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

direct the central arrow towards one of the designs and switch the replicator on, it will replicate whatever it's designed to do at the place at which the 'gun' is pointing at.”
“But how does it do that, sir?” asked Lucas.
“Well, basically, it picks up atoms from behind the object, and breaks them down into their components,” explained Major Retono.
“What does it do then, Major?” asked Gaspar.
“The replicator then merges the protons, neutrons and electrons to form the appropriate atoms which make up whatever its replicating,” Major Retono explained. “It's all done at light-speed, which is why it seems instantaneous.”
“Do you think I could have a go, please, sir?” asked Lucas.
Major Retono passed the replicator to Lucas, before looking around the room.
“Point the arrow towards 'door',” he instructed. “Now point the gun towards the door. When you're sure you've got the precise co-ordinates, switch it on.”
Lucas indeed followed Major Retono's instructions, and in an instant, a new door had been created, with a small key falling to the ground. As Lucas went to try the key, he heard Ramondo and Madaly coming.
“It's getting cold out here,” Ramondo said. “You don't mind if we come in?”
As Lucas went to let them both in, he passed the replicator to Gaspar, before locking the door. Major Retono then instructed Gaspar how to use the replicator, in order to create a new window.
“There we are,” said the Major. “This room is now secure. Now we'll have to check out the other rooms in this building.”
It took another half-hour to sort the rest of the room, and ensure everything was secure and in good working order. By now though, they each felt a little tired, so they created a couple of sofas.
“How about those rats?” asked Gaspar. “I haven't seen any of them recently.”
“Oh I shouldn't worry about them,” said Major Retono. “It was probably their atoms which the replicator 'consumed' before spitting them out as windows, doors and radiators. Some might say the replicator makes good use of vermin.”
Major Retono then contacted Professor Wagstaff on the craft, to let him know all was well. He then noticed another door, and went to check what was behind it. More rodents!
“Gaspar, I think you’d better come here a moment,” Major Retono instructed. “Bring the replcator with you.”
“What’s the matter, Major,” he asked.
“It looks like we’re going to have to do the same all over again,” said Major Retono. “This room is in the same state that the last one was in. There’s a broken window, too,”
“I thought I felt a draft from somewhere,” commented Ramondo, as he came to inspect the room.
As they cleared and repaired the room, they noticed another door, which Major Retono went to check. He noticed more rodents running along a narrow corridor, and as he shone his torch, he noticed some stairs ahead. When the second room was finally sorted, they had a brief rest before sorting the hallway and staircase. Major Retono then went upstairs, only to find another dark, damp room, plus two doors, which probably led to more rooms.
“I think we have a few more rooms to sort out,” he told the others, before feeling a drip on his head. As he looked up, he noticed a gap in the ceiling. “Something tells me this is going to take longer than I thought.”
Major Retono then amended the replicator, to replicate itself. With two of them at hand, and a few people to use them, it may help complete the work sooner rather than later.
As it happened, it took all night and most of the early morning to repair the whole building, particularly the roof. Because of the rain that had seeped through the once-derelict building, the floorboards had to be repaired too. Though the process didn’t require skips and scaffolding, everyone was worn out by 6.00 am, and rested on the sofas, chairs, and beds.

The Digital Car

Major Retono was awoken a few hours later when his mobile rang.
“Hello, hello, Major, can you hear me,” he heard on the other end. “Come in if you can her me.”
It was Professor Wagstaff calling from the reconnaissance craft.
“Hello Professor,” said Major Retono. “I can hear you loud and clear.”
“Thank goodness for that!” replied Professor Wagstaff. “I was beginning to think you’d been captured by some thugs, or worse still, terrorists. I suppose the others are okay, too?”
“Yes, yes, Professor,” said Major Retono. “I’m sorry if we’ve been sleeping ‘on the job’, but we’ve been very busy.”
“Oh, what have you been up to?” asked the Professor curiously.
“This building we found was larger than first anticipated,” Major Retono explained. “It required a lot of repairs, including roofing and floorboards, so you will excuse us if we’re all a little worn-out.”
“Oh that’s alright, that’s alright, that’s alright, Major,” said Professor Wagstaff. “It’s just that some of us here would like to see Earth for ourselves. We’re getting a little cramped in this craft.”
“You didn’t complain when there were ten of us in the craft,” Major Retono said to the Professor.
“That’s because we only took a millisecond to arrive on Earth,” Professor Wagstaff commented. “I know we were all in the craft yesterday, but even that was only for a few hours. One or two of you were always going out and exploring the cave and pot hole.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay, Professor,” said the Major. “I hear where you’re coming from. I’ll send you directions on how to get here from the cave. It might take a little while though.”
“That’s fine, that’s fine,” said Professor Wagstaff. “We’ll meet you there at about 11.00am. Is that okay?”
“Sure, that’s okay,” Major Retono told him. “In the meantime, me and the others are a bit thirsty. Do you know if there’s anywhere around here where we can get something to drink?”
“If you look on the map, you’ll find a public house nearby,” explained Professor Wagstaff. “Just go out of the station, and turn left. It’ll be on the other side of the main road.”
“Do you know what drinks they have in there?” asked Major Retono.
“I haven’t got the foggiest,” said Professor Wagstaff. “Perhaps you can let me know what you find. I suggest you take some money with you. I’ve already programmed the appropriate currency into the replicator.”
It was around this time that the others began to awake, one by one, and by 8.30 they had agreed to go and find the public house. They followed Professor’s Wagstaff’s instructions, and sure enough, they noticed a large building on the other side of the road, with the title ‘The Ribblehead Inn’.
“I suppose that’s where the Professor was referring to?” queried Lucas, who had taken one replicator with him.
They all went to the door of the Ribblehead Inn, which they found to be open.
“Hello lads,” a lady greeted them. “Would you like something to drink?”
Major Retono and the others all looked at eachother.
“You’d better hurry up if you’re drinking,” the lady told them. “We’ll be closing in another half-hour.”
This was the first time any of them had seen a pub, so they were all a little uncertain of what to say. Major Retono quickly decided to go up to the bar.
“What drinks do you have?” he asked the bar-lady.
“This is a free-house,” she told him. “We have a wide range of bitters, or lagers for those southern-softies, plus Guinness, Murphy’s or cider. Or if you’d like something stronger, we have vodka or scotch. Take your choice, but don’t dwell too long on it.”
Major Retono ordered one vodka, one whisky, two Guinness and a lager.
“That’ll be £17.67,” as she served the drink.
Major Retono began to wonder what he should do to pay for the drinks, as he didn’t have any money on him.
“Don’t worry,” the bar-lady then said to him. “You can pay me when you’ve finished your drinks.”
Major Retono said thank you before taking the drinks away on a tray.
“Lucas, pass me the replicator,” he asked when he got to the table, remembering what Professor Wagstaff had said about money. He then took it outside, where he replicated a £20 note.
When he went back into the pub, he noticed the others weren’t too keen on their beverages.
“What’s this?” Ramondo asked.
“I think that’s vodka, if I remember correctly,” he told Ramondo.
“Strange taste,” said Ramondo. “I thought vodka was another star system in the galaxy. You don’t suppose this drink comes all the way from there, do you? Perhaps it decayed a little on it’s journey.”
“I doubt very much anyone would transport a drink like that across the universe,” commented Gaspar.
“He’s right,” agreed Major Retono. “Besides, vodka is just the short name of a binary star system, Vodkarina-Maningiatis.”
A couple of men on the next table then moved away, believing someone may have had meningitis!
As none of them were too keen on their drinks, they were still at the table after 9.00 am.
“When are you thinking of leaving?” the bar-lady said to them. “This place is due to close now.”
“I don’t suppose you get much custom here?” Major Retono asked, in curiosity.
“Oh, I think you might be surprised,” she replied. “We’ll be re-opening at 7.30 tonight, if you’d like to come back. We’ll be a bit busier by that time.”
“I might see you again sometime,” Major Retono said to the bar-lady, before giving her the twenty pound note.
When the bar-lady gave him the change, he counted the money, to make sure he had understood the values of the currency correctly.
“Don’t worry, you’ve got the right change,” the bar-lady said to him before walking away.
Major Retono thought it best to leave now, and suggested this to the others. They soon finished their drinks and left.
“Major, do you think we could replicate that vehicle over there?” Lucas asked, pointing to the car parked behind the pub.
“Hhmmm,” Major Retono muttered. “I’m not too sure if it’s a good idea.”
“Oh come on, Major,” begged Lucas. “We don’t have any transport of our own. We probably need something like that to get around this place.”
“I reckon he’s right,” said Ramondo. “You can’t expect us to keep walking all the time? Particularly if we’re going to explore this whole area.”
“I agree,” added Gaspar. “Surely if we can replicate that building, it shouldn’t take long to copy that vehicle over there?”
“Okay, but be quick about it,” said Major Retono. “You three can go and replicate the vehicle. Madaly and me will stay here in case anyone comes this way.”

As it happened, it didn’t take long to replicate the car. The problems began when Lucas went to try to open the driver’s door, and found it to be locked. He tried the other doors, but found them locked too.
Major Retono instructed Madaly to stay put, while he went to help the others. He looked carefully into the car, and noticed what appeared to be a keyhole beneath the driver’s wheel. He took the replicator, set it the key mode, and produced a key. Sure enough, it opened the car door.
Major Retono then sat in the car, trying to turn on the ignition. He managed to get the engine running, but when he tried maneuvering the car, it wouldn’t move, despite how much he pressed onto the accelerator. Lucas then suggested to try using the gearstick. Major Retono tried this a few times, but when he left the car in first gear, he found it jumped at first, and then moved slowly making a loud noise.
Major Retono then remembered there was more than one pedal at his feet. He tried moving the gearstick