DYATLOV What are you doing?
Akimov look at Dyatlov. Isn't it obvious?
AKIMOV
We have to shut it all the way down.
Dyatlov is staring intently at him, but he's now strangely calm, which is somehow worse.
DYATLOV
No.
AKIMOV (what?)
But... we're in a xenon pit. We have to shut down, wait 24 hours--
DYATLOV
No. We're doing the test tonight. Raise the power to 700.
AKIMOV DYATLOV
We can't increase power from Don't talk to me about here. The rules...! rules.
AKIMOV DYATLOV
If we fall from 80% of No, no— we fell from 50% of
power, we can't increase— power.
AKIMOV DYATLOV
From fifty percent is worse! The rules don't say 50.
There is no rule.
AKIMOV
Comrade Dyatlov, I apologize, but what you're saying makes no sense.
DYATLOV Raise the power.
Akimov looks down. Nerves rising. Dyatlov has gone too far.
AKIMOV
No.
Dyatlov can't believe it. He almost admires Akimov's gall.
AKIMOV
I won't do it. It isn't safe.
Toptunov straightens next to Akimov. Backing him up.
Dyatlov walks slowly toward them. Calm. Nodding, as if considering their words. The other men watch in fear.
DYATLOV
Safety first. Always. I've been saying that for 2 5 years. That's how long I've done this job. 2 5 years. Is that longer than you, Akimov?
AKIMOV
Yes.
DYATLOV Is it much longer?
AKIMOV
Yes.
Dyatlov turns to Toptunov.
DYATLOV
And you? With your mother's tit barely out of your mouth?
Dyatlov shifts his granite gaze between them as he speaks.
DYATLOV
If I say it's safe, it's safe. If the two of you disagree... you don't have to work here. And you won't. But not just here. You won't work at Kursk. Or Ignalina. Or Leningrad, or Novo-Voronezh. You won't work anywhere ever again. I'll see to it. I think you know— I will see to it.
(beat) Raise the power.
The room is silent. The display still reads 30. No one says a word. Then... Akimov picks up a LOG BOOK from the panel. Hands it to Dyatlov.
AKIMOV
I would like you to record your command into the--
Dyatlov SLAPS it from Akimov's hand. It falls to the floor.
DYATLOV Raise the power.
Dyatlov returns to his desk in the center of the room.
Akimov takes a long, slow breath, then turns to Toptunov. They've lost. What other choice remains?
AKIMOV Together, then.
Toptunov nods. All right. Together. They move their hands toward the controls, and:
DYATLOV (O.S.) I wasn't even there.
535 INT. TRIAL ROOM - DAY 535
CLOSE ON: Dyatlov. Hair thinner, moustache weaker... but in his eyes, the same burning anger.
Legasov looks back from his board. Did he hear that right?
LEGASOV
What?
DYATLOV
I wasn't in the room when they raised the power.
LEGASOV
If you weren't in the room, then where were you?
Stepashin rises. Annoyed. At Legasov.
STEPASHIN Comrade Legasov, you are a witness, not a prosecutor. I will ask the questions here.
Legasov backs off. Chastened. Of course. This is a show. Play your role and no other.
Stepashin turns to Dyatlov.
STEPASHIN If you weren't in the room, then where were you?
Dyatlov shifts his eyes away from his interrogator. Shrugs.
DYATLOV
The toilet.
STEPASHIN The toilet. Comrade Khomyuk interviewed everyone who was in the control room that night. They all told the same story.
Stepashin picks up a packet of typed transcripts. Flips through the pages, then reads:
STEPASHIN "I knew what Dyatlov ordered was wrong, but if I didn't do what he said, I would be fired." Leonid Toptunov, one day before he died. No, Comrade Dyatlov, you were in the room. You ordered them to raise the power. This is a fact.
Scherbina suddenly starts COUGHING. He gets up, and moves swiftly to the back of the room. Can't make it stop.
And as if that reminded Stepashin they've been at this for hours— he checks his watch, then nods to the Judge. Fine. Call a recess. It's clear who's really in charge here.
JUDGE KADNIKOV Court is now in recess. Thirty minutes.
Kadnikov RISES, everyone else rises in turn, and we cut to:
536 EXT. CITY OF CHERNOBYL - PARK - LATER 536
An inept imitation statue of MICKEY MOUSE smiles grotesquely through peeling paint.
The small park is just dust and dead grass now. A rusty swing set. A jungle gym.
ON LEGASOV - across the street. Behind him in the near distance, a small gathering of trialgoers on recess are clustered. Smoking.
He sees ahead of him... the back of a man sitting on a bench, alone, in the park. Another cough.
SHCHERBINA - sits on the bench, staring out at the late afternoon sun. Legasov takes a seat next to him.
SHCHERBINA Do you know anything about this town? Chernobyl?
LEGASOV Not really. No.
SHCHERBINA It was mostly Jews and Poles. The Jews were killed in pogroms, Stalin forced out the Poles, then the Nazis came and murdered whoever was left.
(looks around) But after the war, people came here to live anyway. They knew the ground beneath their feet was soaked in blood, but they didn't care. Dead Jews, dead Poles, but not them. No one ever thinks it will happen to them. But here we are.
Shcherbina shows Legasov his handkerchief. It's mottled with blood.
LEGASOV How much time?
SHCHERBINA Maybe a year. They're calling it a "long illness." That doesn't seem very long to me. I know— you told me. I believed you. At first. But— time passed, and I didn't think it would happen to me. (beat)
I wasted it. I wasted it all. For nothing.
LEGASOV
For nothing?
Shcherbina puts his hand up. Don't.
SHCHERBINA Do you remember the morning I first called you? Do you remember how unconcerned I was? I don't believe much that comes out of the Kremlin, but when they told me they were putting me in charge of the cleanup, and they said it wasn't serious, I believed them. Do you know why?
Legasov doesn't want to answer. But:
LEGASOV
Because they put you in charge.
Shcherbina nods. Of course Legasov knows. Everyone knows.
SHCHERBINA I am an inconsequential man, Valera. That's all I've ever been. I hoped one day that I would matter. But I didn't.
(turns to Legasov) I just stood next to people who did.
Legasov stares back in disbelief.
LEGASOV
There are other scientists like me. Any one of them could have done what I did. But you—
(MORE)
LEGASOV (cont'd)
(beat)
Everything we asked for, everything we needed. Men. Material. Lunar rovers? Who else could have done these things? They heard me, but they listened to you. Of all the ministers and all the deputies— the entire congregation of obedient fools-- they mistakenly sent us the one good man. (beat)
For god's sake, Boris— you were the one who mattered the most.
Shcherbina is overwhelmed. And here and now, in a forgotten park, in a dead city... absolution.
He looks back through tears at the land. The sky. His country. The air fills his lungs.
SHCHERBINA It is beautiful...
537 INT. TRIAL ROOM - LATER 537
The crowd filters back in, including Legasov and Shcherbina. They return to the expert witness table, where Khomyuk is waiting.
Khomyuk sees the change on Legasov's face. Something has moved in him. She sees him look back once again to make sure that The Six are still there in the audience.
Then EVERYONE RISES as the JUDGES return and take their seats. Kadnikov nods to Stepashin, who turns to Legasov.
STEPASHIN Comrade Legasov.
Legasov walks back to the whiteboard. There's purpose in his step now. His voice is stronger.