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

believe there's a logo or name on the car though."
"We've decided to call it the Green Machine," Henry told him. "This new vehicle will probably be called Green Machine 2, though we haven't yet decided that. To be honest, the UK isn't really suited to a solar car."
"Would you like me to come round to your factory to get this sorted?" asked Dermot. "I wouldn't mind coming to Yorkshire again some day. It reminds me where I came from."
"Don't worry, I'll send one of my engineers to sort this out for you," said Henry.
"That'll be marvellous," Dermot replied. "You’re a genius!"
"Steady on, Dermot," said Henry. "I'm only an ordinary bloke."
"Nah, you must be a genius to design a car like that," Dermot told him. "And now you've designed another one! I'm sure in years to come they'll remember your name like Isambard Kingdom Brunel or Thomas Telford."
"It shouldn't take a genius to design vehicles like those," said Henry. "Much of the technology is out there already. It just needs someone who's prepared to put their mind to the job."
"Not everyone has the money behind them, unfortunately, to come up with these ideas," Frank chipped-in.
"Money shouldn't come into it," commented Henry. "There are plenty of businesses in the world today, who have the necessary finances and experience to design new technology. It's unfortunate that none of them are prepared to use those resources."
"Oh I couldn't agree with you more," said Dermot. "I'm thinking of developing something like that for Development to Mars, but they should already be available on Earth."
"There are car manufacturers only interested in developing petrol vehicles, because so many people there have interests in oil companies," said Henry. "There are oil companies claiming to develop greener fuels, but they're only interested in maintaining the status quo."
Frank, being American, and a Texan at that, didn't really agree with them. He recalled hearing similar quotes from Arthur, too, so just went along with their views initially. As they continued their criticism of today's businesses, led by the US, he decided to try to divert attention.
"Do you know when I, or should I say we, can have a look at he new solar car of yours?" he asked Henry.
Henry then looked at his watch, before looking at Arthur, to see if he had finished his lunch and drink.
"We'll be about another 5 minutes," he told Frank. "Would you like a drink in the meantime?"
"Thanks, but no thanks," said Frank. "When I start drinking, it's not easy to stop, eh Dermot?"
Dermot gave his acknowledgement, and though he fancied a drink himself, thought it more prudent to see the solar car. He had few doubts about the car, but knew Frank was still a little scheptical about the whole project. He spoke to Frank while the others were finishing their lunch, and when they were all ready, they went to pick up the vehicles.
When Henry and Arthur had finished their lunch, they all proceeded to the airport car park. Frank led them out of the airport, and around the outskirts of the city, before heading up some steep hills. Eventually, he turned right into a small, unoccupied car park. He was getting out of his car as the others were pulling in.
"Apologies for leading you here, but this seemed to be the best place where you can show us your new cars," Frank said to Henry.
"Oh that's alright," said Henry. "We don't want to make this too obvious just yet."
"How did your car handle the gradients?" Frank asked.
"Oh, no trouble," said Henry. "No trouble, at all. I took the car along some similar roads back home. Why don't you come on in, and I'll show you how the car works."
Frank went into the solar car. Arthur and Dermot followed. Henry then pointed to the front of the roof, where it met the front windscreen, before opening the sunroof. He then led the others outside.
"If you look carefully, you will notice that the roof has a slightly hollow frame," Henry explained. "In front of the sunroof is the SEB, Solar Energy Battery."
Henry then referred to the back of the roof, where he pointed out some small solar panels behind the sunroof.
“Within the frame, the heat and sunlight collected is absorbed by the SEB,” Henry explained. “The SEB has connections to the engine, which of course, supplies the power to the car.”
“So this is a totally gasoline-free vehicle?” Frank then asked.
“Precisely,” said Henry. “With this little beauty, there is no need for petrol, or gasoline, as you might say over here.”
Frank then pointed to the nozzle towards the boot of the car.
“What comes out of there?” he asked.
“One of my engineers had intended to take away the nozzle,” Henry then said, as Arthur stared at him with a curious grin. ”In fact, he suggested to take away the whole fuel tank and exhaust, but I thought it better to maintain this in case of emergency.”
“Can it run on gasoline?” was Frank’s next question.
“I believe so,” replied Henry. “It has all the necessary instruments to run on gasoline. It can be run as a duel-fuel vehicle, though that’s not the intention.”
“I noticed a couple of gauges on the dash board, but they didn’t seem to be the usual fuel gauge,” said Frank.
“The ones you may have seen are for the SEB and SAB,” explained Henry.
“SAB?” queried Frank. “I saw that on the web page, but can you tell me a little more about it?”
“Yes certainly,” said Henry. “I was about to come to that anyway. The SAB, or Solar Auxiliary Battery, is where the heat and sunlight are absorbed, when the SEB is full.”
“So it acts like a second battery?” queried Dermot.
“You could say that,” said Henry. “Whenever the SEB is using energy, and not making any new energy, alternate energy from the SAB is supplied to SEB.”
“In what situations would the SEB not make new energy?” asked Frank.
“At times when the sun doesn’t shine,” said Henry. “It happens quite often in the UK. It may also be unable to make energy whenever it’s dark, during the night for instance, or if it were driven in a tunnel.”
"How fast can this car go?" Frank then asked.
"Between 120 and 130 miles per hour," said Henry. "I believe we put that on the web site."
"I was wondering if you could clarify the car's actual performance figures," specified Frank.
"The car performs just how you would expect a 2litre sports car to perform," Henry commented. "My colleagues and I tested the car on local roads back home, including motorways and dual carriageways. Unfortunately, we don't have access to a racing circuit where we could test the car to it's maximum."
"There's a highway not too far from her," Frank told him. "We could take it for a test ride there this afternoon."
The others all looked at him.
"I don't think that would be a good idea just at this time," said Henry. "You could test it when we go to LA later this week."
"Don't get me wrong, but I'd like to know the precise performance details, before we consult the Governor of California about this," said Frank.
"Don't worry, we'll get everything confirmed before then," Henry told him. "If you like, you can come in this car for a while, see how it performs."
"I'll do that sometime, but I don't want to leave my car here for the moment," Frank replied.
"Well why don't you come in the car with me anyway," suggested Henry. "I'm sure Arthur and Dermot don't mind staying here for a short while. They can keep an eye on your car too."
Frank wasn't too sure, but felt he should go along, so he could see for himself how the car performed.
"You don't mind keeping an eye on my car, do you?" he asked Arthur and Dermot.
"We'll be fine, we'll be fine," replied Dermot. "Of course, if you'd rather stay here, I wouldn't mind a trip in the sports car."
Frank decided to go along for the ride, and after strapping himself into his seat, relaxed. For about half-a-minute! Henry drove slowly out of the car park, and stopped on the main road to see if anything was coming. When he saw it was all clear, he turned right quickly, as the wheels screeched, and within less than 10 seconds, he had managed to get the car going at 60 miles per hour. Henry laughed.
"Not bad, eh," he said to Frank, who was a little surprised. “Where would you like me to go?”
“I don’t mind,” he replied. “You’d better slow down though, there’s a couple of bends coming up shortly.”
Henry slowed the car down, which he did relatively easily, and could hardly be felt on the suspension. After they had gone around a couple of bends, Frank suggested to pull over into a little side road, and to then turn back, as there was a dual carriageway in the other direction.
Arthur and Dermot saw the car heading back, a few minutes later, and thought it would pull into the car park, but as they saw it go by they waved, before getting into Arthur’s digital car to sit down. Dermot said he was impressed with the solar car, and was interested in solar energy, at which point Arthur mentioned that he was going to have solar panels fitted to his house.
“That’s a good idea,” said Dermot. “You get plenty of sunshine where you are – you may as well make use of it.”
“I think this may be the way forward,” suggested Arthur.
“I think you may be right,” agreed Dermot.
“Frank was telling me that Clint’s gone to Texas for a break,” Arthur then mentioned. “He weren’t too sure where he went.”
“He told me that too,” said Dermot. “I reckon he’s gone back to Houston, to visit a mistress of his.”
“Do you really think so?” asked Arthur. “With all due respect, Clint isn’t a young lad anymore.”
“He may not be getting any younger, but he’s not a bad looking fellow,” Dermot commented. “He’s tall, slim, and with a fair bit of money, I’d say. Just what ladies want right now.”

As Dermot and Arthur continued to speculate about Clint, where he was and what he was up to, Clint, in the meantime, was getting off the local bus at one of the main private hospitals in Houston. He checked to make sure he was where expected to be, before he walked into the hospital.
“Hello madam, but can you confirm if Dr Steve di Pierri is in Jefferson ward,” he asked a lady on reception. “He’s a patient, I should stress.”
“There is a Steve di Pierri is in Jefferson ward,” she confirmed to Clint after checking her records.
“Can you point me in the right direction to the ward, please?” Clint asked the lady.
“Take the lift to the second floor,” the lady instructed. “Turn right, and you’ll find Jefferson ward is the third on your left. What’s your name – I can let Mr di Pierri know you’re coming?”
“Clinton,” he replied.
“And my name’s Monica,” the lady said, as she grinned at him.
“No, no, that’s my first name, Clint, as in Eastwood. My surname is Williamson,” he told her before walking off towards the lift.
Clint followed the directions given to him by the lady on reception. It seemed a long walk on the second floor, but sure enough, the third ward on the left-hand side had the name Jefferson above the door. As he peered through the door window, he thought he could see Steve watching TV from his bed, towards the back of the