Chapter Ten: Year Five

Tonight we begin Part 3: Journey and Conquest. A lot has been covered in the first nine chapters but we now know the true function of the soon-to-be obsolete Santa Maria galactic exploration vessel. During its voyage to Kapteyn B it will be laying a path for something much bigger to follow: a ship many times its size which will be constructed over the course of the next fourteen years, able to travel at ten times the speed of light, making the journey in just under thirteen months. The role of the crew - especially Kelvin and his colleagues from the Away Team - is going to be all the more crucial to the future of mankind.

Not that anyone cares back on Earth. They've moved on; all those Earthlings who'd been so thrilled with the news that the Santa Maria was about to embark on a deep space mission to colonize an alien planet. They've returned to their daily lives, enjoying their favorite pastimes. Meanwhile, the crew of the ship are trying desperately to maintain their sanity as they hurtle through the galaxy toward Kapteyn B.

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, as well as the first two books in the Rijel 12 Series, The Rise of New Australia and Return of Anarchy.

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 ... 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 Three: Journey and Conquest. Chapter Ten, Year Five ....

Five years passed, and as the year 2091 slowly came to a close, things onboard the Santa Maria had pretty much settled into a “daily” routine, or roughly the equivalent. Kelvin and the Away Team, including Oswaldo Guerrero, worked twelve-hour shifts preparing non-baryonic matter conversion pods for deployment, activating Casimir vacuums inside the onboard lab, or performing other tasks vital to the mission as the ship neared each planned “collection point”. Matter conversion pods were continuously prepared then launched from a special section situated right next to the cargo bay.

The ship itself was quite massive! Kelvin’s high school sports stadium back in Virginia wasn’t even as big as the cargo bay of the Santa Maria. T.C. Williams Field could probably have fit snugly inside, figured the budding young officer. Ozzie Guerrero meanwhile worked inside a chamber easily the size of the gymnasium back at Katy Boys Farm; where he shared tasks with seventeen assorted scientists and engineers preparing the Casimir vacuums.

Kelvin supervised the “deployment” of these devices along a path previously calculated by Space Programme. These would provide adequate fueling for the future ADM ship to someday be following them. This was likely the most crucial aspect of the mission and his promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade came within months of launch after he’d repeatedly demonstrated a knack for managing his comrades. Following Captain Berwick’s orders to the letter and achieving optimal efficiency - preparing the field for follow-on missions to Kapteyn B - was of the utmost importance (and nearly as important as the crew’s basic survival, at least in Kelvin’s view).

It also came in handy as the years passed, because as millions of kilometers of flight path were laid out, Captain Berwick could launch message pods along this newly constructed string of matter conversion devices. Message pods (or “eggs” as the crew called them) could reach Earth at ten times the speed of light and be intercepted by orbiting craft working near Space Programme’s launch control station. This was now a permanent facility located on the Moon. Thus, mission control was learning of their progress within months of each transmission and by 2091, the media could report regularly on their progress; as well as broadcast personal messages sent from crewmembers to loved-ones back home. Naturally this should have made for regular fodder for evening news shows (almost a perfect human interest story really) and it did; but just like with anything else thrown at them by the media, Earthlings slowly lost interest as the years passed. Folks simply became jaded by it. By year five, “news” about the Santa Maria just wasn’t that titillating anymore.

Besides, as December 2091 approached, things back on Earth had essentially returned to some sense of normality ever since those heady days leading up to and right after launch of the Santa Maria. Five years earlier, it was daily (often hourly) headlines; what with broadcasts reporting everything about the crew’s training, key interviews with launch control officials, and biographies on both the Away Team's and Return Team's ship captains. By late 2091 though? People back on Earth had kind of forgotten about it.

They got back into a weekly routine. Stopped worrying about worldwide food shortages and gloomy predictions from agronomists in white lab coats predicting regional famines yet again in Africa. Instead they enjoyed their free time, worked at their jobs, raised families, saved up for retirement, and began paying far more attention to their favorite sports teams or Ultravision broadcasts of their favorite shows while planning annual vacations with their kids. Problems far from home just didn’t seem to concern them much.

Europe was putting out newer, sleeker, and even more power-efficient models of solar passenger vehicles for model year 2092. China continued to copy their designs and offer cheaper versions of these same vehicles using less expensive parts and labor. Mining mishaps on the moon occasionally made the news of course. That was always riveting; hearing about miners being trapped in cave-ins or stranded in remote lunar outposts for days on end awaiting rescue. Meanwhile stories from the Middle East seemed to indicate problems out there would go on like they always had for thousands of years. Blood feuds. Human rights abuses. A fatwa issued by some radical Mufti calling for a ban on something pleasurable. There was always something like that going on. And over in North America, the masses turned their attention mainly to just living out their lives trying to be happy; as well as enjoying their favorite pastimes.

For instance, the High School National Megaball Tournament had been especially entertaining that year. The underdog Katy, Texas squad had advanced to the “Super Regionals” after a smashing victory over rival Lake Travis. With their dominating Forwards unit and speedy Backers such as freshman sensation “Ranger” Guerrero, the Tigers swept the Texas Division that November. They would eventually fall to Don Bosco Prep from New Jersey in the Quarterfinals; but this previously unknown athlete – a lanky fifteen-year old from a boys’ farm outside Houston, it was said - burst onto the scene and caught the attention of the international sports media. A lot of college coaches and recruiters took notice as well.

In the “Divisionals” Guerrero carved up defenses like a Christmas ham with his slashing running style; even took over the Center Back position during the matchup with Lake Travis in the waning minutes of the game. Up until then he’d been just another “face in the crowd”, but according to news reports following the Texas Divisional Championship game, he assumed command of the offense with only 1:32 left in regulation; ostensibly to kill the clock with a comfortable 12-point lead and save their opponent from Austin any further embarrassment. However, what happened after that … on the very next play from scrimmage … would be broadcast throughout the sporting world for days to come.

Of course, only a handful of people outside of that group of young men who participated in the heroics that afternoon would ever know the true story of what happened. What was known was that Senior Outside Backer Gerardo La Rumba from Katy High School only needed 76 meters to attain the all-time prep school record for receiving. Most everyone viewing the match between Lake Travis and Katy knew that by halftime, and truly the Lake Travis defense was aware of it as well. The media had been covering his progress the whole time and broadcasting it throughout.

Yet despite strict orders from his coach to “sit on the ball” and run out the clock, Ranger Guerrero promptly heaved a fifty-meter “bullet” to Gerardo La Rumba, who streaked diagonally across the field and down the sideline after the catch. Remarkably, in one dramatic aerial display, he picked up just under 80 meters in a single play - and now held a record which would likely stand for decades to come. Most anyone, even the defenders chasing him, would have assumed he’d sprint into the end zone for the score. But then, to the shock and surprise of everyone in attendance, as well as millions watching on Ultravision that day, the young man quite clearly stepped out of bounds at the Lake Travis 22-meter line. Almost seemed like he’d done it on purpose! After this strange maneuver, La Rumba then coasted into the end zone as those chasing him raised hell with sideline officials.

“Out of bounds! Out of bounds!” the Lake Travis players and coaches screamed toward referees calling the game; but their pleas were unnecessary. A nearby linesman, rushing down the sideline after him, had already seen the mishap, and whistled the play dead before La Rumba crossed the goal line. The official marked the ball back at the 22 and play eventually resumed. Meanwhile, a beaming Gerardo La Rumba happily trotted back and tossed the ball to the linesman, seeming like he could care less. He had his record, and within seconds he could see his own face up on the massive Jumbovision screen located in the center of that domed stadium just outside Dallas. His place in history was safe and secure. He could simply relax and let the game clock expire after the next couple of plays.

No one could believe it though! He was two full strides ahead of his nearest pursuer! Could have scored easily and added even more to his fame – as well as his statistics. But what the public never knew was that, being ahead by 12 points at the time, the Tiger offense had no intention of scoring another try. A deep pass play was most certainly NOT what their Offensive Coordinator had “dialed up” from the sidelines. In truth, a very brave and emboldened 15-year-old had taken the helm for the Katy squad moments before, only to find his teammates in a state of mutiny as he took the field. Why the hell was their coach shutting them down - with plenty of time left for two more plays? It just isn’t fair, they protested. This was a record they could achieve together. Gerardo only needed two (maybe three) long pass plays, and he’d have that record secured. Then all could share in the glory. They’d be members of the team that got him that record too. They’d grow into adulthood, knowing every time that record was mentioned they could proudly proclaim to their friends and future spouses “I was there that day when he did it. I blocked for him. Saw it all go down!” And for years that record would remain unbroken no doubt, mentioned every year during the national tournament, as they aged and grew beer bellies sitting around on couches in their living rooms each December.

No, few would ever know what really happened in the huddle right before that amazing play, when a gangly kid from a nearby orphanage stepped into the middle of all those big, sweaty monsters and prima donnas; then promptly told them, “Shut the fuck up … all o' ya'!”

He spoke like a coach to them that day. Immediately took control of the situation. He knew exactly what they were jawing about. Could hear them griping as he ran out to the huddle. Coach had just pulled their first-string Center Back and replaced him with this mere freshman as a gesture of good will. Showed his counterpart on the opposite sideline that he was willing to “call off the dogs” and end the game honorably with a convincing 24-12 victory. Yet little did he know: Ranger Guerrero was about to take full advantage of the situation. What’s more he had no idea that at that very moment his big senior receiver Gerardo La Rumba was out there being redressed by a surprisingly mature former “city kid” from Katy Boys’ Farm.

“Now look motherfucker!” he said directly to Gerardo, “You want the record. We want the record. The school wants the record. All of us fuckin’ want it, okay? We wanna be the team that GOT you that record. Now … I’ll get you the God-dang ball. But don’t embarrass me by runnin’ down that field ‘n scorin’ another try. If you catch it, you better step out of bounds before the goal line. Got it? Then we’ll kill the clock.”

Shocked and surprised by his candor, Gerardo looked around at the faces of his teammates. Some were nodding, most were just impressed with the upstart teenager! But no one was arguing, that was for sure. They knew full well they’d catch hell from their burly head coach if La Rumba pranced across that goal line and ran the score up to 30-12. Ranger soon gained allies.

“Yeah man,” said one of the big behemoths among the Forwards unit, “Don’t make us look like dicks. Just catch it and get out of bounds once you got the record, ya' hear?”

And sure enough! Big-headed Gerardo La Rumba, so fast and fleet-footed; and facing a Lake Travis defense which was already exhausted from chasing after him all day, did just as his teammates told him. He caught that amazing pass – a spiraling missile which sailed through the hands of defenders thinking they could bat it down, and over the heads of hapless defensive backers who could not keep up with Gerardo’s blazing speed. The ball got there so fast; he almost wasn’t ready. Yet he hauled it in, on the fly, and reached full speed within a couple steps.

After that, it was nothing but open field as he sped toward the goal. He could see it. He could practically taste it too: a final touchdown to highlight his illustrious career and get the college scouts drooling; literally begging him to commit to their schools. But … he just couldn’t betray his teammates. They were right after all. He had what he needed. Katy would have their victory either way. That’s when he made his decision. Therefore, somewhere around the 22-meter line he blatantly planted a foot outside the boundary so that everyone nearby – for that matter everyone watching on Ultravision - would plainly see he’d purposely held up from scoring. He just wanted the record, nothing more. They’d all see that … he’d be respected for it in the end. After that, not surprisingly, Gerardo La Rumba was a media darling once time expired. Reporters swarmed him as he marched off the field at the end of the game waving to the crowd - the “Senior Outside Backer from Katy High School who refused to dishonor his opponent by scoring another try as time expired”. Coach complimented him. Journalists clamored for interviews. He surely had his fifteen minutes of fame that day.

But something else came out of this thrilling sequence of events; something that lingered in the news for days afterward and lit up GBN commentators’ faces with delight. That pass! That incredible pass - thrown by a freshman no less! They just couldn’t stop talking about it. It sailed fifty meters in the air and arrived as his streaking receiver was in mid-stride. Oh yes, Gerardo La Rumba had his record. He deserved it. However, that news story inevitably faded away by the end of the weekend. By then, everyone in sports broadcasting was instead talking about Ranger Guerrero. Fans of the sport quickly knew his name.

True, a star arose that day in the sport of Megaball, because Gerardo La Rumba had achieved a record that might not be broken for many, many years (if ever). He’d be highly recruited; and by most every major college program in North America. Yet something else had occurred - something far more important - something that would be remembered for decades to come in the sporting world. For that was also the day a sports legend was born.

Megaball fans the world over found out about young Ranger Guerrero and the story of his past. As it unfolded in the media it was both inspiring and intriguing to not just sports fans; but billions of people worldwide. Somehow one brave youngster, among all those millions and millions of “city kids” worldwide, had actually made it out. One orphaned child had risen from the slums of a major city only to become a smashing success. He wasn’t particularly handsome – not even boyishly cute – and when he smiled or laughed during interviews his crooked teeth showed brightly along with his sparkling, cinnamon-colored eyes. He looked Mexican, almost Native-American, and best of all he was just as humble as he could be. But there was a confidence he exuded which belied his young age.

Reporters adored him. He was the “real article”! They just knew he’d have a fabulous career in the professional league someday.

********

By way of comparison, in the compact world of Santa Maria’s Away Team, toiling away on a gigantic spacecraft hurtling through deep space, Ozzie Guerrero was becoming quite a local sensation in his own right. The process for activating a Casimir vacuum was quite complicated. Fraught with dangers it was at times. Crewmembers could easily be killed if there was ever a leak or explosion. It took a cool head to pull it off from start to finish, and Kelvin grew to rely on him. It was Kelvin after all who supervised the launches. He drew close to Ozzie almost from the start – especially when he first heard Ozzie was a fellow Megaballer. Little league Megaball (essentially North American football when Kelvin was a kid) had been an enjoyable experience for Kelvin. Now that even little tikes were able to play the modern sport and pee-wee sized protective gear was being designed for them, it was exciting to hear Ozzie talk about it first-hand. It drew Kelvin back to his high school glory days in Virginia.

In Megaball, American style Football and English Rugby had been combined several years earlier into a sport which added extra protection for head injuries - as well as other technological features and rule changes - so to provide safety to the human body. In Megaball, the forward pass was permitted. Players on offense had to line up no more than ten meters from each other, with a minimum of nine players on the line of scrimmage. Each team had fifteen players instead of eleven. But those were only a few of the many differences.

Forwards took the place of offensive linemen. There was a Center Back who assumed the duties and most functions of a Quarterback or Scrum Half. There were also Backs and Outside Backs who could carry or catch the ball when tossed or thrown to them by the Center Back. On defense there were Backs and Forwards as well which could be positioned however they wished. No more than two players on offense could be in motion prior to the snap of the ball; but all defenders could move freely prior to the snap.

For protection, players were now fitted with a full face helmet that had a convex, polycarbonate lens to shield the nose, mouth, and eyes. The interior would be lit up slightly so that players could see each other’s faces. That said, players on the same team mostly communicated with each other via transmitters built into the facial lens. The helmet interior was also climate controlled to accommodate outside temperatures. Interior lighting was often tinted to match the team’s colors. For example, the Mexico City Aztecas (also called the “Macahuitls” by their fans) wore turquoise and yellow uniforms with obsidian-black trim. They donned helmets with yellow interior lighting to complement their uniforms and the exterior of the helmet was painted to look like that of a jaguar’s head.

Bodies were now covered almost head to toe in a para-aramid synthetic fiber armor which was further enhanced with an electrical field which would activate upon impact with any moving object or even the ground itself. Sensors in the body armor system could detect potential collisions and create a temporary force field which (including the helmet) would deflect/absorb the majority of any impact but not repel. A tackle still looked like a tackle, however the complete force of the blow was not felt by either player.

The Megaball field was further adapted to match that of the old Canadian Football League. One hundred and one meters long and fifty-nine meters wide, it also had end zones eighteen meters deep where the “goal” was still located. However, goal posts were a thing of the past. What took their place was an apparatus suspended three meters off the ground. Players could run right under it without impacting.

But the cleverest innovation of all was the field itself. All fields were artificial turf now, but constructed of synthetics, including a drainage layer, a multi-layered backing system, and “grass” blades in-filled with granular filler to resemble real Bermuda. The blades were interspersed with a “top soil” created with granulated silicone rubber. The synthetic turf system included an elastic layer underneath. However … by adding carbon to the silicon rubber, this made it electrically conductive, so scientists found they could develop an electrified “sheeting” which activated upon impact. Modern megaball fields employed a sensor that detected the direction of shockwaves, then deployed an anti-shockwave laser that created a force field between the “explosion” and the target, effectively shielding an object from explosive force by reflecting and absorbing it. This protective energy layer could be used to insulate players whenever they planted their feet or plowed into the ground during a tackle, thus permitting their bodies to experience only a small percentage of the force of impact.

There were no more HOLDING penalties. This, folks had learned over the years, had continuously led to the increased use of the human head to gain an advantage. Forwards on both offense and defense were thus permitted to grab and wrestle each other to the ground in an effort to protect or reach an opposing ball carrier. But it was also a personal foul (referred to as “interference” by officials) to do this beyond five meters past the line of scrimmage. Because of this, on the line of scrimmage there would be a brutal battle for control on almost every play; opening the game up to thrilling open field runs and pass plays outside of this “neutral zone”.

Finally, the game had a “running clock”, just like in English Rugby. With two 30-minute halves and a 15-minute recess in between, this meant the Global Broadcasting Network would only allow advertisements during major breaks in the action. Otherwise the game moved constantly, with no more necessity for managing the clock like in American football (not to mention shorter broadcasts). If the ball or player went out of bounds, a linesman marked the point of exit, and players had to return to the field to resume action. Any blatant attempts at delaying or purposely “eating up” clock time would result in an immediate change of possession. Substitutions could be made by a head coach signaling to an official to allow it, but the clock would not stop running during this. Thus, there was no more need (or the opportunity) for “platoon” style offenses and defenses. Players played both ways until a substitution was made.

Due to these major changes, Megaball was deemed far safer than its predecessor sports football and rugby. Violent? Absolutely. It was still nothing more than an organized gang fight with hand-to-hand combat up at the line of scrimmage. There were still ferocious tackles and vicious confrontations out there on that massive synthetic turf field. But, at the end of the day, both Kelvin and Ozzie Guerrero had to admit, it was still safer playing Megaball than it was handling Casimir vacuums and launching non-baryonic matter pods into space. Far safer indeed.

Because of these dangers, lab procedures onboard the Santa Maria were strictly adhered to. Absolutely NO room for error could be either permitted or tolerated; and everyone fully understood this. Never in the first five years of the mission was there a malfunction or mishap; and Ozzie was certainly one big reason for this. He was a trusted member of the team and as far as Kelvin was concerned, one of the biggest reasons the lab functioned so well. Now almost a head taller than most of the young scientists and engineers in his unit, Ozzie Guerrero was all business when on duty - this inspired others working around him to stay focused.

It amazed everyone on the Santa Maria, these children working right alongside them. Talented and dedicated as they were - Shamiso, Ozzie, and Young-Min that is – they were a pleasant addition to the team. Given a simple function within an overall process, they could concentrate and thoroughly carry out their duties. Didn’t get bored or whiny. Knew what was at stake. Never complained that they were being “under-utilized” like some of their bright young colleagues occasionally did. No, Ozzie never fell into that sort of thing. He did his job and followed orders. Kelvin and his superiors could easily see. He simply had no patience for those other “complainers” working around him.

That said, daily life on board was rather mundane. Active crewmembers slept inside sleeping berths, stacked one on top of the other like giant filing cabinets. Crewmen and women climbed up a short ladder and wormed their way into them head-first. Then when they were comfortable, the occupants activated a switch that sealed them inside and sevoflurane gas emitted from vents which knocked them out cold for six to seven hours, depending on how long they’d programmed it. Referred to officially as hammocks, they functioned basically in the same manner. Banks of them lined the walls of the barracks. Once inside and the system had been activated essentially nothing could wake them except for a command override if all hands were summoned to duty in case of an emergency. At the end of their “rack session”, as crew members liked to call it, they were then gently awakened by a combination of methylphenidate gas and cold air blown into their sleeping berth. Most crewmen programmed their sleep sessions to end within 50 minutes of the beginning of their shift, so they’d have plenty of time to dress, hit the chow line, and hurry off to their posts.

And speaking of chow….

Food was rationed according to a pre-programmed system which was tailored to meet their individual dietary needs. A crewman would simply scan the palm of his hand over a sensor, and the ship’s computer would distribute dehydrated pellets or discs into a re-usable vessel for rehydration. The amount of daily calorie intake was predetermined and the computer would recall types of dishes the crewmember preferred, so that a variety of offerings could be selected from. Food was plentiful, but overeating or binging was simply not possible. This was designed ahead of time to preserve physical health.

Speaking of health, showers were required once every galactic week, which was effectively every seven Earth days, though crew members did not experience time in the same manner as folks on Earth. Clocks showed the current time of course, based on Greenwich Mean Time back home, but a twelve-hour work shift was only six hours to the humans working on Santa Maria. Thus crewmen and women had plenty of “free time” to go enjoy themselves however they wished, even if their options were somewhat limited. Because of this many sought out fellow crewmembers for “comfort”; and though pretty much everyone knew “who had been with whom” by year five, most everyone did strive to remain discrete with their casual liaisons, given the circumstances of their rather confined existence.

As for the showers themselves, they were quite different than most had ever experienced. “Hygiene Chambers” was their official title but no one really called them that. Banks of them existed, with no differentiation according to gender. There was merely a unisex changing area and booths one could walk inside of. Crewmembers would activate a switch that sealed them up inside and a dry cleaning powder would be sprayed over their bodies which adhered to pores in their skin and cleaned out bacteria, leaving the body in near-pristine condition from head to toe. Upon completion, blowers activated and vacuumed the body of all residue. Body and facial hair could also be removed by directing a laser onto the skin to be absorbed by pigment in the hair follicles; basically manipulating the wavelength of light and the pulse duration to successfully target specific tissue. This clever automation was a good way to stay clean longer and be somewhat less offensive to fellow crew members during those long days in between showers. During sessions in the Hygiene Chambers crewmembers experienced no real change in body temperature and the entire process took only a few minutes. Blood, feces, sweat, hair, and body oils were all removed leaving the body squeaky clean; then a soothing mist would be applied which rehydrated the exterior to prevent dry skin or chafing. Exiting the chamber a person would feel refreshed and exhilarated.

Not surprisingly, these “showers” became a popular place for people to go meet up for a “shag”, as the Brits called it, at nearly every hour of the day. It became the norm really; and Captain Berwick, being in his mid-thirties at the time of launch, fully anticipated this. He politely looked the other way though. These were hard-working scientists and engineers after all. No diseases. All of that had been tested before they even prepared for launch, so there was no threat of epidemic.

“If the kids wanna play, let ‘em,” is what the Captain always said. “Just be sure they're ready for work come time for their next shift … that’s all I ask.” Tommy Berwick always seemed to have a sense for what was a possible threat to security – knew when to just let things go. Dereliction of duty was not permitted. Such a thing could be detrimental to morale. Therefore it was far wiser to allow these young people with active libidos to “blow off some steam” once in a while. Or as Tommy put it, in his thick English accent, “Hey, when they’re on the pull, let ‘em drain their balls if they want to. What do I care?” This of course flew right in the face of military regulations outlawing fraternization among crewmembers on an active vessel. That being said … straight or gay ... female or male ... everyone had needs to fulfill, and the Captain certainly appreciated that as much as anyone else. Because of this, crewmembers often had carnal relations with several different crewmen (and women) during those first five years. Just who and when and how many times … things like that didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, believed the Captain. And he was quite blunt in saying so.

“Get your dirty business taken care of and get on with your duties, mate,” is what Berwick often said, even when he’d walk in on a couple during a tender moment. He didn’t mind really. No one did in fact. It kept people sane … or at least relatively stable if nothing else.

This concludes tonight's podcast of Twin Paradox Book Two, Chapter Ten: Year Five. I hope you enjoyed it. Watch for episode eleven; which I'll be posting very soon.

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 Three: Journey and Conquest. The entire trilogy can be found by googling Twin Paradox ... Purple Hazel. Buy it today on Amazon; or if you prefer, simply listen to me reading all three books.

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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Twin Paradox Book One

Chapter Ten: Year Five

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