　industry；　emergency　procedures　were　clear　as　they　were　limiting：　do　not　guess。　Do　not　diagnose。　Treat　the　symptoms　only。
　　And　hope　that　that's　enough。
　　Sykes　looked　at　the　clock。　Twelve　fifty…eight。　〃The　hell　with　this；〃　he　said。　〃Trip　it。〃
　　He　turned　to　Jenkel。　〃Shut　down；　run　a　systems　check；　and　isolate　the　problem。　I　want　this　thing　up　and　back　on…line　ASAP。
　　〃Bob；〃　he　turned；　singling　out　the　younger　man；　〃get　ready　to　open　up　the　auxiliary　feed　lines　and　start　pumping。　Make　sure　we　maintain　the　shutdown　margin。〃　He　looked　around。　〃I'm　notifying　Biles。　The　clock　starts　now。〃
　　He　looked　around。　〃Well；　what　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　　Henkel　nodded；　relieved。　〃Not　a　thing。〃　He　went　over　to　the　switch…bank。　〃Shutting　her　down；〃　he　said。　〃Now。〃
　　Henkel　cut　power；　and　inadvertently　held　his　breath。
　　。。。　While　deep　in　the　reacto