Stephen's Secure Blog #256
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 16 in this story, after the Winter holidays of year 7 of his
special school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #256 "China Changes the Hard Way"
START Page
I sent my image to the office of the President of China, in response
to his request for a secret conference. I said "Greetings. We are
secure. And I'm fully dressed, and conducting an orchestra at the
moment. What would you like to us to be discussing?" He said "You can
do this, at the same time as conducting?" I said "Simpler than what I
did in the square all at once. MUCH easier. Think of it. I found and
ported all those subs in practically the same instant, and constructed
stands for them, and disabled all their weapons and nucleonics, and
then located and ported the tanks on top of them, a fraction of a
second later. So, what's on your mind, that you want on my mind?" He
smiled and said, "I think they are trying to edit your recording to
publish something to discredit you." I said "Hmm, do you think I
thought about that, before I ever gave you any recordings?" He said
"Oh. Now that I think of it, with your intelligence and carefulness,
you must have. I should now assume that you are preventing them from
doing that. I can imagine their frustration."
I said with a big grin, "Not yet. Want to have something for some
real imagining?" He grinned, and said. "Oh yes! Please." I said "Every
time they try to save any changes they make, what they produce, which
they see when they play it back, is a Disney style cartoon making fun
of them." He laughed really loudly. I said "That's the one thing they
didn't expect, especially the first time. Well, the technicians didn't
check their work, and gave the results to one of the people who had
been in this room, who was going to tell the com people to make it
public in a big way. He and they played it in his office, and the com
people thought he had lost his shrunken mind." A lot more laughter. I
said "Well, HE sure didn't laugh." More laughter. I said "How would you
like to have a recording of that event, and the work which had preceded
it? You could show it around before the next meeting. You wouldn't have
asked for it. I just dropped the card out of the air into your desk."
He nodded. I said "When I turn off the secure state, I'll do that. How
did they take the submarined square?" He said with a grin,
"Reluctantly. Unlike the whole internet." I said "They are going to
have a difficult time removing all that metal. I have a real problem
with that now."
He asked with interest, "What is that problem?" I said "Where do I
put more things like that now, which would be noticed?" He said "I
understand. You do have a problem." I said "It gets worse. Where do I
put all those tanks and missiles and things, when I disarm you?" He
said "You could put them into space." I said "I'm opposed to littering.
And I would like to keep them in your country, somewhere." He said "You
could leave them where they are, and just crush them in place." I said
"I can do that, but it wouldn't be as noticeable, and I couldn't do
that to bombs. I dislike loud noises. And no, I refuse to pollute lakes
and oceans with that. There is one thing I can do, but I'm not sure how
the world would think of that. I could put them on the moon, in a big
enough pile to be noticeable with a reasonably good ametuer telescope.
I think the moon doesn't deserve that." He smiled, and said, "You think
more of the moon than of us?" I said "It doesn't intend to be bad." He
nodded. I said "I just thought of a partial solution. It's going to be
really interesting." He said "You are not going to tell me." I said
"Correct. Same reasons I had for not telling you about the idea for the
subs. I might not do it, and your reaction to the real event is
important for your safety." He said "I thank you. I had not considered
that." I said, plaintively, "Do I have to do ALL the work?" He laughed.
That was all we had to discuss, so the meeting ended. I dropped the
card onto his desk, and a duplicate.
I sent my image to the office of the President of China, for the
scheduled meeting. The same people were there, and there was a very
comfortable chair for me, and it was completely virginal. No tampering
whatsoever. I said "Greetings. I see there is an empty chair. A nice
one. Is that for me?" The President said, "It is." I ported in and
bowed. They all stood and bowed, and we sat. I said "Thank you for the
chair. Very comfortable. Perhaps someday I can give you some of my
reactive chairs. They automatically fit themselves to your form, and
respond to your desires, such as giving you a massage when you want
one. I have them in my houses. Would you like to know why I invented
them? I see you do. It was in my first offworld house on Zander's
world. I had regular chairs there then. More than once, Zander laughed
so hard he fell off of them. He can't do that in the new chairs, and is
grateful." I said with a grin, "They do surprise other guests, for
which I'M grateful." The President laughed. I said "So, what can I do
to er, for you today?" The President laughed again. Then he said, "If
nothing else, I do appreciate your humor, although I think another of
us doesn't think much of it, considering the cartoon." I said "I wonder
why it took them so long to try it. Why did they THINK I gave you all
those recordings?" He looked surprised, and said, "I didn't think you
actually MEANT us to do that!" I said "I didn't, but I always try to
give people the opportunity to choose between good and bad. That's one
of the ways I learn about who they are. And, as always, to teach them."
I said "So, what would you like to argue er, discuss with me?" The
President almost laughed. He said to one of the others, "Go ahead."
That one said, "We would like to make a deal." I sprouted a great big
grin. The President said "Wait a minute. Stephen, why the grin?" I said
"About that deal. Survival isn't good enough?" He said "I see what you
mean, and more. Why don't we wait and find out what he has in mind,
before you decide?" I said "That's fair. Let's have it." He said "If
you make for us things like you made in Tibet, we will promise not to
interfere in any way with their religion." I said "Is that it? All
you've got?" He nodded. I said "How many of you here thought I would
not agree to that? Come on, show your intelligence. Oh, you don't have
any?" One burst out and said "It was a stupid idea. You won't do that.
They ignore in their greed that you have not done that to any other
country but Tibet, even though you support America and other countries.
They ignore the fact that you have only done that for religious places
which would not allow your things to be examined, and they treat them
as holy gifts from you." I said "I am VERY impressed by your perception
and intelligence, and more by your courage in expressing that. For me,
the Restricted rule applies. I will not give advanced technology to
societies which don't have it, except where it will not have extremely
frustrated scientists swarming all over the things, interrupting
everything to no useful purpose. That is one reason. What is another?"
Another one said, "You don't trust us to keep our promises." I said
"Should I?" He looked down, and didn't answer. I said "An honest man.
An endangered species in this country, among those who rule it. There
is another reason. What is it?" They didn't know. I said "I discussed
it in my book I gave the President." The President said, "I see it. You
think that our ruling on that won't be effective." I said "It wasn't
before. Why should that change? And if that ruling isn't enforced,
would you ever hear of that, if I didn't show you? Your political
system causes that. There is no way for the average citizen to usefully
report the abuse by local officials. Just the discussion of that, would
cause severe punishment. That is allowed to happen, because there is no
free press to report it. YOU did that so YOUR crimes would be hidden.
YOU set the standard for all who work for you, and they eagerly follow
YOUR abusive example. You cannot change that now, even if you wanted to
as you are, which you don't. If I hadn't stopped the celebration there
recently, and reduced the effectiveness of your people's weapons,
thousands would have died, and Monasteries and Temples would have been
blasted to rubble, just because of a little harmless celebration. Did I
hear any of you say what the officials did there was a bad thing? You
didn't, and that encourages more of it. There is no way things will
improve in Tibet while your people are in it. That's not what I wanted,
because almost any government is better than none, but I can't change
the reality of it."
I said "The more the information age progresses, the less you will be
able to hide your crimes, and the more your people will be able to
compare their government to that of other countries. You can't stop it.
Soon, maybe in less than ten years, your people will decide when they
have had enough, and this country will run rivers of blood. They will
succeed, but there won't be much left to have a celebration with. That
will be your legacy. The rule of the insane criminals. Unfortunately, I
doubt there will be anything left of you to face trials for war crimes.
Not that there will be any, with the world's economy in ruins, too. Is
all that REALLY what you want history to remember of you? Your arrogant
pride is creating a legacy no sane person would be proud of."
I said "Comments?" Silence. I said, "It's still the same situation,
with the same options. Cooperate with me, and I'll try to help you
survive the changes. Do not cooperate with me, and I will disarm your
country, and make things happen my way. Either way, Tibet will be free.
Your offer in that deal you proposed, is already a reality. Your people
will not be allowed to interfere with any religious thing. Your army
there is disarmed, and the police know not to oppose me. I offered you
the opportunity to save face and make that official, and take credit
for what I had already forced on you. Instead you bargain with nothing
for nothing. Do any of you consider that to be anywhere near
intelligent?" I said "No answer? Do you need another inducement, such
as I gave you last time?" I waited. I said "Nothing? Well, I just
thought of something I can do. There is still room in the square for
this. Well?" Nothing. I said "Each of your bomber and fighter aircraft
have the last half of their wings removed and piled in and around the
submarines in the square. Those in flight had their engines turned off,
and were placed on the ground before their wings came off. One more
thing. All your chemical and biological weapons are gone. No civilized
person should complain about THAT one. So, do you now want to engage in
a useful discussion?" One yelled "We'll drop an atom bomb on you!"
I said "At last, somebody speaks. An hysterical rant, but still words
I can work with. If you drop a bomb on me right now, all of this city
will be gone, and you along with it. Is that what you really want to
do?" He thought a little, and then looked confused. I said "Did you
just realize that you don't even know which world I live on?" He
nodded. The President laughed, and then said, "I couldn't help that.
This entire situation is so strange, I don't know if the whole world is
real. But, something occurred to me. You have not removed our atomic
weapons." I grinned and said, "Correct. Anybody want to guess why?" The
honest one looked up, and said, "I think I know. Until now, this is a
private dispute made a little public. If we try to use atomic weapons,
the whole world will become involved, and they will do to us more than
you would, which they can do better now that you have disabled our
attack aircraft. I dislike what you are doing, but I have to admire
your intelligence and planing. We don't stand a chance against you. I
think we should do exactly what you want, so you will help US, and not
hurt us. Your ethics demands it. I have to admit it, you have justice
on your side, or your ethics wouldn't allow you do do this. We have
been stupid fools. We have seen what your abilities enable you to do,
yet we have continued to encourage you to use them against us. I don't
understand how you can be so er, gentle, even forgiving, with us, in
your awesome power. I realize now that we should be very grateful for
that." I stood and said, "The sleeper wakes." I bowed to him. He put
his face in his hands.
I said to the others, "All I asked for is the religion to be left
alone. Is not doing that, really worth all that has happened to you?
Where is your sanity? I have given you many opportunities to do the
right thing. I didn't have to. I had enough justification to compel you
to my will, yet I did not. I still can. I will go now. Until our next
meeting, if there is one, remember the lesson of the screaming man I
showed you. If you have anything useful to discuss with me, touch this
spot on this wall with your bare hand." I made a small circle on one
wall, glow the color of my clothes. I went to the honest man, "All is
not lost. Be brave and honest, and you can help build a new and better
world for all. I respect you. Please accept my love." I touched his
shoulder, and gave him all my love. Tears flowed down his cheeks. I
ported away, and then dropped some cards on the President's desk, then
I updated all of my friends who I usually update the status of my task
with.
The next day, I sent my image to the office of the President of
China. I said "Greetings. We are secure. Is there anything you would
like to tell me?" He said "Yes. First, I have come to realize that you
do not at all like what you are doing to us. For your sake, I wish you
didn't have to." I made my image all of me, so I could bow. I said
"Thank you. Do you know why I didn't use my whole image before?" He
looked interested, and said, "Please tell me." I said "It was so people
would not confuse it with the real me. Most real people are not split
up like that. Would be a little painful." He smiled and said, "I see. I
have to say the chopping of the wings was brilliant. Disabling the
aircraft in place, making them take up space which they can't use, and
still filling the square with more evidence." I said "Thank you. I
thought of it right then. It was not what I had thought of before.
Sometimes I think better, and more creatively, under a little pressure.
Most of my discoveries have happened that way." He said "Interesting."
I said "I sure think so!" He laughed.
He said "It has been realized that I was right all along, and that
cooperating with you is the best thing we can do. Some of those who
were in this room with you are out. New ones are in." I said "Younger?"
He said "Yes. You were watching?" I said "No. Just reasoning. Usually,
I just watch what pertains to me in this kind of situation. I don't
like violating the privacy of others." He nodded. He said "Some of the
men who have been reviewing your recordings actually admire you and
your ethics." I said "Well, admiring is the first step along the path
to emulation. I can't complain about that, but personally, I would
rather have friends than admirers." He said with a grin, "That will
take a while. Maybe never, with pilots and submariners." I had to
laugh. I said "I can apologize to them later, if you think I should."
He nodded. He said, "I think we are going to decide to grant all that
the Exile Government wants, in exchange for forgiveness. We don't
really have much of a use for that entire desolate territory, except
forced resettlement, and we are discontinuing that. We will continue to
support all that we have been supporting financially, which is in
reality, less than we should have been doing. I think they will
accept."
I said "Please give the particulars to me before you tell them, so I
can er, arrange for them not to demand more than is fair." He said "I
didn't think of that. I keep forgetting how fair you are. We will do
that. I think my telling our people that, will help you win them over."
I bowed to him. I said "Take your time. Winter in Tibet is not a good
season for significant change, except for adding to individual heating
systems. I will still be campaigning in public for a free Tibet, to
keep theirs and your fires burning." He nodded, and said "You were very
selective in what you disabled of our military. It is not actually
crippled. I think more of us appreciate that now. People are reading
your book, and it is opening their eyes much wider than ever before. As
the years pass, our people might come to think of that as the single
greatest gift we have ever received as a Communist country." I said
"And you its equal." He looked humble, and a little afraid, "I don't
know. My hands are not clean." I said "You are not the judge of that.
History will take care of itself. Do well now, and the Lords of Karma
will be pleased. I'm not guessing." I have him my love, and bid him
farewell. I updated everybody, with the requirement that the possible
deal for Tibet be kept secret for now.
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Grant
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