The answer

A tense international standoff arises when a dictatorial leader moves ahead with construction of a clandestine plutonium-producing uranium pile despite a global organization's ban. A representative is detained and threatened with forced labor, sparking debates over the authority of the state versus the will of the people. The regime increases espionage, inspects shipments, and convenes security councils to guard against covert retaliation. Officials confront the prospect of pushbutton warfare and psychological tactics, sorting through correspondence and expanding internal controls as diplomatic pressure, technological risk, and moral arguments collide.