The Twins Paradox by Alan Gasparutti (best contemporary novels txt) 📖

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Professor Schmidt called Commander Ondichi, to notify him of what he'd seen. He then invited Major Retono and Professor Wagstaff, along with the Commander, to view the news on the planet below.
“I hear you have some interesting news for us,” queried Professor Wagstaff as he came into the room.
“Yes, very interesting indeed,” replied Professor Schmidt. “Now you're all here, I'll run the programme.”
They found the introductions strange, but each watched with bated breath at what was to come next.
“Isn't that the Interstellar Pilgrim?” asked Professor Wagstaff.
“I believe it is,” said a curious Major Retono, before referring to Stephen Hawking. “What about that thing in the strange seat - is it a robot? It sounds like one.”
“I'm afraid I don't know,” said Professor Schmidt.
“I've never come across this type of life-form since I've been monitoring the planet. It's a complete mystery to me.”
“Speaking of odd life-forms, where is Major Kong?” asked Professor Wagstaff. “Isn't he coming here?”
Professor Schmidt looked at Commander Ondichi for an answer.
“I've left Major Kong in charge on the control deck,“ said the Commander.
“From what that robotic man is saying, it would appear there are a lot of different life-forms on ZR3,” said Major Retono, changing the subject.
“From what that robotic man is saying, it appears that the craft sent into space was meant to deflect us,” suggested Professor Schmidt. “It seems these humans were afraid that the Interstellar Pilgrim was an asteroid about to collide with the planet.”
“I suppose that makes sense,” Professor Wagstaff muttered. “The Interstellar Pilgrim is built into an asteroid.”
“On reflection, I think we can make contact with these humans,” said Major Retono. “They seem pretty intelligent, can develop their own machinery, and speak the same language, even.”
“May I suggest that you watch the next item, before passing judgement,” advised Professor Schmidt.
“Why? What does it contain?” asked Major Retono.
“You’ll see,” replied Professor Schmidt. “It isn’t very inviting.”
A scene of carnage soon appeared on the screen, with humans laying dead on the ground. Others were bleeding all over, crying and shouting in a different language altogether, with yet more humans carried in stretchers.
“All that seemed to occur when humans were fighting humans,” pointed out Professor Schmidt. “Not very intelligent at all, I'd say.”
“But why?” asked Commander Ondichi with surprise.
“I can't say with any certainty,” replied Professor Schmidt. “It seems this was due to different beliefs.”
“Did I hear the term 'suicide bomber'?” commented Major Retono. “Isn't that someone who blows themselves up?”
“Yes, I believe it is,” confirmed Professor Wagstaff. “Surely no-one would want to kill themselves just because of their beliefs?”
“Strange, very strange,” said the Commander. “I think we're going to have to spend sometime in orbit, in order to fully monitor the situation on ZR3.”
“You can see why I suggested not to notify Major Kong?” said Professor Schmidt.
“I think we should leave Major Kong out of this for the time being, particularly after his recent outbursts,” said Commander Ondichi. “If he saw some of the pictures, he may just try to lead a rogue attack against ZR3.”
“I don't think this sort of situation is happening all over the planet,” Professor Schmidt assured his colleagues.
“I should hope not,” commented Major Retono. “I don't think ZR3 would be worth living on if this sort of thing occurred everywhere. Our forefathers left the planet to get away from horrible creatures, anihalating one another.”
“Yes, but I believe they were a lot larger and fiercer than what we've just seen,” said Professor Wagstaff.
“Is there much else to come?” asked Commander Ondichi.
“Oh yes,” said Professor Schmidt. “Very different again from the last two items. Let's see it all, before jumping to any conclusions.”

Back at NASA HQ, everyone was happy and excited. Regular checks of the asteroid over the next week seemed to prove it's orbit, at a constant 178,974 miles from Earth. There was no worry that the asteroid would 'fall' to Earth, and nor did it seem as though it would drift away into space.
A few days later, Clint and Cornelius were preparing to depart from the International Space Station. Clint then went quiet all of a sudden.
“Clint, are you okay?” asked Cornelius as he went over to see him. It reminded him of what happened on the shuttle a few weeks earlier, as the asteroid came into sight. “Clint, speak to me, speak to me.”
There was no reply. Cornelius called the crew of the International Space Station.
“What's the matter?” asked Jim, one of the crew.
“It's Clint,” Cornelius told him. “He's having a turn. Bring a stretcher over.”
Jim called to the next crew member, Nikita, who brought the stretcher along. For a brief moment, as Cornelius held him, he seemed to stare into him. Cornelius slapped Clint across his face. Clint's eyes began to go round and round, as he slowly 'awoke'.
“Are you okay?” Cornelius asked him.
“You look like you've just had a fit,” Jim told Clint. “You don't have epliepsy by any chance?”
Clint lay in a daze, as Nikita brought a glass of water over for him.
“I don't know what came over me,” Clint said to the others. “I've never been like this before.”
“Except on the shuttle as we approached the asteroid,” Cornelius pointed out. “You said something about hearing voices in your head then.”
Clint thought to himself for a moment, trying to recall the incident.
“Now you mention it, I think I remember hearing voices,” said Clint.
“You don't have epilepsy?” Jim asked again. “Does anyone in your family have epilepsy?”
“I didn't think Epilepsy was hereditary?” queried Cornelius.
“It's not supposed to be, but I know two families who have epilepsy in more than one generation,” Jim told him.
“I think for now we better postpone the shuttle departure,“ suggested Nikita. “I go and contact NASA, let them know.”
Steve was very surprised when the call came through. He asked to speak to Cornelius, who explained what had happened to Clint, and what had happened when they approached the asteroid.
“You never told me Clint went through a 'funny period' on the shuttle, over,” a bemused Steve said to Cornelius.
“I'm sorry, but it didn't seem important at the time,” he told Steve. “We were facing an asteroid that could have wiped out the Earth. I wacked Clint in the face, and he seemed okay, like normal, a few seconds later, over.”
“Was it more serious this time, over?” asked Steve.
“It looked more serious, over,” replied Cornelius. “Jim reckons Clint has Epilepsy.”
“That's the last thing we need right now,” Steve commented. “Is Clint in any condition to pilot the shuttle on return, over?”
“I don't know,” said Cornelius. “We'll have to wait and see. Mike's checking him over right now, over.”
“Can you pilot the shuttle, over?” Steve asked Cornelius.
“I guess so,” said Cornelius. “I'd prefer to have a day's refresher training, over.”
“Okay,” said Steve. “It looks like we're going to have to postpone the shuttle's return for the time being. I'll speak to Frank, we'll be in touch with you later, over and out.”
Steve called Professor Marshall to say he'd cancelled the return flight. The Professor demanded to know why. Were there any problems with the space shuttle destroyer?
“Clint isn't too well at the moment,” Steve informed him.
“Why, what's the matter?” Professor Marshall queried.
“Clint may have had a fit,” explained Steve. “I didn't think we should risk the shuttle. We don't want another Columbia, do we?”
“Can't Corny pilot the shuttle?” asked the Professor.
“He isn't too confident,” said Steve. “Corny asked for refresher training to pilot the shuttle.”
“What about Jim, he piloted the previous shuttle,” suggested Professor Marshall.
“By the time it'll take for Jim to get prepared, the ISS will be out of range for the shuttle landing,” Steve told him.
“Okay, okay,” said Professor Marshall. “I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry. I don't want to carry another Columbia disaster on my shoulders – I've had enough to deal with these past months.”

The following day, as the International Space Station orbited over the same area of Earth, Jim launched the shuttle destroyer on it's return journey. Clint had by now fully recovered and watched behind Jim and Cornelius as they headed towards Earth. The shuttle began to shake as it entered Earth's upper atmosphere.
“Is this normal?” Cornelius asked Jim. “Tell me this ship ain't gonna disintegrate.”
“Don't worry,” he said. “The shuttle shakes like this on re-entry. Strap yourselves in tight, both of you – this is the most dangerous part of the journey.”
Jim smiled and looked at Cornelius.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You know what you've got to do?”
“I'm okay,” replied Cornelius. “The sooner we get down there, the better.”
Clint was okay too. He didn't have any fits or turns. He sat beside Cornelius. Both they and Jim sat strapped tightly to their seats, their minds focussed on the dashboard and carefully remembering all the safety procedures. The shuttle destroyer flew safely through the atmosphere, before making a successful landing at Cape Canaveral. As they were each helped off the shuttle, crowds of people watched from a distance, cheering the new saviours of Earth.
All three were exhausted. Jim was led into one car, while Clint and Cornelius were led into another. However, instead of being escorted back to base together, their cars went in different directions. Neither Clint nor Cornelius had been to Cape Canaveral and had no idea what was to come.
“Where are we going?” quizzed Clint. “It looks like we're not going with Jim.”
“I've no idea,” replied Cornelius. “To be honest, Clint, I couldn't care less at this moment. I just want to go to the shower and change my spacesuit.”
As the car proceeded towards what appeared to be a stage, Clint and Cornelius looked at eachother. When the car reached the stage, Clint and Cornelius were escorted upon it. There stood the President, together with Fred Luddolmans, Secretary for Defence. Behind them were Professor Frank Marshall, Dr Steve de Pierri and Robert Langman.
The President coughed into the microphone to gain the crowd's attention.
“I'd first like to thank everyone for being here today,” the President said to the crowd. “I'm sure you've all heard recent events above the planet, and I'm sure you'd all like to join in with me in congratulating our heroes for saving the world.”
The crowd all clapped and cheered along with the President, before he coughed into the microphone.
“Today is a great day for all of us, not just in America but throughout the world,” he said. “Today we can rest in peace, safe in the knowledge that we need never fear obstacles from outer space ever again.”
Clint put his left arm around Steve, whilst Cornelius leaned on the shoulder of Robert, each trying to rest their weary bodies.
“Thanks to these men behind me, the threat to our planet is no longer,” the President continued. “I would first like to thank Major General Cornelius Smith and Flight Commander Clint Williams. Thanks to the skills of these men, the asteroid was deflected away from Earth, so that we can all rest in peace. Thanks to these men we even have a new moon, I believe.”
As the crowd clapped once again, Professor Marshall nodded his head to confirm this, before the President called Clint and Cornelius forward and handed medals to both of them.
“Would either of you two gentlemen like to say anything?” the President asked them.
Clint and Cornelius looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Then, while everyone waited, Clint stepped up to the microphone.
“I'm sure you can all appreciate that we're both a little exhausted at the