Stephen's Secure Blog #68
These stories about Stephen began was when he was 10 years old, and
moving to a new part of the country to attend a special school for
gifted students, in the 1950's. This was from a time before computers
would fit on a desk, and when people communicated with friends in other
countries by actual letters sent through the postal service. He wrote
225 of them to a friend. He stopped writing to his penpal, but found he
still wanted to record his life, in case he lost his memory again, and
wrote 30 entries in his first logbook. Then he wrote to an artificial
intelligence called Geenee, in the master computer in his school for
gifted students, which he started attending in 2016. Now it's 2018 and
later, and he's continuing to save his memories in a secure blog.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
Stephen is 13 in this story, in the Summer, after the end of year 3 of
his special school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #68 "Citizen Stephen"
START Page
I told Pete that Mgambe and Grace did very well, and about the
possible meeting with the Tsuriss, which should include Percy and Ichi,
and my offer to help resolve system aggression. He said "You've been
busy!" I said, "Not as much as I hope the rest of us will be. We have
too many Adepts, and not enough real work for them. Even all that I do
can't fully occupy my mind, which you might not know about. Want to?"
He grinned and said "Stupid question!" I poked him. I said "I'm
designing art all the time, and composing music, and playing it on
instruments around the world, remotely, when they aren't being used or
watched. I'm watching all the meetings the GC delegates are in, and
trying not to laugh. I'm watching all the Van goings on, specially
their porting centers, and sometimes modifying what they are doing in
the big station they are unknowingly building for us, which we don't
actually need. I'm prospecting in a lot of uninhabited systems for
metals and gems. I'm doing all that at the same time, even when I'm
squirting. And I still have a lot of my mind left over, which I try to
occupy with strange math problems. So, yes, I'm busy, but not nearly
enough to make me think I am." He said "Oh! Do you think you can stick
around for at least ten more years?" I said "I have to. I think 15,
minimum."
I said "Do we own a fertility clinic?" He said "Some change of
subject! No, we don't, but we could, if you think we should." I said
"My er, fancy talents are genetically dominant. If they should be
passed on, I won't have the time or inclination to do it all
personally." He said "IF they should. Just in case that decision is
made in favor of it, we should begin stockpiling your semen when you
start producing active sperm. We'll buy a clinic. With your looks and
IQ, which we'll tone down a little, your little wigglers will be VERY
popular." I said "We could encourage other Adepts to contribute, too.
Might enlarge the number of geniuses who are born, and can help us
track possible future students. Tell me, how many Adepts have had
children with Adepts, who then became Adepts?" He said "So far, no
double Adept children, and no married hetero Adept couples, and no
Adepts directly from any Adept." I said "That's going to change. Rose
will have my child." He said "Plans, precognition?" I said "Psychology.
She's going to do it any way she can, even if she has to get her
brother to steal my sperm, and use a turkey baster to screw herself
with it. If she can have me with it, all the better, as far as she is
concerned. She wants the most powerful child she can get, for her and
her people, the Navajo, and she knows I am the best chance for that. If
she asks Hawk to help, he will, for her and his people." He said "Wow!
But now that you've laid that out, I think you're right. Do you think
she is the only girl with that on her mind?" I said "No, but she is the
most motivated by far, and is in love with me, or thinks she is. Her
father supports that, too." He said "You don't just LOOK like Chad used
I ported to my house on Zander's world, with Ichi and Percy. I gave
them the grand tour. At the start of it I said, "Any suggestions for
improvements will be appreciated. And be rewarded appropriately." Ichi
said "Rewarded how?" I kissed him and grabbed his crotch. He said to
Percy, "Quick, find something to improve!" We laughed. They spent a
long time in the gallery, and liked the mosaic in the bathroom. Then we
went out to meet Zander. We did our greetings, and he gave me back my
credit marker. I said "Wow! Does he have any credit left?" He said "I
know, but I sold the tiger as exclusive. I hope you don't dislike
that." I said "I do, a little. I liked it very much. But for two and a
half million, well, I suppose I should like the deal." Ichi and Percy
said, "Wow!" I said to them, "You know I don't care about money. I
could have as much as I want, easily. Getting it into the GC credit
system without embarrassing questions, is another matter. That's what
my art is for, so we can help fund schools for Guardians. That reminds
me. I've found an uninhabited system, who's astroid belt is made mostly
of very heavy and rare metals. Gems, too. Any ideas for what we should
do with it, will be heard. But that's for the future. Zander, what's
our agenda for this visit?"
Zander said, "Today, you will attend a ceremony making you a citizen
of this world. Then, the President will approve the sample you sent me
to give to him." I said "No changes?" He said "Correct." I said "Then I
need your opinion. I made the whole set, including the utensils. Ready
now. Should I deliver today, or wait until just before his fancy dinner
function, to show it was hard work, which it was in effort, if not in
time." He said "I have conflicting loyalties about that. As a citizen,
I would say deliver now. As your agent, I would say you should wait, so
as to not devalue your work, which could reduce our future profits, and
increase their expectations." I said "Of that, it's the expectations
which concerns me the most. I will wait. I hope you don't think too
badly of me for that." He said "I understand, and I don't. I'll save
that for other, more embarrassing things." I grinned and said, "Oh yes.
What about the Tsuriss?" He said "Tomorrow, at the President's house."
I said "This citizenship thing today. Is it public?" He grinned and
said, "Very much so. A world media event." I said "While I dislike that
a lot, I have to agree with it, because it fits in with our plans. But,
it causes a problem. There will be people who will witness it, who will
know something about my species. That I am a child. Hissssner must be
told, and that has to include my past lives, to make who I am now,
credible to him." He said "I understand. Then we will let him decide
what he wants to do with that information. It will be interesting, how
he accepts it." Ichi said "Definitely!" I said "There may be another
problem. You noticed what happened on the ship when Surraa made us part
of her clan?" He said "Your love. The whole ship felt it. Do you mean
you might do that at the ceremony?" I said "I don't know. It might
happen, and could cover the whole world. Would that be a problem?" He
said "Making people feel loved? I hope not! We'll ask."
We didn't go to Hissssner's house, but to a big government center,
and were led to his private offices. Before we even got a chance to say
our greetings, I said, looking around, "Definitely not by the designer
who did such a good job on the plates." Hissssner almost fell out of
his chair laughing. His Chief of Protocol couldn't help grinning, and
nodded to me noticing that. Percy whispered so he knew only I could
hear, "That's our Stephen!" I sent him a rude noise in contact, and he
succeeded in not laughing. The other officials in the room were
scandalized. Hissssner, said "Everybody, I introduce to you, Stephen, a
more honest person you will never meet. And very talented. Who among
you truly disagrees with him?" No answer. Hissssner grinned. Zander
went to speak with him privately. I saw some interesting expressions.
Then I heard a "Wow!" I grinned, which he noticed. Zander said to me in
contact, +He suspected, but not 70,000 years. I have to admit I liked
surprising him with that. He said we will ignore any age speculation,
and just say it's due to species variation.+ I said +Fine. Let him have
all the fun of that.+
As ceremonies go, it wasn't too bad, and I wasn't moved to express
love. Then there was the press conference. I said to Hissssner, "Are
you SURE you want me to answer their questions? What kind of politician
would want THAT?" He laughed and said, "None but the VERY curious." The
interrupted with, "I do." That stopped her in her tracks. The people
with me, all grinned. The reporters took that as a challenge, and
became more combative. "How long have you been an artist?" I said "I've
been an artist ever since I can remember." One said, "How long is
that?" I said "Length of memory is subjective, so I can't answer that
accurately. Next question?" One asked "How old are you?" I said "Age is
hard to define well, for somebody who engages in interstellar travel a
lot. And it's personal, too. I'll offer this. I'm old enough to be a
Professor of Physics, which I am honored to be." One said "How do you
like our climate?" I said with a grin, "I think I would like your
climate better if it were more like what I am used to, because that
doesn't include reporters asking me difficult questions." Some of them
laughed. One asked, "Do all your people look like you?" I said "My
people do NOT all look like I do. We vary a lot, I think more than any
other intelligent species I know of. More interesting that way. Some of
us are actually nice to look at." More laughter. One asked, "What kind
of materials do you use for your art?" I said "I use any materials for
my art, that I want to. Such as gems, metals, paper, paint, ceramics,
strange organic matter, and synthetic materials." One asked "What kind
of strange organic material?" I said "Some of the gems I use are of
organic origin, such as fossilized tree resin. Come on, you can tell
me, what did you think I meant?" He was silent. Not so another, who
yelled from the back, "Excrement!" There was shocked silence. I said "I
haven't yet included bad smells in my current work, although some of my
detractors might want to think I have." More laughter, a lot. One said
"Where can we see your work?" I said with a grin, "I like that
question!" Laughter.
I said, "Most of my work outside my home here, is in private hands.
And feet." Laughter. "But I did donate something to your Museum of Art
and Science. If you ask for the Star Ruby Box by Stephen, which is me,
you should be able to see it." One asked "Did you donate that to get
citizenship?" I said "Who asked that? Come on, I want to know who has
such courage." He said "I am Gikkal, of the World News Company." I said
"Your question is valid and important. If every foreigner who donated
something to that museum were granted citizenship, it would be so
filled up, nobody could get in to see any of it." Laughter. I said "So
we have to make sure everybody knows that isn't how it's done, for the
sake of the already overworked museum staff. I didn't donate the box
for anything. I did it because I wanted my work to be enjoyed in the
best setting for it, which is that museum on THIS planet, because I
didn't think anybody could or should afford to buy it. I had not even
thought of citizenship, and if I had, I wouldn't have made the
donation. It would have been dishonorable to have that influence such
an honor. Next?" Before they could ask, Hissssner stepped up and said,
"That's all for now. Stephen could entertain you for, well, probably
days, but we don't have that much time available for this function."
That ended the news conference.
We went back to Hissssner's office. No outsiders there, just us, him
and his protocolor. He said, "You handled that well. I had to stop it
before somebody asked you to run for office." I said "Thanks, and no
thanks. I have enough things to do. Those reporters were nice. I've had
much worse in board meetings. Careful with Gikkal, though. He's good. I
like him." He said "He's a lot of trouble." I grinned and he laughed. I
said "Give them what they want, YOUR way, after they press hard for it,
and they will think they won something. Until their editor tells them
something different." He said "You DO know them!" Zander said with a
grin, "Stephen isn't just a Professor of Physics, he's a whole
university." Hissssner asked me, "Is that correct?" I said "As much as
I would like to deny it, I must support the truthfulness of Zander, and
forcefully wish he not do that again, which I am sure he will
disregard." He and Zander laughed. To change the subject, I said, "I'm
going to build Zander's school, but my way, while even safer than your
local regulations require, will not stand inspection, because it will
be made as a whole thing, and not in inefficient stages. Any ideas for
what we can do about that?" He said "Only what you already thought of.
Make it in a place which doesn't have building codes, such as where you
built your house." I said to Zander, "It would be better if your
students maintained involuntary contacts with regular people, to reduce
the likelihood of elitism, which would be difficult to accomplish in
physical isolation." Hissssner said "That is wise. I see the importance
of it. It shows in you, who treat the lowest and the highest as
equals." I corrected him with, "As people, which we all are. Love
already makes everyone equal."
acted like he was afraid, and said, "Plates! Decided! Yes! They all
liked your sample. At least the people who agreed with me did." We
grinned. I said "I'll try to have them ready in time. Have you and
Mostly. We all know we can't pay what they are really worth. I doubt
any government would, which I'm sure you know." I nodded. He said "But,
we are working on some possible commissions for public buildings." I
said "You can't afford those, either, correct?" He grinned and said,
"Correct." I said "They can't be of precious materials, or they will
enrich the bolder members of the public." He laughed, and said, "True.
However, you did mention a mosaic." I said "It has been said that I
talk too much." He laughed some more. I said "Except for some drawings,
I do NOT work in public. If I do something large enough to be
architectural, it will have to be transported to the site after
completion, or the area where I work must be completely free of
witnesses. You should know some of my methods should not be revealed to
the public." He said "Such as the strange box?" I said, while touching
my rings, "And other things." He said "Ah, yes. True. That will have to
be taken into consideration in our enquiries. There is already
something which some of my staff have enquired about, and found
mysterious. Your comings and goings. There are no records of any of you
in passenger spacecraft, or records of your own transportation near
this planet." I said "Correct." He said "No explanation?" I said "No
official has asked, officially." He said "Would they receive a useful
answer?" I said brightly and helpfully, "No." He laughed and said, "You
can be very frustrating." I said "So Zander has told me more than once.
It would be interesting if you could convince him to tell you why. Oh,
I just did it again." Zander was obviously very embarrassed, which
Hissssner could see, which made him laugh so hard, he almost fell out
of his chair. I said to Zander, "A whole university? Ha!"
When he could, Hissssner said, "I see it is unsafe to embarrass you,
which Zander should have realized. I will remember!" I took out of a
pocket, a small clear crystal ball. I made some theatrical passes over
it with a hand, and made the illusion that it was growing, and I ported
one of my crystal swimmer globes in it's place, and then stopped the
illusion. I took a ring stand for it out of another pocket, and put it
on his desk, and the globe on top of it. He looked at it and said,
"What is it?" I said "Just an experiment. It doesn't have a name. Press
on the globe and see what happens." He did, and the little fish shapes
swam faster, and in different patterns. I said "If you press
differently, different things happen. Might even glow on the dark." He
said "I see no trace of electronics. How does it work?" I said "Some
crystals are known to produce electric current when mechanical force is
applied. That's what powers it. Different outside actions produce
different internal results, due to the different electrical effects the
different touches cause. It's sensitive to static electricity, too. As
I said, it's an experiment. A curiosity. A toy. Nothing more. I thought
you might like to have it. A gift, if you like." He said "Thank you!" I
said "You're welcome." After a while of staring at it, he said to me,
"Here are your citizenship documents. Your credit account has already
been updated to reflect your new status." I said "Thank you." He
grinned and said, "You're welcome." I bowed, and we made to leave,
which we did, with Zander. On the way to the flier I said to him, "Do
you mind doing all this transporting of us? I could get my own
transport." He said "Yes, it does take my time, but that is more than
compensated by your entertainment value." We grinned at each other. He
said "And possible commissions. Well worth the time." I said "Maybe I
should charge for that." He said "No." We laughed.
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Grant
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