Mutates and Modulators

Part I

Thabo was angry. Hadn't they learned? He was right before. More right than he wanted to be. And even with his warnings, they'd barely survived. The next disaster was imminent and despite his best efforts they doubted him. The signs were all there, you just had to piece them together correctly. He was going to have to convince Commander Hani that the threat was imminent.

Thabo knocked on the general's door and entered. Inside his office, the commander sat behind the desk reading a report. "Commander Hani, sir!" he saluted smartly."Thabo. This had better be important. I have things to do. The dome needs reinforcement on the eastern side and the last supply run was woefully inadequate. What do you want?" "Yes, sir. I understand. I'll get right to the point," he answered. "Have you noticed that more and more people are succumbing to radiation poisoning?""Of course I've noticed. But that's normal! We're living in the aftermath of a nuclear war. What do you expect? This was bound to happen sooner or later," Hani muttered impatiently."Yes. You're right. But we've had it under control because of the scrubbers I designed when we built this place. I've been checking and re-checking the sensors and the scrubbers are failing. We need to fix this or everyone is going to die. Not just those exposed on The Day. All. Of. Us.""Calm down! You're over-reacting as usual. You've told me over and over how your designs are flawless. How the scrubbers will last forever. You said New Cape Town was going to be the only place on Earth that survives until we can find a way to cleanse the planet. What's changed?""Yes. The designs are flawless. But...the design assumed a certain decay rate for the radiation based on my best projections at the time. There was always something different about the Zim-Bomb from North America. I believe now that they used an experimental isotope with greater energy and a longer half life. Up to now we've not had to deal with the fallout from that detonation but the changes in weather patterns have meant that the radiation drifted further and further south. My scrubbers were never designed to deal with this isotope. The clock is ticking. We have five days before the effects will be irreversible."
Commander Hani stared at him, "What...how...do you have a way out of this?""I have a solution, but you're not going to like it..."