Control Centre, Gulf East Nuclear Power Plant, Gulf Province, Vendt - 03:45am
- As the rain and wind raged outside, the four plant supervisors sat talking in the central control room, fuelled by coffee and energy drinks. Their shift, ongoing since midnight, was due to finish in just 15 minutes. Despite the caffeine, they were exhausted and bored, having zero interactions with the vast set of switchboards and dials and only occasionally glancing at the visual readouts lining the room. Suddenly, a security guard posted between reactor halls 4 and 5 radioed in, citing an unknown fluctuation in background radiation levels. Before they had time to check the readouts, a loud series of bangs shook the plant, shaking the control centre. Readouts began flashing amber and red around the room accompanied by an array of digital screeches and beeps, and the plant's universal radiation accident warning siren began broadcasting, a noise so loud the walls vibrated.
The supervisors regained their senses and began to clamber around the room, checking radiation levels, failsafe system statuses and beginning evacuation protocol. All 12 reactors had undergone SCRAM and had ceased reacting within a second of the first bang, but just Reactors 1, 2, 10, 11 and 12 were reading normal. Reactors 5, 6, 7 and 9 were reading 'Hull Breach'. Cooling system and emergency diesel coolant pump readouts were all red, rendered completely useless by whatever had caused the loud bangs.
One of the supervisors, a 60-year old man named Jonatan, muttered to himself as he looked out over the readouts; "This is the end".
Prospect Capitol, Prospect, Prospect Administrative District, Vendt - 08:00am
- The President of Vendt, Henry S. Owne, stood on a podium in front of an excitable, rowdy group of journalists and TV crews, flanked by two of his security detail and Energy Minister Alexis Jensen. Reading off a teleprompter, the President cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Good morning, I hope you have your cameras and microphones rolling, because I'm not going to repeat this, and I'm not taking any questions. I am here to confirm that the rumours are indeed true, the Gulf East Nuclear Power Plant, which provides power for approximately 12% of the population, has been critically damaged by an attack of unknown origin and motive. Radioactive material has been confirmed as leaking into the Celadon Sea in measurable quantities. The entire Gulf province is currently undergoing evacuation, as are the Emerald Isles. Citizens are advised to stay away from the ocean and naval patrols are already in the water to prevent recreational and commercial marine activities, including fishing, for safety reasons. Neighbouring coastal nations have been notified. Potentially fatal radiation levels have been detected as far away as Chrystia as of twenty minutes ago, and although Celadonian currents have prevented much of this material from entering Prospect Bay and surrounding waters, citizens are ideally advised to stay inside, and to stay away from coastal areas otherwise. Rest assure, I and the rest of the Vendtese Government are working to overcome this great challenge, and will continue to work until the cleanup is finished and the attackers and their motive are identified. Thank you, and stay safe. Long live Vendt."
International waters, halfway between Vendtese naval port of Norriss and the nation of Chrystia
- Vendtese Destroyer VS Maleficient, previously involved in the Chrystian civil war and held back to monitor seawater radiation levels following the incident at Gulf East NPP, had begun to cruise home following its scheduled aquatic radiation tests. Instruments on board the vessel detected water with levels of radioactivity peaking at almost 700 millisieverts/hour, more than twice the acceptable annual radiation dose, per hour. A week later, the ship cruised into the port of Norriss, half of its crew dead or close to dying from radiation sickness, a stark visual reminder of the grimness of the situation.
- At least 50 to 80% of the Celadon Sea is expected to be affected by the radioactive leak, and every coastal nation worldwide has been advised to monitor and report weekly and monthly seawater radiation levels. The current death toll for the incident, including plant staff killed in the initial attack and the crew of the Maleficient, currently sits at an estimated 250 people.
