[During the test at Chernobyl, the reactor stalls, but Dyatlov insists on continuing the test]
Raise the power.
No. I won't do it, it isn't safe.
[Dyatlov stares at Akimov for a moment, then Toptunov, then back at Akimov]
Safety first, always. I've been saying that for 25 years. That's how long I've been doing this job, 25 years. Is that longer than you, Akimov?
Yes.
Is that much longer?
Yes.
[to Toptunov] And you, with your mother's tit barely out your mouth? [Toptunov is silent] See, if I say "it's safe", it's safe. And if the two of you disagree, then 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 Novovoronezh. You won't work anywhere ever again. I'll see to it. I think you know I will see to it. Raise the power.
[holds out the duty log] I would like you to record your command --
[slaps the log out of Akimov's hands] Raise the power.
[Akimov picks up the log, then steps to the control console, as Dyatlov lights a cigarette behind him]
[to Toptunov] Together, then.
More from this episode
All quotes from this episode →More Chernobyl quotes · These quotes come from Wikiquote's Chernobyl pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.