23-07-2025, 11:40 AM
Space eyes on a disaster
![[Image: AmhnlFrm.png]](https://i.imgur.com/AmhnlFrm.png)
Antinori Palace, Romula, Istalia. First hour of January 14th.
The phone rang insistently, piercing the dense silence of a still night. Valeriano Giunio opened his eyes abruptly, disturbed by that sound so unrelated to the time. He was very sweaty, the bedroom felt like a hoover. He turned onto his side, gently removed his wife's arm that was wrapped around him in sleep, and reached for the nightstand.
The first thing he did, mechanically, was look at the digital clock radio: 12:57 AM.
He reached for the nightstand. The landline receiver was already on its fifth ring when he grabbed it.
«Yes?» he said, his voice still rough from sleep.
At the same time, the screen of his cell phone, placed next to the phone, lit up in rapid succession with a steady stream of notifications, but not ordinary messages; the headers clearly indicated the source: the National Security Servers.
On the other end, in a clear and controlled tone, Luigi Sardi, National Secretary for Security and Intelligence, replied.
«Minister Secretary, it's Luigi. I apologize for the late hour, but we have an evolving situation.»
«What's going on? I'm receiving... dozens of notifications» said Giunio, slowly sitting up in bed and turning on the air conditioning, inside himself complaining about his wife who even in those temperatures "felt cold with the air conditioning".
«They are messages from the Servers of the National Security.»
«One of our Intelligence satellites has detected a serious anomaly, Minister. An atmospheric radioactive emission coming from the Vrosnok region of Nadiya. Our orbital surveillance satellites, shortly after 7:00 PM, recorded an anomalous peak in gamma and neutron radiation in the upper atmosphere. The source has been triangulated: it's the area of the Syarokhna Nuclear Power Plant.»
Giunio was silent for a moment, then sat up in bed. «A radioactive leak? Or... worse?»
«That's what the DGCC initially thought: the automatic protocols classified the event as potentially compatible with a fission explosion. But further checks ruled out the possibility of a bomb. Two other satellites, one from the Joint Space Operations Command, were reoriented to the area. The medium and long infrared sensors of one of them detected anomalous thermal emissions: significant, but not consistent with a detonation. Probable industrial fire or damage to the reactor.»
«And the second satellite?»
«SIGINT satellite: it had difficulty visually detecting it due to a severe snowstorm affecting the entire area. However, it confirmed a widespread blackout and radio outages in the city of Syarokhna. Space Command has ordered an expansion of the detection field to monitor the movements of troops, vehicles, and emergency units in the region and surrounding areas. The data will arrive in less than twenty minutes.»
Junio stood up slowly. His mind had already shifted into management mode. Then, rubbing a hand over his face as if to wipe the sleep from his eyes, he pronounced gravely:
«We have confirmation of a nuclear accident, then.»
«The analysts are talking about a high probability. The energy pattern is not compatible with an intentional nuclear explosion. However" Sardi's voice became clearer «we don't have confirmation yet, but as I said, the hypothesis is highly plausible, sir: everything points to that plant.»
The Minister, approaching the window, he looked beyond it. The streets of Romula were still full of people searching some refreshment from the hot air that since days weighed on the city, and he remained silent for a few moments. Then he spoke in a low but lucid voice.
«Luigi... how many scenarios do we have? I mean: if it's a limited leak... or a serious failure... what are the estimates? How many people can we expect to be affected, based on weather conditions, proximity to population centers, and the type of reactor?»
Sardi answered without hesitation:
«Preliminary analyses are cross-referencing the data with available information on Syarokhna. The plant has four reactors, two of which are in regular operation. We're talking about second-generation technology, with post-war upgrades, but nothing comparable to our standards. The city of the same name has about 80,000 inhabitants, and the surrounding suburbs have another 40,000.»
«And if containment had failed completely?»
«In that case, we could have thousands of direct irradiated victims within the first twelve hours, hundreds of immediate deaths near the plant, and a cloud that, if the currents move south, could cover a significant area of Keris.»
Junio sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. The memory of the Beiteynese nuclear attack on Xsampa, even though more than 50 years had passed, was still vivid, etched in the living flesh of Italian and world memory. The mere word "radiation" was enough to make an entire generation of leaders choke up.
«What if it's just a minor leak?»
«With the radiation levels detected at altitude... unlikely. But if it's contained, we're still talking about mandatory evacuations, local compromise, and political fallout. The Vrosnok authorities haven't released any statements yet. Not even Nadiya.»
Giunio nodded, even though no one was watching, and was about to say something when Sardi anticipated him:
«Sir, beyond the incident, it should be noted that hours have likely passed since the accident, yet all is quiet in Vrosnok and the only thing on social media is the blizzard. It's now the dead of night and still nothing: in scenarios like this, the authorities don't wait hours before releasing statements or deploying security services. Minister... that's suspicious. Especially considering the data collected by our systems.»
«Do you suspect they're trying to contain the panic or, worse, contain the truth?»
«Exactly. The General Staff is already asking us to authorize the DGCC to intercept and analyze communications in the region, particularly between Zarvosopol and Volosgrad. I support the proposal. But it will be a delicate operation. If Vrosnok is downplaying the situation for… political reasons (?)… well… we must proceed with extreme caution.»
«Then, I want the DGCC to immediately begin an in-depth analysis of digital traffic and communications in the region. We will need signals to anticipate any developments. When I get to the office, I want all possible projections: weather, demographics, wind patterns.»
«Roger, sir. I will prepare an operational dossier and the necessary authorization paperwork for you.»
«In the meantime, I will call Silvanin." He referred to the Foreign Minister. «I want you to contact the central authorities in Nadiya; we offer immediate assistance. But first… I will make a call to Chief Executive Konstantinovna. Before the news gets to us.»
«Very good, Minister. Updates coming in every thirty minutes.»
He hung up slowly, while his cell phone continued to flash.
Junius got up and headed for the bathroom. He washed his face with cold water. A sleepless night lay ahead. Then he looked at himself in the mirror, reflecting. If the Zablocki administration, in power in Zarvosopol, were really trying to hide something to avoid paying some political price, then they were irresponsible. And the consequences, if the radioactive release had continued, could have been catastrophic, and not just for them.
But one thing was certain: if something had gone wrong in Syarokhna, the world would find out, and very soon.
Antinori Palace, Romula, Istalia. First hour of January 14th.
The phone rang insistently, piercing the dense silence of a still night. Valeriano Giunio opened his eyes abruptly, disturbed by that sound so unrelated to the time. He was very sweaty, the bedroom felt like a hoover. He turned onto his side, gently removed his wife's arm that was wrapped around him in sleep, and reached for the nightstand.
The first thing he did, mechanically, was look at the digital clock radio: 12:57 AM.
He reached for the nightstand. The landline receiver was already on its fifth ring when he grabbed it.
«Yes?» he said, his voice still rough from sleep.
At the same time, the screen of his cell phone, placed next to the phone, lit up in rapid succession with a steady stream of notifications, but not ordinary messages; the headers clearly indicated the source: the National Security Servers.
On the other end, in a clear and controlled tone, Luigi Sardi, National Secretary for Security and Intelligence, replied.
«Minister Secretary, it's Luigi. I apologize for the late hour, but we have an evolving situation.»
«What's going on? I'm receiving... dozens of notifications» said Giunio, slowly sitting up in bed and turning on the air conditioning, inside himself complaining about his wife who even in those temperatures "felt cold with the air conditioning".
«They are messages from the Servers of the National Security.»
«One of our Intelligence satellites has detected a serious anomaly, Minister. An atmospheric radioactive emission coming from the Vrosnok region of Nadiya. Our orbital surveillance satellites, shortly after 7:00 PM, recorded an anomalous peak in gamma and neutron radiation in the upper atmosphere. The source has been triangulated: it's the area of the Syarokhna Nuclear Power Plant.»
Giunio was silent for a moment, then sat up in bed. «A radioactive leak? Or... worse?»
«That's what the DGCC initially thought: the automatic protocols classified the event as potentially compatible with a fission explosion. But further checks ruled out the possibility of a bomb. Two other satellites, one from the Joint Space Operations Command, were reoriented to the area. The medium and long infrared sensors of one of them detected anomalous thermal emissions: significant, but not consistent with a detonation. Probable industrial fire or damage to the reactor.»
«And the second satellite?»
«SIGINT satellite: it had difficulty visually detecting it due to a severe snowstorm affecting the entire area. However, it confirmed a widespread blackout and radio outages in the city of Syarokhna. Space Command has ordered an expansion of the detection field to monitor the movements of troops, vehicles, and emergency units in the region and surrounding areas. The data will arrive in less than twenty minutes.»
Junio stood up slowly. His mind had already shifted into management mode. Then, rubbing a hand over his face as if to wipe the sleep from his eyes, he pronounced gravely:
«We have confirmation of a nuclear accident, then.»
«The analysts are talking about a high probability. The energy pattern is not compatible with an intentional nuclear explosion. However" Sardi's voice became clearer «we don't have confirmation yet, but as I said, the hypothesis is highly plausible, sir: everything points to that plant.»
The Minister, approaching the window, he looked beyond it. The streets of Romula were still full of people searching some refreshment from the hot air that since days weighed on the city, and he remained silent for a few moments. Then he spoke in a low but lucid voice.
«Luigi... how many scenarios do we have? I mean: if it's a limited leak... or a serious failure... what are the estimates? How many people can we expect to be affected, based on weather conditions, proximity to population centers, and the type of reactor?»
Sardi answered without hesitation:
«Preliminary analyses are cross-referencing the data with available information on Syarokhna. The plant has four reactors, two of which are in regular operation. We're talking about second-generation technology, with post-war upgrades, but nothing comparable to our standards. The city of the same name has about 80,000 inhabitants, and the surrounding suburbs have another 40,000.»
«And if containment had failed completely?»
«In that case, we could have thousands of direct irradiated victims within the first twelve hours, hundreds of immediate deaths near the plant, and a cloud that, if the currents move south, could cover a significant area of Keris.»
Junio sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. The memory of the Beiteynese nuclear attack on Xsampa, even though more than 50 years had passed, was still vivid, etched in the living flesh of Italian and world memory. The mere word "radiation" was enough to make an entire generation of leaders choke up.
«What if it's just a minor leak?»
«With the radiation levels detected at altitude... unlikely. But if it's contained, we're still talking about mandatory evacuations, local compromise, and political fallout. The Vrosnok authorities haven't released any statements yet. Not even Nadiya.»
Giunio nodded, even though no one was watching, and was about to say something when Sardi anticipated him:
«Sir, beyond the incident, it should be noted that hours have likely passed since the accident, yet all is quiet in Vrosnok and the only thing on social media is the blizzard. It's now the dead of night and still nothing: in scenarios like this, the authorities don't wait hours before releasing statements or deploying security services. Minister... that's suspicious. Especially considering the data collected by our systems.»
«Do you suspect they're trying to contain the panic or, worse, contain the truth?»
«Exactly. The General Staff is already asking us to authorize the DGCC to intercept and analyze communications in the region, particularly between Zarvosopol and Volosgrad. I support the proposal. But it will be a delicate operation. If Vrosnok is downplaying the situation for… political reasons (?)… well… we must proceed with extreme caution.»
«Then, I want the DGCC to immediately begin an in-depth analysis of digital traffic and communications in the region. We will need signals to anticipate any developments. When I get to the office, I want all possible projections: weather, demographics, wind patterns.»
«Roger, sir. I will prepare an operational dossier and the necessary authorization paperwork for you.»
«In the meantime, I will call Silvanin." He referred to the Foreign Minister. «I want you to contact the central authorities in Nadiya; we offer immediate assistance. But first… I will make a call to Chief Executive Konstantinovna. Before the news gets to us.»
«Very good, Minister. Updates coming in every thirty minutes.»
He hung up slowly, while his cell phone continued to flash.
Junius got up and headed for the bathroom. He washed his face with cold water. A sleepless night lay ahead. Then he looked at himself in the mirror, reflecting. If the Zablocki administration, in power in Zarvosopol, were really trying to hide something to avoid paying some political price, then they were irresponsible. And the consequences, if the radioactive release had continued, could have been catastrophic, and not just for them.
But one thing was certain: if something had gone wrong in Syarokhna, the world would find out, and very soon.