A researcher fights to recover his leased canyon after a corporation destroys his laboratory and plans illegal nuclear-waste dumping.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Comet Energy Experiment
Dr. David Lowell conducts research in southern Utah. He hopes to use sound waves generated by Halley's Comet to create a safe, cheap energy source.
Key Events
Harvard-Educated Researcher — Dr. David Lowell is introduced as a Harvard-educated researcher. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah
Southern Utah Canyon — Lowell conducts his research in the canyon country of southern Utah. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Canyon country of southern Utah
Halley's Comet Approaches — Lowell's research must coincide with Halley's Comet passing over Earth. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah canyon
Comet Sound Waves — Lowell studies the sound waves generated by the comet. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah canyon
Energy Research Goal — He seeks a safe, cheap energy source based on comet sound waves. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Laboratory on leased land
The Canyon Lease Betrayed
Lowell leases the canyon from the Pilgrim Corporation. The corporation instead identifies the remote location as a site for illegal nuclear-waste dumping.
Key Events
Land Lease — Lowell leases the research land from the Pilgrim Corporation. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Pilgrim-leased canyon land
Corporate Reassessment — The Pilgrim Corporation decides the canyon has another profitable use.
Location: Pilgrim Corporation
Illegal Waste Plan — The corporation plans to use the remote canyon to dump nuclear waste illegally.
Location: Southern Utah canyon
CEO Orders Removal — The Pilgrim CEO arranges to have Lowell removed from the leased land.
Location: Pilgrim Corporation
Lowell Loses Land — Lowell is thrown off the land he leased for his research. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Leased canyon land
Destroyed Laboratory — The Pilgrim Corporation destroys Lowell's laboratory. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Lowell's laboratory
Laboratory in Ruins
The Pilgrim CEO arranges for Lowell to be removed from the land. The corporation then destroys his laboratory, turning the property dispute into an open struggle.
Key Events
Sabotage Begins — After losing his land and laboratory, Lowell begins sabotaging the company. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Pilgrim Corporation operations
Property Recovery Campaign — Lowell combines sabotage with an effort to recover his property. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah canyon
CEO Daughter Assists — The Pilgrim CEO's daughter assists Lowell in his campaign. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah canyon
Unexpected Hit-Man Support — An unnamed hit-man offers unlikely help because he sympathizes with Lowell's cause. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah canyon
Campaign Gains Support — Lowell's sabotage campaign expands with assistance from unexpected allies. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Pilgrim Corporation operations
Sabotage and Strange Allies
Lowell retaliates through sabotage while attempting to recover his land. The CEO's daughter and a sympathetic hit-man provide unexpected assistance.
Key Events
Corporate Countermove — The corporation employs opposition to stop Lowell's activities.
Location: Pilgrim Corporation
Sabotage Escalates — Lowell continues sabotaging the company while pursuing the land dispute. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Pilgrim Corporation operations
Land Conflict Peaks — The struggle centers on whether the canyon will serve research or illegal waste dumping. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah canyon
Ongoing Recovery Struggle — Lowell's continuing objective is to recover his land from the corporation. Characters: Dr. David LowellLocation: Southern Utah canyon
Story Breakdown
Scientific Premise — Lowell's research depends on Halley's Comet and its sound waves.
Canyon Research — Dr. David Lowell conducts research in southern Utah canyon country.
Comet Energy Theory — He seeks a safe, cheap energy source using comet-generated sound waves.
Canyon Lease — Lowell's access to the research site comes through a lease from the Pilgrim Corporation.
Pilgrim Agreement — Lowell leases the canyon land from the corporation.
Remote Research Site — The leased canyon supports his laboratory and comet-related work.
Corporate Reversal — The corporation changes its intended use for the canyon.
Waste Dumping Plan — Pilgrim plans to dump nuclear waste illegally in the remote canyon.
CEO's Removal Order — The Pilgrim CEO arranges to have Lowell removed from the land.
Laboratory Destruction — The corporate takeover destroys the physical foundation of Lowell's research.
Expulsion From Land — Lowell is thrown off the land he leased.
Research Facility Ruined — The Pilgrim Corporation destroys his laboratory.
Sabotage Campaign — Lowell retaliates against the corporation while pursuing the return of his property.
Corporate Sabotage — Lowell spends the rest of the conflict sabotaging the company.
Property Recovery — His larger objective is to recover the leased land.
Unlikely Allies — Unexpected support strengthens Lowell's resistance to the corporation.
CEO's Daughter — The Pilgrim CEO's daughter assists Lowell's campaign.
Sympathetic Hit-Man — An unnamed hit-man helps Lowell because he sympathizes with his cause.
Land Conflict Peaks — The central struggle becomes a contest between research, corporate control, and illegal waste disposal.
Corporate Opposition — The corporation attempts to stop Lowell's campaign.
Canyon's Future — The canyon's use remains the decisive issue in Lowell's recovery effort.
Pilgrim Corporation has leased Choke Canyon to research physicist David Lowell for 99 years. Lowell has built an impressive research laboratory there. When Pilgrim suddenly needs Choke Canyon for toxic waste storage, they resort to violence to force out the renitent Lowell. However, Pilgrim Corportation vastly underestimates Lowell, who is a tenacious, principled, and ingenious man.
