Alpha Say, Beta Do

In a future where duplicating a person for a few days has become as ordinary as refueling a ship, technician Doyle Tindar is jolted awake by a frantic call to investigate a silent mining outpost on Bolus. Still half‑asleep and eager for a break, he begrudgingly agrees—especially when he learns his colleague Kay Kanton will accompany him, turning the assignment into something more appealing than a solo trek through empty space.

The story follows their reluctant march into the sleek, white‑walled Duplication Labs, where the process of copying a human body is described with a mix of clinical precision and understated humor. As they prepare for the mission, the narrative hints at the unexpected side effects of a technology meant for convenience, including the odd romance that can spark when two copies meet. With a blend of bureaucratic satire and classic space‑adventure, the opening sets the stage for a tale that questions how far society will go to make life easier—and what might happen when the rules are bent.