Solomon's Private File #279
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 28 in this story, in the Spring of 2054.
Solomon's Private File #279 "Tristold And Markle"
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Tristold entered Markle's city. He was noticed. People moved out of
his way without thinking. Some bowed to him. Word was quickly passed
that a new and powerful Master was in the city. Tristold viewed this
with amazement, and almost laughed at that feeling. He thought, "I was
so weak and powerless compared to the Master, I never noticed that I
became as he was to me, to other people. I must guard against the
feeling of superiority this can cause in me."
He chose a fine place to seek lodging. One that could be defended
better than others. The owner was nervous, but couldn't refuse him.
"Come this way," he said. It was a nice room, and with a window to an
inner courtyard that could be shuttered. Washing facilities were near,
and the waste house was not too far away. He put his things down, and
walked throughout the establishment, and then around outside,
memorizing everything, and establishing watch points for psionic
activity. The owner noticed that, and on his way back to his room, he
said, "Is there going to be trouble?" Tris said, "Not of my making or
desire, here. But you know I can't be responsible for what others do. I
will do my best to see that your fine establishment is well respected,
to the possible detriment of others who might disagree with our desire
in this." They traded hard grins. The owner said, "I like you. That is
unexpected." Tris said, "I'm not surprised that you expected some of
the same as you know. I hope that will change in the future." They
nodded. Tris said, "I plan to take some of my meals in other
establishments, specifically to draw attention away from here." He
said, "I will credit that difference!" Tris said, "Oh. Er, thank you."
The owner left to pass the word, that this Master was a good person,
and to treat him well.
Tris prepared some traps in his room that were set to react only to
bad intended people. A woman came to his door, and said, "Master, is
there anything you need?" He said, "Thank you, but there is not at this
time." She said, "Please ask for Olinter. I can serve you in any way
that you desire." He smiled and said, "My desire is for peace. My
expectation disagrees with that a little." She smiled, and said, "I
understand. I wish you well." She left. He thought to himself, "I
should concentrate on survival, before casual relationships. Or at
least try to."
He went to eat supper in the main room of the inn. He was greeted
with friendly respect by the staff, which the guests noticed with
wonder. He noticed that a new arrival also noticed that, but with
suspicion. He asked a waitress to ask that one if he would like to come
and share his table. She did that, and that man left in a hurry. He and
the owner, who had seen that, shared grins. The room relaxed even more.
When he finished, he wandered around outside. The fair weather
encouraged others to do the same, and they all greeted each other
politely. Until one tried to rob another. Tris stepped in front of the
fleeing man, and said, "You could run faster, if you didn't have such
burden with you. Return it to its owner." The robber said, "Get out of
my way, or I'll hurt you!" Tris wrapped him in a tight PK field, and
said, "You cannot harm me. Return what you stole." The robbed man came
up and was about to attack the robber. Tris said to him, "Sir,
attacking a helpless man is unjust. You may take what belongs to you."
He grabbed for his purse, and said, "Thank you, Master." He backed
away. Tris said to the robber, "When I release you, I suggest you make
yourself not seen here again. Continue in this unlawful profession, and
you might find much less mercy from others." He released the PK field,
and the robber ran away.
Word was quickly passed about what had happened. When he returned to
the in, the owner told him that. Tris said, "A distinct lack of
privacy." The owner said, "You knew it would happen." He said,
"Honestly, when I came into the city today, how people reacted to me
was a big surprise. I am still not used to it. It's uncomfortable and
embarrassing." He said, "Oh. You have been just with your own Master
for some time, and not noticed how much you had progressed." Tris said,
"Exactly! He cast me free, so he could devote his time to other
students. Oh! You thought I killed him! I wouldn't do such a thing,
even if it were possible." Owner said, "I sincerely apologize! I should
have known better." Tris said, "No, you should have known what you
thought, who could not know what you didn't know. Hmm, that sounded a
little odd." Chuckles. He said, "Being unable to lie, causes some
interesting expressions to appear in polite conversation. My Master
warned me of this, but I see it much more clearly while in the middle
of it." Owner said, "Your Master sounds like a holy man." Tris said,
"The most holy, yes. I may never see him again, but I will always love
and respect him. I hope I can do him honor with who he has helped me to
become." Owner said, "I think you will." They exchanged bows.
Tris ate evening meals in many inns and taverns, and walked the
streets during the days. Many days. Sometimes he stopped crimes and
personal abuse. He was always polite and thoughtful, with a smile and
some humor for all. The people liked him. The criminals respected him.
Law enforcement didn't know how to feel about it. Then some people
tried to start bad rumors about him, such as that he was a child
murderer, and wife beater. When he was asked about that, he laughed,
and said, "I haven't had any time to do those things. I've been
studying all my life. I've never been with a woman. I've never had
anything to do with children. I think I would like to have a family
someday, but I don't know what my future will be, and if it would be
fair to bring innocent people into it. I wonder at the purpose of those
who are saying untrue things about me." So did others. What he said,
caused even more respect for him.
Then a man was attacked in the street, and robbed. Tris was informed
of that by an out of breath child. Tris ran to the scene of the attack.
He said, with his will expanding, "Please stand aside, so I may help
him." They did, even though they didn't want to. He knelt by the man,
who's blood was spurting from the inside of his upper arm. He said to
the man, "If you allow, I will try to heal you." The man said, "Please
Master!" Then he was asleep. Tris put his hand on the wound, and
applied pressure. He used PK to join the ends of the artery, and
promote its healing. Then he willed the healing of the rest of the
wound. He was very tired when he finished, but did his best to not show
it when he rose, and the man woke up, "I am healed! I would have died,
and I am healed! Thank you for my life, Great Master!" Tris said, "It
was my duty to serve." He was drawing energy from the ground, to add to
his own he had used in the healing, and was almost back to normal, when
he was confronted by a stern faced man, who said to him, "My Master
wishes to see you."
Tris said, "His eyes need healing?" Some in the gathering crowd
chuckled a little. The man said, "That's not what I meant. He wants to
talk with you." Tris said, looking around, "Oh. Well, which one is he?"
The man was getting angry, and said, "You would do well not to disobey
my Master!" Tris said, "Whoever he is, has yet to issue a command that
I can disobey. Aren't you a little ahead of yourself in that?" He said,
"You will come with me!" Tris said, "Your ability to predict the future
is not yet functional. I don't seem to be doing what you said. Oh, and
when were you going to tell me who this mysterious person is, who has
such an unpleasant fellow to inarticulate his possible wishes?" The
crowd obviously loved that one, more than his other comments.
Tris said, "I see you are gathering what little power you possess, to
attack me. That is doubly unwise." In spite of himself, He said, "What
is the double?" Tris said, "That you are unable to discern that I am
much more powerful than you are, and you are about to attack in that
ignorance, is one. Two, is that you may think I would ever leave you
able to do that again." He gulped in obvious fear. Then he ran away.
Tris said to the crowd, "I don't think I have ever heard a louder gulp
in all my life." Laughter. He said, "All that talking has made me
thirsty." He went into the nearest tavern. Most didn't follow. The
owner there, refused to take payment for the drink. Tris said, "I
request that I pay. I would not like people to assume that I demand
gifts. That would be against honor. Oh, well, if you won't accept it
for yourself, please give it to a charity." He agreed. Tris sat alone,
as others respected his obvious wish for that.
Then he raised his head and grinned. The owner said, "Master, may I
enquire as to your sudden change of expression?" Tris said, "At the inn
where I'm staying, a very surprised and now very uncomfortable person
has tried to examine my belongings. I very much doubt he will want to
do that again." Knowing grins and chuckles. He finished his drink, and
went back to his inn. He said to the owner, what had happened, who
replied, "So that explains it. A man ran out of the hallway, and
smelled of burnt fur." Tris said, "I think he may now have some dislike
of me." Owner grinned, and said, "Unlike most of the rest of the city."
Tris said, obviously embarrassed, "Oh." The other guests smiled at
that.
Tris said to the owner, "Can you tell me what his face looked like?"
He tried. Tris said, "If you would picture it in your mind, and shove
that at me, I might see it." He did, and Tris said, "You have a talent
for that! I recognize him, from earlier in the evening, when he said
some stupid things to me. While I dislike to cause injury to any
person, if it had to be one of the people I've met, I would have placed
him at the top of the list." The whole room was full of grins. The
owner followed him to his room, and said there, "You know who sent
him." Tris said, "Yes. I wonder why he wants me to believe he is so
incompetent as to send that one, and could think it could actually
work." Owner said, "A deep game you play." Tris said, "You credit me
with too much. I am only being who I am. I don't wish to fight or harm
any person. I hope I don't have to. That decision will not be mine." He
said, "It will happen." I said, "Probably, but I must give him the
opportunity to not do that." He said, "Will you win?" I said, "To
fight, for me, is to lose. But that isn't the answer you're looking
for. The future is uncertain, so I can't promise that, but I can say
that I prefer to do good work, in everything I do." Owner said, "I
would bet that you will win." Tris said with a grin, "That doesn't
trouble me at all. If I lose, and you do, you can't complain to me
about it, being that I will be dead." Chuckles.
In the morning, some guards came to the inn, and demanded that the
unknown Master there, was to go with them. Tris came out to greet them,
before he could be sent for. He said, "You are asking for me? I have a
question. If I am unknown as you said, how do you know I exist?" He was
very annoyed at that, and said, "I don't know your name." I said,
"Well, you could have asked." Silence. Even more annoyed, the guard
Captain said, "What is your name?" Tris said, "I am Tristold, of the
House of Solomon." He said, "Does your Master still live?" Tris said,
"Yes he does. He cast me loose, so that I may experience the world,
while he seeks new students. What I've seen of it so far, shows me that
some people are severely lacking in politeness. I hope that doesn't
continue, or I may have to apply some correction. I would not like to
do that, but I must do my duty." He was very afraid.
He said to the owner, "Bring his belongings." Tris said, "Don't. They
aren't there." To the Captain, gesturing at him and the guards, he
said, "Did you think I wouldn't know? Let us proceed. Carefully." They
did, just that. On the way, Tris said, "I suspect that things may be
changing. You would do well to consider what that may mean for you." He
said in fear, "I was only obeying orders."Tris said, "You were not told
HOW you were to do it, were you?" He said, "You are correct, Master. I
apologize." Nods of acceptance.
They went into a large palace in the center of the city. Tris said,
"Interesting. He who resides here must be very afraid of attack. There
were many protections in place." Captain said, "Er, were?" Tris said,
"Some were dangerously unstable. They needed help to not be. They could
have harmed innocent people. But then, do innocent people actually come
here of their free will?" Captain was thoughtful.
They entered a large hall, that looked something like a throne room,
richly decorated, and with a large chair on a raised dais. There was a
man sitting in it, who was covered in fine jewels, and wore a kind of a
crown. There were men standing beside him. One was the man who had
searched Tris's room. The man in the chair said, "Do you know who I
am?" Tris said, "I will when you tell me." The man said, "I am Markle."
Tris said, "I've heard of you." He said, "I am the Master of this
city." Tris said, "I've heard that said, too." He said, "You will bow
to me." Tris said, "No. For me to do that which I do not feel, would be
dishonest. You wouldn't want me to be dishonest, would you?" One of the
other men laughed. Markle was going to discipline him, when Tris said,
"I request that you do not harm him!"
Markle said, "I will do as I will in my own house!" Tris said, "Of
course. You can also change what you will, which is what I request. It
is unjust to abuse your servants." He said, "These are not my servants,
but are my apprentices." Tris said, "I must disagree. You make them do
what servants do, and you do not teach them as much as they are able to
learn. So, they are not apprentices to you, but servants." He said, "I
do teach them!" Tris said, "Very little, and you know they are aware of
that. Strange, that you cause them to be angry with you, which causes
you to fear their advancement, which causes you to not teach them,
which causes them to be angry with you, making you fear them. Why do
you wish to make your own problems?"
They all looked at each other with new thoughts. Markle roared, "You
came here to kill me!" Tris said, "Do you have a memory problem? I came
here because you asked me to, or I would not have come. Ever." He was
surprised. When he recovered, he said, "Ever?" Tris said, "I prefer to
avoid unpleasant people." Markle said, "You don't want to kill me?"
Tris said, "Annoyance doesn't justify murder, in my view. I have no
desire to kill any person. Why should I?" He said, "You were here
before. Did you desire to kill me then?" Tris said, "I did not, but
thought I had to. My Master had been killed, so I had none, and thought
I needed to kill a Master to advance in the world. A man I met here,
showed me another way, and I became his apprentice. I am not the same
person I was then." He said, "Your Master still lives?" He said, "He
has cast me free, so he may devote his attention to other students. He
has declared me a Master." He said, "Do you seek apprentices?" Tris
said, "Not at this time. I would learn of the world first, before I
would work to change the lives of people." He said, "You will not take
my apprentices?" I said, "As they are now, as you have made them, would
YOU choose them?"
He was taken aback by that, almost literally. He said, "There is only
one Master here." Tris said, "If that is your desire." He said, "You
will leave?" Tris said, "No." He said, "Are you challenging me?" Tris
said, "No. But you will not rule me." He said, "Then we will fight."
Tris said, "You don't seem to be doing that now." He said, "At the time
and place I choose!" Tris said, "When I decide something, I do it. I
have not eaten today. If you would fight, do it now, so I can then get
on with my day." He said, "Now? Do you think you will win?" Tris said,
"I would not have come here if I believed I would be defeated. If you
want to fight, do it now, before you have time to run away."
Markle grinned, and moved his foot. The stone under where Tris was
standing, gave way, but Tris didn't fall. He floated to another stone,
and said, "Your house seems to be falling apart." Markle shoved fire at
Tris, who absorbed it, and said, "Thank you for the gift of your
energy. Would you like some of it returned to you?" He extended a hand,
and with a narrow beam, he burnt a hole right through the lower part of
the throne, giving his attacker a very hot seat. Markle leapt up,
steaming mad. Literally, and he yelled, "I'll kill you!" Tris replied,
"No." He shoved force at Tris, who deflected it. Then he tried to
strike with it, and Tris took it on his shield. Then he attacked Tris's
chakras, but to no effect. Then he tried to invade his mind. Tris said,
"You shouldn't have tried to invade my mind. Now you are mind-locked."
He said out loud, and deep in Markle's mind and brain, "I have removed
your powers. You will never speak against me, your apprentices, or this
city. You will not ever lie. You will not ever harm another person,
even to defend yourself. You will leave this city with nothing but your
own body. So I have commanded, so you will obey! Go now." He withdrew
his mind from Markle, and said to the Captain, "Please assign a guard
to him, to see he is not harmed on his way out of the city." The
Captain saluted, and said, "Yes, SIR!" He did as requested.
Tris said, "Let us all go to a room where there are more chairs." He
led the way, which the others noticed. In that room, he asked all to
sit. He said, "There are going to be more changes. First on the list,
apprentices, do you have desires?" To a one, they all wanted to be his
apprentices. He said, "Who didn't expect that?" Chuckles. He said, "It
will be difficult for you. He has taught you badly, and that will
interfere with how and what I would teach you. Because of this, some of
you may never reach your full potential as my apprentice, and may be
better served by seeking another master. This has nothing to do with my
or your desires, but cold reality. And you might not like the standard
of behavior I would require." One said, "Master, I would!" Tris smiled,
and said, "That, I knew." Smiles. He said to them, "You know I sense
your feelings and some of your thoughts, even before you do. Do not
think to deceive me." He looked at the one he had met before, who said,
"I know. I will seek another Master." Tris said, "If that is your
desire." He said, "It is not, but I have wronged you." Tris said, "The
past is gone. For the future, do you think you will do that again?" He
was surprised, and said with tears, "Master, I will not!"
Tris said, "My second master was very unusual. How he taught me, and
what he taught me, was unusual. But, I think you might feel that it has
also been unusually effective." They agreed, and with smiles. Tris
said, "So you may be surprised by how I do that, and may not see the
benefits right away. I know that very well, because that's what I felt.
You'll just have to accept it. You can feel how I feel to some degree,
so you know I speak the truth." Nods. He said, "In fact, I am unable to
lie. I require that you do not lie, as well. It damages the mind, and
will prevent you from progressing as you should."
He looked at the guards, and said, "Why have I asked you to join us,
and hear this?" The Captain said, "Your standards, Master. I must say,
your correction of me this morning was very effective in an unusual
way. I had full belief that you would win this day, and from only your
words!" Tris said, "With people, words are part of the constant battle
we wage in our need to be who we are, to others. As in all things,
proficiency in that part of it, can be useful." Smiles and nods.
And so, Tristold became the Master of that city. He ruled in fairness
and with justice, and was respected by all, and loved by most. He never
let the common people have reason to fear him, and he met with them
frequently. His apprentices became good people, who went forth in the
world to claim their cities from those Masters who abused the people,
and taught their own apprentices who then did the same. Many of those
came to pay their respects to Tristold, who lived a very long time. He
always told them that he owed all who he became to his second Master,
Solomon. Shrines were erected in Solomon's name, and some worshipped
him as a god. Sometimes Tristold was seen to be unusually happy, most
so when he needed to have more crystal teaching aids to give to his
newly created Masters. Some suspected it was caused by contact with his
God, but none ever asked. It would not have been polite. And all knew
how much he valued politeness.
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