THE NUCLEAR WHISTLEBLOWER Episode 43 of 57
INDEX – Episode 43 – OPTIMUS: Lawless Land
The Episode is part of "THE NUCLEAR WHISTLEBLOWER" a quasi-fictional novel.?
Lien vers le texte intégral de l'épisode 43 :
Link verso la versione integrale dell’episodio 43:
In this Episode, Ed Vance (EV) stops being part of OPTIMUS for the simple reason of having demanded to do his job correctly, but his mission continues, and no one will be able to stop him as long as he is in a condition of understanding and wanting.
A profession is also a mission that an individual cannot betray, the others are just mediocre sheeple!
FROM THE PREVIOUS EPISODE 42
Overview: Episode 42, titled "The Responsibility of the Sheeple," continues the unfolding narrative of Ed Vance (EV), an engineer entangled in the ethical quagmire of OPTIMUS, a company working on the OMEGA nuclear project under the aegis of E4E. This episode delves deeper into the cultural and ethical decay within OPTIMUS, driven by management's prioritization of personal gain over project welfare and safety.
Key Points:
EPISODE 43 - OPTIMUS: Lawless Land
43.1 THE LAW IN OMEGA-LAND
OMEGA-LAND was a nation revered for its laws, which staunchly protected individual rights alongside the obligations of enterprises to their workers, society, and the environment.
EV's lifelong mentor had leveraged his connections to secure for EV a robust local legislative and legal framework. Now, burdened with a debt of gratitude, EV planned to honour his mentor's request for a visit in Canada, his health waning with age. It seemed the morrow would afford him that chance.
For months, his friend had warned him:
“Ed, abandon that awful place otherwise they will abandon you very soon. I've met the people from E4E and I know how much of charlatans they can be, I remember many years ago when I was sent to Superphoenix to inspect a tank leaking…. You are not compatible with that world of presumptuous deaf people!”
Yet EV had resisted, unwilling to desert a sinking vessel like OMEGA. The irony was bitter—how to confess that his friend's prophecy was unfolding, with EV now cast adrift?
Quote: “It is not legal to force employees to approve wrong design documents in nuclear safety matters. The ?HSW Act 974 requires employers to ensure the safety of their employees, and this includes protecting them from being forced to approve or carry out work that is unsafe or could compromise safety. If an employer forces employees to approve wrong design documents in nuclear safety matters, they could be in breach of the HSW Act 974, as well as other regulations related to nuclear safety. Employees who are put in this position could report the safety violation to the relevant authorities, and they may also be protected under the whistle-blower protection laws.
Forcing or promoting employees to approve wrong documents in nuclear safety matters could be considered an instigation to commit a crime under the Criminal Law Act 977. This act makes it an offense to incite another person to commit a crime, and this includes inciting employees to approve false or incorrect design documents related to nuclear safety. The HSW Act 974 imposes a legal duty on employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees. This includes ensuring that employees are not coerced or pressured to act in ways that could compromise safety, such as approving incorrect or unsafe design documents related to nuclear safety. If an employer or manager is found to have instigated employees to approve wrong documents in nuclear safety matters, they could be prosecuted and potentially face imprisonment and/or fines.”
43.2 REFLECTION AND PREMONITION
?As EV trudged home, his steps became a meditation. It was cold and a bothersome drizzle was falling. The day's weight dragged at his heels, and the memory of Frosine's icy gaze cast a shadow over his thoughts. "How did I endure this moral quagmire for so long?" he wondered.
Apparently, Frosine (@AL) was not aware that a fundamental function of the Emergency Diesel Generators is the management after an incident or accident.
EV diligence had been unwavering, his integrity unyielding—not once had he stooped to the mercenary tactics of his peers. And yet, this very integrity appeared now to be his undoing, ensnaring him hopelessly under the hostile fire of ART-DEC, OPTIMUS, and OMEGA.
Anger surged within him and began to sweat despite the cold, the desire to lash out at his own unbending principles. He recalled Dorante (@AST), his predecessor, who had navigated these treacherous waters with ease—capitulating, compromising, surfing, surviving. "But was Dorante's savvy genuine, or merely a fa?ade?" pondered EV. Despite Dorante's limited expertise—a fact EV knew well from their past collaboration—it was plausible he'd outplayed them all, including Frosine (@AL) and La Fleche (@XJ), whose own abilities left much to be desired.
Dorante had known when to disembark at the first suitable harbour. Clearly, for him, his profession was merely a means to sustain his lifestyle but never a mission. By abandoning, he had shown himself to be an individual without compromise for that civil society which afforded him the life he enjoyed, perhaps a mediocre opportunist, or maybe simply one more sheeple.
Regardless, EV faced the inescapable reality:
Tomorrow marked his final day at OPTIMUS.
The details remained murky. Would they grant him the courtesy of a notice period, or would his departure be as abrupt as his realization?
Today, tuesday was the day ART-DEC's emissaries roamed the halls of OPTIMUS. Catching sight of Oronte (@EG) and Elmire (@EK) wasn't unusual, yet something felt amiss—like being under the scrutiny of unseen sentinels.
His recent memories paraded before him in a silent march. Notably, the theme he proposed for the upcoming seminar on Diesel Generators—a proposal that, he imagined, would earn him a grimace from both La Fleche and Frosine.
43.3 UNCOMFORTABLE PROPOSAL
EV recalled the morning's request: to suggest a presentation topic for the "Second E4E Workshop on Diesel Stations for Nuclear Power Plants". Despite his absence at the previous event, a colleague had delivered the article to him. This year, EV wanted to contrast its previous experiences with Emergency Diesel Generators at other two nuclear plants with the current state of OMEGA project.
OPTIMUS's role as OMEGA's Emergency Diesel Responsible Designer was controversial and his article would no doubt have ruffled the feathers of OPTIMUS management. However, EV saw the intrinsic value that such a comparison could offer for the advancement of the OMEGA project.
With the shadow of dismissal looming, EV, undaunted, presented his proposal:
43.4 EXEMPTIONS ‘à LA CARTE’
Then, abruptly, EV cursed under his breath, directing his frustration at Frosine, 'She's aware of my impending dismissal. That's why she's so adamant about my approval of the technical exemptions for GUILE&DOT and BISIA.CO, just as Tartuffe's team demands!'
Tartuffe (@DM), the lead contract administrator for the Emergency Diesel Generators, exuded arrogance towards subordinates and sycophancy towards his bosses. Tartuffe was a perfect sheeple.
EV had painstakingly tried to prevent the granted technical exemptions from resulting in future issues, either in the quality of the supplied components or by creating loopholes for additional costs from manufacturers or contractors.
Yet, despite robust technical evidence supporting his stance, both Frosine and Tartuffe's team remained obstinate, insisting on unconditional exemptions—allegedly at the behest of GUILE&DOT, the main contractor.
It seemed to EV that E4E, and by extension OMEGA, were at the mercy of their suppliers and contractors, supported, in part, by E4E's own management as alluded to in Episode 18.
'When dealing with Frosine, Tartuffe, and his aides (@PH and @SB), one could easily believe they're on GUILE&DOT's payroll rather than EDF's or THERMACORE's. Hopefully, it's merely a misperception,' EV mused, a thought that visited him all too frequently.?
EV had realised that nothing was as it seemed in reality. That reality from which the sheeple self-excluded in search of a possible survival within OPTIMUS.
La Fleche was a different beast altogether. He and the shadowy patron pulling his strings were like scavengers, exploiting any vulnerability in the supply chain or engineering, twisting circumstances for their personal gain. This was exemplified by the dealings with CURY Engineering, as chronicled in Episode 35.
La Fleche and his shadowy patron had been systematically pilfering from E4E for years, they had learned this in GAMMA, E4E's unfinished facility.
From the diary of EV:
Event: 00539.00: @AL is asking me to change the conditions imposed on the Exemption Requests (#128# 07-02-2023) following the indications received from GUILE&DOT. Essentially, GUILE&DOT (and BISIA.CO subcontractor) asking that the Proc Spec of the AFC’s electrical motors does not in any way constrain the Tech Specs that the motors themselves must meet.
I respond to @AL (#128# 07-02-2023) with a modification to the conditions imposed to ensure that the design of the electrical motors to be carried out after the purchase order is obliged to comply with the imposed requirements. After 23 minutes, @AL responds to me (#128# 07- 02-2023) saying that my concerns could be discussed but that her has no intention of deviating from what was proposed by GUILE&DOT in the morning's initial message.
@AL is trying to force me to accept Exemption Requests while being aware that their acceptance will allow the supplier to provide nuclear safety components ?that do not meet the initially imposed technical-engineering requirements. @AL is pushing me to participate in a violation of local nuclear regulation that does not allow the approval of the design of nuclear safety components knowing that this design contains defects.
43.5 ABOVE THE LAW
Frosine with La Fleche support exerted ever stronger psychological pressure and humiliating tactics to coerce EV into accepting the status quo and signing documents he knew to be incorrect, outright refusing any discussion on the subject.
The tolerability limit was set by EV when the need for drugs to reduce the tachycardia took over. After submitting the Delta-Analysis for La Fleche to review its contents, the pressures on EV from both Frosine and La Fleche themselves escalated significantly, becoming nearly unbearable.
The dashed blue curve represents the total stress level experienced by EV over time, taking into account both the intensity and the frequency of events.
Their actions constituted an abuse of power, a clear case of harassment continued, yet both appeared indifferent to the harm caused. EV pondered the enigma of their impunity—what forces shielded them from consequence, and what role did E4E and THERMACORE play in their brazen confidence?
The legal boundaries were unequivocal, yet enforcing them turned into a labyrinthine challenge for EV. His efforts to unveil the damaging behavior of Frosine and La Fleche, both towards himself and OPTIMUS, were impeded by Lelie (@GBU), who, in a true Pontius Pilate manner, shifted the issue to ART-DEC. An action where EV could only encounter their refusal to act, as narrated in Episode 25, Episodes 26 and Episode 27.
领英推荐
'Where does the law stand when it is so flagrantly ignored?' EV questioned, his mind casting back to his experiences in Argentina, where even in conditions of pronounced adversity, the law had not been so blatantly disrespected.
It seemed to EV that companies like E4E, THERMACORE, OPTIMUS, GUILE&DOT, and even ART-DEC operated in OMEGA-LAND with a sense of exemption from local laws, particularly those governing labor and nuclear regulations.
'It’s apparent that the OMEGA project’s significance to the national energy plan affords it leverage over governmental bodies,' EV mused, the gravity of such a realization weighing heavily on him.
Lost in contemplation, EV reached his home, where the domestic routine of preparing dinner and the evening news awaited, offering a brief sanctuary from the tumult of his professional life.
43.6 THE WAR FOR ETHICS & COMPLIANCE BEGINS
?As EV lingered over the remnants of his meal, the news droning in the background, the shrill ring of the phone pierced the livingroom at precisely 7:22 PM. He eyed the display—0741660522, an unfamiliar sequence. Curiosity piqued, EV picked up the receiver to hear Oronte, the director of ART-DEC, speaking. Surprise twinged at the sound of his voice; never before had Oronte dialed this number. 'How?' EV pondered. A breach of his privacy by someone within OPTIMUS was the only plausible explanation.
A shiver ran through EV as the realization dawned upon him: the first volley in his ethical battle had been fired. With an ironclad resolve, he readied himself to enact his meticulously laid plans and, as an initial step, discreetly activated the phone recorder, bracing for the onslaught that was to unfold.
From EV's diary that evening:
Event: 00585.00: I'm at home having dinner when at 07:22 PM, I receive a call from an unknown number (0741 660522). I answer and discover that it's @EG from ART-DEC. I immediately realize that my last day was not tomorrow, but today! @EG informs me that due to my unprofessional behaviour of responding to the "ACCOUNTABILITY WEEK IN OPTIMUS" message, OPTIMUS has decided to terminate my employment with immediate effect. According to @EG, I will no longer be able to return to OPTIMUS. The first thing that comes to my mind is that @EG considers me an idiot. I ask about my belongings, and @EG negatively criticizes that I have things in OPTIMUS, instructing me to prepare a list and that someone will collect them for me. @EG showed a thinly veiled concern about what I might have at OPTIMUS. It is truly humiliating that ART-DEC and OPTIMUS management have imposed a condition on me, demanding that others collect my personal belongings instead of myself (this includes the medication I take, including the ones needed to alleviate the stress and the long hours in the office).
I knew my expulsion was happening, so I'm not taken by surprise, but I don't want to appear calm because losing control in such a situation is human. Therefore, I seize the opportunity to express strongly and passionately everything I think, especially subtly conveying my long- planned escalation plan, so that @EG knows I'm not willing to "lose the battle without winning the war". A war that is not against OPTIMUS or OMEGA, but against specific individuals who are acting against the interests of OPTIMUS and OMEGA for their own selfish daily interests within OMEGA. But this goes beyond what @EG can or is willing to understand. @EG tells me that we will meet in two days at ART-DEC local offices. I firmly say “NO!”, stating that I cannot endure two days without sleep, constantly thinking about this unpleasant situation. It would be an additional act of psychological violence against me. @EG decides to meet me the next day at ART-DEC ?head offices. The call lasted approximately 28 minutes. Recording reference ?(#148# 22-02-2023).
43.7 HISTORICAL VICE
?EV's forced departure from OPTIMUS was not just a dismissal, it was symptomatic of a chronic malaise within OPTIMUS—a historical vice rooted in an outdated, hierarchical worldview. The irony was sharp; they had chosen to dismiss him over a message that exemplified integrity, turning the very principles they purported to uphold into a farce (Episode 42 Chapter 42.5) . This alone was telling—a silent admission that beneath the veneer of compliance, darker truths lurked.
The blatant disregard for local customs, laws, and the individuals affected by them was a festering wound exploited by the management of E4E, much like gangrenous bacteria in actual wounds.
Their approach, steeped in the colonial mindset that led them to a Pyrrhic victory at Borodino before their defeat at Waterloo, was not merely outdated but deeply offensive. It was this air of assumed supremacy that EV now confronted —
A toxic legacy that enabled corruption to thrive behind a facade of righteousness.
The phrase often parroted by the present and former EV′s line managers, "It's the local management who don't want these anomalies known," (Episode 42 Chapter 42.4) was not just a dismissal of EV's concerns but an indictment of their moral bankruptcy. Such hypocrisy, hidden behind a mask of feigned concern, only exacerbated the institutional rot that EV had long discerned.
This culture of silence, maintained by an unwritten code akin to omertà (Episode 25), was a weapon used all too effectively against those like EV who dared to challenge it. And yet, it was this same culture that EV was poised to dismantle, armed with his meticulous records and unyielding resolve.
Good evening,
Following our discussion by phone earlier, I wanted to confirm that you are not to go to the OPTIMUS site tomorrow morning. OPTIMUS, our customer has requested that we immediately stop the service you are delivering to them on behalf of ART-DEC. On that basis you are suspended with full pay until we can investigate the matter.
As already requested, I am asking you to remain professional and to not communicate in writing or verbally to anyone within or outside OPTIMUS and respect the strict confidentiality on all the information you had access to.
Kind Regards,
Oronte (@EG)
The chilling formality of Oronte's message bore witness to the fact that OPTIMUS and ART-DEC were nothing but impersonal, dignity-flouting machines. This was evidenced by the request for EV to refrain from visiting the site and to cease all communications, an attempt to isolate him, to cut him off from the people and the place to which he had devoted years of his life.
EV had neither stolen nor offended anyone!
The mere deprivation of the opportunity for a final farewell with colleagues was an unforgivable offense to EV. Not allowing him to personally collect his belongings, but instead subjecting him to the scrutiny of strangers, was another unforgivable affront.
Both new acts of harassment towards his person perpetrated jointly by OPTIMUS and ART-DEC. Unfortunately, they would not be the lasts.?
Lelie (@GBU) owed a response to a confidential message about the status of the work team that EV had sent him a few days prior.
The message not only serves as evidence that Lelie (@GBU) committed an act of defamation against EV, a legally disputable fact. More importantly, it is proof that Lelie once again erred in assessing EV's psychological profile. EV, if not authorised, would never have crossed the threshold of OPTIMUS's offices, nor would he have used his colleagues to do so. Lelie judged EV based on his own standards.
To date, a year after his expulsion, EV has not even passed by the street where the local branch of OPTIMUS is located.
But EV was not one to be outmanoeuvred so easily. The evidence he had compiled was not just a collection of documents; it was a testament to the resilience of his spirit against the faceless entity of corporate malfeasance.
Lelie, in his underestimation of EV, had failed to recognize the calibre of the adversary he had engaged.
?As EV reflected on the day's events, he couldn't help but feel a grim satisfaction at the prospect of what was to come. "OPTIMUS is lucky that Lelie's intelligence is well below his malice," he mused. This battle was not just his to fight; it was for every silent voice drowned out by the clamour of corporate greed. And as the night drew in, EV prepared himself for the struggle ahead—a struggle that was as much about vindicating the past as it was about shaping the future.
From EV's diary that evening:
Event: 00587.00 At 08:53pm, I received an email from @EG (#138# 21-02-2023) confirming our meeting at ART-DEC head offices for the following day tomorrow.
The last sentence of the email, which is surely a result of the explanation I provided to @EG regarding the escalation I intend to pursue, makes me think that @EG is fearful of my reactions. And it's not just him who is afraid, but especially the management of OPTIMUS branch (note that I refer to the management of OPTIMUS branch, not OPTIMUS itself!).
Clearly, the concept of "professionalism" for @EG is more akin to what a pimp applies to their prostitutes rather than what is expected in the nuclear field. How can @EG expects to impose upon me not to communicate an event that goes beyond the sphere of confidentiality to which I am subjected? And, above all, why?
Another aspect that makes me wonder is why my expulsion took place today and not tomorrow, as I thought I had understood? Today, I believe I saw @EK wandering around the offices of OPTIMUS, but since she changed her hairstyle, I may be mistaken. However, Tuesday is the day when ART-DEC representatives are usually present at OPTIMUS branch. So, today, Tuesday, was the right day to organize my expulsion through a direct meeting between ART-DEC and OPTIMUS, without the need for too many unofficial emails (if it is indeed as I suspect, they are true mafia!). I suppose that the decision to expel me in a surgical manner and avoid notifying me in person (as would be normal for civilized people) was made today at the last minute. Therefore, the decision to expel me had already been made beforehand, and the day I was supposed to be informed was tomorrow, 22-02-2023, because it is the day after the in person weekly meeting between ART-DEC and OPTIMUS branch. Exactly as I had understood. But there is an additional reason to justify my surgical expulsion, beyond preventing me from gathering evidence or erasing my computer. OPTIMUS branch managers (specifically @GBU) wanted to check what I had kept in my drawers and in the cabinet behind me. They wanted to find something to be able to accuse me of something! Just as I had anticipated, if OPTIMUS branch thoroughly searches my former workplace, they will find the envelope (#151# 22-02-2023), although I believe they will not be able to improve neither for this occasion.
43.8 THE LAST MESSAGE BEFORE BED
As the evening wore on, a final task lay before EV: to update Dandin (@AS), the investigator overseeing the inquiry he had instigated (Episode 21). With meticulous detail, he composed an email to Dandin, carefully outlining the nuances of his case. His words on the screen were more than mere sentences; they were the embodiment of his determination to seek justice.
With the email sent, a profound weariness settled over him. The battles of the day had taken their toll, yet there was a sense of accomplishment in having taken the necessary steps to defend his integrity. In the quiet of the night, EV prepared to withdraw into the solace of sleep, knowing full well that the morrow held the promise of confrontation. The weight of his eyelids mirrored the heaviness in his heart, but his spirit remained unyielding.
From EV's diary that evening:
Event: 01002.00 I send a message (#153# 23-02-2023) to @AS, the investigator previously appointed by EDF Energy for the investigation I requested (#001-B# 02-08-2022). In the message, I inform him that I have been expelled but have left a barrier of NCRs (Non-Conformance Reports) that need to be addressed.
Let's see if @AS responds because I don't believe he cares much about my expulsion. He is only interested in any easily demonstrable financial frauds, but he is not concerned about the fact that OPTIMUS may be violating nuclear regulations or that the reason behind it is linked to conflicting interests. It's too complex to prove or they are not interested to prove it.
As he finally surrendered to the night's embrace, his mind churned with the possibilities of what lay ahead. The coming day was not just another segment of time; it was the arena where the war for ethics & compliance would unfold. Exhausted but resolute, EV drifted off, the silent mantra echoing in his thoughts.
To be continued…
This episode is dedicated to all the colleagues who have paid for their dedication, their ethics, and professionalism in aiding the proper development of the Hinkley Point C project, and who, refusing to follow paths diverted by conflicting interests, like me, have been subjected to criminal ostracism.
43.9 AUTHOR’s NOTES
43.10 COVER IMAGE DESCRIPTION
The image taken on the last evening at OPTIMUS before retiring shows the whiteboard that EV kept near his worktable to collect ideas, make explanatory diagrams, and convey to those who approached information that did not need to be kept confidential.
In the top right corner was the inventory of fatal accidents he had witnessed at the places he had worked. The most recent had occurred recently at the OMEGA construction site. In total, there were nine people who had lost their lives while doing their jobs. A number that EV considered unacceptable, and which was the driver behind his extreme attention to safety.
That attention and concern that the sheeple contested and strongly opposed.
?Approximately in the center at the top was EV's estimated level of the day on the perception of reality by the management of OPTIMUS compared to the reality of OMEGA.
On the right, halfway up, the phrase:
“AliExpress Coolers ==> Miracle ==> Nuclear Safety Qualified Coolers”
"If you hope for a miracle, don't ask for impossible thinks otherwise you will be scammed!"
to demonstrate his disagreement with using legal alchemy and lies to prove that low-quality components could be qualified for OMEGA. These were components for which he was formally responsible for approving the design.
In the bottom left, the first page of the document 'ACCEPTED' by OPTIMUS as the Responsible Designer years before, even though it was completely incorrect. The document (#000-G# 19-03-2018) represented the 'Mechanical Sizing' of the components for which EV was formally responsible. The document is not part of the original photo but has been added because it is the document at the heart of the entire conflict between EV and the management of OPTIMUS. They want to hide their mistake even at the cost of OMEGA's integrity and its future safety.
NEXT EPISODE: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/mario-zadra-93a19a3_onr-hse-nuclearindustry-activity-7169974687056273408-PKPO?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
PREVIOUS EPISODE: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/mario-zadra-93a19a3_nuclearindustry-nuclearpower-safetyculture-activity-7163223950833995776-qGJ5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
AUTHOR’s NOTES 1.?This novel is a thriller, a drama, and mystery. It could be set in the past, present, or future and in any country where nuclear power is used 2.?The scenarios and figures depicted in this 42nd Episode are entirely fictitious and have no correlation with actual events. 3.?OPTIMUS, OMEGA, GAMMA, BRIDGE, GUILE&DOT, BISIA.CO, NNMR, FA, THERMOCORE, ATOMIQUE SERVICES, AXIOME, CURY Engineering, ART-DEC and ENERGYFOREVER (E4E) are made-up trademarks with no reference to reality 4. The events narrated here refer to events 00578.00, 00579.00, 00582.00 and 00584.00 which the protagonist noted in his diary. 5.?The intellectual property of the story "THE NUCLEAR WHISTLEBLOWER", its Italian version “IL WHISTLEBLOWER NUCLEARE” and its French version "Le Dénonciateur du Nucléaire" is exclusively owned by Mario Zadra. Any total or partial reproduction of the story, any of its episodes, or any of the author's accompanying comments is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the author, in accordance with UK intellectual property laws 6.?The codes (@XXX) present next to the character's name correspond to the codes used by Ed Vance in his diary to refer to the involved characters