"The last thing I recall is dozing off in the primary," one Tindar said.
"Same here," the other said.
"This is indeed regrettable!" boomed the doctor. "It's unheard of!"
"It's not that serious, doctor," one of the Tindars said. "We can still do our work. One of us shall disappear on the way back, that's all. The only inconvenience shall be having to bring the duplicate part of the way back."
"But who shall be your pilot?" the doctor mused, "if on the way back the one piloting the ship were to disappear...."
"We have another person with us," a Tindar said. "I think that everything will be quite all right."
"Well, we shall see. Apologies will be made to your corporation and a settlement of some kind, of course," Dr. Bronsky shrugged. "There is extremely little else that we can do. Until one of you dissipates, I suggest that you—" he indicated one Tindar—"be Alpha Tindar, and you—" he indicated the other—"be Beta Tindar. It might simplify matters."
The doctor himself checked them out at the desk and followed them to the door full of regrets at the event.
Alpha and Beta Tindar ate a hearty meal at a cafe, then phoned Miss Kanton and felt better seeing her face in the view-plate. It was a nice face, a bit solemn, but nice. She had brown eyes and a burnt-honey mass of hair. They found that she was already out of the Dupe Labs and was waiting for them.