Dark Grid Read Online Free Page B
Author: David C. Waldron
on the grid, that blows out turbines and shuts power off to the plant? Uh-uh, ain’t supposed to really be possible short of a nuke, and if we’re talking about it they’ve got hydro plants in the afterlife and/or hell looks an awful lot like an early Thursday morning.”
Just then, they got to the door and stepped outside and Chuck swore under his breath. “Charles! There are ladies present and one of them is pregnant. Watch your mouth!” Sheri had been riding Chuck for almost four years about his language, and--truth be told--he’d been getting better. But when he didn’t think she could hear, or when he was really caught off guard, he could turn the air blue.
“Sorry, Sheri, but I think I know what happened. Idiots had six years warning, got it wrong by three months, and still weren’t able to give us the warning they thought they would!”
Sheri gaped as what Chuck said registered. “Wait…No!...Chuck, tell me it wasn’t the CME. Please tell me that isn’t what happened.” She reached out a hand as if to shut off a switch, or bolt a heavy door. Chuck thought about reaching back to comfort her, but changed his mind. It might not seem right, coming from a supervisor.
Sheri continued, “The DoE was sure they would be able to notify us at least twelve hours in advance. There was a plan in place to do a whole Emergency Broadcast System alert. The grid was going to be offline for goodness’ sake which was what operation ‘Dark Grid’ was all about--1,542 pages just for this event!”
Sheri was looking around at the small group of people who had gathered outside of the building. “Hospitals were going to be on generator power, elective surgeries were going to be postponed. Airports were going to be closed and flights cancelled for the day--just to be safe. They were going to put the astronauts into the Soyuz capsule on the ISS for the duration of the event because they had no idea how much radiation was going to be generated!”
Sheri’s voice was rising by this time, and Chuck turned to face her directly. “If this was the 2012 CME and we didn’t get a warning we are so…”
“SHERI!” Chuck’s bark was part amusement, part command, and part shock at what he was pretty sure Sheri was about to say. “There are ladies present and one of them is pregnant. Not only that, but if you panic all these people I am gonna be so pissed. There’s a reason I was cursing under my breath and it wasn’t just to avoid your wrath.
“I think we need to send most of these folks home and see if there is anything worth salvaging here. By the looks of the sky, I personally think I know what happened. We’re in the know and frankly so are most of the people here right now, but not everybody. We need to figure out a way to let everyone know but not panic them, and then let them go home. We need to secure the dam and then the rest of us should probably head home too.”
Chuck paused for a minute, not quite sure how to go on. Finally, a little quieter than he’d been before, “Sheri, do you have someplace to go?”
“Sure, I’m sure the house is still there.”
“Sheri, I’m not talking about your house. I’m sure it’s still there, too, unless you’ve got a 10KW electric heater running day and night that was drawing full power when the spike hit. I mean afterwards, do you have somewhere to go--family, friends?”
“Oh, um, I never really thought about it. Wow, I don’t know. I don’t have family close by. I’ve got some friends in the neighborhood and I’d like to think we’re close but I don’t know. Why?”
“Well, I’m not suggesting anything but a hand, but if you need a place to stay or, well, you know, anything.”
Was Chuck turning red?
“Chuck, I really appreciate that--a lot. I can’t tell you how much that means. Tell you what, let’s get this goat rope sorted out and then how ‘bout you follow me back to the
Just then, they got to the door and stepped outside and Chuck swore under his breath. “Charles! There are ladies present and one of them is pregnant. Watch your mouth!” Sheri had been riding Chuck for almost four years about his language, and--truth be told--he’d been getting better. But when he didn’t think she could hear, or when he was really caught off guard, he could turn the air blue.
“Sorry, Sheri, but I think I know what happened. Idiots had six years warning, got it wrong by three months, and still weren’t able to give us the warning they thought they would!”
Sheri gaped as what Chuck said registered. “Wait…No!...Chuck, tell me it wasn’t the CME. Please tell me that isn’t what happened.” She reached out a hand as if to shut off a switch, or bolt a heavy door. Chuck thought about reaching back to comfort her, but changed his mind. It might not seem right, coming from a supervisor.
Sheri continued, “The DoE was sure they would be able to notify us at least twelve hours in advance. There was a plan in place to do a whole Emergency Broadcast System alert. The grid was going to be offline for goodness’ sake which was what operation ‘Dark Grid’ was all about--1,542 pages just for this event!”
Sheri was looking around at the small group of people who had gathered outside of the building. “Hospitals were going to be on generator power, elective surgeries were going to be postponed. Airports were going to be closed and flights cancelled for the day--just to be safe. They were going to put the astronauts into the Soyuz capsule on the ISS for the duration of the event because they had no idea how much radiation was going to be generated!”
Sheri’s voice was rising by this time, and Chuck turned to face her directly. “If this was the 2012 CME and we didn’t get a warning we are so…”
“SHERI!” Chuck’s bark was part amusement, part command, and part shock at what he was pretty sure Sheri was about to say. “There are ladies present and one of them is pregnant. Not only that, but if you panic all these people I am gonna be so pissed. There’s a reason I was cursing under my breath and it wasn’t just to avoid your wrath.
“I think we need to send most of these folks home and see if there is anything worth salvaging here. By the looks of the sky, I personally think I know what happened. We’re in the know and frankly so are most of the people here right now, but not everybody. We need to figure out a way to let everyone know but not panic them, and then let them go home. We need to secure the dam and then the rest of us should probably head home too.”
Chuck paused for a minute, not quite sure how to go on. Finally, a little quieter than he’d been before, “Sheri, do you have someplace to go?”
“Sure, I’m sure the house is still there.”
“Sheri, I’m not talking about your house. I’m sure it’s still there, too, unless you’ve got a 10KW electric heater running day and night that was drawing full power when the spike hit. I mean afterwards, do you have somewhere to go--family, friends?”
“Oh, um, I never really thought about it. Wow, I don’t know. I don’t have family close by. I’ve got some friends in the neighborhood and I’d like to think we’re close but I don’t know. Why?”
“Well, I’m not suggesting anything but a hand, but if you need a place to stay or, well, you know, anything.”
Was Chuck turning red?
“Chuck, I really appreciate that--a lot. I can’t tell you how much that means. Tell you what, let’s get this goat rope sorted out and then how ‘bout you follow me back to the
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