I would say it aloud. For effect.

I agree with Lester's thoughts here: this idiot really deserves a beating, and giving a reason to avoid problems later for 'abuse of authority' is even better

That's why you don't do grand conspiracies without buying a private plane and a secret bolt hole on the other side of the globe first.

Current USA dollars? When is this story set?

Far, far future. Far enough that most human buildings and infrastructure have completely collapsed into dust, and only a select few archaeological sites still exist? But all of them are destroyed by the Holy Church as soon as they're discovered.

Unless they happen to be found by Revolutionary Rats with a noted penchant for granting extra nostrils to anyone trying to fuck with him or his people.

Assuming this is the same universe as the one with Rat King story, not THAT far in future. Even a fission only bomb would have some sort of malfunction given enough time. I suppose they could have dismantled it and rebuilt it, a gun type Uranium bomb is fairly simple. Rare, but simple. Basically replace the gunpowder and fuse.

Well, nuclear decay means that the weapon would be less and less likely to function properly. The explosives would certainly degrade, making the weapon completely non-functional.

But the scientists *were* able to figure out what it was after taking it apart, and how it worked.

Based upon my own knowledge, here's what would have happened behind the scenes: They wouldn't have had the technology to separate plutonium from the uranium, so the weapon would have been a uranium gun, as you suggested. They would have understood that the core and trigger would not function unless reworked, so both of those would have been dissolved, purified and reforged into a new core and trigger that could generate the reaction they expected. I'm sure they would have figured out criticality a few times, and I'm also sure no few of them ended up tickling the tail of the dragon just that one little bit too much, too.

Orrrrr...

This was one of the "superweapons" that obliterated all of humanity. It was super high-tech, far beyond anything we have today, and quite able to survive in a functioning state while in that ancient bunker. Which tracks, since the blast was FAR beyond anything the scientists expected.

Nuclear decay would be an unsolveable problem - lacking reactors - for a hydrogen bomb. But for a pure fission bomb, it decays too slowly to matter. Assuming metal corrosion not a problem. The fuse is deliberately fragile, a crude one should work.

The core - basically a ball with a slice or plug cut out - could be left alone.

To be honest, given a Little boy type bomb, I suspect that Victorian scientists could restore one. Even black powder might work. It's just a gun.

The one they set off was apparently in the same order of magnitude as the Trinity gadget. The comic specified the bunker was one mile from the bomb, whereas at Trinity, the nearest manned bunker was 5 miles away. Oops.

I suspect that a plutonium bomb would be too touchy to make work, even if they have a mature plastic explosive technology. But they would not need to refine uranium or plutonium. Tritium would be entirely gone, in fact undetectable had it been a hydrogen bomb.

They nabbed the kingpin!

Heh....sorry, Lester, he doesn't seem to have any staff around (to help him resist) so he can't do anything.

Payback time.

Always nice to see an artist put credible emotions on non human faces. Of course, for canines, we have live models.

The cop on right is rocking a "no comment" expression.

I love the expression of utter horror on the bastard's face. "What? No! NOOOO! This can't be happening! This CAN'T be happening! I can't go to jail! I'm a rich person! Jail is for poor people! This isn't faaaair!"