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Sarveux's security people started to protest, but he waved theh the door and down a long corridor where the card process was repeated

The power plant's control center was indeed sineers sat in front of a console laced with a forest of lights and switches, peering at a panel of dials and gauges e wall Except for a row of television , the only other fixtures were the chairs occupied by the engineers

Sarveux looked around consideringly "I find it incredible that such an awesome display of power is controlled by only four men and a modest amount of equipment"

"The entire plant and the transmission stations are operated by computers two floors beneath us,"

explained Stuckey "The project is ninety-nine percent automated What you see here, Mr Sarveux, is the fourth-levelsystem that can override the computers in the event of a malfunction"

"So huree of control" Sarveux smiled

"We're not obsolete quite yet" Stuckey smiled back "There are a few areas left where electronic science can't be fully trusted"

"Where does this wealth of power terminate?"

"In a few days, when the project is fully operational, we'll service the whole of Ontario, Quebec and the northwestern United States"

A thought began to germinate in Sarveux's mind "And if the impossible occurred?" Stuckey looked at him "Sir?"

"A breakdown, an act of God, sabotage"

"Nothing short of a major earthquake could put the power facilities entirely out of coe or breakdown can be bypassed by two safety backup systems If those fail, we still have manual control here in the booth"

"What about an attack by terrorists?"

"We've planned for exactly such a threat," said Stuckey confidently "Our electronic security systey, and we have a five-hundred-uard force to back it up An elite division of assault troops couldn't reach this room in two months"

"Then someone here could cut the power"