Solomon's Private File #456
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 36 in this story, in the Summer of 2062.
Solomon's Private File #456 "Game In The GC"
START Page
I shifted to a village center clearing in Indonesia, with my aura
blazing, where a beatdown was in progress. It stopped. The Tribal Chief
said, "Who are you?" I said, "I am Solomon." They knew of me from the
broadcast, and showed respect. I said, "Why are you beating this man?"
He said, "He betrayed us to another tribe." I said, "A valid
justification if it's true. How do you know of it?" He said, "One of
our Elders has said it." I said, "Has he offered proof?" He said, "No,
just his trusted word." I said, "Has this man shown interest in that
Elder's daughter?" He said, "Oh! He has, and it was opposed by that
Elder. Please tell us, are we acting in error?" I said, "Yes. This man
is guilty of nothing but loving the wrong woman. Please note that he
did not denounce that elder."
They looked with respect at the victim. I said to him, "May I heal
you?" He said, "Please, sir!" I said, "Strangely, no person refuses
that." Chuckles. I did it. One said, "Do you do this all over the
world?" I said, "I, and my Special Assistants, do this, and more, but
not in all the places and times were we could. We choose what we do
like this, carefully, so as not to disturb and interfere with the
ability and opportunity for people to be and to do good in the face of
evil. People need to learn to see and correct their own mistakes, where
possible. We are teachers, not the police or government." They bowed to
me. I gave them my love, and shifted out.
George said, "That was a very good one!" I said, "Now that you have
the world in your mind, you don't need me to give you the missions. You
can support with time diving, too." He said, "You'll set policy and
supervise." I said, "Couldn't stop that if I wanted to." Grins. I said,
"And I'll still do some things myself." He said, "Right. I want to do
some, too." We hugged.
I asked to meet with Daren and Dawn in Daren's office. I said to
Daren, "Best reptilian alien combat friend of Rose has a niece who
wants to be a martial artist. Teachers there won't accept her, being a
woman. Hahchet's world has a teacher who would. One of his Guardians
has a school there. Somebody we know would be a good choice to set it
up." We looked at Dawn. She grinned, and said, "A granddaughter of
Rose. Good choice! She knows about the relationship?" I said, "Yes.
Providing the motivation." Grins.
Dawn called the niece on her world, and set to meet her at her
apartment. There, Dawn said, "You know about Rose." She grinned, and
said, "I do! My uncle has spoken very well of her." Dawn said, "She
beats him, and he likes it. Strange." She laughed. Dawn said, "I
understand that you would like to study fighting arts." She said,
"That's my desire, but not the desire of those who teach it here." Dawn
said, "There are possible remedies for that. I could go to their
schools and beat them up, and demand they teach you, or I would keep
you Rose is the mother of my father, Solomon?" She said, "Oh! Wow!"
Dawn said, "We hear that a lot." Grins. Dawn said, "There is a very
good teacher on another world who would teach you." She said, "You
can't?" Dawn said, "I don't own a school, and I work a lot with strange
hours. I see your interest. Some of that does involve fighting, or
rather stoping them with more of it."
Dawn said, "If you would like to go to that school, we could help
with that." She said, "A good school?" Dawn said, "I wouldn't recommend
a bad school. They are green scaled upright beings. Members of the GC.
They are the best match for you, of all the schools in the GC. Yes,
Solomon would know." She said, "I heard he is holy." Dawn said, "That's
true. It was he who told me about this issue, and asked me if I wanted
to help you. Of course I do!" Grins, and a hug. She exclaimed, "YOU are
holy!" Dawn said, "I can't deny it. Please keep it to yourself. And
your uncle." She grinned, and said, "I will. I will do this!" Dawn
said, "I knew that." Chuckles.
Dawn took from a pocket some papers, and said, "Here's some travel
arrangements." She looked at them, and said, "They're paid for!" Dawn
said, "For convenience. We like to plan ahead. "The teacher is
expecting you. There is reservation for a place for you to live, too.
Consider this like a scholarship funded educational experience. My
group likes to do that sometimes. You had better accept it, or we can
fight about it." They laughed.
Mom visited her uncle in his office. After polite things, Mom said,
"You're niece is going to another planet to study fighting arts with a
Master." He said, "How did that happen?" She said, "My son's daughter
visited her, and offered support for her goals, and recommend the best
school for her. We're paying for it." He said, "I should repay you."
Mom said, "No. We have a lot of credit from the sale of Van starships,
and competitions on Posintan. We're pledged to use that for education,
so we are." He said, "A lot of you compete there." I said, "Not being a
member of any star association, we compete there to gain useful
identity certifications. We don't need the money, but we can't insult
them by refusing it. We save our insults for those who deserve it.
Usually politicians." He laughed.
She said, "Sol is mostly known for that." He said, "We haven't heard
much of that." She said, "He works not just with people and worlds you
know of." He nodded, and said, "I assumed that. I have a report from a
starship that is difficult to believe." She grinned, and said, "What
isn't, about him?" He grinned, and said, "This is more so, that he
appeared in it while they were in star drive." She said, "He does
travel well." He grinned, and said, "I understand. Another mystery. Do
people on your planet know more of him?" She said, "They do. Were you
thinking of putting a spy device close enough to receive in useful
time, media transmissions?" He said, "Why would you think I would think
that?" She said, "Because I would." He laughed.
He said, "Would it succeed?" She said, "We allow no signals to escape
our solar system unless purposely authorized. An automatic screen,
similar to what shields the former Van world." He said, "That
technology is in advance of anything we know." She said with a smile,
"If technology is what it is." He was frustrated. He said, "You can
heal. Solomon can do other unusual things. Can you do what he can, and
can others of your group?" She said, "Did you actually expect me to
tell you that?" He said, "No. Does the Posintan know?" She grinned, and
said, "For that, you'll have to ask him. Don't expect him to tell you
something new, without you doing the same, first. You suspect
correctly. I'm being Sol's assistant Games Master. I see beautiful
frustration!" Laughter.
He said, "Are you going to tell him you spoke with me?" She said, "A
proper Games Master should." He said, "If I were to strongly request
that you do not?" She said, "Oh? What weapons would you use?" He
laughed. He said, "Would it matter?" She said, "Actually, no. Anything
you can use, I can use better." He said, "Even what you have never seen
before?" She said, "Correct. A properly trained person can use anything
possible in the environment that can be as a weapon, well. You know
I've used the floor on you." He laughed loudly, and and said, "Well
said! Will you share this with Solomon?" She said, "No, but he will
know. Hmm, even your expressions fight with each other." He laughed
hard.
She said, "I'm going to tell the Posintan about this meeting, and
something of what I said, but not all of it. No, I won't tell you which
part. And I will tell him something you don't know. He still knows much
that you don't. My husband had a saying that's appropriate here. Don't
complain about what somebody does to you, that you would do to them if
you could. I'll add to that, and to complain just makes them do it
more." He grinned. They bowed, and she left.
With the Posintan Ambassador, she said, "I had a meeting with your
competition." He grinned, and said, "You're a Games Master, too?" She
said, "Assistant. He's discovered something unusual about Solomon, and
that Sol's daughter is involved on our work. Most of the rest of the
meeting I spent in severely frustrating him." He laughed. He said,
"What is one of those unusual things about Solomon?" She said, "He
works on other worlds you don't know about, too." He said, "I suspected
that. It's not new." She said, "I didn't tell him which galaxies." He
said, "Oh! But you're not telling me, either. That's cruel!" She said,
"Yes, isn't that great?" He laughed. She said, "You both know things
the other doesn't, and you both know that. Who's going to ask first?"
He said, "Which of us is more intelligent?" She said, "The difference
is in mental habits and societal influences. You think a little deeper,
and he thinks a little faster. That can change, depending on the
situation. Hmm, he doesn't know I would know this." He grinned, and
said, "Thank you." She said, "I think that should be enough for this
session." Grins. She left.
I said to Mom, "I asked those in the ship to not report my visit.
They may have assumed that applied to their species keeping it secret.
We'll see how that goes, if he tells. He feels he er, possesses your
friendship more than anybody else in the GC. Might be true as far as he
knows, but he shouldn't presume to believe that. You and he are NOT
equals at all." She grinned, and hugged and kissed me. She said, "Toys
that can speak are SO much fun!" Chuckles.
A man came into my Bureau Assessment office. I looked at his file. I
said, "Oh, somebody's going to be annoyed!" He said with some caution,
"Me?" I said, "If you don't like people fighting over you." He relaxed
and grinned. I said, "Not often we get a shrink with a higher than
first degree black belt as an applicant." He said, "Percentage?" I
said, "I could count them on the toes of one hand, that work here
outside of this very Department." He said, "Oh! Why here?" I said, "We
see civilians without intimidating guards. I don't intend to have my
people be defenseless. We don't have any projected openings in this
office. Why are you applying here, instead of other places?"
He said, "I did ask at Homeland, and at the CIA. They said I should
apply here. They didn't tell me why." I said, "Now you know." He
grinned, and said, "Only people fit to evaluate me?" I said, "You got
it! Now, what else have you got? What kind of work do you think you can
do, and what of that do you want to do?" He said, "I can evaluate
people, but not just in an office. I can do investigative work, and can
defend myself very well. I want to be a field agent." I said, "And
where do you want to do that?" He said, "I was thinking of Homeland." I
said, "They aren't like us. They do a great many different kinds of
things. I can give them my evaluation on you as a person, and your
qualifications in academics and martial arts, but I can't comment on
your suitability for particular positions without knowing which ones.
I'll tell you one thing. Pass this evaluation, DHS, for a field
position, will send you to our Academy." We discussed psychology, and
police science. He did well. Then we did tests.
I said, "As you should know, we do these tests not just to see the
answers." He said, "Caught me." I said, "Most who can, do. It's like
they can't help themselves." He grinned. I said, "You were the best at
it. Too many questions you answered consistently." He grinned wider,
and said, "That's tough to catch!" I said, "Got experts here. So now
we're going to do one on one, with speed. You stop even a little, well,
don't do that." He didn't. I said, "You know what you gave away. Not a
problem here. Won't go on the report. It's legal, but frowned upon in
government. Careful with it. Really don't do it on the job." He nodded.
I said, "You're wondering what else I know about you. I'm not going to
tell you. That was intended to make you feel guilty." He laughed.
I said, "Homeland works in the US. CIA has analysts here, but no
field agents, and agents in other countries. They use our shrinks when
they can, for profiling. Such as that is. Different department." He
grinned. I said, "FBI works all over. Yes, in other countries, too. You
know Spanish and Portuguese. You're of Portuguese descent." He said,
"How did you know?" I said, "There's more in what I get from personnel,
than what you see. Your parents' accent is in your speech slightly,
with some words." He said, "They barely had an accent! How could you
detect it?" I said, "FBI is the best law enforcement agency in the
world. That doesn't stop at my door."
He was very impressed. He said, "What agency would you advise me to
try for?" I said, "I can't do that. In any position, you would have to
fit yourself to it, not it to you. How you do it, and how well, I can't
predict. One thing I can tell you. You're overqualified for an entry
level position for what you want in the field after the Academy, and
not qualified in experience for higher positions. That's going to make
you frustrated. How you'll handle that, we don't know. There's a choice
you probably aren't aware of. DOJ judicial branch also has
investigators. They usually operate independently, and in coordination
with other parts of DOJ, but in the lead. By law, our Special Agents
have to retire before most other workers do. They take them. Fresh,
even with less experience, is better sometimes than stale leftovers.
Yes, they would send you here for evaluation." He said, "I'll look into
that! But, how will you evaluate my martial arts?"
I said, "You're a San Dan in Uechi Ryu. You're from Mass. Milford
school?" He said, "Yes! How did you know?" I said, "Not many schools of
your style. Martial arts is one of my er, hobbies." He said, "How good
ARE you?" I said, "Restricted information on inside workers. But I'll
say this. Academy head trainer survived MY test of his martial arts."
He said, "Wow!" I said, "Nah, he just groaned." He laughed. I said,
"Government employer wants that tested, they'll send you to him." He
said, "Why not you?" I said, "Draws too much of a crowd in the gym
downstairs. Last applicant I tested in the physical, was something
else. Super reflexes. Good thing for him he wasn't lying." He laughed
loudly.
I stood and said, "Follow me." We went out to the office manager. I
said to her, "We're going to personal. No, it's not a problem. Got some
jokes I haven't used yet." She said with a grin, "Judging by the sound
of it, I wouldn't have expected it." I said, "That was just practice."
More grins. We left the office. He said, "Pleasant office." I said,
"Like a family. When I get shrinks, they expect some noise, when I'm
playing with my toys. More when they try to play with ME." He laughed.
He said, "And the other psychologists?" I said, "Nope. I get them all.
Rank, and so on. I let them have some martial artists when they want
some exercise." He said, "They test that there?" I said, "No. We don't
need them. A good thing. Most of them are total pricks." He laughed. I
said, "They try to get rough, they get flattened. Then we all stand
around and complain they weren't good enough for entertainment. Guards
come and take out the trash. Had a passed over candidate for Senior
Master get really annoyed with me."
He said, "What did he do?" I said, "He tried to compel me with his
Ki. I reversed it. He walked out under compulsion. That wore off
outside, and he blasted a light post." He said, "Oh, I heard about
that. Solomon came and gave him restrictions. So that use of Ki doesn't
last much beyond the range of the person using it?" I said, "Yes.
People at his level usually develop in at least partial isolation. He
had never fought with a peer with Ki, and so didn't know how to defend
himself from the rebound. He didn't know of my ability because I had
restricted my Ki. He didn't think I had any ability in it. A true
Senior Master would have noticed that it was an imposed condition." He
said, "Oh! Kind of makes me want to continue in my martial arts." I
said, "Given the time for it, it's usually a good thing. You have
potential. No, I'm not going to recommend a teacher. You don't know
where you'll be. Won't be me, though. Got too much other work. See if
you can tell the head of Personnel's style."
We entered the Personnel department, and I asked to see the boss. I
said to Jerry, "Got an unusual multi agency application here. I know
you know about it." He grinned, and said, "I knew you would know I
knew." I said, "Oh, it's going to be like that. She called?" He said,
"Yes she did." I said, "So little respect." Grins. I said, "He's unsure
where to apply. Got a high level approval from me. DOJ Judicial
investigator is a possibility. He's also asked about DHS and CIA.
Didn't ask about us, though." He said, "Should we be insulted?" I said,
"Optional." Grins.
I said to my victim, "So, take a guess?" He said, "I can't tell his
style. Some kind of Kung Fu?" Jerry said, "Tiger Kung Fu, and Hapkido."
He stood, and we looked up at him. Applicant said, "You don't need
that!" Chuckles. They shook hands. I said, "You're in good hands now.
Er, after you check yours. I should be going back to work. Yes, I
actually do some." I shook his hand, and left.
Ivanna said in mindtalk, "You had fun with that!" I said to her, "Of
course! Double toy. A shame, though. No real place for who he's made of
himself." She said, "I'll watch, if you don't mind." I said, "Sure.
Couldn't hurt much." Grins.
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Grant
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