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Subject: +*+*+*+ Stephen's Secure Blog #412 "Bill and Stephen's Excellent Adventure" +*+*+*+
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 18:20:24 -0500
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Stephen's Secure Blog #412
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 21 in this story, in Winter of year 12 of his special school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #412 "Bill and Stephen's Excellent Adventure"
START Page
There were some comments about my last CNN show, about how convenient
it was that I couldn't offer real proof of being on another world, or
that any alien things are on them. I made a video announcement on CNN,
and said, "Some people are doubting my word about other worlds. I can
offer proof. Scientists, select a spot on Mars, and the date and time,
and I will put a giant reflector there which you will be able to see
with a good telescope. If that isn't enough, I can put a very large
flag of the United Nations on the Moon. Those doubters who aren't
scientists who know better, I can transport you to those locations in a
force bubble, to keep your air in, and radiation out. Then you can
choose to leave that bubble, and all on Earth can watch you die
horribly from exposure to airless space on the Moon, and mostly useless
thin and cold air on Mars."
That drew a LOT of comments. I did put the reflector on Mars, and it
was seen. Then I put the flag on the Moon, in Mare Serenitatis, so
large, it was seen and recognized by amateurs using home reflector
telescopes. Requests to be transported in force bubbles I ignored,
after saying to them, "There are more convenient ways for you to commit
suicide, without involving me in it. While your family and friends
might miss you, the human race might be better off without fools like
you. Your next incarnation, well, I hope you do better then. Some
people have asked me if we seriously mess up in this life, do we come
back as an animal? I don't know, but I sure wouldn't be surprised.
Maybe you'll find out. If I ever meet a dog who barks with a human
Then a billionaire said, "I'll give you $500,000,000 for your charity
if you transport me to those locations, and keep me alive. I'm not
doing this to die, or experiment, but to have the experience of a
lifetime." I met with him. He said "I see I captured your attention." I
said "I wanted to see you. Well, I have a little fascination for the
deranged." I said that with a smile, and he laughed. I said "Why so
much?" He said "I don't need it, and I don't want my useless heirs
fighting over it." I nodded, and said, "Wise. Children of the very
wealthy often turn out, er, unwell." He laughed again, and said, "I
like your understatements." I said "There might be problems. Your heirs
might take legal action to try to prevent you from doing this, or
having done it, from paying." He said, "True. What do you suggest we do
about that?" I said "Do you really want to go to those places? Is it
for notoriety? Cheating death one last time?" He said "Please come with
me." We went to another room in his home, which was a gigantic library.
It was filled with science fiction books. I saw some of mine. I said
"So, it's the sense of wonder." He nodded, with some tears in his eyes.
I said "I really DO understand. So much, I would do this for you
without payment." He actually cried. I hugged him with love, and helped
him to sit down.
I said, when he had recovered a little, "Some of your books here,
well, I wrote." He asked which ones, and I told him, after strongly
requesting confidentiality. He was very impressed. Then I said, "This
publisher. He is my manager, Chad, and he only publishes my books,
which is a secret. There is something more, which I ask that you do NOT
tell anybody." He said "I won't, I promise." I said "I'll tell, myself,
when it's the best time. None of them are actually fiction." He looked
at me in awe and surprise, and said, "You were Attin!" I said "My first
life, yes. I've been trying to make up for my failure ever since." I
cried, and he came to comfort me, and said, "The savior of humanity is
NOT a failure!" I said "So my boss told me. Didn't change my feelings."
He said "Boss? Oh! So that's true, too." I said "I'm unable to lie." He
nodded.
I said "There could be trouble for me with this. You're old. What if
you die on the trip?" He said "I see your point. I could leave a
message absolving you of all blame, but that won't be of much help to
your reputation." I said "It's not going to stop me, but I thought you
should be aware of that." He nodded. I said "How much of this do you
want made public, if any?" He said "I didn't think about publicity.
Might be fun thumbing my nose at those doubters." I said "And I would
add a lot more to the trip for that." He looked surprised and hopeful,
and said, "Really?" I said "I want to, for you." He cried some more.
Then he said, "Right. Push the media!" I said "Then we should do at
least an hour, counting commercials. That means something of a grand
tour. But there is an issue. If I visit some of the planets in the
open, I will be mobbed. I'm er, a little popular." He laughed. I said
"Actually, it might happen for anybody of Earth. I can avoid some of
that by using my Ki to influence people into not noticing us, but
that's not really fair to them. We can travel to some planets in what
looks like a space ship, which is the legal way to do it, but orbital
control would be hard pressed to keep that secret, and I don't want my
friends there to get into trouble. We'll work on that. Anyway, in the
Confed, they know I can port. In the GC, some suspect it. So, when
should we do this?" He said "My wife is in Europe. I can be ready when
you are." I said "Me, too, but planets have night and day issues, so I
think more than one trip, spread out over some days if we need to. Mars
is ready now. We can do the moon later tonight. It will be almost full.
No green cheese, unless you bring some. Not Limburger, PLEASE!" He
laughed.
He said "You still don't want payment?" I said "I didn't say that.
I'm doing this for free, because I love you, and your sense of wonder.
I can't charge for that. If you someday would like to donate something
to my charity, I would love it, but only if you feel good about it, and
that the charity, or any other one, is doing good work you want to
support. You can't take it with you, and there are worse things you can
do with it. If you would like help in selecting charities, well, I
really love PBS." He grinned, and said, "So do I, and they know it." I
said "Wow! Thanks!" I wiped a tear. I said, "So, when would you like to
toe the sands of Mars?" He said "Any special clothing needed?" I said
"Well, I tested my shield when I invented it, naked on the Moon.
Something more than that would be more appropriate for broadcast TV.
Good shoes would be useful, and some sunglasses, for a just in case
thing. I'll be managing the shields, so you won't be harmed by too much
from the sun. Our footprints on the Moon are going to be interesting
for future explorers."
He said "My glasses will adjust to the light." I said "Might not,
because I'll be filtering UV out, and they might use that to trigger
the adjustment. It doesn't matter; I can make what you want or need on
the spot, instantly. Now about the shield. You won't much notice it
unless you try to touch something with your hand, or try to kiss an
object. If you want to gather your own samples, I'll give you sterile
containers, and gloves. Our personal shields are separate, and in
airless, or low air conditions, we won't be able to hear each other
talk normally. The shield control pendant will help us with that. One
more warning. Don't look directly at the sun. If you do, the shield
will put you into darkness to protect your vision. That could be a
little awkward." He chuckled, and said, "I understand. Can I take a
camera?" I said "Sure. I'll be recording it all, myself, with external
viewpoints, in 3D. If you don't have the camera you want right here, I
can port it to you, or make one." He said "I have a good one here. And
I won't point it at the sun." I said "One more thing about that. Some
aliens, just like on Earth, are a little sensitive about having their
picture taken without permission. With them, ask me first. But that
won't be for a while. I'm going to give you the GC language before we
end this tonight. Let me know when you're ready." He took a camera from
a drawer. I said "Check the power." He said "Right. Low." I said "Here,
use mine. Can't recharge them, because they never run down." He said
"Wow!" I said "Right. I'll take them back when we're done. Not ready
for the public yet. For your information, buildings I make are powered
that way, and the hospitals in Tibet." He said "Good! I'm ready!" I
said with a grin, "We'll see about that." He laughed.
I ported us to Mars. I said "First stop, Mars. Baggage claim isn't
working, as usual." He almost laughed. I said, "If you really need to
hold your breath, I could give you a bottle to put it in." He stared at
me, and had to laugh. I said "Want to jump a little, to test the
difference in gravity?" He did, and was amazed. I said "Space suits are
heavy. No astronaut can really feel the true difference in gravity,
because of that. Let me know if you feel sick, and I'll pop us back to
Terra, really firma." He just grinned. We walked a little. He said "So
that's the mirror! It's big!" I said "Magnifies, too. Your face would
be really oversized in it. If you touch it, be careful. It's cold." He
touched a support strut, and pulled his hand back in a hurry. He said
"Right. Got a bottle I can use for dirt?" I made and ported one to us,
suspended in air. Then I moved it to his hand, through his shield. It
was pleasantly warm. I said "Gloves, too." And they stuck out of his
pockets. I said "Make it quick. Low air pressure outside the shield
will make your hands swell. Not that they weren't good looking before."
He laughed, and said, "Doesn't you humor ever quit?" I said "Not when
it's needed to calm tense situations." He said "I see. Thanks."
After he got the dirt in the jar, I said, "Better close it before you
bring it into the shield." He said "Right. Got it!" I said "Would you
like me to port it, externally cleaned, to your library?" He said "That
would be nice, thank you." I said "There is a big Rover still operating
on Mars. Want to pay it a visit?" He said "Ohboy! Won't they be
surprised!" I said "Well, that's the point, isn't it?" He laughed. I
said "How about a sign with our names on it, you could show it?" He
said "Great!" We discussed what should be on it, and I made and ported
it to inside his shield. I said "One more thing. For their peace of
mind, and enhanced proof, I'll tint our shields a little yellow, so
they will show to the camera." He said "Good idea." I said "Ready to
port?" He said "Yes!" I said "That's alright, I can wait." He laughed.
I ported us to near the Rover, but out of the line of sight of its
cameras. Then we walked to stand in front of it, while it was moving.
Bill held the sign up, with a big grin. I said "Any dentist who sees
the picture of us, is going to be happy to see you have all your
teeth." He laughed. I said "It took our picture. We should probably
wait for another, just to make sure." We did, having to back up a
little, to keep all of our parts in the frame. He took pictures of it,
too.
I said "Let's go back to your library." I ported us there, and turned
off his shield. We sat. He said "Where did the air come from that I was
breathing?" I said "It was a mix of a lot of uninhabited places on
Earth, in an automatic porting circulation. If you want, I can use just
one location, if you have a favorite scent. I usually take air from a
pine forest. Rose likes juniper, from near where she grew up. I've
decided against giving you the language. It will take too long to
become useful, and I think you really don't want to wait. So, I've
added an automatic translator to your shield pendant. When you talk on
another planet, it will muffle your own voice, and speak for you out
loud. When somebody speaks in their own language, you will hear the
translation in your ears, but they won't. Now we need a reason to go
there, that they would want to hear. My art. When I deliver it, I
usually play the imperious artist, where it is beneath me to carry my
own work. I take an assistant with me, with an empty box, from which I
pull out more things than can possibly fit in it." He laughed. I said
"The president of Zichesshich, which hosts the Galactic Council,
thought the box was very special, partly because I always thwarted his
efforts to see inside it. Until I told him it wasn't special at all.
Ohboy was he put off and mystified!" He laughed really well.
I said "Here's a box we can use. Empty. Doesn't even come with a
rabbit." He took it. I said "Ready to go to the museum on Zichesshich?"
He said "Absolutely!" I said "It's got air like ours, but the
temperature is very hot. We can survive without shields, but NOT
comfortably. Don't be put off by the scales, long teeth, and claws.
They are real people, and with a great sense of humor." He nodded, and
said, "Got it." I said "One reason for going to the museum first, is
they have guards. We can borrow them for when we go outside to see my
monument in the square nearby. Ready?" We stood, and I ported us to an
unused room. I said "They don't know for sure that I can port. I would
like to keep it that way. Want to try it without the shield for a few
seconds? Won't cause you any harm. No microorganisms allowed." He
nodded. I turned it off for ten seconds, and then back on. He said
"Right. Hot. But survivable." I said "But we won't do that. Our sweat
disgusts them." He said "I can see why they would feel that way.
Interesting." We walked to and into Crintaj's office. She jumped up and
screamed my name, and more people came running. They crowded around us,
all taking at once. I held up my hand, and said, "Can't you people ever
stop embarrassing me?" They laughed their way, which Bill understood.
Crintaj said "Actually, no. Rose told us not to stop." I said, "Well,
then, you might not want some new art from me." She said "Oh, but we
DO!" I did the introductions.
I said "We've brought two things today. But not exactly. One and a
sample, actually. The first is about my miniature light sculptures.
You've lost your exclusivity. Want an enhancement, that can restart it
for that feature?" She said "Absolutely!" Her boss, the director, said,
"We'll take anything you'll give us. It'll sell in our store, or draw
visitors in large numbers for your art on display." I said "Large
numbers? Tell them not to eat so much, so they will fit in the door."
They laughed. I pulled a stone light box out of the big box, and put it
on a table. I said "It's just like the other ones, but this crystal
ring on top, well, if you touch it, you will feel my love." She had to
do it right away, and looked shocked. Then all the rest did. They were
in awe. I said "Assorted kinds. How many do you want?" When they
recovered, we discussed the amount of the first shipment. I said "Same
price as the old ones, from me, and three years exclusive." They
agreed. I said "Next, as a donation for display, is something a little
different." They laughed. I said "So little respect." They laughed
harder, and so did Bill. Some looked in surprise at him. I said "No,
he's not dying horribly. That's how we laugh." They all laughed again.
It was a tall box we brought, and I pulled out of it a one meter tall
sculpture of clear diamond in the shape of multiple intwined spires,
cumulating in a tapered and sharp point. I said to Crintaj, "Touch the
base." She did, and pulses of different color pastel lights chased each
other throughout the sculpture, in complicated but random patterns.
They all stared at it, entranced and awed. I said "Random patterns, but
the colors can be changed by successive touching, operated the same as
the cube. Light intensity is adjusted automatically to ambient light."
Crintaj said "Donation?" I said "Yes. It's diamond. You can't afford
it." She said "Wow!" Bill said "I agree. I'm seeing it for the first
time. Wow!" I said "We can't have it on my planet. Governments would
smash it, trying to figure out how it works, and fail." Crintaj said
"We wouldn't let that happen here. The President wouldn't allow that."
I said "Well, it's yours. Would you allow Bill to take some pictures of
it, and maybe of you?" They agreed and he did.
I said "I would like to show Bill the big one outside. Can I borrow
some of your guards?" The director said, with a grin, "I think you'll
have to, or you'll be trampled." I said "Actually, they might trample
themselves, after they bounce off our environmental shields. You like
it way too hot for us." We all went outside, with some guards. We made
it to the monument, and could take pictures. I took one with his
camera, of Bill standing in front of it. Then crowds started forming.
Then the police arrived and helped us, and we went to the government
center, and then into the President's office, just Bill and I. I did
the introductions. We sat. We discussed what was going on with GC and
Atlana relations. Some of it was funny. I promised to visit again, and
we left. When we were unobserved, we ported back to Bill's library. We
used the bathroom, and had some refreshments, and then sat.
Bill said, "You weren't kidding about your popularity!" I said "I
tried not to let it happen, but the GC subpoenaed me, and the hearing
was broadcast live. That's when I told them about the Van, and what I
had done with them. Then I broadcast my love. Kind of got me noticed a
little more." He laughed. I said "And they are considered the least
demonstrative of the GC. On Posintan, I would have thousands all over
me, and they're BIG!" He laughed again. I said "If you're still
interested, next is Misnok, head of the Confed. We have just enough
time to catch the curator." He stood, and said, "What are we waiting
for!" I said "Same box." He picked it up, and we ported to an unused
room. I said "This door's locked. Was. Let's go." I led the way to his
office. He stood, and said, "Stephen! It's good to see you again. I
have to tell you, the new museum is popular. You were right about that,
and what it's doing to us. I can't thank you enough for convincing us
to build it." I said "Well, it all came out well. I have some things
for you. You might be interested." Bill laughed. I said "We just came
from the museum on Zichesshich, and he knows well, my understatements."
He laughed.
I said "My cube lights. Want some?" He said "Absolutely!" I said
"Whatever you charge your customers, half goes to the museum, and half
goes to my trust account here. Want the kind of assortment you saw on
Zichesshich?" He said, "That would be fine." I said "I'll include the
descriptions and what the price was there. You can take that as a
suggestion, not a requirement." I told him what room I had filled with
them. I said "Now for a donation." I pulled the diamond light spire out
of the box, and put it on his desk. I said "Diamond. Touch the base."
He did, and it lit up. He stared at it for five minutes. I said "Here
are the instructions." I put it under his nose, so he would notice it.
He said "Wow!" I said "We've been hearing that a lot." Bill laughed.
Then the curator said, "You made a big light cube for Zichesshich. Can
you make this one big for us?" I said "Well, that thing won't respond
that, I won't. Sun going through it could blind people, and maybe even
fry them. I'm a vegetarian." He almost choked. I said "I can do the big
block, though. Same deal as the first one. 1.5 million. 3 million for
galaxy wide exclusivity for three years, excepting the first one I
made. Museum could sponsor part of it, and tie in the miniatures to the
grand opening of it. If you're interested, tell your president about
it. He knows how to contact me. Rose will probably handle the
negations." He said "I might do that. Thank you for all you do." I said
ported back to Bill's library.
We sat. He said "Wow!" I said "Careful, or you might run out of
those." He laughed. I said "On the Moon, I won't let you put your hands
through the shield. Deadly. I'll give you a shovel and a lidded box I
can seal, for your transplanted beach activity. Oh, our Mars Rover
pictures are just showing up on Earth. I wonder how long it will take
before that hits the news. I suggest we get going to the Moon, so you
can be back to answer some VERY interesting calls." He grinned his face
almost in half, and said, "Right!" We stood, and I ported us to the
moon, near the edge of the flag. He said "It's REALLY big!" I said
"Biggest in history in the galaxy, that I know of. I have to like the
color." He said "I agree. Matches your clothes. I have to assume that's
no accident." I said "Right. Careful how you walk. Don't try to jump. A
skip and glide will work best." He tried it, and managed not to take a
tumble. I said "Very good! The top heavy space suits, and that they
couldn't actually see their feet, caused the astronauts problems with
walking on the Moon."
I said "Pick your spot for your playing in the dirt. How big of a box
do you want?" He said "Foot square is fine." I said "There it is, and
here's the shovel. Have fun." He did just that, and put a lot of rocks
in it. Then I closed the lid, and said, "Locked and sealed. Time to go
back." I ported us back to his library. His phone was ringing. It was
the President. They had an interesting conversation. After he hung up,
I said, "I should be going. Here's a card of pictures and movies. I
don't know if you can believe it, but I think I might have enjoyed this
more than you did, because I felt your enjoyment, in addition to my
own, which was a whole lot." He had some tears, to go with mine. I said
"I'll put together some TV shows from all I captured, and give it to
you for your for approval, before I let anybody else see them." He said
"Thanks. Actually, I can't thank you enough." I said "You don't have
to. I did it for me, for MY enjoyment of what it meant to you. I'm very
selfish that way." He grinned, and said, "Sure. Right. Absolutely. Give
my love to your wife." I said "Do it yourself." Rose ported in, and
hugged him with love. We said our farewells, and Rose and I ported
home.
Hawk said "I liked the Rover part. Fun way to let them know." I said
"That was the most important part of the adventure." Rose said "I love
what you did for him." I said "Me too." Chad said, "Think he'll give us
that money?" I said "Maybe even more. I don't know. That wasn't ever a
real part of the deal for me. It was for love." We all shared that,
too.
END Page
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Grant
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