Kronom K-D2

Kronom K-D2 is the model of a fictional computer-watch in the Race Against Time juvenile novel series written by J. J. Fortune.

Its initial mention was in chapter one the first novel of the series, but the name Kronom K-D2 only came up for the first time in chapter two of the second novel.

Background

The novel featured an uncle-nephew team, Richard Duffy and Stephen Lane, in various adventures around the world. Richard had started out as an engineer, but ended his career as an adventurer. Though retired, events and people his past as an adventurer often intruded into his retirement.

During their first adventure together, Richard Duffy gave Stephen his spare Kronom K-D2, and left it to Stephen to figure out the various functions. Later, he explained that there were only three models in the whole world, and he had two of them, the third being in the possession of a villain known as the Mole.

Richard revealed that the Kronom K-D2 was the brainchild of Karl Wolfmann, a genius Swiss watchmaker. After one of the prototypes was stolen by the maker's assistant, a number of crimes was committed which the Wolfmann realized was done using the watch. Deciding to keep the watch a secret, he destroyed all the notes related to its creation, but could not bear to do the same to the remaining two models. These were entrusted to Richard who promised to only use it for good, and to hunt down the Mole, the thief of the third watch and using it to commit crimes.

Some of Richard Duffy's past adversaries realized his was not an ordinary watch. The villain known as the Shark from the third novel knew it well enough and seized it from Richard when he had the chance (chapter seven).

In chapter eleven of The Secret of the Third Watch, Richard and Stephen were held captive by the Mole, who told them that it was his idea, as Wolfmann's assistant, to introduce many features into the design of the Kronom K-D2, which he used in his crime spree.

Mentioned functionalities of the Kronom K-D2

# Digital compass on the screen (first mention: "Revenge in the Silent Tomb")
# Flashlight (first mention: "Revenge of the Silent Tomb")
# Checking for and making reservations on flights (first mention: "Escape from Raven Castle")
# Radar (first mentioned: "Evil in Paradise", used as mine-detector)
# Remote bomb detonator (first mentioned: "Evil in Paradise")
# Electronic number lock breaker (first mentioned: "Evil in Paradise")
# Digital Camera (first mentioned: "The Secret of the Third Watch")
# Language Translator (first mentioned: "Duel for the Samurai Sword")
# Radio signal jammer (first mentioned: "Duel for the Samurai Sword")
# Dimension Computing (first mentioned: "Journey to Atlantis", used to find hidden chambers)
# Computing gambling odds (first mentioned: "Pursuit of the Deadly Diamonds")

References

# Revenge in the Silent Tomb (1984, ISBN 044097707X)
# Escape from Raven Castle (1984, ISBN 0440924065)
# Evil in Paradise, (1984, ISBN 0440924308)
# Search for Mad Jack's Crown, (1984, ISBN 0440976855)
# Duel for the Samurai Sword, (1984, ISBN 0440921724)
# Pursuit of the Deadly Diamonds, (1984, ISBN 0440971810)
# The Secret of the Third Watch (1984, ISBN 0440977452)
# Trapped in the USSR, (1984, ISBN 0440990580)
# Journey to Atlantis, (1985, ISBN 0440942721)
# Danger: Due North, (1985, ISBN 0440918650)