Alpha Say, Beta Do

The narrative follows a routine mission to investigate a mysterious outage at a distant mining installation, during which two people undergo authorized human duplication. The temporary copies, intended to extend manpower for a short-term emergency, develop an unexpected romantic attachment, creating logistical and ethical complications as originals and copies confront divided loyalties. The story blends rapid problem-solving and speculative science about transient replication with light humor, while examining identity, responsibility, and the unforeseen consequences of treating living beings as replaceable tools.