As the Light Dies
Page 5
No one noticed at first because of the shouting but gradually one by one as the noise increased the arguments stopped and everyone turned to Lars!
“I thought that would quieten you all down,”he said,“that was only a demonstrational warm up cycle, just one lap of the coil at nominal speed, that’s all, accelerating the particles just fast enough to create a visible amount of antimatter to be collected, roughly four micrograms or so. I’ve just instructed a full cycle to commence three laps of the coil at full power.”
Sven rushed over looking concerned.“We don’t need to do this Lars,”he said speaking in a hushed tone.“They’ve all pledged their backing. We’ve done it. We’ve convinced everyone. We’ve shown them what we can do, even the Defence Minister is beginning to come round, we don’t need to do another cycle, let alone a full cycle! We don’t even know if the containment chamber is powerful enough to handle anymore antimatter, especially after the amounts we’ve seen produced with full power on a full cycle! We’ve never seen the same amount of antimatter produced twice! We could end up overwhelming the containment chamber;you have to call it off Lars!”
“I can’t,”said Lars,“it’s already commenced.”He nodded towards the digital clock; it was already counting down from nine minutes.“Christ Lars,why have you done this?”
“Relax Sven you’ll make people nervous, it will be fine. We’ll show them what Project Tree Cycle is really capable of and send everyone home happy.”
“We were already going to send them home happy!”
Lars stepped passed Sven and addressed the group.“It will get a little noisy as we reach the final part of the countdown more so than before because of the extra power required. It’s nothing to worry about though, ok. So if you’d like to take up you’re places by the portholes again and observe, then this time you should all see an ample sized piece of anti- matter.”
There were a few uncertain mumbles from the group as they started to gather around the portholes again and this time they were a little more apprehensive than before.
They all noticed Sven’s concerns.
“You’ve worried them, with your flapping around and your negativity Sven.Well done,” said Lars.
“You know the reasons for my concerns Lars, better than anyone else here!”
The noise was louder this time. A lot louder, gradually increasing in volume like before until to some of the group it felt like the floor was actually moving under them as the countdown continued.
The loud electrical hum changed to a pulse, then back in to a steady hum and then back again to a long drawn out pulse. To the Defence Minister every time the volume peaked and dropped in his mind’s eye he saw the miniscule atoms looping round the giant coil accelerator moving closer as the noise intensified and then moving further away after the volume peaked like truck passes you stopped in a lay by. Jade Anderson shared almost exactly the same vision. This did not just worry her, it frightened her and she could sense the tension in the air. They all could!
David Smith felt sweat trickle down his spine along the small of his back, there was no doubt that the system was at full power this time. The air was hot, so hot it almost burnt his nostrils when he sniffed hard, and the noise was tremendous, he almost wondered if there was actually an avalanche cascading down the mountain above their heads!
Sven felt himself breakout in a sweat all over, something he’d only done during their first few antimatter recovery attempts!
At twenty seconds and counting Lars couldn’t hear the message for him coming over his walky-talky with the volume maxed out so he checked the information panel and read the text. Then he called out nearly having to scream.“We’ve recorded a new maximum top speed of four hundred and eighty four thousand miles an hour!”
Suddenly the noise stopped leaving everyone deafened by the sudden absence of noise.
All eyes were fixed on the small hatch at the rear of the containment chamber. It seemed to be taking forever. Sven felt uneasy, he wrung his hands together. The hatch snapped open, Sarah flinched, and Andrew gasped. A shivering shiny black Siamese twin of a teardrop dropped in to view! Each twin was the size of a large pear!“Wow!” said David.
This shouldn’t be happening, Sven couldn’t believe his eyes nor could Lars.
They’d never produced anything even half the size of even one of the pears, never mind two at once!
The co joined teardrops didn’t arc towards the centre, towards the collected mass of antimatter like all previous attempts. Instead it sunk, and faster than any before!
As they fell, they eventually began to try and turn towards the collected mass but only very slightly.
For a second it looked like it was actually going to split completely in two but then it did the opposite and completely joined together to form one big oversized unbalanced globule.
As everyone watched a slither of silver suddenly flashed across its surface!
Lars pressed his face hard against his porthole seeing it. It happened again. A silvery looking almost white hairline shot across its surface and split in two just before it disappeared.
David Smith suddenly jumped over to the next porthole for a better view pushing the Defence minister out of the way.
“What in Christ’s name,” he said, totally oblivious to the Defence Ministers out cry at his actions behind him. The fractured white line disappeared and reappeared, darting from one side to the other and again it split in to a fork this time with three distinct prongs before disappearing again!
“Looks like lightening,”said Lars.
“I think it’s contaminated,”said David.
“WHAT!” yelped the Defence Minister.
“What have you done Lars?”said Sven without lifting his head from his porthole. Lars didn’t answer anyone, he just watched transfixed.
Rippling and quivering it started to arc closer to the larger mass, its internal lightning bolt came to the surface again, and this time it stayed there, arcing all over the surface of the globule, splitting up and forking like a tiny lightning bolt, like lightning compressed in a bubble, trying to burst out.
“Oh my God!”Lars whispered under his breath and finally the two globules joined together. Lars took a deep breath relaxing as the exercise ball sized lump of shaking antimatter erupted from the inside with what looked like a frantic lightning storm!
“Oh shit!” is all Lars got to say....
CHAPTER 3
DEC 18:
SKY NEWS: The sudden catastrophic eruption in Norway yesterday still remains unexplained!
The site continues to spew thousands of tonnes of ash and debris in to the atmosphere which is causing wide spread disruption across Norway.
Thousands of people have been forced from their homes, and thousands more have been told to prepare to evacuate their homes in case of another blast.
It seems no one is safe from the affects of the ash that’s descending across Norway like a fog. The fine ash particles are causing extreme breathing difficulties to everyone within its range regardless of their age or fitness level and sadly in some cases the effects have already proved to be fatal!
Everyone within range of the ash are being advised to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors closed at all times white the ash cloud continues to spread.
REUTERS: The ash is being carried by the wind!
All Norwegian air space is closed!
Western Swedish air space is expected to close down within the next few hours!
All other surrounding countries are constantly re-evaluating their air space safety and could close down at any time!
Oil workers soon to be stranded on offshore oil and gas installations in the Norwegian Sea are to be ferried back to shore by supply boats, as of right now a fleet of boats are en route to many of the oil and gas instillations.
SKY NEWS: Norwegian hospitals are overrun with casualties affected by the ash cloud!
Ash is settling at depths of up to six inches in places and increasing!
Towns and villages are being buried under a thick blanket of ash. The city of Oslo is unrecognisable!
The eruption site still continues to spew out thousands of tonnes of ash by the hour!
Swedish air space has closed down and it’s reported that Finland, Denmark and even Northern Germany are ready to follow, closing their air space at a moment’s notice as the enormous ash cloud spreads ever further carried by the wind.
DEC 19:
SKY NEWS: Ash cloud on the move!
North Western Europe air space is in a state of total shut down creating the largest no fly zone since world war two as the giant ash cloud spreads, dominating Europe!
New fears arise as low pressure over Great Britain that has lead to predictions of the harshest winters in decades, could actually result in air flow pulling the ash cloud towards Britain.
Violent displays of thunder and lightning have been reported within thestillgrowing ash cloud!
Scientists studying the case say this is caused by friction build up between debris rubbing together within the ash cloud and is nothing to worry about!
Extensive black outs have been reported in Norway further hampering conditions.
REUTERS: Alarming news!
Overnight all power has failed in Norway!
Hospitals are left in darkness as more and more people queue at the doors as they succumb to the harmful effects of the ash cloud.
The military have scaled up their efforts to help with aid and evacuation.
Rescue and medical centres are being set up in town centres and everyone in the surrounding area is being urged to make their way there as soon as possible. The phenomenon of the Norwegian eruption is, as yet still unexplained. Scientists are working around the clock to find answers, while it still relentlessly spews out thousands of tonnes of harmful ash and shows no sign of letting up!
Thousands of livestock are dying!
It’s thought that they are simply being overcome by the choking fog of ash as it descends and settles. Farmers are doing all they can to protect their animals but sadly so far their efforts have been in vain and in some cases provedfatalfor the farmers themselves!
An emergency broadcast is being transmitted on all frequencies at all times, however how many people that are receiving this message is unclear due to the power failure in the north.
SKY NEWS: BREAKING NEWS. An unexplained occurrence is sweeping acrossallash affected areas whereallelectrical power is being lost!
At first this problem was reported across Norway, reaching out from the site of the eruption.
It was thought to be due to the incredible blast disrupting electrical supply in the nearby region, but since then the blackout has spreadallacross Europe!
Hospitals, rescue centres, entire towns and cities have been left in darkness!
Some say it’s directly related to the ash!
Reports from the military received just before total black out stated that their attempts to recover power had been unsuccessful to date and that even their own equipment including their vehicles are succumbing to the unexplained loss of electrical power, in turn bringing the aid process to a standstill!
Scientists declare that the fallout from the Norwegian eruption is like nothing they have ever seen, all involved say they are certain that the eruption is not that of a volcano as some first thought. Meanwhile the eruption site shows no sign of slowing down as satellite images show ash continuing to spew out from the site.
REUTERS: News is becoming harder to report due to the wide spread electrical failure that’s blighting everywhere the ash reaches. However as news does get out, it’s reported that civil unrest is becoming incredibly violent, it’s thought that people are becoming desperate as they see the death toll rising and the food supplies run low. In some cases the violence reported has been described as extreme and animalistic!
The military are doing all they can although many military personnel are succumbing to the affects of the ash as they repeatedly expose themselves to bring aid to others. Those affected, including members of the public are reportedly braking out in hysterics, becoming violent and non responsive! Many have had to be restrained and all affected patients in hospitals are said to be restrained where possible as soon as they show signs of aggravation due to the number of doctors and nurses that are being attacked! The reason for these outbreaks of hysteria is as yet unknown!
ROUTERS: The unknown phenomena that continues to cut off all electrical currents now reaches as far afield as from northern Finland, all of Sweden, all of Norway and Denmark and is now reaching in to northern Germany! Furthermore it is believed that some fifteen oil and gas installations in the Norwegian Sea are either without or soon will be without power.
All installations have been pre warned and are taking preparations to shut down the rigs and secure their wells on the sea bed. The rig personnel will be brought ashore as soon as is possible.
SKY NEWS: Dozens of workers from a gas platform in the Norwegian Sea have become stranded at sea as their supply vessel bringing them ashore loses all power!
An emergency rescue operation is in process and two more supply vessels that are still operable in the area are en route towards the stricken vessel!
It is unknown how the vessel los....Breaking news just in via broken satellite connection. Two scientists in Norway thought to be the first to start investigating the fallout near the eruption site have died! It’s thought that they may have inhaled concentrated amounts of harmful pollutants while carrying out their tests!
The remaining four have become very hostile, two in fact have had to have been restrained and the remaining two while showing signs of aggression have refused to give any further statement’s and have forcefully removed any reporters from their lab.
BBC NEWS: British airspace shuts down!
All British air space has been declared a no fly zone in preparation as the fallout from the mysterious Norwegian eruption drifts ever closer.
Everyone with respiratory problems have been advised to stay inside at all times, the same advice goes for babies, small children, and the elderly. Everyone is being advised to keep windows and doors closed at all times and anyone who absolutely must go outside is advised to wear facial dust masks at all times and limit time outside and possible exposure to the ash to the absolute minimum.
Disposable dust masks are being widely dispatched and will be made readily available at all post offices and participating supermarkets and it may also be beneficial to wear eye protection in certain circumstances. People are being urged to stock up on essentials, enough to last them at least three days, and to be aware of others that may be in need of help, elderly or sick neighbours might be in need of help during this time, and be ready to ration your food supplies.
SKY NEWS: Last known report in from a Sky News reporter in Norway who managed to get information out via a very broken satellite text phone states that riots are springing up everywhere as people panic. Extreme violence is a frequent occurrence and the death toll continues to rise!
Aid supplies have stopped all together as the loss of power stops all transportation bar the odd diesel powered vehicle that hasn’t been stalled or switched off, yet.
Our last reports in from Sweden, West Finland and Denmark are similar. Civil unrest is extreme and widespread with people becoming extremely violent towards each other!
Despite constantly trying to renew contact, verbally or otherwise there is no reply from any sources either within the media the military or otherwise! We are doing our best to re establish communications as soon as possible....
CHAPTER 4
DEC 20: INVERNESS, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS:
Icy wind screamed passed the leisure centre. It raced along the wide flat sides of the building then whistled around the edges and corners and rattled the doors, from inside it sounded like the wind would tear the roof off any second!
The snow was heavy again and a blizzard raged out of control. The swirling white mass
limited all lines of sight. Dean Anderson yawned as he left the sports halls on the lower level of the leisure centre satisfied they were clean to his usually high standards. He made his way up towards reception for a final check before moving on to give the rest of the facility a final once over before the dayshift arrived. He was tired, it had been a long shift, not an overly busy one, but that was the problem, the quieter it was on the night shift the longer it felt and the more tired you got.
Thoughts of a warm bed filled his mind, he could almost hear his bed calling him, but he knew he’d have to walk home first. All two and a half miles in freezing blizzard conditions, something he wasn’t looking forward to.
On his way up the ramp towards reception, [ramps were used throughout the centre for easy access] he listened to the wind battering the building around him, pushing hard, trying to move the large building along as if it had taken someone else’s place.
He doubted many would venture in to use the leisure centre today, in fact he doubted many of the staff would even make it in.Most of them will be snowed in, and most of the others will use the snow as an excuse not to come in,he thought. Reception was just up ahead, he could see it through the set of glass doors.Completely free of smears and dirty hand prints, he thought. Then he heard a loud bang from up ahead and he stopped!