Stephen's Secure Blog #92
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 14 in this story, in the spring, near the end of year 4 of
his special school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #92 "Square, Cubed"
START Page
The Planetary Government Center on Ssintris is a big square. In the
middle of it is a big open plaza. In the middle of that I put up my
privacy screen, while the park guards watched, inside the area they had
roped off. The screen was dark green in color, with gold lettering
stating something about not bothering me, and that the art work in
progress is being partially sponsored by the Planetary Museum, and
please visit it for more art by the artist who will be presenting his
work soon from behind this screen. The screen was in the shape of a
cube, 5m on a side. It was actually a forcefield, but programed to look
and act like stretchy cloth. Nobody could get in it but me, and not
even x-rays could penetrate it. For ten days it stood like that, and a
lot of people tried to sneak past the guards to try to see inside. Some
did get close enough to try, but naturally failed to penetrate the
screen. I went into the screen every morning, so people would think I
was working in there, and out in the evening. But, I didn't actually
stay inside. Porting is very useful, sometimes.
The museum had a lot of my things on display, and surprisingly, a lot
of people asked to purchase them. Some were sold for very high prices,
because the museum couldn't resist some offers, and the commission they
could make. There were some they refused to sell, probably because they
wanted to keep them. My jewelry sold the most, which I didn't expect. I
replaced what sold with similar things, which the museum didn't expect,
but were thankful for. The museum had my miniature light cubes reserved
for the unveiling of the big one. Most were not expensive, but some
were very expensive. I made a lot more than they asked for, in case
they ran out of them. I made more jewelry, too. For me, that's simple
to do, and it's all from found material.
I went to the museum first, on the day of the unveiling. The staff
were working hard, and were very excited. It would probably be a bigger
day for them than any in recent memory, and they knew it, and liked it.
They also liked that I visited them then, on my own big day, to thank
and encourage them. I had another reason, too. I didn't want to be seen
arriving with anybody in particular. I could walk the short distance
from the museum to the presentation area when it was time to start the
ceremony. I did that, and almost there, paused to speak with one of the
reporters. I said to Gikkal, of the World News Company, "Greetings,
Gikkal. I've been reading your work. I like it, and you. I told
Hissssner that, and he said some things which indicated a different
view." We grinned at each other. I said "I like it here, and have met a
lot of good people. I plan to do more for this world. I hope nothing
happens which would cause me to want to live elsewhere. Some day I
would like to hear what you really think about the GC, which I can see
your editors are keeping from the public. I think we would have much to
agree with. I see I am wanted over there. Have a nice day."
I stood by the screen, while Hissssner was making his speech. When it
was time, I made it look like I grabbed the cloth and pulled it off the
4m cube. Then I wadded it up so it became smaller and smaller, until it
would fit in my pocket, where it stopped existing. I said into the mic,
"It needs four people to turn it on for the first time, and to change
the display later. The museum staff have graciously volunteered for
this one time. One person to a side must touch it at the same time."
They did, and it went on. I said "Oh, that's a relief. It actually
works!" They laughed. I said "The park maintenance people know how to
turn it on and off, but any four people can change the display with a
touch, and they will do that now." They did, and there were some
appreciative noises. I said "The museum, which is sponsoring this er,
item, and this event, has miniatures of this for sale, and some of them
are actually reasonably priced." Laughter. I said "Please support your
wonderful museum, probably the finest in the galaxy, and not just
because they have some of my work on display, by spending all your
money there." Some laughter. I said "Alright, visiting, too. A very
educational and uplifting experience, which I plan to do right now.
Have fun! See you there!"
The four museum workers and I, and some guards, moved off toward the
museum, and a lot of the crowd followed us. I went in ahead of them,
and slipped in behind the store sales counter, ready to answer
questions if needed, and to help restock what was sold. My friend
Crintaj, the Gems and Minerals Curator, said, "Good speech." I said
"Thank you. I surprised myself. I wasn't planning on saying anything.
My mouth is getting bigger by the day." She laughed and said, "If you
only had better teeth." We laughed together. She said "That base is
better than I expected." I said "You might want to save that until you
see it after dark." She said "Oh, is the lettering lighted, too?" I
said "You're too smart for me. Yes." She grinned and said, "Not likely,
but thank you all the same."
Sales were brisk, and surprisingly, a lot of the really expensive
ones sold, too. Then there was an interruption. A Ssintris yelled from
the back, "We don't want any aliens on our world." The guards were
going to take him outside, and I said, "Please let him stay, and bring
him closer so we can have a conversation without shouting." One of the
directors nodded permission, probably out of curiosity, and the
protestor was brought up to the counter. I said to him, "Sir, would you
please repeat what you yelled out just now?" He said "We don't want any
aliens on our world." I said "An interesting position. Who did you
bring with you who agrees with that?" He said "I didn't bring anybody."
I said "But you said 'we', and that means there is more than one. So,
who is that?" He said "A lot of people." I said "How many, and who are
they?" He said "I don't know." I said "Then how do you know they agree
with you?" He said "Because they should, because I'm right, that's
why." I said "Ah, I see. You were just hoping. Until then, there is
only you. You should really hope there aren't any others, because if
all the aliens left, you would die." He was surprised and said, "What
do you mean?" I said "The Headquarters of the GC is here, with a whole
lot of aliens, and this world's economy depends on it. If all aliens
had to leave, the GC would have to leave, too. Then all the credits
they pump into the economy, with leasing a lot of property, spaceport
subsidies, employment, and a whole lot of tourism to the most
unpleasant to visit planet for most species, would be gone. All the
Ssintris who work for the GC would be unemployed and not paying taxes,
and the government would have to support them with less of its own
income. Most imports would stop, because few could afford to purchase
anything, and who would want to sell to people who dislike them? Then
the gigantic tourist industry would be gone, and their employes would
be out of work, too. Then a lot of people couldn't pay their bills, and
the banks would suffer and fail. Things would become so bad here, there
would be mass starvation, until a fleet of aliens you don't want here,
would have to land to save all of you. From yourselves, actually."
I said "So you see, THIS world, more than any other, needs aliens,
and most importantly, nice aliens like me, to survive, and make this
the most important world in the known galaxy. A little politeness in
return, wouldn't hurt too much, would it? I'm doing all this here for
you, because as a grateful citizen, I SHOULD. What should YOU be doing
to support your world, and its economy?" He looked ashamed and mumbled,
applause. When I could be heard, I said, "I apologize for er, orating.
Sometimes I let my mouth run too much about things I care about.
Anyway, it could have been worse. He didn't say how ugly I am." They
laughed. I said "Please support OUR world and this museum, together!"
And they did. We sold a lot more than the staff expected. After the
museum finally closed for the day, and the cleanup started, I was asked
to join a meeting with some of the senior staff. A director said,
"Stephen, that was some speech." I said "I'm sorry about that. It's
just that when I see a problem, I have an urge to fix it." Crintaj
said, "Well, you certainly fixed that one!" I said "Again, I'm sorry.
If you want, I can take all my things out of here. I don't want the
reputation of the museum to be harmed by my association with it." The
director said, "You misunderstand. We want you to stay. We agree with
what you said, very much. Did you know it was recorded by the media?" I
said "No, and I really dislike that. What I said was was right for then
and there. It can't ever be right in another out of context situation,
reinterpreted by whoever presents it. That's why I try to avoid
publicity. I fund schools with the credits I earn from my art. I do NOT
want the schools to be bothered by nosey investigators. We intensely
train extra talented geniuses to use all of their potential. Other
people would demand to be admitted, and would never believe and accept
they couldn't survive such treatment. The schools would have to close,
and I wouldn't have more people like me to be my friends. I'm sorry, I
said too much again. I should leave." I stood, and Crintaj said,
"Please wait!"
I sat again, and waited. Then I said "Er, wait for what?" Crintaj
said, "I er, hadn't thought that far." I laughed, and then she did,
too. I said, "While we're waiting, there is another subject I would
like to discuss. My school here has a new young student. He needs an
art teacher. I can't do it because he is too attached to me. Well, I
saved him from some very bad times, and I have too many
responsibilities to spend much time with him. Is there anybody you
would recommend who could help?" The director said, "Yes, we know a
number of people who might be interesting part time teaching, in such a
worthy cause." I said "The pay isn't too bad." He said "We assumed
that, with what you are earning from all this." I grinned and said,
"Yes, but I have other schools to establish and support on other
worlds, so even the pile of credits I won on Posintan is still going to
be stretched mighty thin. I have to buy property for them." Crintaj
said "I heard about that. Amazing performance." I said "Well, you know
how motivated I can get." They laughed. I said "I wasn't thinking about
the credits at the start, but showing enough of me to attract the kind
of students we are looking for. I succeeded with that, and the credits
were a nice unexpected extra. But, I would like each world to support
its own school as much as possible. It's only fair." They nodded in
agreement.
The director said, "We would like to continue to keep what we have of
yours, on display for another month. There is another idea which
Crintaj has expressed. After that, we could advertise a new work of
yours every month, if you produce any, and would let us do that." I
looked at her and said, "I didn't think of that." She said "I'm
surprised." I said plaintively, "So am I." She laughed. She said
"You've been busy." I said "Thank you, but I can think up my own
excuses. I hope." She laughed again. She said to the others, "You see
why I want him associated with us. If nothing else, there is his
entertainment value." I said "I'm just an entertainer? Maybe I should
try something else. Oh, I could take up art." They laughed. I said "I
just thought of something. Desk sets, with museum advertising on the
items, that go with the light cubes, or have a desk light built into
part of it. Out of different levels of inexpensive and horribly
expensive material. Oh Crintaj, you're looking hungry again." They
laughed. I said "I could, or maybe not. An entertainer couldn't do
that, could he?" The director said, "Somebody who is both, could do
it." I said to Crintaj, "That's why he's the boss." She laughed.
The director said "We would like to make you a trustee of the museum,
but that would cause a serious conflict of interest. However, 'Artist
in Residence' is more than appropriate." I said "What are the duties?"
He said "Er, none. It's just an empty title, but in our opinion, better
than none." I said "Yes, I suppose so. I already own 'Ugly'." No
laughter. Crintaj said "You might be ugly to those of us who don't know
you, but that's where it stops." I said, "Oh. Anyway, among my own
kind, I'm considered quite good looking. But that wouldn't matter to
those of them who are my associates, if it didn't happen to be so. We
pay much more attention to the qualities of the sprit, than to its
coverings." She said, "With the best of us, too." I said gently, "But
was adjusting the EM spectrum. This is something else. But I can do
this. If you want me to, I can project images of what we see of people,
so you can see it yourselves." They all wanted that. "Who will be the
subject?" Crintaj said, "Choose me." I said "I can do this two ways. I
could project the image onto you as I see it, but you won't be able to.
Or I can copy you in a projection, and add the spirit light to it. I
would need your express permission to copy you, because it counts as an
invasion of privacy." She said "Please copy me." I did that, and added
my view of her aura. I said "Each of the colors means something, as
does the relative strength of them, and the overall strength. Except
for this way, which to my knowledge has never been done before, we
can't see our own auras. I have never seen mine. I think some of you
are going to research this subject soon." There was some agreement with
that, and I turned off the projection. The director said, "How did you
do that projection?" I said "Our computers are operated directly by the
mind, like we move our bodies. I can't explain how, any more than I can
directly explain how the will moves an arm. And no, you can't learn how
to use them. Our technology requires unusual abilities, of which the
ability to see auras is just a beginning."
I said "There is an extra feature to the big light cube you can see
only in the dark. Want to come with me and have a look?" They did, and
we went. There were a lot of wows. I said "Very often, I make what I
feel. That's why it says 'Welcome' in all the major languages of the
GC, in glowing true welcome. If you need to contact me for anything,
you know how. Farewell." I bowed and gave them my love. While they were
still in amazed shock over that, I walked behind the cube and out of
their sight, and of anybody else, and ported to my house.
Rose and Hawk were there, and we hugged and kissed. She said "It
really is beautiful, in both it's aspects." Hawk said "I liked your
speech at the museum." I said "Thank you both. It was an interesting
day, but did you catch the most important part of it?" Rose said "The
reporter." Hawk said "It will be interesting, what he makes of that,
and after he hears what you said in the museum." I said "Yes." Then we
did our own very interesting things, which involved a lot of sex play
in the link, to a great finish.
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Grant
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