Solomon's Private File #322
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 30 in this story, in the Summer of 2056.
Solomon's Private File #322 "Ion Space"
START Page
I shifted to the office of the administrator of the German Aerospace
Center. I said to him, "You plan to launch a test propulsion vehicle
into orbit, and turn it on." He said, "Is there a problem with it?" I
said, "The planned orbit is thought to be between radiation belts. If
the orbit is perfect, it might be. Will it be perfect? Probably not,
and not just because the belts only look like distinct regions in
artists' illustrations. They aren't, that much. They vary a lot in
relation to the fluctuations in the energy output from the sun. And
they're not exactly like filled with radiation. More like charged
particles. Ions. A lot like what your test rocket is squirting out its
back end. It does that in the wrong place, and there is no guarantee it
won't, a lot of people are going to be experiencing quite a show. But
not on satellite television. And if your ion stream is powerful enough
that?" I said, "It could destabilize the whole belt system. If a solar
flare comes at us before their protection returns to normal, the EM
shock could destroy all satellites in the region, and radios and
computers on Earth, and shut down all they run. Space Station could be
in severe danger, too."
He said, "What do you suggest we do?" I said, "Use a higher Earth or
Moon orbit, and don't point it's tail anywhere near Earth. And that
includes intersecting, or near intersecting, its orbit." I said, "If we
don't do as you recommend?" I said, "If bad possibilities become
actualities, the people of Earth will be very angry with you." He said,
"You will let it happen?" I said, "I let cars crash, and people die in
them. What do you think?" He said, "We must learn to not do these
things?" I said, "Yes. But I don't think it will go that far. If I go
public with this, and give them enough warning, at least two big
countries are probably going to visit it with some missiles. And there
will be some future lack of trust of you and your space research. I
would rather that didn't happen, and cause the public to disapprove of
all space research." He said, "I have to agree with that wish! May I
have a recording of this?" I gave him a crystal and a memory card.
He said, "I just had a thought. Has something like this happened on
other worlds?" I said, "Yes, and worse. For some, their souls had to
reincarnate into other species. Yes, killed them all. There are a lot
of dead worlds caused by foolish scientists. Happened to Earth in the
past, and my father, as Attin, saved humanity. I think we should try to
avoid a repeat of that. Of course, I could restart humanity on another
world, with my own group. But you wouldn't be around to see that." He
said, "Could you make a new world?" I said, "I've done that, yes. Can't
bring back the dead, though." He said, "You can create life?" I said,
"I can create bodies of animals. God animates them, when I request it."
He said, "Oh. Very interesting. You could make new worlds for us!" I
said, "It's not that easy. Sure I can make them. Need a sun of the
right kind. And a stable orbit. And to be like Earth, it needs a Moon,
too. I can't add a new world to this solar system, or it will
destabilize it. All the orbits would change." He said, "You could
replace Mars." I said, "Didn't you just hear what I said? I suggest you
ask your experts. Orbits are dependent on speed and the relative mass
of the bodies. Change one of them, it throws them all off. Earth is
bigger than Mars. And in a warmer orbit. Anyway, you know what you
should do. I'm giving a copy of this to other space programs in a few
days. If I don't see good changes in mission requirements, they will
have some operational advice from me, too." I shifted out.
They were slow to make changes. A lot of them complained that it
would cost too much, and delay things. During one of those meetings, I
said, "If what you do causes anybody to suffer, I will make sure you
are in the middle of it." That motivated them a little. I gave
recordings of that, and the original meeting, to the other national
space programs, with the request that they keep it secret, so they can
let me take the blame for invasion of privacy. They had no problem with
agreeing with that. The craft was launched on schedule. I said to the
head of the German space program, "So you didn't do as I requested?" He
said, "I tried, but politicians prevented it." I said, "Oh. Which
ones?" He named them.
I asked for a CNN show, with something about science. John said,
"Solomon has asked for this time for an issue about science, but that's
all we know." I said, "Some countries are doing some useful research.
Not all of them are being as careful as they should be, about it." He
said, "Oh! Is there a problem?" I said, "I'll port in a specialist from
NASA to help explain this." I did, and introduced Dr. Radith. Then I
played the meetings in Germany. John said, "Dr. Radith, have you seen
these videos before the show?" He said, "Yes I have, as Solomon said he
would show them." He said, "Is he correct?" Dr. Radith grinned, and
said, "Yes he is. Who could imagine he wouldn't be?" John chuckled, and
said, "Yes, I see." Dr. Radith said, "He went into greater detail with
me and some of my colleagues, and I assume with those of other space
agencies, also. We learned some interesting things, more precise
measurements, than we had known before. Oh, of the Van Allen radiation
belts. I'm not used to being on television." He went on to explain what
they were. I provided some active illustrations. He said to me, "That
would be VERY useful in teaching!" I grinned, and said, "It is." He
looked odd, while John chuckled. We went to break. We didn't say
anything.
Back from break, John said to me, "Do you teach?" I said, "Yes. In
more than a million places. In my school, I teach mostly physics and
psychology." He said, "You don't have other teachers for that?" I said,
"We do. Eh, they like me, and I love teaching. Makes them less in awe
of me, too." He said, "Oh! That I can understand. There is a lesson
here, isn't there." I said, "Yes. So, what is it?" He said, "You're not
going to stop it?" I said, "I help with natural disasters, but problems
caused by selfish stupidity? I shouldn't, so people can learn not to do
that. Like with global warning." He said, "God prevented your father
from stopping it. So this applies in this case?" I said, "I feel that
it does. God is consistent. I have to do what he wants. But I can make
a lot of noise about it." He said, "What can we do?" I looked at Dr.
Radith, and he said, "We can destroy it."
John said, "Are you able to do that?" Dr. Radith said, "Almost
positively, we can destroy it. I think so can the Russian space agency.
I'm not sure about the other space programs." I said, "Israel is saying
they can. So is China. That could be a problem. Only takes one missile.
We don't need extra junk out there. Also, it's not going to cost
nothing. Somebody pays. Might be fair to charge Germany for it." John
said, "What if it does all it's set to do, and nothing bad happens?" I
said, "You said it. If nothing bad happens, then nothing bad happens.
Try a better question?" Dr. Radith chuckled. John said, "I see what you
mean. It wasn't that smart, but I was trying to indicate that the bad
things we are discussing are risks, and not forgone conclusions." Dr.
Radith said, "True. But the risks increase with every bad action the
test vehicle does, and that could happen too fast to allow for its
destruction decision and implementation to be accomplished in time to
avert disaster." I said, "Well and accurately stated." He looked
pleased.
John said, "Is the vehicle set to do this automatically?" I said,
"No, their ground control gives it commands for practically everything
it does, but there is a problem with that, too. It emits ions. Their
controllers have absolutely no idea if that will interfere with it
receiving their commands after the test engine starts." Dr. Radith
said, "Oh! I should have thought of that! It severely increases the
risk. Even if aimed away from Earth, they couldn't guarantee it won't
change position from the thrust, and it might then be aimed in a
dangerous to us way." I said, "Their own people didn't consider that,
as well, and they're making noises about it to those in authority,
who's minds, such as they are, are firmly made up. It has a self
destruct system on board. Will one of the operators have the courage to
engage that before it's too late? They're all looking at each other
like they've grown wings and tentacles." They laughed. We went to
break.
John said to me, "That was totally unexpected!" Dr. Radith nodded and
smiled. I said, "Things were getting tense, so I reduced it." He said,
"You sure did!" Back on air, John did a recap of the program. Then he
said to me, "We're being tested, aren't we?" I said, "Yes we ARE being
tested. All of us. Obvious. Isn't it interesting?" He said, "Is that
what God says?" I said, "He doesn't have to say we're being tested.
It's obvious to me. He and I have discussed testing before. Many
missions offworld involve testing, in how He sets them up for me, and
He's admitted it, and that He loves how I do it. He finds my annoyance
at that amusing." Dr. Radith chuckled. He said, "So we're all
experiments to Him." I said, "Exactly. But they're more. The testing by
life is to enable us to improve. If we can." Nods.
John said, "When are they scheduled to fire that thing?" I said, "In
about seven hours. We should allow two hours for a launched missile to
reach it, depending on where it takes off from on Earth. How much time
to prepare the missile, will vary, depending on how ready it already
is, and how long the calculations for its mission takes. So, we have a
likely lead time of three hours to make the decision. After that
deadline, the chances of a successful strike are less. Of course, they
can change the scheduled test firing at any time. The problem is that
it's a moving target. To hit it, you have to aim for where it will be
when you get there. That is NOT easy, and it takes a lot of calculation
and precision flight. So you have to set a precise launch time, to make
it happen. You can't go around changing that at the last minute." Dr.
Radith said, "True. And the target can be told to move."
John said, "So there is no guarantee it can be knocked out?" I said,
"With a warhead, it's not guaranteed." John said, "You're hedging
there. Is there something else?" I said, "There is a technical
possibility. Do to it, what it could do to Earth." Dr. Radith said,
excitedly, "Yes! A high energy beam directed at it, could disable its
electronics." I said, "Spacecraft are shielded against solar flares,
but that probably wouldn't stand against a directed attack. And as long
as the beam were aimed so it didn't damage anything else out there, it
would be safe to use. Cause less debris, too." John said, "Could that
be done from Earth?" I said, "It would have to be in the line of sight
of the weapon placement. Orbits move things. And punching through the
atmosphere would take a LOT of power. Hope no birds are in the way."
Dr. Radith said, "It's possible it could be mounted on a missile."
John said, "Does any of that exist?" I said, "If it did, capable of
reaching the target, it's not publicly available knowledge." Dr. Radith
stared at me. I said to him, "What, did I just grow wings and
tentacles, myself? I can, you know." He said, "Does any of it exist in
secret?" I said, "If it does, how would we know about it? That's what
secret means." He said, "But you know all on Earth!" I said, "True. But
if I started exposing secrets of any kind, unjustly, I would never be
trusted again. And what God would do to me, I just don't EVER want to
find out." He said, "Oh! But in this case?" I said, "If anybody deals
in moral absolutes, it's God. And it's not needed here. If such a thing
exists, governments know it because they own it, and can use if if they
want to, and possibly without detection. But they might not want to
expose that capability. Another test. More fascinated interest added to
the issue." John said, "Wow!"
He said, "You would know if it happened." I said, "I would know if
anything happens. Still, the optimum solution is self-destruct. But the
person who does it, while he might be a hero to the world, will be in
big trouble with his bosses. And possibly face criminal charges." John
said, "Could he be granted political asylum?" I said, "That would be up
to which country would offer it. I would provide transportation if
requested. However, that could cause a lot of international bad
feelings. Hmm, there is some reaction to my comment. China is offering
asylum. Interesting political discussions going on behind closed doors
in a lot of places. Most nations don't want to make Germany angry with
them. Economic and political ties, and such."
John said, "Do you know why Germany's leaders are pushing to go
through with this?" I said, "I think it's safe to assume national pride
is part of the reason. Well, it is, for a lot of things nations do." He
said, "I know you have to be careful with personal privacy." I said,
"Thank you for reminding our viewers of that. Perhaps I should remind
the leaders of Germany who are responsible for this, that their
national pride has sometimes been a little too excessive in the past.
Violently so. How many disasters do they want to keep causing? Ooo,
they didn't like that at all! But their people do. If they want to get
I said, "Prepare for an announcement in a news conference in Berlin."
Grins all over CNN. We went back on air to cover it. They said the
craft didn't have enough reserve fuel to change orbit enough to make a
difference. They requested that I port it to the launch center at my
convenience. Then they said I had agreed to do that. We came back live
to our studio, and I said, "They made the right decision, and with a
little extra. That craft is extremely expensive! Now they get to save
it for another day. I know it was a tough decision for them to make. I
offer them something to make them feel a little better about it. I'll
build them a test center for that craft on Earth, so they don't have to
do it in space, if they agree to let other space programs use it,
equally. Hmm, that was fast. They agree. When they select a site, I'll
make it."
Dr. Radith said, "I see something in this situation. Something
Stephen said. He doesn't take away something without giving something
in return." I said, "Fairness isn't just about equal justice, it's also
about proper balance. The enlightened know this so well, it's a part of
who they are." Kam said in the air, "Absolutely! Great work, Bro!" I
said, "Thanks. That was my Sister Kamala, the Dalai Lama of Tibet. The
Monastery schools there always watch my shows, and debate everything in
them with er, amazing energy. And gigantic grins. Bigger now."
Chuckles. I said, "They know I love them for that, and for who they
are. I have to! I love debating at least as much as they do." Grins.
John said, "I think we saw that in your last show here." I said, "I
think the public wanted a big fight. I apologize for that not
happening. Maybe next time." He said, "We can always hope. Thank you
Solomon and Dr. Radith for being here in this very interesting
situation. Dr. Radith said, "It's been my pleasure, really!" I said,
"Interesting for me, too." Then we were off the air.
John, said, "Sol, you did that deliberately!" I said like I was
innocent, "Whatever do you mean?" Dr. Radith was grinning. He said,
"You could have used the political tactic before then." I said, "But it
wouldn't have worked well. Had to build up to it." Dr. Radith said,
"But you COULD have used that gift as an incentive at the beginning. I
think they would have accepted. You didn't, because it would be
bribery." I said, "A kind of force, yes." John said, "I knew that,
after the fact. We'll mention it on air. Some are going to make noise
about it." Producer came in, and said, "Very high ratings. Had them
almost glued to us!" I said, "Sticky. Dramatic, though. Edge of the
seat thing. I managed it that way. Couldn't have people tuning out in
the middle of the lesson." Dr. Radith said, "I noticed that. A lot of
lessons. About science, experimentation, pride, privacy, tactics, and
fairness, and more. Amazing!" John said, "I have to agree." He said to
Dr. Radith, "We feel privileged to be used this way." He said, "I
understand. I feel the same." I said to him, "Ready to port back to
your own new fan club?" He said, "Oh? Now I know something of how you
feel about that." The last thing he saw before I ported him, was my big
fat toothy grin.
I gave my personal thanks to the leaders of the other space programs
for their support, and some of the other country's politicians, too. I
could feel that God loved what I did, and I loved that.
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Grant
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