The clock showed 11:58AM. The computers and machinery around me were humming with energy. I sat strapped tightly to the cloning chair so I wouldn’t move too much once the teleportation process began.
Years ago, physicists had unlocked the mysteries of quantum mechanics and discovered how to teleport objects over any distance. The idea was simple. They would create an exact copy of the object at the new location, then destroy the original. The entire copying process would take a tenth of a millisecond. Last year, they tested the process on chimpanzees and it worked flawlessly.
11:59AM. In one minute, I would be the first human to ever teleport. An exact copy of me, including my memories and current brain state, will appear more than five thousand miles away in Geneva, Switzerland.
In 13 seconds, I will make history…
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
There was a blinding flash of light. My ears rang. The world spun as the whiteness of light receded and the new environment around me came into focus. Gradually, my brain reoriented. I heard clapping. Scientists in lab coats gathered around me as medical doctors rushed to check my vital signs. The clapping continued. A woman with gray hair and brown-rimmed glasses stepped into my field of vision and said, “Welcome to Geneva.” At that moment, I knew the teleportation was a success. I was the first person to ever teleport.
Meanwhile, 5,462 miles away at a laboratory in New Mexico…
There was a blinding flash of light. My ears rang. The world spun as the whiteness of light receded and the environment around me came into focus. Gradually, my brain reoriented. I heard an equipment bag drop and people gathered around me. A man with a closely cropped black beard stepped into my field of vision and said, “He’s at the new location. Destroy the subject.” At that moment, I knew this was a mistake.
I tried to struggle out of the restraints, but I was bound too tightly. “Wait, but I’m still here!” I yelped. A doctor was preparing a needle to inject in me. I heard someone say, “Don’t worry, there’s an exact copy of you celebrating in Geneva right now.”
I tried again to move, but couldn’t. “Please don’t kill me. I’m still here!” I pleaded. I heard a murmur of hushed talking among the scientists gathered around me. Then I felt the prick of a needle and heard a voice say, “You’re gonna feel real good real fast.”
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