Stephen's Secure Blog #79
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 after
2018, 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 Winter of year 4 of his special
school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #79 "Hooking Passinchance"
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The Posintans are like 2m tall intelligent upright otters, but with
something really different. They have three eyes, three arms, three
legs, and very strangely, three sexes. They have a smell which takes
some getting used to. They don't seem to mind it, though. They are
equal in intelligence and technology with the rest of the GC, and are
very competitive in sports. Almost fanatical. Not just spectating, but
actually participating. I took Rose, and we used the shuttle. Landing
went the same as before, including me looking different from my
citizenship, but was different when it came to why we were visiting. I
said to that question, "Sports! We heard that to compete against the
best, this is the place to be, so here we are." The suddenly more
friendly contact agent said, "Right about that! What sports?" I said
"We haven't decided, but we can do most everything in individual
competition, and in teams of two. We'll learn the rules fast. We are
some of the best trained of our species, and are bored with the lack of
competition among them. Your people are much bigger than we are, so we
hope that will make it more even." She laughed and said, "Brave! I like
you. If you will permit, I will recommend some agents. Being from
offworld, that would be best for you." I said "Yes, please. Thank you."
She gave us some names and contact information, and then landing
instructions. We landed and rented a room at a good centrally located
hotel in the planet's biggest city. It had two gyms. One in the
basement, and one on the roof. We called the names on the list, and set
up appointments with them.
The first agent took one look at us and said he wouldn't work with
us. The second agent laughed at us, until I picked him up and threw him
across the gym. He accused me of being from a heavy gravity planet. I
said I would submit to a medical examination of his choice to prove I
wasn't, and he could come along and watch. That got his interest up,
and so that's what we did. The MedTech said that while our bone and
muscle density was unusually high for a normal gravity species, it was
due to intensive training. Also, that we were still growing. There was
no evidence we had lived for any appreciable time on a heavy gravity
planet, or used enhancing drugs. I told her, "We can use up to 97% of
our physical and mental capacity on a routine bases, and over 110% in
short bursts." She said "That's impossible!" I said "Easy to prove."
She said "What will you do for that?" I said "I don't see anything here
which would support a non destructive individual demonstration, and
there isn't room to demonstrate speed." I said to the agent, "Oh, how
about I break that stylus in an unusual way." I grabbed it from him and
put it between the tips of the extended fingers of my left hand, and
with a little bend, snapped it in half. He said "That was easy." The
MedTech said, "No it wasn't. Try it yourself." He tried and said,
"Ouch!" I said "Rose. Roundhouse kick to the abdomen. Hard. When I say
go." She did that with a very loud slap, and I didn't move. Then I did
a handstand on one fist, perfectly balanced. Then, with a snap of my
body, I was standing upright. I said "Interesting. I hadn't tried that
dismount before." Rose said "Worked, of course." I nodded. The MedTech
and the agent's eyes were about to pop out in surprised amazement. I
said "More, would require appropriate facilities. For instance, I can
swim at 50kph." The agent said, "That's impossible! We are the best
land dwelling swimmers." I just grinned. The MedTech said, "I believe
him. My instruments are still focused on him, and the readings are
amazing. They show when people lie, too. He hasn't." I said "In games
where intelligence is the predominant factor, I doubt I will lose." The
agent looked at the MedTech, who nodded and said, "Off the scale."
The agent named Passinchance was hooked. We got our medical
certificates and went back to our hotel. In the lounge he asked us what
we could do. I repeated what I had said before, and that because we
didn't know what games they had, we would have to see them before
deciding. He said, "Alright, I'll represent you. 10,000 credits
retainer, reduced by the commission of 25% of your winnings if and when
they happen, after 20,000." I said "10%" He said "But you're an
unknown!" I said "Better odds that way. I know you're a betting man."
He looked very calculating then, and said, "Alright, 15%." I said
"Deal. I want some non or light contact martial arts. I don't want to
injure or kill anybody. No competitive running, or things like that. It
wouldn't be fair, because I can move faster than the eye can see. In
fact, I have to wear eye protection when I do that, or get blinded by
the wind. I want throwing things or individual competitive weapons
which require accuracy. Strategy and tactics are good, too. I have
active total recall. Things which require good memory are fine.
Endurance is good, too. Skill isn't an issue. I can acquire that in a
very short time. Got any ideas for the sports which can fit some of
that?" He said "Wow!" I said "I don't know that sport." He laughed. I
said "I have one more request. Here is a list of people. I want my
competitions set up so as much of these people can witness as much of
me and us in action as possible." He said "That will take some work." I
said with a grin, "Then you should get started on that right away, with
a 15,000 credit retainer." He grinned and said, "I suppose so." We went
over to the nearby credit terminal and spoke the agreement and put our
disks near it, and got duplicate printouts of everything. He said he
would call us when he had something, probably in a few hours.
I hid a 4th repeater in the room, so we could receive calls to us
there when we were off the planet. We stayed and discussed things. I
said "Ichi was very impressed by the crystal you made of the fight.
That gave him the idea to try it again himself. Now he's just as good
as Pete is, too." She said "I'm glad. It takes the workload of him, and
you, too." I said "There is still more to learn about it, which I'll
schedule for the both of you soon. May I examine you for the
possibility of something new?" She just poked me. I grinned, and did
it. I said "You know I make things like what we wear, and some of my
art, through 4th automated construction. I think you might be ready to
do some of that. Want to try?" She said very seriously, "Yes I do!" I
said "Ready to receive?" She nodded, and I pushed at her, the 4th
construction tools and setups. After she digested that, I said, "Now
some source material locations." She nodded, and I pushed them at her.
Then I said, "Sample patterns." She nodded, and I pushed them, too. I
gave her those three things separately, so they could be stored in
different mental compartments. After a minute, a diamond Statue of
Liberty appeared on the table. I applauded. She looked embarrassed. I
said "Well, that wasn't in the samples I gave you, so I just HAD to
applaud." She giggled and said, "I always wanted one of those." I
laughed. She ported it away. We ported to my home in DC for supper. We
stayed there, and she went to bed in a guest room. I told Ichi about
the Statue of Liberty and what happened to cause it, and he was very
happy for her. He reported that his parents liked the new samurai. That
led to hugging and kissing and then we asked Rose if she would like to
be in the link with us and got the expected stupid question comment in
return. We all had a great time, and finished very well. Naturally.
And, well, a little unnaturally.
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Grant
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