The Shaking

Chapter Twenty Six

...I appreciate the thought, but you just can't move. It's shank's pony for the time being and probably will be for a quite a while into the future at least. In our inimitable British style we'll Keep Calm and Carry On until we can't anymore.

...So you'll be switching to New York in a hour's time then? Yes, I suppose we could do what we can to add to it from here, but it won't be easy... No it's more the coordination and if the police were so quick to get here before than they'll be around again in a flash if the government objects to what we're reporting; we'll be off the air for good then.

...There's one favour I'd like to ask. As a mark of respect one of our artists produced a black screen border incorporating the photos of Kelly and Ethan; we were going to use it when we went back on air. Could you...? Yes, I think around 24 hours would be appropriate. Oh thank you! That would mean a lot to us. I'll send it over to you right away!

...You must be getting better images than we are. Ah, they're coming through now! Oh, that does look nasty! Not quite the Second Great Fire of London just yet but I'll be paying close attention to it. Should it begin to spread in this direction we'll close down completely and evacuate as far as we're able. Of course we'll keep you informed.

...Indeed, we'll all have a lot to do in the weeks and months ahead. And we'll be looking forward to the time when C24-UK can be restarted. Here's hoping it will be soon. Thank you; and the best of luck to you as well. 'Bye!"

As Rees terminated the connection, the import of what he had just announced began to sink into Ian May. So this is what the end of the world feels like, he thought. The lines from the Keats' poem about the centre no longer holding and tumbling within a widening gyre came to mind. The greatest story of his career was unfolding all around him, yet he had been effectively cut out of the loop; relegated to being a mere bystander.

PINDAR. 15.09.

The cabinet had paused for an hour's rest as had been prearranged in the Standard Contingency Planning Guidelines, though no one expected to catch a few winks' sleep, certainly not after the Scottish Parliament's narrow vote supporting their government's rejection of the State of Emergency. The two antagonistic factions had left their junior staffs in temporary charge of the situation, before moving to separate offices to snack and consider this political bombshell. The collective morale of the group containing Stuart Pullman and Christopher Parsons along with their cohorts resembled that of a boxer being punched out on points with excruciating slowness during a long drawn out bout.

"I hate to say it Stuart, but I think we're losing this one." Parsons looked and sounded morose.

"We're not out of it yet." Pullman replied; but his former self-confidence was beginning to ebb as well. "Just because the bloody Jocks chose this of all moments to expose themselves for the traitors they are doesn't mean we were wrong to invoke all the powers available granted to us the Civil Contingencies Act. No reasonable person could deny a national disaster requires a nationwide response, well no-one apart from that lily-livered fool Rampling and the Soft Faction. "I am confident we can reach an amicable consensus regarding the issues we disagree on... my arse!" Stuart spat the Prime Minister's conciliatory words out as if they were acid in his mouth. "If I'd had my way, all of the Scottish parliament would be in preventative detention by now!" he continued.

"I'm surprised, not to say a little disappointed that you didn't push harder for that sort of action to be taken in the previous cabinet session." interrupted Parsons.

"Well you saw it for yourself." retorted Stuart. "They weren't going to buy it; especially as it was I who proposed extending the State of Emergency which they mistakenly think prompted the Scots' revolt. No it's reconciliation all round and sorry it was just a bit of overexuberance on our part; just a reserve technical measure to ensure we had the powers we needed if we had to use them, which of course we don't intend to... Christ it was sickening to watch them falling over each other to distance themselves from it while The Right Honourable Anthony Charles Gerald Rampling looked on smiling. I couldn't tell if Ian Campbell's streaming tears were a symptom of his Mexican swine 'flu or those of joy: I hope he doesn't spread what he's got to me, because a debilitating illness is the last thing I need, especially now!" Parsons made a sympathetic noise.

"Honestly." Pullman started again." A man that sick shouldn't be making decisions of such magnitude; he should have temporarily stood aside in favour of his deputy. Here we are, grappling with an unexpected crisis, the economy wobbling on a financial tightrope, and the Chancellor resembles an extra from a zombie film..."

"Very succinctly put." said Parsons. "But what are we going to do about?"

"I'm not sure as yet, but don't you even think of wavering on me-"

"The thought hadn't crossed my mind!"

"Good: Because despite appearances this is far from over."

Even as he spoke the words the vague outline if a plan coalesced in Stuart's imagination. It was as audacious as it was illegal, but if it worked he would be certain to become Prime Minister. "I'm going topside to check on my office and clear my head for a while." he announced. "I'll see you again when the cabinet reconvenes."