by Td Barnes
****
The next morning.
“Good morning, sir,” the radio operator greeted Bradley as he walked in to read the morning brief. Sarge went to a doggie bed constructed by one of the radio operators in the Command Center. He sniffed it and picked up a stuffed animal included with the bed, circled two turns, dug for a few seconds to soften or arrange the bed, and laid down to nap.
“We made contact last night with a ham radio operator on a barge CQ’ing on the 40-meter band in Costa Rica through a skip transmission. We experienced strong reception due to the aurora and other atmospheric conditions. He blamed it on the damage to the hemisphere. We set a time and frequency for contact again tonight. If we do not get him on 40 meters, he also gave us a frequency to try on 20 meters. He said two and 11 meters are dead due to skip conditions caused by the atmospheric disruptions.”
“Damn,” Bradley exclaimed happily. “Did he say what conditions are like there?”
“He stated that they were zapped with the EMP there much like us. His radio was in the hole of a metal boat with his antenna disconnected when the EMP hit. He says that this saved his radio. He stated that they escaped the nuclear exchange, but the fallout is moving in. He heard that the fallout cloud dropped the temperature 40 degrees. He uses a solar panel to charge the batteries for his radio equipment. He’ll be up shit creek when the fallout blocks the sun.”
“Well, we know more than we did,” Bradley responded. “Do you need an additional radio operator? I want someone monitoring the ham frequencies twenty-four-seven.”
“One operator can handle it. He or she can always yell for help from the duty desk if needed or they may bring in another player. Sir, this might be a good project for some of the kids, one that is fun for them and something that can be productive.”
Bradley glanced up from reading his report. “Good idea, soldier. Thoughts like that will get you promoted.”
“Does that mean more pay?”
Both laughed.
****
T plus 45 Days - Yucca Mountain.
“Sit,” said Bradley to the meteorologist from the Desert Research Institute group. “This morning we woke up to see black rain and large chunks of ice falling. For Christ’s sake, we are in the friggin desert during the heat of summer. I need a forecast regarding the radiation future for my morning brief. Update me on the radiation situation and why the radiation levels have risen, and temperatures have plummeted outside the mountain for the past 15 days.”
Sarge lay in his doggie bed silently observing Bradley taking a sip of coffee before continuing. “Explain to me what the hell is going on out there.”
The meteorologist thought for a second before answering. “That is a tough one, sir; since we’ve not been outdoors nor have access to information. I can only speculate and theorize. Lacking our normal flow of information about the weather around the world, the best we can do is to render a valid opinion on what is occurring. It is my opinion that the solar winds and the Aurora magnetic energy are contrasting with the firestorms still raging in the cities and forests. This is creating havoc with the air masses and the jet stream.”
He glanced towards the radiation representative sitting beside him to see if he wanted to take it from here. The radiation man refused to take the opportunity, so he continued. “The airstream is carrying the atmospheric radioactive particles, so the smoke and soot in the atmosphere will continue to spread and fan out until it blocks the sun. This is most likely occurring over much of the planet. Summer temperatures may fall to even winter levels. We can expect the worst winters on record.”
Bradley shook his head negatively. “This confirms my fears. This will devastate crops that are weeks and months away from harvest.” He calculated in his mind the amount of food reserves remaining at the mountain.
“Correct. Snow-bearing radioactive materials are most likely blanketing much of the New England states today. The weather is probably volatile and even violent wherever cities continue to burn. The heat from the firestorms is mixing with the cold fronts moving in with the airstream and wind currents. I would imagine they are experiencing tornados, waterspouts, and extremely high straight winds. The heat is most likely causing upward wind drafts, which circulates the smoke, dust, and radioactive fallout back into the atmosphere. What the storms fail to kill off the radioactive fallout will.”
Bradley looked towards the radiation man, nodding his head in agreement and adding for further explanation.
“In places like Montana, or even here in northern Nevada, the fallout will kill hundreds of cattle, ewes, lambs, and of course the wildlife. Practically all the animals and even the fish will die. Live animals will smell of death even before they stop breathing.”
The meteorologist interjected, “I assume, sir, that you are more interested in our local conditions. The radiation levels finally peaked here at the Flats today. Anyone on the outside who survived the senseless killings is in most cases near starvation.”
Bradley nodded in agreement. “I imagine that over most of the planet, the radiation will continue its silent, lethal bombardment.”
“Yes, that includes anyone in the Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Tonopah areas as well. Even in optimistic instances, this exposure reduces their incredibly inhuman longevity to less than a year. Nevertheless, our conditions will fluctuate with the global weather influences.”
Bradley intertwined his fingers in thought and said, “I would compare our situation to that of a lunar colony. In space, conditions may remain favorable for days, months, or even years until the sun experiences a deadly solar flare at which time everyone on the moon must rush to protection. It will be the same for us when we move out of the mountain. We might enjoy a safe environment for days, months, and eventually even years while the jet stream is somewhere else.”
“True,” the meteorologist said, “About the time we start feeling all safe and cozy, a weather pattern might influence the jet stream to drop back over us, bringing the deadly fallout with it. We will suddenly be rushing people, pets, and livestock back into the mountain where we might remain for days, or even months or years. We exist at the will of the jet stream. We will probably continue to do so for centuries extending well into the next ice age. Face it, sir. This mountain is home to generations of this colony and the livestock located at the south portal animal kingdom, so be thinking about a much larger facility for our animals and their food storage when our herds and flocks multiply.”
Bradley knew all this but felt he should get confirmation from the experts. He thanked and dismissed them. Watching them leave, he reached down and petted his poodle. “Sarge, how in the hell did we inherit this job? I would gladly trade jobs with Noah about now.”
The reason for his conferring with the meteorologist and radiation experts came from concern shared by Bradley and his chosen staff of advisors about the people having aligned upon their previous trade when settling here at the mountain. The company commander had already countered this concern by assigning his military personnel to various outposts within the compound where they trained one another and included the civilians while interfacing among the groups to establish a sense of continuity.
Under Bradley’s command, the Yucca Mountain Base now operated much like an army garrison. Military guards manned the front desk on an around the clock, three-shift basis with the troops required for defending the portals performing a shift much like guard duty. They performed portal defense duty at intervals of twenty-four hours where they served for four hours and slept nearby for eight. Concern weighed on his mind that his people be prepared to handle the demands upon them once they ventured out of the mountain to live off the land.
Only on the monitors in the Command Center and guard post could the residents find a sense of night or day. Otherwise, those in the tunnel lacked any sense of the time of day unless they relied upon a clock or watch.
Following their body clock, the residents developed individual circadian phases, one by one splitting
into different schedules, so at any given time the tunnel contained a third of the population in their night mode.
The supply room operated around the clock and the mess hall served meals four times a day with a choice of breakfast, lunch, or dinner available at each setting, finding it easier to serve meals in this fashion since they came as pre-prepared military meals ready to eat.
Everyone settled into a circadian rhythm, making many of them somewhat oblivious to the occurrences outside the mountain unless they gained access to the outdoor camera network. Bradley shifted back to a regular daily schedule, each day hoping to receive a radio contact with someone other than the occasional ham radio operator. Even they soon dropped off the net for reasons that one could only imagine. For days on end, the receivers remained silent.
The transformation of the residents of the mountain from their varied careers and interests before the EMP to a close-knit subterranean family became nothing short of miraculous.
In a concise time, they adopted a social life and desire to be with one another insofar the main tunnel became a Mecca for groups socializing.
Bicycling in groups became popular insofar that traffic control became necessary where bicyclists traveled only on the right side of the tunnel to establish a walking path on each side of the railroad tracks.
Pedestrians walked along the tracks to the right to maintain traffic control and ease for the runners. Everyone observed strict self-enforcement of speed limits in congested areas, adopting and enforcing their own bicycle - pedestrian etiquette.
Running became another group activity with Bradley running the entire length of the tunnel network each morning for his exercise and the opportunity to contact with his people living miles from the entrance.
An entourage of runners usually joined him only to go their way when he chose to stop for any reason. The runners in the tunnel adopted a similar etiquette.
Before long, etiquette also existed in the mess halls. The necessity for protocol standards and manners sparked the respect for one another that Bradley and the others had discussed at the earlier meeting concerning establishing an honor code for the youth.
This adoption of courtesy to one another filtered down to the young people in a gratifying manner. Before long, if handicapped for some reason or need to get somewhere in a hurry, the manually operated handcar provided an option when not in use or parked anywhere else in the tunnel. The teenagers loved volunteering to transport the residents of the mountain and this suited everyone just fine. This kept the handcar moving on a route from one end of the tunnel to the other, operating much like a bus schedule except for when someone of authority reserved it for a special time and need.
Bradley and his usual entourage had embarked on their running routine with Sarge happily taking the lead. They had completed near half of their run when they spotted the XO starting a training session. Bradley and his entourage stopped to observe the training group consisting of a mix of military and civilians. The pets of many of them stood by their side away from two guinea hens raising a noisy ruckus with someone’s small dog a few feet further into the tunnel.
Barlow maintained a superb physical shape for someone slightly over 40 years of age. For this reason, she often headed a PT class knowing it would draw participants who might otherwise decide to skip their exercise session.
Bradley grinned, and his eyes twinkled when he heard her start her lesson with a bit of humor to break the ice.
“Alright, you married guys. Stop looking at my ass and listen up.”
Many of them laughed at being caught doing precisely that though she wore a standard DCU, desert combat uniform that certainly did nothing to flatter her figure.
The wives knew and loved Barlow for how she went the extra mile to know the families of those in her outfit. Those ladies attending the training session carried the humor for a moment by elbowing their husband in a pretense punishment gesture. Hearty laughter spread throughout the group.
Barlow saw Bradley and flashed him a smile of recognition before continuing. “Get’em ladies,” she said laughing.
She waited until everyone settled down to pay attention. “Alright, down to business everyone. Today, we are continuing the discussion on the effects of radiation exposure. I have asked Samantha Bradley with to provide us with some first responder do and don'ts.”
Bradley listened to his daughter speak for a moment before continuing his run. “Let’s go, Sarge,” he said to his dog.
Sarge took the lead, as always, and the rest followed. Bradley stopped his entourage a mile farther into the tunnel again to listen to a presentation by an Army Specialist E-4 on the maintenance of the artificial lighting throughout the tunnel.
This class contained a mixture of military and civilians like the XO’s class. It especially pleased Bradley to see several teenagers attending this class on chemical kinetics. He partially attributed this to the soldier instructor not being much older than many of them. He represented a role model for them because of his experiences in the military.
“These lights consists of two parts,” the specialist started. “They are a mixture of sodium carbonate, laminal, ammonium carbonate, copper sulfate pentahydrate, and distilled water. Once you have completed the two parts, mix them, and you have a 'glowing' liquid. It is an excellent light source following an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, or another catastrophic emergency like what we have here at the mountain.”
He did an excellent job of gaining the undivided attention of teenagers while he spoke of how nitric oxide reacts with ozone to cause a reaction that emitted light through chemiluminescence.
As the soldier prepared to dismiss the class, a teenage girl asked, “Specialist, what is it about being a soldier that makes you different from the rest of us? There is not that much age difference between us.”
The soldier thought for a moment. “Once we put on the uniform, we never take it off. One may not see it, but it is there, fusing the soul through adversity, fear, and adrenaline. We wear it with pride, integrity, and guts to answer the “call the wild” that wafts through the bedroom windows in the dark of the night. In the military world, a fellowship remains with us every step and breath of our life. Our real bearing speaks of our heart. Because we serve, we envy no man on earth. We, the military, are the world’s largest family business. While we have a cavalier willingness to wage war, we cannot allow ourselves to become desensitized to seeking war by reasoning that is what we signed up.”
Bradley’s mind focused on the young soldier venturing into the subject matter of an issue that the committee and he had planned to explore today. He and the board realized that the surviving colony needed to plan for supporting a significant agriculture program and once it became safe to leave the mountain, replenish the colony to offset attrition of its aging residents.
Some had already voiced their fear concerning the effects of radiation on the newborn. No doubt, the need outweighed the risks, and in any case, several of the female military and dependents were already unabashedly seeking pregnancy while several of the teenagers paired up considering marriage.
The residents’ adapting to their existing environment in such an extraordinarily short time created the need for the leadership of the mountain to change with them. Already, the mandatory cross-training and education project had spawned social events that included card tournaments semblance to rural life during World War II and dances spanning all eras of American dance culture. Even the chivalry of the forties returned to the courting rituals.
The residents of the mountain were quickly becoming active, educated, and fiercely independent individuals eager to blossom into a new society on the outside. Their training policies and regimentation evolved them into a mixture of highly trained and qualified persons in the specialized fields of farming, ranching, and the military.
Life on the outside could have hardly been worse while the residents of the mountain evolved into a peaceful, purposeful coexistence safely cocooned inside the mou
ntain inner sanctum.
****
North Las Vegas - Same Date.
The smoke pall had now covered half the northern hemisphere, causing an even more drastic drop in temperatures. The Las Vegas region had experienced catastrophic agricultural failure with semidarkness, killing frosts, and subfreezing temperatures, combined with high doses of radiation interrupting plant photosynthesis. The destruction of the Earth's vegetation filtered up the chain of life to the animals, causing the extinction of entire species. The loss of plants and animals, of course, brought starvation to humans around the world.
Seldom did the sun break through the radioactive fallout creeping through the atmosphere and raining back down on earth. The survivors in the towns and cities buried the dead in mass graves if they buried them at all. Death came slow, a mile at a time, an hour at a time for the ones unfortunate to have survived. While the lucky ones died, those surviving formed into a desperate, broken society that quick cancer failed to kill. The survivors not only fought cancer, but they also faced and endured the hardships of the nuclear winter.
Many suffered blindness because of the nitrogen oxides from the large-scale nuclear explosions depleting the ozone layer. Increasing penetration of ultraviolet lights at the earth's surface lowered the average surface temperature 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Under these conditions, only the vilest scum on earth survived starvation with the food supplies now exhausted. For all practical purposes, police and military control no longer existed, and where it did, law and order subdued to the gang masses. Domestic pets reverted to the wild, often surviving another few days by killing and eating their masters before they too became a meal to the survivors. Humanity on the planet had reduced to a dog-eat-dog society.