“The target for this raid is the cooling pool at Maine Yankee.”

“Oh, for the love of”

“Shut up, Sloan. You know we need it. Wong and Morgenthau haven’t gotten sustainable breeding going yet, and that reactor makes us THE civilization amid the darkness, the Heir of the USA! I need that fuel!”

… some months later …

“Here.”

“Thank you, Sloan. You have done well.”

“Thirty-four of the best men died.”

“One here, too. Someone shot Wong yesterday.”

“I know.”

“You, wait, what? That’s top secret! How did you know?”

“I shot him.”

“You… Okay. Why?”

“He would have brought a Geiger counter to the ceremony.”

“What?”

“I’m already dead. I humped these ‘expended’ fuel rods through seven hundred miles of jungle, losing men all the way. Just before this stupid presentation, I replaced the lead shielding, such as it was, with painted cardboard. I’m already walking dead; and now, so are you, ‘Supreme President For Life’. Let’s try democracy again.”