Solomon's Private File #194
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 23 in this story, in the Winter of 2049-2050.
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I asked the see the publisher of the New York Times-Register in
secret. After polite things, I said, "Did you know your office is
bugged?" He said, "No, I did NOT know! Who?" I said, "Before I say
that, I should tell you that the listeners are not hearing us, or
anything out of the ordinary. Just out of personal curiosity, who do
you think it is?" He grinned and said, "You wouldn't do this it were
obvious. So it's not the government." I said plaintively, "You couldn't
just play along?" He laughed. I said, "One of your editors and a senior
reporter are doing it together. They wrongly suspect you of being my
er, toady in quashing their investigation of me and my group. Whatever
you do, don't eat a fly in their presence." He laughed hard.
He said, "So it's true. You're a lot more engaging in person than
most people know." I said, "Key word is 'person'. I AM one." He said,
"I understand." I said, "What say we invite them in here, and I'll
answer their questions in a way they won't want to report?" He grinned
and said, "This I have to see." I said, "Me, too." He intercommed his
sec to require their presence in his office right away. I said, "Best
if they don't see me until the door is closed." He nodded, and I stood
and vanished from view. They came in fast, and a little our of breath.
Pub said, "Thank you for coming. Solomon and I would like to ask you a
few questions." I popped into view, and their jaws dropped open. I said
to the pub, "You know about that sinking feeling? Well, these two are
now WELL qualified to report on that subject." He laughed, and the two
had some very mixed feelings.
I said to the pub, "Alright if I play back to them what was said
here?" He grinned and said, "Fine." I did, and they had even more
conflicting emotions. I said to them, "I have not intentionally
communicated with any person that I knew was of the Times-Register,
except in mass news conferences. So now you know your boss doesn't
usually eat insects, even though you have thoughtfully provided him
with a bug." They had to chuckle, while the pub was laughing again. I
said to the two, "So you want to expose me and my people? Why?" Editor
said, "The people have a right to know!" I said, "I've heard that
before. Strange, but usually it's just the press who's said that, and
those who want to use the press for their own gains. So, tell me where
this right is enumerated." He said, "Free speech is in the
Constitution." I said, "Sure is, but only as a prohibition for the
government to not stop it, not that the public has any right to know
anything. I'm not a government, so that justification is not applicable
in any part to me. And I have never tried to stop you from saying
anything. Next?" He said, "We uncover corruption and other crimes." I
said, "You do, and that's a good thing. Necessary, actually, for only a
free press can do that, where the government is involved. I'm not a
government, and I and my group haven't committed any crimes that we
know of. So, that's not applicable. Next?" He said, "But people want to
know!"
I said, "Here it gets a little dirty. Sure you want to go there?"
Reporter said, "Yes." Editor said to him, "Fool! You know when he asks
Pub said, "I see. Yes. Solomon doesn't like to use violence, even
against the intellect." Editor nodded. I said to him, "He still doesn't
understand." He sighed. I said to the reporter, "Do the people have a
right to know who you sleep with, and what technique you use?" He said,
"No! But it's not the same!" I said, "Well then, tell us why it isn't."
He said, "You're a celebrity." I said, "True. Anybody can be a
said to him, "Were you born without empathy, or did you deliberately
"He's not trying to insult you, but to wake you up."
I said to the reporter, "To you, all this is a game. A vicious game.
You use the excuse that people have a right to know, but that's not at
all why you do it. You like to make your victims squirm. You enjoy
their suffering, telling yourself that they deserve it, when it's
really your outraged pride, envy, and resentment, that's your real
motivation. You're in competition with others who are like you in this.
You count points, and ignore the damage you cause to your victims and
to society with what you do. You're a dirty little vulture who feeds
off of the misfortunes of others, and you actually encourage that to
happen. And where you can't do that easily, you work harder so that you
even manufacture with innuendo what you want to be true in the mind of
the public. Hurst would love you, but would never turn his back on you.
You call yourself a Christian, but you will never be, as long as you
don't feel the Golden Rule in your heart."
All of them were in shock, but the reporter was crying. I waited for
him to stop. I said to him, "Anything you would report, wouldn't be a
true picture of us. You can't understand us, and I think you don't
really want to. Even in legal things, such as our identities, you can't
know, because who we are is inside, and can't be seen unless we allow
it. You would falsely expose people who are not of us, making them
targets for all the nutcases in the world. We would protect them, but
they couldn't ever live a normal life. Do you have any idea what it
feels like for a person to live with that? I DO! Both of you, I will
help you to know this." I gave them that feeling. They jerked. I said,
"Would you really enjoy causing that in others, people who didn't
deserve anything bad at all? And for the base reasons you have for
that?" Editor said, "I wouldn't, but we have to have readership, and to
do that, we have to give the public what it wants." I said, "What you
have taught them to want." He nodded in acknowledgement. I said, "You
can still do some of that responsibly. There are lines you shouldn't
cross, or the public may turn against you. I think that's what your
publisher was trying to limit. Wisely." They looked at him in revised
appraisal.
I said, "What would the public think of you, if you published all
that with a free hand, and I had to say this and more, to them?" Editor
said, "More?" I said, "Much more. Remember, I can see all of the past.
And then there are other consequences. Much of what we do isn't public.
Some major corporations help us in helping people, and don't want that
known because of the religious controversy. They would have to stop if
that became public knowledge. People don't like others to know they are
being helped. You should REALLY know about pride. And those who receive
money would become targets of thieves and worse." Editor said, "Oh! I
remember. Afghanistan." I said, "You can't know how much it hurts me
that I can't do more. But, exposing what we do to help, will make it
have to stop. Then there will be more suffering and death, than if we
had done nothing. That would hurt us even more. More than we can live
with, actually."
I said, "I'm not telling you what to do. Our fate is in your hands.
And the future of the world. But be aware, if you do bad, and cause bad
things to happen because of it, others will know, and they are likely
to do something about it that you might not like. We would still
protect you, but you might not wish it. One last thing I'll say about
this. It's been said that I'm wise. ALL of our group are. Years ago, my
Uncle Hawk said something that should never be forgotten; 'Free will is
the most expensive thing there is.' The biggest part of that is free
speech. Use it wisely, or there will be consequences, just like there
are for all we do." I offered to hug them, and they all accepted. I
said, "I've removed the eavesdropping system." The publisher said,
"Solomon! I have a request. We're probably not the only journalists who
might do something similar. Can you make a recording of this so our
identities aren't exposed, so you can give this to those people? To
save your feelings. We know you hurt doing this." I said, "I can, but
only if all involved agree to it in speech, which will be included."
They did. I thanked them, and left.
Galya said, "That was tough. I wish you didn't have to do it. Hey,
you don't actually have to. Any of us can, with a disguise. Porting
proves who we are." I said, "True, but still they might demand me as
real proof, which is a little ironic. I manage all I am to people now.
They can never see the real me." She said, "I think I've figured out
part of it. You make other bodies, and they're really you. I think that
means you don't actually need a body to exist in this dimension." I
said, "Who let that genius in here?" I got severely poked. I said to
her, very suggestively, "I LOVE having a body!" She chuckled and said,
"I love that you do. Often." And so we proved it.
A man came into my office for evaluation. I said, "I'm curious. How
much have you had to drink?" He said, "Just a few beers." I stared at
him. He said, "Er, and a few shots of tequila." I had already signaled
for a guard, which had just came into my office. I said, "Please escort
this gentleman to the rest room. He's likely to need it soon. Well,
he's obviously not used to drinking. And then out of the building." He
got up and left voluntarily, looking even more unwell. I called out
after him, "Tequila was a BAD choice." There were some chuckles out in
reception. I went out there, and said to the office manger, "A
disapproval. If applicants need chemical fortification to see us, we
don't need to see THEM." Some suppressed grins.
A woman came in. I looked at her file. I said, "Something's missing.
Please correct that." She blushed, and took the form and marked that
she was psionic. She said, "How did you know?" I said, "We have
detectors. Want to know why we need to know?" She said, "So we can be
used for more things?" I said, "Actually, the opposite. You hurt
somebody, you would feel it. That limits how you can respond to
violence. You can't go undercover. Lots of groups and businesses are
hiring psis specifically to detect other psis. You go near a mob boss,
you are likely to be killed on the spot. We would prefer to use you in
interrogation, but it would be tough on you." She said, "So there isn't
much work for psis here?" I said, "Some, yes. In the world in general,
not much except as counselors and watchdogs. That's for the emotion
sensing ability. For the object sense, there is a lot of demand for
them in manufacturing. Terrific for quality control, and precision
assembly, with the right education. Nursing, is good. Doctors, too, but
not quite as much. A little trust issue in hidebound med schools. All
that is if you need to actually use those abilities at work. Nothing's
stopping you from doing any other kind of work. Only another psi will
know you are one, and they aren't likely to expose you unless it's part
of their duty, because you can expose them."
She said, "What about detectors?" I said, "Solomon made them. Only we
have them, and we are only allowed to use them here, or when there is
suspicion of psi being used in a crime." She said, "That's good to
know. A relief, actually. I don't think I would be good as an agent, or
want to be. But I have the feeling that you're all enlightened about
this, and that makes it a good place to work here for psis." I said,
"True. We don't discriminate." She said, "I think I still want to
apply, but I don't know what for." I said, "Let's do some tests." We
did, and I said, "We have a new classification that we're looking for
people for, called, "Witness Support." I gave her a paper on it. She
read it and said, "I like this! Please, I want to apply!" I said, "New
classifications are a little tough on the new people in it,
establishing operating procedures and such." She said, "I like that
challenge! Let me at it!" I said, "Wow! Er, I'll have you know, it
takes a lot to get that out of me, as my staff would tell you. But not
while they think I can hear." She laughed.
All during that, I was also talking with the Head of Personnel. I
said, "Got a highly qualified applicant, but a psi. I thought up a
position for her that she would be great in, and she really wants it,
but there is a problem. It, er, doesn't exist yet." She laughed hard. I
ported the info to her desk. She read it and said, "I have to hand it
to you, this is great. I'll set it up. After a customized orientation,
well, what do you think that should be?" I said, "Most of the academics
at the Academy, with a special certificate." She said, "Good. I'll tell
them to set it up. This is a great idea! Witness specialists.
Combination advocate, counselor, supporter, and nanny. Thanks a lot!" I
said, "No, thank YOU for getting me out of an awkward spot." She
laughed.
I said to the applicant, "There is some training involved. At the
Academy, but only the academics. You have to know standard procedures."
She said, "Good. I wouldn't want to mess up." I said, "One more thing.
I said it's a new position. I didn't quite say how new." She said, "I'm
one of the first?" I said, "Ah, would you believe, THE first?" She
said, "Wow!" I said, "Appropriate. You have the opportunity to make
this position work well. Please make me proud of you." We stood, and I
shook her hand. She said, "I WILL, sir!" I said, "Please take this back
with you to personnel. Going to be a very interesting time for you."
She grinned, and left.
Ivanna said in my mind, "Wow! I love what you did." I said, "So do I.
Good person. Good for the Bureau. Great seeing her enthusiasm." She
said, "That's good, too. Think she'll find out you created it for her?"
I said, "Eventually, she'll suspect. Interesting speculation; will she
ask me?" She said, "I think she will." I said, "If you're not watching
then, I'll give you a poke." She said, "Thanks."
When she was available, I went to see the Head of Personnel. I said,
"You know you don't have the authority to set up a new Department." She
grinned and said, "Shhh." We chuckled. She said, "It will be part of
this department at first. Then I can point to it and justify more.
You'll support?" I said, "You know I will, and I suspect the Psych
Department would, too. In fact, they might want to contribute to it. I
see that look! Best not to get them involved until they notice it, or
they'll try to run it." She said with a grin, "Thanks. I'll keep that
in mind." I said, "I can guess what you're thinking, and I agree. They
think too much of themselves already. Witnesses don't need to see
that." She said, "Well said. Thank you. I really mean it." We hugged.
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Grant
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