Solomon's Private File #237
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 26 in this story, in the Fall of 2052.
Solomon's Private File #237 "Circus Station"
START Page
A month into my time in the GP Circus, we upped ship and arrived at
the station in orbit, which would be our home for three months. Gravity
was set at a little less than half GP normal, which was mostly normal
for the other inhabited planets we would be visiting on the tour. And
it was Earth normal, too. Some of us had trouble adjusting our stomachs
to the new conditions. I didn't. Disappointed some who expected I
would. They knew I noticed that, causing shared amusement. One man, a
new rigger, and my roommate, couldn't adjust. He was going to be sent
back.
I said to Jurk before he left, "Do you want to stay?" He said, "I do,
very much, but I can't." I said, "Care to try an experiment that might
help?" He said, "Anything!" I said, "If you don't tell. If it works,
could seriously embarrass me." He said, "I understand. I think a lot of
us would." I said, "Alright. Lie down. You don't have to do anything,
and I won't be touching you. You might feel a little odd, though. Well,
more than usual." He chuckled. He said, "Not as odd as when you caught
me masturbating." I said, "And that I beat you in the distance event."
He had to laugh, trying to say, "Impressive!" I said with exaggerated
false bravado, "Every time." More laughter.
I ran my hands in the air over him, aligning his chakras. From a
quarter, he became half psionic. His nausea vanished. I said, "Done."
He said, "I feel different! I can sense things more clearly. Oh, and
you're more advanced! I couldn't see that before." I said, "Let's go to
the boss and tell him." We did. I said, "Jurk is better now. He doesn't
need to be sent back." He said to Jurk, "Good. I'll cancel the shuttle
reservation. You can go. I'll speak with Sol now." Jurk left. Boss
said, "You did something. His psionics improved." I said, "Something
felt wrong. I thought I could help. Worked. Going to be an issue with
him now. You believed me too easily. Something I did, caused that?" He
said, "I see that now. I'll be more careful. You can't lie, and you
don't say something without qualification, that you aren't positive
about. Causes belief." I said, "Oh. Reasonable. Can't change that,
though." He smiled, and said, "We wouldn't want you to. You are the
most respected person in this Circus." I said, "Oh. I shouldn't be.
That's yours." He said, "I agree, but we have to accept what is."
He said, "Do you know what else we do?" I said, "Beyond the circus?
Sure. Spy for the Imperial Government. Great cover, and great people.
So obvious, makes me wonder who else knows." He was shocked. He said,
"Wow! I wonder now, too. What's obvious?" I said, "If you wanted
traveling spies, and could have anybody for that, who would you choose,
and how would you set it up?" He said, "Oops!" I said, "More.
Financials. No way could this enterprise make nearly enough money to
stay in business, even if you charged a thousand Crowns a head. Sure
you have rich sponsors, but all know they didn't get and stay rich by
throwing money away. And those sponsors are in the government, too."
He said, "So anybody could have figured this out." I said, "Actually,
no. Who would care to?" His mouth dropped open in complete surprise. I
said, "We can't hide who we are. Disguises won't work. Severely limits
what we can do as spies. Raids, is about all we're fit for. First
discovery, and all will know." He said, "Right about the raids. That's
how we obtain evidence. And a lot of the bodyguards are ours." I said,
"All?" He said, "Not all of our kind are in with us." I said, "I see
only two possible threats to us. A plot against the Throne. None more
loyal. We would have to be eliminated. Our whole world, actually. If
not death, then severe discredit. Another threat is only a fantasy.
What if another lost colony were found, of high grav people, and they
were recruited to work against us? Infiltrate, maybe. How many of those
bodyguards REALLY aren't us? Just speculation."
He said, "Just how intelligent are you?" I said, "I don't actually
know. Never been tested. Commune doesn't believe in differences." He
said, "Stupid!" I said, "Some of them, absolutely! Loudest, too."
Chuckles. He said, "There have been some odd things happening. Your
fantasy theory could explain some of them. Think anybody in our troupe
is one of them?" I said, "If there are, they would want to avoid the
most psionic of us, who would have the most chance of exposing them."
He said, "Before we go further with this, what is your loyalty?" I
said, "What I have here. Circus. People in it. People who support it.
Commune, absolutely not." He chuckled. He said, "And our mission?" I
said, "If the Circus wants it, yes, if it's for the good of all. Circus
needs good safe customers." He said, "Hmm, I understand. I'll accept
that. Who would you suspect?" I said, "Two have avoided me. Others have
noticed it. Alright, I admit I'm strongly psionic. Happy now?" He said
with a smile, "A little, yes. Who?" I told him. He said, "Time of hire
fits. How do we prove it?" I said, "Do we need to? Known spies can be
very valuable where they are, managed properly." He said, "What do you
know about that?" I said, "I read a lot. Fast, too. I don't sleep much.
Want to know about them, ask them. Might kill themselves, then, though.
No telling how their motivation works. If any of this is actually
real." He said, "I think we should assume it's real, until we are sure
it isn't." I said, "If they see you, they will know you suspect, if
they're any good." He said, "And you?" I said, "They won't. I learned
than you think. It's caused by who I am." He said, "Oh! I see. More,
how tough it must have been for you." I said with a grin, "Not any
more!"
He said, "I'll have to report this." I said, "Problem. How to trust
it goes where it should, and trust the recipient?" He said, "You would
know." I nodded. He said, "Martial arts. How good are you, really?" I
sighed, and said, "Probably none better. But I won't kill." He said,
"But you can seriously inconvenience who you need to." I said, "For us,
'will' is a tool. If you strongly will it, you can put somebody to
sleep for a set time. But don't hurt them in that state, or your
ability could rebound on you. Yes, I've read some really odd books." He
said, "I don't doubt it!" He said, "Can you read their minds?" I said,
"Disgusting idea! I won't try that unless there is proof they plan to
harm people. And they might detect it. So, last resort, only." He said,
"I have to agree. I was right about your ethics, and I support them.
Some coincidence, you're here when we need you the most." I said, "I
don't believe in coincidence where I'm concerned. Too many of them,
makes that concept invalid." He said, "Higher power?" I said, "Nothing
else available to blame." He said with a smile, "Or credit." I said,
"So says one who isn't the most victimized." He grinned, and said,
"True. Complaining?" I said, "Don't do that." We chuckled.
I subtly arranged it so that one of the two suspects had to have my
help. I made it so he was very annoyed by the whole thing. Finally, he
couldn't help himself, and blurted out, "I don't like you! Stay away
from me!" I laughed loudly. I said, "You don't like me? Oh how will I
ever live with that?" I laughed some more. He said, "Aren't you ever
serious?" I said, "You're saying that to a circus clown?" I laughed
some more, and so did the gathering crowd. He had to smile a little. I
said, "So, tell me. Why did you have to tell me something I knew, and
so did they?" He looked startled, and said, "Oh!" I said, "Keeping a
secret here is like carrying water in a colander. You spread it all
over." Even he had to chuckle with the others. I said, "Just because we
don't talk about them, because we respect people's privacy, doesn't
mean we don't know." He said in surprise, "You know why I'm here?" I
said, "Sure. To tell me you don't like me." I laughed. I said, "Hey,
what'd you expect? I'm a clown!" Chuckles. He let me finish helping
him, and we parted company.
Facilities manager said to him alone, "You'd better get along better
with Sol, or you're out." He said, "But I have seniority!" FM said,
"You'll have nothing soon, if you don't change. He's much more valuable
to us than any five of you, not that he realizes that. Got it?" He
said, "He doesn't know?" FM said, "Strange, but true. Unusual
upbringing. Religious commune. Massive work ethic. They couldn't take
his humor. WE can! You'd better. He wouldn't hurt anything, even in
self defense. We care about him. You've noticed that." He said, "I
have. Now I know more of why. Explains some things. Thanks. I'll do
better."
He approached me the next day and said, "I'm sorry about what I said
yesterday. I was wrong." I said, "I knew that. Don't worry about it."
He said, "Oh. Thanks. Come to my room this evening for a discussion?" I
said, "Sure." And I did. His roommate was there. We talked about some
circus things. Then they talked politics. I said, "It's a little
interesting, but politics isn't for me." He said, "But the rich are
oppressing people." I said, "What is oppressing?" He said, "They have
more money than other people." I said, "Go on." He said, "But that's
it." I said, "I don't see the connection. People have different things.
Always be some who have more of something than somebody else. Where is
that oppression?" He said, "Don't you want to be rich?" I said, "Nope."
They were completely astounded.
He said, "Why?" I said, "Being rich is no fun. You have to watch your
money tightly, or you loose it. And when you have it, what do you do
with it? Spend it and it's gone. To keep it in a bank, well, what good
is it to you then? I like my life now. What do I need more money for?"
He said, "But with a lot of money, you would have power and respect." I
said, "Could I have more respect than I have now, from the people
here?" He said, "I see what you mean. But there are a lot of other
people who could give you respect." I said, "What you don't earn with
who you are, has no truth to it. No value. It's like you were in a road
race, and the others let you win. What did you really win that way, but
an empty award? You can't buy or force honest respect, only the
insincere appearance of it. What mature person would want that?" He
said, "But power. People would have to obey your commands." I said, "Do
people do what I ask, now?" He said, "But it's because they want to.
Oh!" I said, "Because I respect THEM. Treat people well, with honesty
and care, and they'll return it. What could be more simple? Force
people, and only those who like to do that, will be with you. Rule
harshly, and you teach your people to want to do that to you, and,
eventually, they will, and you won't survive it."
I said, "Tell me, has somebody been saying things to you that play on
your emotions, to manipulate you to do what they want you to do, that
you would NOT want other people to do to you? Did he work to make you
feel superior, when you had nothing to make it real but his false
flattery? That you could win something, to make you powerful and rich?
I see that's what happened. You wanted to do the same to me. But who is
really the one to get the power from this? The likes of US? Those who
run this, will they share it? If you didn't have to, would YOU?" They
were shocked into doing some real thinking. I said, softly, "Those who
want to grab power, well, they'd better like to hurt people. A lot of
people. Good people. Badly. People don't give it up just for the
asking. They hit back, too. So, do YOU enjoy hurting people?" He
sighed, and said, "No, I don't." The other man said, "Are you a holy
man?" I said, "There are a lot of those at my commune. Or they say they
are. Please don't class me with THEM. I am who I am. I like myself. Do
you like yourselves?" He said, "I'm beginning to wonder." The first man
said, "Will you keep what we've said here this evening, confidential?"
I said, "Remember the colander? The whole circus knows I'm here, you
can bet on it. We don't say anything about it, they might sprain
something in their curiosity." We smiled. I said, "They might ask me.
It would hurt their feelings if I didn't say anything, and I can't lie
to them." He said, "You can't?" I said, "Yes. I can't lie. Just to try
it, hurts. Strange." The other said, "It's not. You ARE a holy man. Oh,
but not like those in your commune." I said, "That last part was very
considerate of you. Thanks. About being holy, I can't say. I don't
pray. Isn't that in the job description?" They smiled. He said, "I
don't know. Could be different varieties." I said, "Probably. Good
thinking." He actually felt flattered.
The other said, "Do you know what else this is?" He gestured around.
I said, "A space station?" He said, "I mean, what else the circus does
besides being a circus?" I said, "Sounds a little vague. Help a
little?" He said, "They spy for the Empress!" I laughed. They waited
for me to finish. I said, "Everybody knows who we are, wherever we go.
We can't use a disguise! HOW can any of us be spies?" He said, "True. I
didn't think of that." The other said, "Same here. Lied to?" First
said, "Possible." I said, "Hmm, I'm getting an idea. Fantastic, but it
fits. You're not Plainers. A lost colony! Indoctrinated by some bad
people, before you knew how it really was, here." He said, "Possible,
verging on the likely." I said, "I think if you don't do what they
want, they'll kill you. Just the type to do that." He said, "That, we
know. Not like in the Empire?" I said, "Absolutely NOT! It's an empire
in name only. More like cooperative independent constitutional
democracies. Imperial offices are mostly ceremonial, so the elected
officials can get some real work done, instead of spending wasted time
in social functions." He said, "Oh. How can we verify that?" I said,
"Simple. Check out a library tablet. I read almost all my free time."
He said, "Censored?" I grinned, and said, "Some victims of the media,
wish!" Chuckles. I said, "Those with the least intelligence, are the
loudest to show that of themselves, in complaining about everything.
You know if there were censorship, a lot of that would be absent. See
for yourself." He said, "We will." I stood, and said, "If you want to
talk some more, let me know. Be fun to massage their curiosity a
little." Grins. We shook hands, and I went to my own room.
Jurk said, immediately, "I have to know!" I said with a grin,
"Really? Think I didn't know that?" He growled. I said, "Oh, save me
from that horrible monster!" We laughed. I said, "You know I can play
with what they said. More interesting is what they will try to do about
it, when asked." He said, "True. I know you. I'll have to wait." I
said, "Can't stop from speculating, though." Shared wide grins.
In the manager's office, I said, "I was invited to meet with the two
suspects." He said, "I heard. Anything come of it?" I said, "Yes. Want
the short form, or word for word?" He said, "Short first, with your
thoughts, then long, for the record." He started the recorder. I said,
"We were right. Lost hi-grav colony. Pirates found them. Indoctrinated
their whole planet into the criminal code of power and violence, and
against the Empire. Political falsehoods that fell to my logic and
care. They're thinking it over now, and will likely turn." He said,
"Wow!" I said, "That, too." Chuckles. Then I gave him the long form.
He turned off the recorder, and said, "Impressive!" I said, "Not
really. Didn't you expect it?" He grinned and said, "I have to admit
it, yes. You can't help being you. Got the coordinates of their world?"
I said, "I doubt they know it. Would YOU, of you were their superiors,
let them know?" He said, "Right. A big problem." I said, "Much bigger.
We don't know anything at all about their planet and society, but the
likely gravity and atmosphere. We don't know their level of technology,
so we can't assess their real military danger. OR how much time we have
to discover it." He said, "They will have some way of passing on
information." I said, "Likely they don't know more than an ID code.
What's our first port of call?" He said, "Omricon Station." I said,
"Hmm, an orbital resort. Own law. Lot of gambling. Could be the center
of the plot. And the greatest danger to us. You need to stay in the
ship!" He said, "I realize that, but I don't know how that could work."
I said, "Needs to. We can lose a boss and still function, but we can't
afford to lose the spy master." He said, "I know." I said, "Soon, I'll
need to know who of us knows. Not knowing, would limit me in action."
He said, "True. You're a hard worker in EVERYTHING. More than I
realized." I said, "Sure. Why do second best, when you don't need to?"
He said, "I'll remember that." He gave me the list. I said, "So Jurk is
a graduate of the spy school." He said, "Top of his class. Would have
been a big blow to us, if he had to be sent home. Thank you VERY much!"
I said, "You're welcome. Good roommate, is what I care about."
He smiled, and said, "Sure. They need to obey you in action, if I'm
not there. I'll have to tell them." I said, "Could be a problem. I
can't kill. They have to know that." He said, "That's not the problem.
I place you above them, will change how they feel about you, and treat
nodded. I said, "But not until the suspects come out to us. They'll
notice the change." He said, "Oh! Good you're so thoughtful!" I said
with a grin, "Yes, isn't it?" Chuckles.
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Grant
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