Stephen's Secure Blog #137
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 15 in this story, in late Winter of year 5 of his special
school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #137 "Capture"
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Angrala, the First Officer, and I, were with Captain Krack when he
radioed to his operational headquarters, the news that his ship had
returned from finding their planet of origin, and another star
organization like the Confed, and that he had an Ambassador from them
with him on the ship. Four hours later, he called us back to hear the
reply. He was directed to dock at a security lock on the Confed
military orbital station, and that was all. He looked serious, and
said, "It's starting already." I said "We know the code and could
rebroadcast that in clear, but we don't want to make them suspicious
too soon. This all must play out as it should, for the best for all. I
will let them hurt or kill me if I think it's necessary for the plan to
succeed, and you must not interfere with that. In fact, my only real
concern is that some honorable person involved might attempt to rescue
me, and ruin everything." He said "We don't want you to die." I said
with a grin, "I tend to agree with that. But, I know my spirit will
live on, as it has many times before. There is NO one person who is
worth the suffering and death of billions. PLEASE remember that." They
nodded, but not with completely dry eyes.
We docked, and some security personnel came aboard, over the
Captain's angry protests. An Admiral called him and told him to report
to him right away. A Marine Lieutenant came to my room and said, "Sir,
please come with me." I said "I need my belongings with me. Please see
that it is taken care of." I picked up my document case and made to go
with him, and he said, "Please leave that here." I said "These are my
credentials. I am a Special Envoy and Ambassador for major star
systems. I must present these to your planetary leaders." He said "You
will leave them here." I said "I am charged with their security. I will
not leave them." He tore the case from my hands and then backhanded me
across the face. I fell to the floor. He said through clenched teeth,
"I don't care who you are. You will obey my commands, or you WILL
regret it." His men pulled me up, and dragged me out the door of my
cabin suite. On the way to the lock, we were stopped by the First, who
barked to the Marine, "What are you doing? Stephen! What happened?" I
said "He wouldn't let me take my document case with me. He struck me
and knocked me to the deck, and said some impolite things. Your people
have an unusual way of treating your diplomatic guests. Don't they know
that insults to me, are insults to the billions of people I represent?"
First yelled to the Marine, "Why did you hit the Ambassador? Do you
want to start an interstellar war!" He looked startled and then afraid,
and said, "He fell." First said "What are your orders?" He said "To
escort the prisoner to the reception area." First said "Was the word
'prisoner' ever said to you?" He said "No sir." First said "Have you
ever seen a PRISONER staying in the Admiral's Suite on a Confed
Starship?" He said "No sir." First said, "He outranks all of us on this
station! You may continue with your escort duty, with the RESPECT which
is do to him, do you understand?" He said "Yes Sir!" He saluted.
He did, and we didn't look at each other. I was escorted to what
looked like a small conference room. He closed and locked the door. I
sat in one of the chairs, facing the door, naturally. Staring at
nothing, I created some more art at my house on the planet below. I had
already scanned the station and knew all which was in it, so I was free
to do other things. More than an hour later, an Admiral came into the
room. I stood and bowed. He bowed, and said, "Please be seated." We
did. I looked calmly at him and said nothing. He said "I apologize for
the incident." I said "I am still without my document case, which I am
required to protect." He said "That will be brought to you." I said
"Untampered with?" He didn't answer. "I see you consider your ship
personnel to be incompetent and untrustworthy. We differ in that
regard. I found them to be very professional and extremely competent.
Unfortunately, I see that could be the exception." Then I said, "You
don't control your anger very well. Do you consider my observation to
be unwarranted? I bear the evidence it is based on, on my face! And
that I am here in a locked room with an angry person boiling in front
of me, for no good cause." He got up and left the room. It was
relocked. Another hour passed.
A different Admiral came into the room, which was locked behind him.
I stood and bowed. He bowed in return, and said, "Please be seated. I
hear you have some complaints." I said "I have not complained." He
looked surprised and said, "But I was told you have." I said "Then
whoever told you that, lied, or I have. You have instruments which
detect lies. Have one brought here, and we will settle this." He said
"No, we won't have to. I accept your word." I said "No. You have
already doubted my word. Until I am allowed to prove my truthfulness,
you will not have another word from me." I sat there in stony silence.
He fidgeted, and without another word of his own, he got up and left.
14 minutes later, he came back, and with a technician and an
instrument. The Admiral said "Please state what you want to be
verified." I said "I have not complained." The technician said "Truth."
mind. Please tell me what happened." I did, word for word, all that
happened since the ship docked, and said that, too. The technician said
total recall. Do you think the Galactic Council, and its member worlds,
would send an incompetent Envoy to try to avert an interstellar war,
which the people on this station seem intent on starting?" He looked
even more surprised. He said "I have been misinformed." I said "I doubt
that. I was present when Captain Krack sent his first message here on
emergence in this system, and later, when he received the
acknowledgment. Either you have heard it prior to imprisoning me, or
you demonstrate more incompetence by not bothering to. Which is it?"
First he became angry. Then he said, "I heard it, but I didn't
believe it." I said "You place so little confidence in the quality of
your starship officers, you need to disregard what they report, out of
hand? You have not altered my assessment. I am who I say I am, and
more. All that can be verified immediately. If you care. WHY haven't
you?" He got up to leave. I said "Wait! What is my status? Am I a
prisoner of war that you are starting? I haven't had anything to drink
in hours, or been allowed to use personal conveniences. Are not
prisoners of war treated with basic decency by your people?" He said
"You are not a prisoner of war." I said "Then what crime have I
committed, that I should be treated this way?" He walked out, taking
the technician with him.
Forty minutes later, another Admiral arrived. I stood and bowed. He
bowed, and then we sat. I waited. He said "I have been told some
amazing things." I said nothing. He said "You have nothing to say?" I
said "If you had been actually told what you say you have been told,
you would know why I haven't commented. I have been without the basic
necessities of civilized life since I was captured by force and
imprisoned on this station, many hours ago. That you continue to
support and impose this torture on me, caused my lack of comments to
you. Of what use would they be to the the kind of uncivilized
barbarians you have shown yourselves to be? Suicidal, too. What do you
expect the billions of people I represent to do, when they discover how
their appointed Special Envoy has been treated? I require water, and
the use of personal facilities, NOW! Even if you intend to murder me,
at least let me die without unnecessary distress. Unless you enjoy your
sick cruelty." He was really surprised, and angry, too. He said "I
wasn't informed of any of this!" I said "You don't need to verify to me
the criminal incompetence of your people. The point remains that I am
suffering, and YOU are allowing it to continue!" That woke him up a
little. He stood, and said, "Please come with me." We left the room,
joined by his attendants, and went down some halls to a bathroom. We
both used the facilities, while his people waited outside the door, and
I drank some water from a faucet, using my hands. Then we went to a
medical facility. I said "Why am I brought here?" He said "To assure us
of your good health." I said "I can give you that assurance." He said,
"But we need to see that for ourselves." I said "My word isn't good
enough for you? Bring a truth telling instrument here, and we can
settle that, like the last Admiral did, who doubted my word."
He looked very conflicted. I said "It's interesting that all the
problems you and your people have encountered with my presence, have
been entirely of your own making. You are the third Admiral who has
managed my imprisonment, so far. I hope there are a lot more Admirals
here, because I appear to be using them up at an alarming rate." He
stared at me, incredulously, and then burst out laughing. Then he
started to apologize for laughing, and I interrupted with, "That's not
necessary. I knew there was humor in what I said. Your laughter is a
welcome change from the usual ill-tempered surly expressions I've been
subjected to." He looked strangely at me, and said, "There is more to
you than I expected." I said softly, "And who's fault is that?" He said
"Are all your diplomats like you?" I said "No, each of us is unique,
not a career diplomat. This is my first appointment, and hopefully my
last. Not that I should worry about that, as I am likely to die here,
which we suspected from before I was appointed." He looked astounded,
and said, "You came here, believing you would be killed?" I said "The
strong possibility of that, yes. I do what is best for all. If that
requires my death, so be it." He looked really conflicted, between high
respect, and disbelief. I said "I am still waiting for the instrument
of truth. Why you still wish to have doubts, I don't know." He turned
to an aid, who literally ran to get one.
I said "I will permit a non invasive medical examination of myself,
if you wish. Be aware, I will accept no treatment." The MedTech who was
present said, "Please take off your clothes and put on the examination
robe." I said "No." He said "But it is required for the examination." I
said "Then it won't happen." The Admiral said "Body modesty?" I said "I
have none. I don't desire to lose my last remaining possessions." He
said "Your clothes will be returned to you after the examination." I
said "My other possessions were forcibly removed from me by your
people." I touched my bruised face. I said "Would YOU trust the people
who did that, to not continue to do that?" He started using bad words
about his people. I said "You shouldn't do that." He stopped and looked
inquiringly at me. I said "You should know better. The quality of an
organization, and the people in it, emanates from the top." He looked
frustrated, and said, "Are you always right?" I nodded, and said,
"Usually. That's one of the reasons why I was appointed for this
mission. There are other reasons." He said interestedly, "What are
they?" I said "I have total recall. I never lie, and I can tell when
I'm being lied to. I have high intelligence, and am a professor of
advanced physics and psychology, a well known artist, and a respected
sports competitor." He said "Wow!" I said "There is more, which they
thought would be a very good reason to appoint me to this mission. I am
from the planet of your species' origin." He said "What! I wasn't told
that!" I said "Captain Krack sent that information as soon as he
emerged in this system. All this, and much more, including proof, is
known to him and his senior staff, including medical things, and known
to the last Admiral who spoke to me. Your biggest problem now is, what
are your people, and by that, I mean your entire species, going to do
with all of you when they find out what you have been doing, and not
doing, about this. That's why I expect be murdered here."
He was producing a lot of different emotions. Then he said, "I see
your point. That would be the most logical thing to do." I grinned, and
said, "If your military is ruled by anything resembling logic." He said
"Oh. But eventually, that is bound to be considered." I said "Killing
me would be an absolute disaster to the entire Confed. Would you like
to know why?" He said "You know I do." I said "We have information
about what happened to cause your people to leave my world. About the
person in history your people most revere. I HAVE THAT. Some of it will
be lost when I die. Your people will be informed of that, with proof,
should that happen. In fact, some of them already know, and are waiting
to release it. You would have to flee, or be torn to shreds by an
entire enraged species. And that would be the least of the Confed's
problems. The people of the Galactic Council, who I represent, with
whom I am very popular, are likely to feel the same way about you. All
of you. The truth machine, and the files which Captain Krack has, will
verify all of this in minutes."
The MedTech said "We have a truth verification system here. It's been
in use since you arrived. No lies were told." The Admiral was not
comforted by that, and more, beginning to realize that even the things
he took to be exaggeration were true. I said "And we have only begun
with the revelations. Now you have to decide what you are going to do
about all this, before things start happening which you would REALLY
dislike. I suggest you have a big conference with all who are involved,
which includes Captain Krack and his team, and me, to share information
and decide what to do next, in repairing this unfortunate situation.
Unless you would like to make it worse than it already is." I let my Ki
flow freely, and put my hand on his shoulder and said, "All is not
lost. Yet. We have work to do." He stood up straighter and said, "Yes,
SIR! We do." I said "It wouldn't be a bad idea to include some food in
Good idea. I could use some, myself." We went to do what was right. And
tasty.
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Grant
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