Solomon's Private File #142
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 20 in this story, in the Summer of 2046.
Solomon's Private File #142 "A School in Paraguay"
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An applicant walked in to my office at the Bureau. I looked at his
file. I said, "Shows martial arts here. What kind and how much?" He
said, "Mostly self taught. I tried a few classes in different styles,
but it was boring. I practiced with some friends who were into it." We
did the tests. I said, "Back to the martial arts. Please explain about
the boring part." He said, "There was a lot of repetition. I was very
athletic and a quick learner." I said, "If you had to do that kind of
class now, would you quit?" He said, "I see what you mean. I'm more
mature now. I can do what I need to." We discussed some specifics of
what he thought he knew. I searched the building for any black belts
available. I made a call. I said, "Dr. Nimbol here. Got an applicant
here who's a self taught martial artist. Available and willing to help
test him? I'm not sure my whole office didn't hear that. Meet you in
the gym." Applicant said, "Wow! He really wants to do this!" I said,
"Er, I'm a little known here as a good martial artist. Be prepared for
there to be a crowd there, trying to get me to do something." He
grinned. I said on the way down, "If you want to change clothes, we've
got all kinds. Never know when we have time to train, but we like to
keep our people active and fit. Crowded during lunchtime."
There was a crowd there, still expanding. I said, "Jim, you told!" He
said, "Had to, so I could be reached. You know." I said, "I do. Can
still complain. Another hobby." Grins. I introduced the combatants.
They went to change in the locker room. They came out in Gis. White
belts. I said, "To start, let us see how you would prepare for a
class." They did stretching and warmup. We noticed the applicant make
changes to his own routine on the fly, when he saw something better. I
said, "Now, no contact trading of techniques with each other." They did
that, and we were impressed by the both of them. I said, "Now, light
contact full sparring, but no contact to the head." That was where the
major obvious difference was. I said, "Stop!" I said to the applicant,
"Do you see a difference between you?" He said, "I do. He has more
control of what he does in action. My aim and distance judgement isn't
as precise, and I can't do what I want as well as I can see that he
can, even though I have the physical ability. Lesson learned with
respect! Repetition that I avoided, caused my lack of skill here." I
said, "And coaching. You can't see yourself in action as well as an
expert observer can. And different angles magnify that. But for a self
taught fighter, you are VERY good!"
I said, "Jim? Level?" He said, "His skill set is uneven. Some at
second degree black, and some at mid level brown to black, discounting
lack of forms. In any specific style, to earn a belt, he would have to
unlearn some things. For Academy level, superior, but still needs some
specifics for law enforcement. I have a question, if I may.
Intelligence?" I looked at the applicant, and he nodded. I said,
"Superior." He said, "Approved?" I said, "You know I can't say he's
highly recommended." Knowing looks all around. He indicated things to
me. I said, "Not mine. Want?" He said, "Yes!" I said, "Go for it." He
said to the applicant, "I'm part owner of a dojo just outside the
beltway. There's some time before the next Academy class starts. I
request that you be my student. No fees." He couldn't get the wow, even
though it tried to come out. They bowed to each other. The Applicant
said, holding back tears, "I accept!" I said, "I'll send the
application through. Personnel will call you when they want to." He
I said, "Oh, alright. Two against one." I took off my coat, tie, and
shoes and socks. I said, "Attack me for real. Don't hold back. I'll be
using Aikido." I did, throwing them all over the mat. They never struck
me, even though they tried. Then we stopped, and I showed them some
wrist locks, and the principles by which they worked. After that, I
said, "That's all now." We went to the locker room. I told the
applicant about his new teacher, who said to me, "I didn't know you
knew all that!" I said, "I should care?" He laughed. Later in the day,
he called me and said, "I know what you're looking for. Discipline." I
said, "Yes. He didn't have it before, which despite his high interest,
is why he's self taught. His other qualifications make him a possible
very valuable asset. I want to see if he can take what you know he
should have, before I want to commit to approving him with a priority.
I thought you were the best match for him." He said, "So I'm being
used." I said, "We all are, and don't tell me you don't want to be.
Same here." He said, "I have to agree. Thanks."
I ported to just inside the entrance of the government building on
the Van world. I was really noticed as I made my way to the office of
the leader. During that, I noticed they were all wearing clothes, and
some had personal adornment on. By the time I arrived at her office,
she was expecting me. We greeted each other. I said, "A personal
observation. In my opinion, which is contrary to the societies of all
our related worlds, you have regressed, because you are now wearing
clothes." She smiled and said, "Some of us feel as you do." I said,
"But some don't, and the enticement of creativity is increasing the
desire for expressive coverings, and then the desire for social
conformity will soon make that almost universal." She said, "We are
lacking in the sciences of psychology and sociology. You obviously are
not." I said, "Your computers now have course material in those
subjects." She tried not to be emotional when she said, "Thank you." I
said, "I see you are still having problems becoming used to emotional
involvement. That will improve over time, but some things you might
have already noticed. In general, males and females have different
emotional responses, and different intensities in them. And different
social needs and desires. You, with your responsibilities, would notice
this more than others at first."
She said in surprise, "That is so! Thank you for your explanation. I
will begin a study of those sciences as soon as I have time. We have a
request. We are rebuilding our physical sciences in the absence of the
advanced technology that has been removed. We are ready to explore our
solar system." I said, "But the shield around your world would prevent
that." She said, "We are aware of the broadcast warnings." I said,
"That is now changed, and with new warnings. The shield is moved and
set to prevent all entrance into this solar system of anything made
outside of it." She said, "I didn't know you could do something like
that so fast!" I said with a smile, "I didn't, either. My father
created it and set it in place. I didn't know how long it would take me
to change it. Now we both do. It's also why I'm here now. Yes, I did
tell you that your world would be monitored." She said, "I still am
unable to comprehend you and your abilities, and your very surprising
care for us." I said, "Frustrating, I know. Best to just accept what
is."
I said, "One of the things you might want to explore in space are
your stations on moons and planets. I must disappoint you in that." She
said, "Have you removed them?" I said, "I had to. You are not the same
people you were when those stations were made. The stations would not
have recognized you, and would have destroyed any of your attempts to
even come near them. I could have reset their sensors to respond to
you, but you would not have been able to enter them, because the only
ships they would allow to dock, you couldn't operate even if you could
fit in them, and you wouldn't have been able to operate the equipment
in the stations if you managed to get inside them." She said, "I admit
that was the highest priority for our space exploration. I should have
known you would have thought of that." I grinned and said,
"Absolutely!" She chuckled.
She said, "You won't help us with the physical sciences?" I said,
"Correct. They need to be understood in orderly steps, by a lot of
people. We do not want to cause what happened before, with tech that's
not understood. And advanced tech, used improperly, well, you are on
this world, instead of your original planet, because of that." She
said, "You are wise. We have yet to become so." I said, "That is a
process we never see the end of, as it should be, because the very
process is what creates it." She nodded in awe. I said, "A priority
with you should be in the production of food. Your people have
discovered that you can taste things now, and that the lack of good
taste and variety in what you had been consuming before, is causing
some unnecessary loss of weight and health. To help with this, there is
now in your computers information about agriculture, and chemistry that
can be used with it, and nutrition. I have made a large warehouse for
sample stocks of vegetable produce that some of your people might like
to start using for agriculture." I told her were it was. She said, "We
will examine that at once!" I said with a grin, "I see that for this
subject, motivation is unnecessary." She grinned back. I said, "Please
remember that exercise is necessary for good health." She said, "We
remember everything you say to us. May we have a recording of this
meeting?" I said, "Yes."
I said, "You have discovered again, sex. I have added information of
childbirth and rearing to your computers. When you have produced
children, and they have been in your newly established schools, when
they reach a certain age, if any would qualify, we would accept them
into our school, where they can learn to be like, and be part of, my
group." She had tears, and said, "Thank you VERY much." I offered to
hug her, and she lost no time in coming into my arms. I helped her to
sit, and said, "Recordings on your desk. Please be well."
I ported to my friend the lone animal plant in a distant part of the
galaxy. I said, "Love and greetings, friend." She said the same. I
said, "I thought I would visit with you for a time." She said, "I like
that. Thank you. I have been watching what you have been doing with the
Van. Your degree of compassion is unknown in any living being I have
ever encountered." I said, "You know how much that disappoints me." She
said, "I do, and I feel it with you. Will you keep that barrier in
place until they develop faster than light travel?" I said, "I expect
to, if I live that long. If not, another will. It's not to protect
others, but to protect them from those others who might want to
interfere." She said, "Wise. Your interference is only to aid in their
survival, and only when they can accept it." I said, "Difficult
judgment there." She said, "Another of your judgements is in not
telling your people much of me." I said, "Do you disagree?" She said,
"For them, I agree. For me, I am less in disagreement, because of this
visit." I said, "I know what loneliness is. You know more of who I am
than any other living person." She said, "We share that." We shared
love.
In Paraguay, a group of revolutionaries held an entire school
hostage. The police were about to storm it. I said to the captain in
charge of the effort, "Please wait! I am Solomon, and I would like to
help save the lives of the children." He told them to wait, and then
said to me, "I hope you can. What would you do?" I said, "Do you need
any more evidence beyond the testimony of the children and staff, to
ensure convictions?" He said, "You will provide movies of them in place
now?" I said, "Yes, and of time research." He said, "Enough." I said,
"I can put all of them to sleep. I could make the bombs inoperative. I
can port all the children to a safe place, and then allow them to wake
when desired. Your men can go into the school then, and take out the
criminals, with them still holding their weapons, which you can
document for yourselves." He said, "They would not be able to fight?
And we must trust you?" I said, "That is true. Both. I think this way
is best for all. Or I can do something else. You are in charge here."
He said, "Your best is best for us. A moment please, while I make some
calls." He did, and then said to me where I should port the innocent. I
said, "But one thing. A teacher assistant let them in. He knew what
they planned, and did it for money, which now, being very frightened,
he regrets. I will NOT put him with the innocent people." He said, "You
are angry. I have similar feelings. I agree. Begin as you will." I
said, "Done. Your men may now enter safely." He got a call, and said,
"They report the innocent are safe and still asleep. You will help them
to adjust to this change and ending?" I looked at him with respect, and
said, "Good man! Yes I will. Here are the files. I will make more of
the coming actions inside, and of what I do with the children." He
said, "For them, I thank you with all I have." We hugged.
He ordered his men in, after explaining what they would find. I
ported to the hospital waiting room that had been cleared for our use.
There was a psychiatrist there, among other hospital staff. I said to
them, "I transported these people from a very bad situation. They were
held hostage in a school. I propose to let the staff wake first, and
let them have a say in what happens to the children." He said,
"Solomon, I agree." I did that, and explained to them what had
happened. The principle said, "There is one missing." I said, "He is
with the other criminals." They understood what I meant. Some were
angry. I said, "Among the students, who should I awaken first, who
could help the others?" They told me, and the staff explained things to
them. Then I let the others wake. They helped. After a few minutes, I
said, "The bad time is over. Now is a time for healing and love. I will
help with that, just for you here." I glowed, and then started a local
love broadcast, and there was a healing. When it was over, they weren't
feeling bad or frightened. I said, "Now I must leave you to do other
work. Be good. Love others." I ported back to the school.
I said to the Captain, "All are well. Parents might not be as much.
Well, that can't be helped." He tried not to smile, and said, "We have
been bothered by them for hours. I have children myself. I do
understand. We have documented them inside. We are ready to remove
them." I said, "Would it aid in convenience if they had their hands and
feet secured with plastic straps?" He grinned and said, "Yes it would,
and I request such assistance." I said, "It is so, and they are now
awake and being thoroughly unpleasant. I request that they all be
brought to me for a little talk, before being taken to another
location. What I would do may make them easier for you to work with."
He said, "Will they like it?" I said, "No." He said with a big grin,
"We will do it!"
I said to the group, "I am not easy to make to have anger, but you
have succeeded in that. You frightened children! Here for you is how
they felt." They screamed. Well, it was from a lot of children, and
concentrated from hours into a minute. I said, "Now you have a choice.
Cooperate fully with the law, and serve your prison time without
trouble, and I will not need to make you feel that for five minutes
every hour for every day you must live. I will not ask you to guess
which I prefer. What will you choose?" They all shouted, "No
consequence, please sir!" I said, "If it is reported to me that you did
not cooperate, there will be no second chance. You have an opportunity
to become good citizens. Make use of such good fortune, for your own
future." I said to the Captain, "This situation is resolved." He said,
"For all my country, I thank you, Solomon!" He saluted me. I bowed, but
that didn't prevent him from noticing my tears. I said in a whisper,
"Children! How could they!" I ported home. Galya and I cried together,
sharing sad love.
The media found out I had been involved, and played it up. They
wanted me to comment. Don said in an announcement, "We are not in the
business of making news, but I feel I should in this, with the support
and approval of the President of CNN, in this editorial. Please do not
bother Solomon about the recent school rescue. I think I understand
more than any other reporter, Solomon and his family, so out of common
humanity, I need to say this. He hurts when he does things like that.
Remember, he feels for children the most, and he felt all the fear and
terror the children felt, and he is unable to forget anything. I
request for all who don't want to increase his suffering, to let this
go, and don't make it worse for him. He gives people his love. Let us
do the same for him now." Mom said in the air in the studio, "Truth.
Thank you." Don said, "That was Solomon's mother, Rose, and she gave me
her love."
I said to her, "Big surprise." She said, "Yes. After all these years,
at least one person actually understands a little." Galya said, "Big
risk, though, a reporter telling people what to do. Could cause
trouble." Kam said in the air, "Sometimes people have to do what their
sense of duty says they should do. You and Dad have made him see that,
and helped make him who he is now. I think he realizes that, too." I
said, "I have to agree. Love you." We all shared love.
Fox agreed in an editorial with CNN. So did BBC and Al Jazeera. Then
it was off the news. A relief.
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Grant
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