Underneath West Virginia is a series of underground chambers. They constitute an emergency shelter for the entire United States Congress, a hideout and bolt hole in case of nuclear war, hidden away beneath a benign-looking hotel.
A grim scene this presents, and a grimmer one on reflection. Consider that no Representative nor Senator would be allowed their families. Or contemplate these features:
a special room meant for holding and calming members of Congress who can't handle the stress, and an incinerator meant for "pathological waste," or the Congressmen's irradiated bodies.
Imagine passing through this door, hearing it swing shut behind you, then starting your passage down that corridor:
Seeing and reading this, my Fallout 3-minded son cried out "It's Vault 101!"
Bruce Sterling's take on this is far grimmer. Over on the atompunk email list, the grim Chairman doesn't think any legislators were meant to survive.
Over on the atompunk email list, the grim Chairman doesn't think any legislators were meant to survive.
Cue C.M. Kornbluth and the marching morons...
Posted by: Steve B | July 21, 2010 at 00:29
"This way to Venus, Congressman..." I can see it.
Alternatively, that Phil Dick story where humans migrate to underground shelters, while robots fight WWIII overhead. Or do they?
Posted by: Bryan Alexander | July 23, 2010 at 12:30