In this episode we begin Part 2: Pioneers and Explorers. Here we get to meet some of the main characters in the story. The setting is a corporate dormitory in the year 2086 and four young stoners - all of them scientists working for an aerospace firm in southeastern Canada - are watching the news program World Week. It's a Sunday night and they're taking a break from their projects; something they do each Sunday, along with getting high smoking THC resin from a glass bong.
First there's Kelvin, the once-ambitious Virginian who's taken a slight detour with his life as of late. Next, there's Gunther, the soft-spoken German whose father is a government official. Then there's B.J., the promiscuous wild child from Colorado who's never had a boyfriend but always has a date. And there's Robin, the flamboyant transgender from east Atlanta. What they hear at the opening of the broadcast sparks a lively discussion once the show goes to commercial. A space mission to an alien planet 13 light years from Earth? Kelvin sees it as the opportunity of a lifetime. The others think he's crazy.
In this episode we begin Part 2: Pioneers and Explorers. Here we get to meet some of the main characters in the story. The setting is a corporate dormitory in the year 2086 and four young stoners - all of them scientists working for an aerospace firm in southeastern Canada - are watching the news program World Week. It's a Sunday night and they're taking a break from their projects; something they do each Sunday, along with getting high smoking THC resin from a glass bong.
First there's Kelvin, the once-ambitious Virginian who's taken a slight detour with his life as of late. Next, there's Gunther, the soft-spoken German whose father is a government official. Then there's B.J., the promiscuous wild child from Colorado who's never had a boyfriend but always has a date. And there's Robin, the flamboyant transgender from east Atlanta. What they hear at the opening of the broadcast sparks a lively discussion once the show goes to commercial. A space mission to an alien planet 13 light years from Earth? Kelvin sees it as the opportunity of a lifetime. The others think he's crazy.
Hello, and welcome back to Twin Paradox. I'm King Everett Medlin and what you're hearing is a SciFi trilogy I wrote four years ago under the pseudonym Purple Hazel. Twin Paradox follows my first podcast series entitled Deathwalker Colony, which is now a full length novel available for purchase on Amazon. It's on sale today in E-book format for only $2.99, as well as the first two books in the Rijel 12 Series, The Rise of New Australia and Return of Anarchy. You can check out those as well as some of my other works by going to the link provided in the transcript.
Tonight we begin Part 2: Pioneers and Explorers. During the next four episodes we're going to meet the main characters in the story, which begins in the year 2086 and will take place over the next fifty-five installments: Kelvin, the once-ambitious Virginian who's taken a slight detour with his life as of late. Gunther, the soft-spoken German whose father is a government official. B.J., the promiscuous wild child from Colorado who's never had a boyfriend but always has a date. Robin, the flamboyant transgender from east Atlanta. And finally, the three space twins; whom you'll hear about in subsequent chapters.
Twin Paradox is a SciFi series encompassing three full length novels; all of which will be read in their entirety during the coming weeks. You can go online and download the E-books by searching Twin Paradox ... Purple Hazel ... or, if you prefer, tune in each week and listen to me read them to you. So let's continue.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Twin Paradox, Part Two: Pioneers and Explorers. Chapter Six, The Twin Paradox ....
Things had come full circle indeed. A day thirty years in the making was rapidly approaching; and Cory Redmann plus maybe a few select insiders within the GBN hierarchy, were about all that knew anything of it for at least the past 13 months. The public had largely been kept in the dark for reasons of security – and also in an effort to keep the crazies and lunatics proselytizing from pulpits inside evangelical Christian churches from stirring up controversy. Somehow, despite all the challenges involved, men and women charged with the task of designing and building a large scale manned vessel capable of near-light speed travel had somehow come through.
They’d done it! All those “eggheads and brainiacs”; like Cory used to hear her beloved Father call them back in her youth. They’d actually done it. GU’s Space Programme was now about to unveil its newly planned mission to Kapteyn B after nearly three decades in the works. Covering this story for “Worldweek” was to be the culmination of her career as a journalist … a dream come true for any reporter really … yet no other reporter at GBN would do and front office executives knew it. No, this was Cory Redmann’s story, and hers alone. It would finally be time for her to take the stage and tell the world of mankind’s next great achievement. A new era of human colonization of the galaxy was about to begin.
“Good evening and welcome to Worldweek,” she began confidently, trying to suppress her excitement, “I’m Cory Redmann. Here’s our top story.” Then she smiled brightly for a moment, barely able to contain herself. Her nostrils flared excitedly as she drew in a deep breath.
“Sources close to the situation are indicating the GU Space Programme is about to announce a scheduled launch for the new Santa Maria galactic explorer. It's destination: the distant planet of Kapteyn B, many light years from Earth. Official announcements of the mission are expected within the hour. Mankind, we’re proud to report, is about to embark on its first bold foray into deepest space. At this very moment, plans are in place and the once top-secret vessel is nearing completion up in Earth’s orbit. We’re also pleased to report that designs for the craft along with details of the accommodations for the crew are being made public.” She then turned in her chair to a different camera angle which caused her to turn her head slightly. She grinned ever so subtly as she continued.
“We’ll take a look at these newly released images and artists’ renderings of the ship right after these important messages from our corporate sponsors … stay with us, will you?” Inspiring music then rose up in the background while the screen faded out. A montage of pictures took its place showing the evolution of the space program ever since man’s first mission to the Moon over a century ago as music continued to play.
********
Meanwhile, watching this historic broadcast, among the many millions of people who’d logged onto Ultravision that night the world over, as well as network executives champing at the bit over the expected spike in market share ratings they’d receive for this episode, was a group of young scientists. Sitting around on couches in the common room of their Toronto dormitory and passing around a glass bong, they sat in awe for a few moments … letting the news sink in and the excitement of the moment co-mingle with the THC resin vapor they’d already been inhaling. Watching "World Week" on Sunday nights was a tradition for the four. Little did they know when tuning in that evening they'd be witnessing history.
“Wow…so they really built it y’all,” observed Kelvin, “They’ve been working on it all along just like we’d heard.” Kelvin was the handsome, go-getter type among the group. Always had a brand-new girlfriend to kick off each semester when he was back in college at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; yet he often showed up at parties with some sweet young thing no one knew a thing about and had never seen before. He’d casually dismiss inquiries, saying he’d just met the gal somewhere and asked her out. That’s just the type of guy he was. Could read people well and had the looks to open up doors to opportunity – doors commonly closed to others.
“The Warp Drive I mean…they musta’ built it finally,” he added. To this Günther, one of his colleagues at Magellan Aerospace, who was reclining on a couch nearby, felt inclined to disagree. Lying back on one of the more comfortable faux leather sofas in the corporate common area, Günther was generally not the type to ever challenge Kelvin on (or about) anything. Wasn’t in his nature. Mellow, highly educated German kid from a long family history of astronautical engineers and the son of a noted scientist now working at Space Programme headquarters in Darmstadt, he’d come to Toronto only a year ago, timid and shy regarding his poor command of English. That said, he was for all intents and purposes the most capable among them when it came to physics.
“Ney…zat is not possible ... not yet,” he interjected, “Another ten years away at least. Besides, zay have to set up exotic matter pods, you see? Along the route zay vish to take … if they vish to use Warp Bubble technology zat is. Basically zay have to maintain a tachyonic field every few million kilometers for zee craft to complete its journey.”
What Kelvin and Günther were referring to was the revolutionary technology first proposed by Mexican theoretical physicist Miguel Alcubierre back in 1994. Despite efforts to maintain secrecy within Space Programme; this concept of advanced interstellar propulsion had been speculated upon for years as the most likely method by which man could conquer space. In an “Alcubierre Drive”, rather than exceeding the speed of light within a local reference frame, a spacecraft would instead traverse distances by contracting space in front of it and expanding space behind it (hence the nickname “Warp Bubble”). In fact, everyone in this quartet of well-educated individuals knew all about it – had studied it back in school. Unfortunately, this system for hurtling manned spacecraft through the galaxy had not yet been perfected; and as far as these young scientists knew, it was still in developmental stages. Working for Magellan Aerospace right out of college at the company’s impressive campus located in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, they’d become fast friends the four of them: Günther the young physicist from Stuttgart. Kelvin the suave but strong-willed type who so dearly loved the ladies. He’d actually been a Megaball star back in “high school” down in Virginia but gave it up when he got accepted to MIT.
There was also B.J., who was the mathematically-minded, bookish-looking female from Denver who in addition to brains possessed an almost limitless libido and a lovely figure to go along with it. She’d not only earned her special nickname (her real name was actually Ariel) via years of casual liaisons in the backrooms of buildings, locker rooms at gymnasiums, washrooms at nightclubs, and the like – but to be sure she relished it. It was a great icebreaker for her to use whenever meeting guys. She never “dated” anyone. Never had a “boyfriend” at all really. But she always, always had lovers. Lots of them! “Hi there Gorgeous,” she’d say, sidling up to an attractive prospect, holding a half-full glass of beer – just so he'd know she’d been drinking. “People call me BEE-JAY … what’s your name?” That’s about all she ever needed to attract some cute fellow for the night (or at least for the next half hour or so). That and her big boobs of course, which rarely remained covered up once she’d gotten a few drinks in her.
And finally there was Robin, a transgender from east Atlanta who’d graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (aka Georgia Tech). African-American, and just over 1.9 metres tall when wearing heels, he was slender and wiry, walked like a runway supermodel, but he knew his stuff when it came to advanced propulsion systems. It was Robin who spoke up next.
“That’s right, 'G',” he said effeminately, while running his fingers across his forehead, “We got a long way to go before we can travel beyond the speed of light. Spacecraft can only achieve about 90% with today’s technology.” Georgia Tech kids were often like this: highly sought after by technology companies for their excellent education, but occasionally given to showing off their immense knowledge. “I mean, this mission … to Kapteyn B, she said, right? Shit - they must be talkin’ ‘bout what, fifteen years to get all the way out there? That about right Günther? Fifteen?” Robin looked over toward Günther while squeezing his legs together with his hands in between. Günther shook his head and blinked his eyes.
“Nein…just under sur-teen,” quipped the young German without hesitation. He'd read about Kapteyn B in a news article recently. "Kapteyn B is approximately thirteen light years from Earth."
The tall lanky Robin then proclaimed, “Yeah, ya’ see? Thirteen light years … that’s all I’m sayin’, baby. They talkin’ ‘bout one big damn trip.” Then Robin gave out a sardonic ‘pffffft’. “It gonna be a laaaaooohng way out there. Hope you ain't thinkin' 'bout goin', Kelvin.”
Kelvin was deeply interested in this new information as he viewed a litany of commercials while awaiting the return of Cory Redmann’s show. He chimed in with, “So what are we talkin’ then … thirteen years to get there … thirteen back?” He then looked over to B.J. who was curled up with a pillow at the foot of the couch with Günther’s feet in her lap. “Sound about right, Beej? You’re the math whiz here.”
To this Robin clarified with “Bitch, she a genius ‘n you know it.” Then everyone else chuckled, knowing just how right Robin was. B.J. laughed humbly as well, rolling her eyes as if to dismiss a compliment she nevertheless knew she deserved. Math was her specialty.
“Ummm … well, it’s just under thirteen light years from Earth, you said, right? To Kapteyn B?” she began inquisitively, faking like she was some dizzy teenager. This was something she did instinctively around other men. More of a defense mechanism than anything else. She was usually hesitant about letting guys find out she was good at mathematics. Might scare off the really cute ones, she figured. Ruin her chances of getting laid. Yet her mind could calculate most anything put in front of her without the aid of a computer, without even writing it down. Even complicated equations she could typically do in her head. “At ninety percent of the speed of light, it’ll take about um … make that just a little over 14 years to get there,” she finally replied. Günther seemed to agree.
“Ja. And this will take a very large crew as well, I’ve read. They will be travelling so many years togezzuh. Fatigue will be a factor.” Robin frowned humorously.
"Like how many? What’re we talkin’ ‘bout, G … like a hundred?” Günther nodded, clarifying that it might require more.
"Upwards of 150 ... maybe two hundred," stated the German. To this, Kelvin snickered. He was already thinking of how he and his friends might get selected to the crew.
“Heh-heh. Not a problem for B.J. It’d take ‘er about a month and half and she'd do ‘em all I bet ... two months, tops!” B.J. was not the least bit offended by this observation.
“Or six fraternity parties,” she retorted. Her brash comment sent all three boys into shrills of whooping laughter. Robin laughed the loudest, as everyone cackled joyously at the young woman's bluntness. Robin always admired B.J.'s audacity when it came to the men she’d meet – envied her at times to be quite honest. She’d hook them like a trophy marlin whenever they went out bar-hopping around Toronto. She’d find a guy … disappear for an hour (sometimes less) … return to join the gang at their favorite pool table ... hair disheveled, lipstick smeared ... pick up her glass of beer and slur out, “Ssso, what’d I missh? Is it my ssshot yet?” not realizing of course they’d already finished three games and were racking up for a fourth while she’d been off blowing the guy in the men's room.
"Just six, huh?" laughed Robin. He, like the rest, was getting antsy waiting for the show to return as the network continued to run commercials.
But then a thought occurred to Robin. There was something about this mission to Kapteyn B that made him remember a term paper he’d written back in college. In his freshman year, he’d been required to complete a core English class that was focused on business writing including how to write professional reports. His term paper had gotten him an “A” and it basically saved him that semester from losing out on a good enough GPA to get into engineering school. He recalled the subject of the report and what it entailed. All of a sudden, a thrilling proposition pervaded his mind: What if somebody actually tried out the once-controversial scientific theory Robin had written about years before in college? By now the cackling had settled down, as Kelvin continued giggling at B.J.’s shocking yet quite predictable comeback. They of course had a past together. At first, handsome Kelvin was just somebody B.J. desired for a drunken fling late one night after a company outing at the local park. She was at the time quite loaded and fiercely in need of companionship. Kelvin was happy to oblige. After that, they’d get together for “smoke breaks” as they called them, whenever projects kept them in the office after hours. Still, Robin couldn’t shake the intriguing thought swirling in his head and as the network aired yet another annoying thirty second ad, the slender transgender from Georgia spoke up.
“Hey y’all. Lemme ask ya’ somethin’. Have y’all heard about the ‘Twin Paradox’? The theory ‘bout sendin’ identical twins into space?”
Günther shrugged his shoulders dismissively, “Of course.” B.J. giggled and added, “Yeah … Albert fuckin’ Einstein, right?” Kelvin meanwhile looked around curiously to try and catch up with everyone else who seemed to know exactly what Robin was talking about even though he personally had no clue.
“That’s right,” remarked Robin. “Paul Langevin really, but he was only expanding on Einstein’s work on special relativity.” Robin went on from there to describe how the theory came to be. "See in 1905, Einstein published his theory of relativity, in which he deduced that an object in motion experiences time differently than a sedentary one. If an airplane is traveling at thousands of feet above the earth for instance, its clocks will be several minutes behind compared with those back in the city from which it departed, right?" Heads nodded in response.
"Well, as Einstein put it, if you placed a living organism in a box and flew at high speed for any lengthy period, similar organisms which remain in their original stasis back on Earth will have grown old 'n died whenever the rocket ship returns. By way of comparison, the returning organism will have experienced only an instant of time - provided of course the velocity of its ship was approximately that of the speed of light. I wrote a paper on this back in college. Anyway, in 1911 French physicist Paul Langevin took this even further by calculating an example of an astronaut travelling away from Earth for one year, according to ship clocks, at a Lorentz factor of у=100 ... that's like 99.995% the speed of light. Upon returning to Earth, said Langevin, he has experienced only two biological years traveling out and coming back, while two hundred years have passed by on Earth."
Robin then pointed out exactly why he got a desperately-needed “A” when he was a freshman at Georgia Tech.
“See, they was all describin’ the effects of time when altered by speed of motion. In my report back at Tech, I actually described a few different scenarios. O’ course in my calculations I was only using what we all thought we knew ‘bout technology at the time. I used the example of two sets of identical twins, with one twin remaining on Earth, and their matching siblings sent away on a galactic exploration mission. The craft I described would travel to the Alpha Centauri system, 4.4 light years away, at 80% of the speed of light. Distance of about 8.6 light years ... but more like 10.75 light years to do it at that speed. Y’all followin’ me?”
When he saw even Kelvin nodding in acknowledgment, he continued. Kelvin wasn’t much for retaining information. Basically, he'd hacked his way through college; got his degree then forgot nearly everything he’d learned. That said, his mind could grasp concepts quickly. His strong personality – including his abilities at manipulating people in order to assist him whenever baffled - usually took care of the rest.
“And everybody back home, see? They all get older,” added Robin. “For them it’s been like ten years since the astronauts blasted off, right? But the crew - the two space twins - they's only SIX years older when they get home.” He then used another example from his report which depicted even more dramatic examples. “Of course it works with bigger numbers too, y’all … the farther you go, the faster you go, shit like that. Ya' dig?”
He went on to describe missions even farther into space so to illustrate this theory, pointing out how strange it would be for the returning space twin to see their exact duplicate aged twenty, or even thirty years, while they themselves had only aged five, maybe ten. He finally halted his train of thought and gestured for B.J. to hand him the bong. “Now … y’all let me hit this mutha fucka. Cool?” B.J. nodded and thrust it forward for him to grab, like she was offering up a trophy. Seeing an opportunity to contribute, Kelvin jumped in excitedly.
“I see, so in this case, if we were to put, say one identical twin on this new Santa Maria they’re building; and send him to Kapteyn B right along with the rest of the crew…at what, say 90% o’ the speed of light?” He shot a glance toward Günther whose body language seemed to indicate he was in agreement, then continued. “Maybe find some kids … twins I mean … orphans maybe?” After a pause he then added rather indelicately, “City kids ya’ think? People no one'd miss?” He was callously referencing the millions of children seized by authorities every year from “disadvantaged” homes and eventually “farmed out” as laborers to local businesses. "Beej?" he then inquired, shifting attention to his occasional fuck buddy. B.J. sighed and rolled her eyes at Kelvin’s lack of compassion. Nevertheless, after a moment her mathematical brain kicked in and she started calculating instinctively.
“God. Seriously? Yer a fuckin’ asshole, Kelvin ... you know?” she remarked. Then when even Robin snickered at Kelvin’s sick humor, she clarified, “Okay… how old are we talkin' here? Robin?” Kelvin clapped his hands and yelled “Ha!” when he realized B.J. was slowly being seduced by the concept.
“Girl, I don’t know. Sheeut…how about ten? What if we made ‘em ten years old?” replied Robin, waving his hands around girlishly.
“Yeah, what if they were ten?” inquired an excited Kelvin, seeming like he was trying to map out an operation to go knock over a bank. “What happens to the Earth twin … uh, I mean to the space twin … when he comes back thirty years later?”
B.J. already had the answer in her mind naturally, and as she grabbed the bong from Robin and fumbled for their compact blow torch to light the little plates of THC resin, she proceeded with her findings.
“Alright, well ... space twin is about 23, I’d guess. Earth twin would be about … say 39,” she answered, as if she’d simply been doubling portions of ingredients necessary for a recipe so she could feed a larger-sized dinner party. That’s how fast her mind worked. She lit up the resin red hot before placing her lips over the glass pipe and inhaling. By the time she looked up, the others were silent as though contemplating something terribly important. Looked around at each other, then back at Kelvin who was clearly about to regale them with some amazing scheme - they could feel it.
“Fuck…we could do it ya’ know?” exclaimed Kelvin, looking suddenly toward Günther with his head cocked to one side like he always did when trying to convince someone to do something they probably shouldn't. It usually worked so it had become a force of habit. “We could fuckin’ do this. We just call up yer Daddy over at the GU. He’s still with Space Programme, ain’t he?” The young German shrugged his shoulders diffidently.
“Yes, he is. What of it?” Typical German. Always so blunt when asked a question. Wasn’t rude, just direct. Always understood jokes, but rarely saw why they were so funny to North Americans.
“Because, Fuckface,” continued a now-pushy Kelvin, “Yer Dad could get us permission to try it for real! That could be the break we need!” Günther sat up on his elbows, his head drifting a bit from the effects of the marijuana he’d smoked earlier. Break? What break?
“You mean get my father to let us carry out ziss experiment with live human beings?” he inquired, already wishing he hadn't asked.
That's when B.J. interjected humorously with, “Hey, I thought I was the fuckface here.” Kelvin patted her on the head patronizingly.
“Yes. That you are, my dear. Best in town. But seriously Günther, whaddya say … could we text him tonight and ask? He’s probably already asleep though, ain’t he?”
The young German nodded passively, showing his discomfort with the proposal, though in the back of his mind appreciating the significance. After all, if this was proposed and his “Vater” gained acceptance by administrators involved in crew selection … at the very least it would honor the works of one of the Pan European movement’s original members, Albert Einstein!
Kelvin began to smile and nod deliberately, looking over at Robin who was perched on his little armchair with his eyebrows raised. Robin always loved Kelvin’s devilish ideas and this one was downright diabolical. They’d surely be making history - if only Günther could convince his “Fah-tee” to let them run with it, that is. That said, Robin knew he’d never let himself get roped into Kelvin's little scheme - since it was obvious what he was really after. Robin enjoyed working for Magellan and especially being able to provide financial support to his mother down in Atlanta. No way Kelvin was getting him involved. Meanwhile B.J., exhaling her smoke and laying back on the couch to lift her head up toward the ceiling, chuckled sarcastically.
“Fuck. Guys - we’ll all be old and gray by the time the little shit comes back. The space twin, I mean. Don’t you get it? If he’s travelling to fuckin’ Kapteyn B that’ll be like … like twenty-five years from now before he comes back. Why bother debating this?” Kelvin ran the numbers in his head and figured that’d make him about fifty-one when the so-called “little shit” returned. It was time to try and close the deal.
“Okay, then what about this? Let’s say, hypothetically, the four of us - maybe one or two of us - got selected for the voyage. Landed on Kapteyn B, lived there for a year or so building a colony - whatever - then returned to Earth.” Next, he popped open his Dice, which was what folks liked to call digital communication devices attached to their wrists. Using its calculator function he came up with a number of forty. “Me, I’d still be forty fuckin’ years old. Wouldn’t I, Beej … when I got back home, right?”
Günther by now was only half-engaged; imagining what it might feel like seeing the look of pride on his father’s face when presenting his son’s idea to his superiors back at Space Programme. But Kelvin’s question regarding how he’d age on the mission if he was a member of the crew snapped Günther out of his daydream and he sat up slowly. Kelvin was missing a rather important detail.
“Not exactly. You see, they will likely freeze the crew during flight. Cryonics it’s called. They've been talking about it for years. It will be necessary on long space missions. You’ll age only after you’ve been revived. So you won't be that old; not forty. Much younger when they revive you back on Earth.”
That's when Robin scoffed, “Yeah 'G' ... if they can revive him, right? I mean they ain’t never really done it b’fore … that cryonics shit?” Günther again shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in the general direction of his flamboyant friend. As far as he knew it’d never been performed successfully on live humans. Robin had posed a valid question.
Yet Kelvin wouldn’t hear of it. He now had the fantasy already fully formed in his mind: achieving fame and immortality as one of the explorers who would colonize an alien planet, then return to Earth only having aged a few years or so. He didn’t require a calculation done for this. He just knew he’d return to Earth a hero having aged into maybe his early thirties (give or take a year) while the Earth would have progressed several decades. The images it conjured lit up his senses and inspired him. Made him look at his life in general as well. He could spend thirty years at Magellan and retire, sure. But he’d seen those old zombies walking around the building. Lifers ... folks in their fifties just drifting through the day. Always tired, always aching, constantly whining … complaining to him about things going on at the company, only to turn right around and shamelessly suck up to management at every staff meeting like boot-licking lackeys. Chained to their desks during the prime of their lives, desperate to hang onto the security of stable income and free government health insurance (you had to be employed to get government health benefits). No, he quickly determined. No way he wanted something like that. Not now.
This mission to Kapteyn B … if he somehow could use this Twin Paradox experiment in a way to leverage himself a spot on the crew … this might be the opportunity of a lifetime. A chance for adventure. A chance for glory! He’d be in history books some day; students required to read about his exploits. He could already see it now: the once great high school Megaball star from Virginia who graduated from MIT only to become one of the Earth’s first galactic 'pioneers'. “Make that conqueror,” he thought to himself, “I like how that sounds. Kelvin the Conqueror.” But there were even more reasons to consider.
There’d be over a hundred crewmen, including women no doubt. The ship would be well equipped for all reasonable human needs; it’d have to be. Plus, there wouldn’t be much to do during the voyage, would there? Just cruising across vast reaches of space for fourteen years until it reached its destination. Kelvin scratched his chin and thought about it some more. Imagined bedding down dozens of female crew members during the voyage; moving from relationship to relationship before being cryogenically frozen for the journey home. That would be after establishing the colony, naturally, his place in history secure. He looked at Günther one more time and shot him a devious grin.
“Whuddya say 'G'? Think we can message yer old man tonight?” He asked this as music from the show “Worldweek” faded in on the giant Ultravision screen in the common room. In a rare moment of bewilderment a usually stoic Günther sighed deeply and looked away from Kelvin toward the screen. Meanwhile other employees who’d also been working projects around campus on this Sunday evening started ambling into the room to watch the show as well. B.J. hastily tucked the bong between some couch cushions and covered it up with a pillow. Yet Kelvin was undaunted, intensely focused on his idea. He knew full well he’d need his friends’ help in getting this accomplished. He’d need B.J. especially. She was always quick to cover for him whenever he couldn’t figure something out on his own. He’d need Günther to get the idea in front of his father back in Germany; and through him lobby for a spot among the crew. And Robin? Robin would have to teach him all the science behind the theory of the Twin Paradox in order to help him sell it to those stiffs over at Space Programme. He looked up at the screen to see an artist’s image of a humongous spacecraft, accompanied by the familiar voice of Cory Redmann describing the craft and its crew accommodations. The show was now back on and the room was filling up with excited viewers.
"Welcome back," continued the journalist. "While we're awaiting the official announcement from Space Programme, let's take a look at the new ship...."
While Cory Redmann spoke onscreen about the design of the Santa Maria, Kelvin occasionally looked over at Günther, and then over at both B.J. and Robin to get a sense of how they were feeling. He wondered if he’d sold any of them on the idea. Wondered if any of them were “onboard” with it yet.
“Twin Paradox” he mouthed at Robin, nodding encouragingly while Robin swiped a hand at him dismissively.
“Nah, bitch. I ain’t goin’ up in that mutha fucka,” stated Robin in a sassy voice. "My black ass is stayin' right here." Kelvin chuckled. He again looked at B.J. and reached out to grab her sandaled foot peeking out over the edge of the couch. He said in a raised whisper, “Two hundred crewmembers, Beej … only half of ‘em women. That's half for you and half for me ... whaddya say? We'd be gettin' laid every fuckin' day!” B.J. retracted her foot and giggled, putting an index finger to her lips, cautioning him to keep his voice down.
“Ssssh!” she hissed, then mouthed, “Yer fuckin’ crazy. You know that, right?” In the meantime, Cory Redman was appearing on a split-screen interview with some field reporter posted out front of Space Programme Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. Everyone fell silent.
"So tell us, Donal. What's the scene like out there? How are people reacting?" asked the famous journalist.
“This is exciting news indeed, Cory … caught practically everyone by surprise, I must say! Some are speculating a launch date within six months!” The overwhelmed young reporter was speaking into the camera in a raised voice due to crowds of reporters swarming about; chattering away in eight different languages. “Other more conservative estimates say nine, but that’s still amazing! Only nine short months ‘til mankind embarks on its maiden voyage for the conquest of the galaxy!”
Sitting forward on the couch, Kelvin's eyes burned with ambition. As for B.J. she got back to enjoying her buzz, now high as a kite from her last bong hit. Robin meanwhile sat in awe watching Cory Redmann describe the inner workings of the proposed ship. Gunther shook his head in disbelief as the screen went on to display architectural models of the space station used in constructing the craft. Others reacted similarly. For the next ten minutes no one said a word.
This concludes tonight's podcast of Twin Paradox Book One, Chapter Six: The Twin Paradox. I hope you enjoyed it. Watch for episode seven; which I'll be posting very soon. By the way, a big shout-out to my wife Caroline for voicing the part of B.J.
I wrote Twin Paradox books one, two, and three, four years ago under the pseudonym Purple Hazel; and each book in the trilogy is organized into parts. What you've just heard is the first chapter of Part Two: Pioneers and Explorers. The entire trilogy can be found by googling Twin Paradox ... Purple Hazel. Buy it today. Or, if you like, just tune in each week and listen to me read it to you.
Also, and don't forget, my latest full-length novel ... Deathwalker Colony ... is available right now in E-book format and can be downloaded today on Amazon.com, along with the first two books in the Rijel 12 Series, The Rise of New Australia and Return of Anarchy. A link to these as well as some of my other works can be found in the transcript for this episode.
I'm King Everett Medlin. Thanks for tuning in.
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