The Twins Paradox, Alan Gasparutti [online e reader txt] 📗

“We deserved our retirements. We’re now our own citizens, so let’s give this a rest, once and for all.”
Frank calmed down a little as he searched the TV stations again.
“Do you know what’s cooking in the hotel tonight?” Clint asked him, to which Frank said he was unsure. “I’m going down to the restaurant to look at the menu.”
Frank decided to switch the TV off and go with him. Clint was a little worried, for different reasons altogether, if the two of them were seen with each other in the hotel too often. They didn’t argue the matter, however, in order to avoid the previous debate.
After they had pre-ordered their meals, they each went back to their rooms. While Frank had a bath, Clint invited Dermot and Professor Wagstaff to dine with them that evening, but they declined as they had already made arrangements by that time. As it happened, they bumped into Dermot and Professor Wagstaff later that night as they went out on the town, and ended up having a late night. Frank didn’t raise his concerns, and with the help of several pints forgot all of them.

The next morning, Frank felt rather groggy, and remained in his bed, the door locked. He missed a couple of calls from Clint and Dermot, and even missed the hotel breakfast that morning. After going to the lavatory, he managed to wake himself up a little, so decided to take a shower. During this time, he heard the phone ring, but decided not to answer it. A little later, while he was getting dressed, he heard a knock on the door. It was Clint.
“Frank, Frank, are you okay in there?” he could hear him ask.
“Can you wait a minute, please,” Frank replied, still yawning.
“Thank heaven you’re okay,” said a relieved Clint. “I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to you.”
“I’m okay,” said Frank as he zipped his trousers before going to the door. “I’m just a little worse for wears after last night. I haven’t been out for a drink like that in years, since.., since….”
“Since the last convention?” queried Clint. “Do you know what time it is?”
Frank looked at the clock in his room. It said 10.05 am. He realised that he had missed the hotel breakfast.
“This year’s convention starts today,” Clint told him. “Don’t you think we should get a move-on?”
“Not just yet,” replied Frank. “I’ve got to have something to eat yet. Do you know when the hotel bar opens? I’m sure they’ll sell food there.”
“Why don’t you meet me downstairs in ten minutes,” Clint suggested. “We can go to the café across the road.”

While Clint was waiting in the hotel reception, Dermot rang his mobile to ask about Frank, as he had rung him a little earlier and had received no reply.
“He’s okay now,” Clint told him. “It was just a hangover from all the booze last night.”
“Oh I am pleased to hear that,” said Dermot. “I thought I’d check to see if he’s all right. He seemed a bit worried yesterday, probably about his old mate Steve getting blown-up.”
“How are you feeling today?” Clint asked Dermot. “I notice you had a few drinks as well last night.”
“Oh I’m fine,” said Dermot. “I’ve knocked back a dozen pints in one night before. It’s the Irish blood in me! Will Frank be going to the convention later today?”
“Oh he’ll be going,” said Clint. “He missed breakfast this morning so he’s going to a café to have something to eat in a little while. I’ll be going with him. You can come and join us if you like.”
“I’d like to,” replied Dermot, “but I’ve got a few calls to make, and a few things to clarify first. I must keep a check on matters at the European Space Agency.”
“Before you go, how is Arthur?” Clint asked. “He didn’t seem to drink a lot last night.”
“No, no, I think it’s from his time spent in Africa,” Dermot replied. “I wouldn’t want to guess what they drank over there, in some places at least. Anyway, I must go – see you at the Route 66 Bar, where we went yesterday. Would 11.45 be okay with you?”
“That’s fine,” said Clint. “See you later.”

Sure enough, Frank went for a bite to eat at the Route 66 Bar. Clint went with him. Then, about 45 minutes later, Dermot and Arthur met them there, and after a brief discussion, went to the conference hall just around the corner. In the hall, Dermot and Arthur helped themselves to some of the fruit, snacks and sandwiches on offer, before they all went to take their seats. They were talking to eachother and to other people around them when the drum-roll began, and the curtains on stage were opened. Everyone was surprised when they saw none-other than the Governor of California announce the opening introduction.
“Hello and welcome, ladies & gentlemen, professors, doctors and rocket scientists. Welcome to the 2008 International Astronomers Convention,” he announced to the audience. “I’m sure you’re all wondering what I’m doing here. Well, ever since I was a young lad I have been fascinated by the stars. Having been one myself, and held the title of Mr Universe, this felt like a natural progression.”
The audience laughed. Even Professor Wagstaff was quite amused, and presumed that ‘Mr Universe’ was a celebrity from outer space. This made him feel a lot more relaxed, and wondering whether perhaps he should tell the audience where he originally came from.
“You all have a copy of the agenda, so without any further ado, I shall hand you to Dr Graham Ferguson, Professor-in-Chief at NASA,” the Governor of California said to the audience, before introducing Dr Ferguson as they clapped him. The Governor of California then shook his hand before taking his seat at the front of the audience.
“Thank you very much, Governor, give him a round of applause,” Dr Ferguson said to the audience. After the clapping had died down, he opened the first item on the agenda. “As you may know, a lot has happened in the past 12 months. Only last year we were debating the Earth’s ‘new moon’, which I believe we named Jenna. That after my teams at NASA successfully deflected the Earth-bound asteroid.”
At this point Frank became rather annoyed as he had led NASA at the time and oversaw the whole event. Clint too, was annoyed for similar reasons.
“And yet today it seems that Jenna has disappeared,” said Dr Ferguson as he continued with the autocue. “I would first like to ask everyone if any of you were monitoring Jenna, and may have seen anything suspicious?”
There was no response from the audience, everyone was mystified. Everyone except for Professor Arthur Wagstaff, that is. He considered announcing to the audience what had happened, but decided this may not be the right moment.
“Does anyone in the audience have any idea of what may have happened?” Dr Ferguson then asked, to which a hand went up in the audience. It was Frank.
“The larger man towards the front with his hand up, what do you think may have happened?” Dr Ferguson asked.
“I’m Professor Frank Marshall, former Professor-in-Chief at NASA,” he announced. “Has anyone considered whether Jenna was a space ship in disguise? Perhaps the aliens were monitoring Earth, but considered it unsuitable when bearing in mind everything that is going on in the world today?”
Many of the audience were surprised, and commented amongst themselves. Dr Ferguson was surprised too, but just laughed it all off as though it was a sarcastic joke.
“I don’t think anyone here has considered your suggestion, Professor Marshall, but I don’t think we can rule that out for the time being,” Dr Ferguson replied. “Tell me, where did you get the idea from?”
“Well, the asteroid had been traveling towards Earth at totally abnormal speeds to say the least,” explained Frank. “It was only really noticed as it was in the Kuiper belt. Our records suggest that it was traveling at almost one million miles per hour. That isn’t the speed your average asteroid travels at, is it?”
“No, no, I accept that,” said Dr Ferguson. “What other mysterious events did you notice, Professor Marshall?”
“It’s speed decreased on three or four further occasions,” said Frank. “That suggests to me that the asteroid may have been traveling at even faster speeds beyond the Kuiper belt and outside our solar system.”
“I take your points, Professor, but do you have any evidence?” asked Dr Ferguson. “We have, as yet, no evidence to suggest any theories.”
“I accept that, but please note that this is nothing more than a suggestion,” explained Frank. “This is certainly not a theory, and there is no evidence to back this up.”
“Can I ask why you decided to close the case on Jenna?” Dr Ferguson queried.
“NASA had several other projects at the time, and the whole Jenna saga was a distraction,” said Frank. “Perhaps you can tell us all how those projects are developing at the moment?”
Dr Ferguson was reluctant to answer this, but simply said that this would be raised on the ‘Space Development’ item of the agenda.
Professor Wagstaff was becoming rather interested. Perhaps someone on Earth knew about the Intestellar Pilgrim. However, no-one had come forward to him regarding Frank’s suggestion, not even Frank himself, so thought it better to remain silent for the time being. Professor Wagstaff was also interested in seeing the former Mr Universe, and was thinking when it may be best to go over to meet him. Perhaps he was the right person to talk about this to.
In the meantime, some other astronomers suggested that Jenna had ‘imploded’ on itself, possibly due to the gravitational forces of Earth and the Moon, Another astronomer suggested that these forces tore the asteroid apart, into little boulders. It was argued, however, that if either event had occurred some remnants would have been left behind, however minor. It was clear that this item of the agenda was very puzzling and to which no-one had a plausible answer. Dr Ferguson then referred to the next item on the agenda, which was the progress made on the search for planetary objects outside our solar system.
“For millennia, people have wondered whether we are the only life-bearing planet in the universe,” Dr Ferguson said to the audience. “In recent times, many of us have tried to search for other small planets which may hold life. Amongst the leading astronomers in this field is a new name to many of us here. He has identified several small planets elsewhere in our galaxy, each at seemingly suitable distances from the parent star, so as they may well hold life. Please give a warm welcome to Professor Arthur Wagstaff.”
Professor Wagstaff was surprised. The light now shone on him, and as he stood up he could hear the audience clapping him. Arthur then walked forward to the stage.
“Welcome, that was quite an achievement, finding small earth-like planets orbiting other stars,” Dr Ferguson said to Professor Wagstaff.
“Well, I believe that in order to find such planets, I first had to seek a star similar to our sun,” Professor Wagstaff explained. “The fact is that many of the stars we see are binary systems, or even groups of more stars, so this limited the option of stars to view.”
“And can you explain the technique you used?” Dr Ferguson asked.
“I magnified the images of individual stars many times over,” explained Professor Wagstaff. “Though planets may be ‘smothered’ by a star’s luminosity, I felt that the light from the star would be bright enough to reflect tiny images when the small planets were to the side of the stars.”
“And how could