Solomon's Private File #99
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 17 in this story, in the Winter of 2043-2044.
Solomon's Private File #99 "Presidential Appointees"
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The new President Elect asked to see me in secret. I ported to his
office. I said by way of greeting, "How can this be a secret when you
know about it, too?" He said, "I know the old saying about that.
Clever." I said, "I'm concerned that my actions involving the
candidates could have influenced the election." He said, "I wondered
about that, too, but that's water under the bridge. I've been hearing
some unusual things." I said, "Happens to Presidents Elect. More, after
they take the Oath of Office. Blew President Carter's mind. 'We have
alien space ships, and I can't tell the public like I promised? Oh
Crap!' Or something like that." He laughed. I said, "President Obama
promised to close the prison in Cuba, and found he couldn't. Legal
system and Congress got in the way. You're going to find that a lot of
what helped you get elected isn't going to happen like you hoped. As
this goes on, you're going to be really amazed at your pre election
than I realized, but from my experience as Governor, I know how to
remedy that. A good staff who I can trust. Your father had an approval
service. Would you do it for my appointees?" I said, "Yes. We'll do it
for any government employee, and have been doing it on request since
the first modern Stephen incarnation. He did at times, entire military
bases." He was surprised. I said, "And we do it for other friendly
governments as well." He said, "Wow!" I said, "We do hear that a lot."
He chuckled.
I said, "You'll have more specifics of ongoing things after you take
the Oath. I'll feel sorry for you when Homeland dumps all they know in
your lap, and expects you to like it." He nodded and said, "I'm getting
a hint of that in briefings now. Frightening. You've approved of the
current Heads of Homeland, Justice and the FBI?" I said, "You know we
aren't political in approvals." He said, "Yes, and I respect that." I
said, "Yes we have, after the fact, and have very good working
relationships with them. You can take your time looking for
replacements. I have to say, no matter how good they are in those
positions, it takes a long time for us to break them in, so they
understand the realities of their situations, regarding our help." He
said with a grin, "I saw some of that in the news, with your father,
and now you." I said, "Not fun for us, and really not good for the
country to have that play out in the open. It's earlier than I had
planned, but since you brought it up, I'll tell you. The current FBI
Director would like to stay on. I would like that, myself. He's VERY
good, and well experienced. For a new appointee, we usually have
trouble explaining our office in his building. We approve all job
applicants there." He grinned and said, "I can see the problem. So
that's how you caught the suicide bomber!" I said, "Caught, and turned.
He's now working for the Bureau, and is very popular." He said, "Wow!"
I said, "Would you like to see how it happened, just as the Director
did in real time?" He said, "Absolutely!"
I showed him, and he had some more wows to express. He said, "Amazing
how you work. I didn't expect you to be such a fine actor." I said,
"I've had more demanding roles in my undercover work, including on
other planets. Even my own people expect me to use special abilities to
fix bad situations by force. I'm primarily a psychologist. I use that.
Less messy. Nicer results. Force doesn't know truth or humanity. Those
are really the best things to use when possible." He said, "Your wisdom
continues to amaze me." I said, "Er, thanks. I get that from my own
people, too. EVERYBODY wants to embarrass me!" He laughed. I said,
"Here's what I look like in FBI business. Ask for Dr. Jack B. Nimbol,
if you want to get hold of me." We said our farewells.
I told the FBI director what he should know from my meeting with the
President Elect. He said, "He wasn't opposed to me staying on, but
didn't confirm that. Typical politician." I said, "Well, he is. I want
a separate office here to do the approvals in. No staff. I'll do them
in my best known disguise. For convenience. Those who don't have
clearances can get that started while they're here." He said, "Good
idea. Going to do vetting?" I said, "Not officially, but some of that
will happen anyway. Very often people want to hide something like what
could drop them after vetting, and I'll feel it with their emotions."
He said, "Not fun." I said, "Right."
We were right. The first applicant came into my new temp office. I
greeted him and said, "I apologize for using an image, I'n teaching a
class elsewhere." He said, "That's alright. I don't know why I'm here."
I said, "That's unusual. Do you often go to places for no reason?" He
said, "That's not what I meant." I stared at him. He said, "I don't
know why this is necessary." I said, "Were you told that the President
wants the people he chooses to work for him to be approved by me, as my
father did for other political people?" He said, "Yes." I said, "So you
DO know why it's necessary. Why did you say you didn't?" He was angry.
He said, "What are you trying to do?" I said, "I'm hoping to see if you
are able to communicate without continuously putting your foot in your
mouth, which you seem bent on doing. Review what has happened. Would
YOU want somebody to work for you, who has presented yourself as you
have here?" He did that, and said, "Oh! I see. If our positions were
reversed, I would have kicked you out." I said, "Is that something of
your nature you really wanted the President to know?" He looked very
annoyed with himself. He said, "Why am I doing this?" I said, "First,
we determine WHAT you are doing, and that appears to be you are trying
your best to NOT work for the President, without actually telling him
that yourself." He spent time thinking and said, "A real psychologist!
I wasn't aware of it, but I realize that now. You're right, and I feel
better for knowing it." I said, "That's what we shrinks do. We help."
He said, "I've never seen that in action before. Impressive. Thanks!" I
said, "You're welcome. I suggest you tell whoever sent you here, to
take you off of whatever list you were on." He said, "I will!"
The next applicant came in. She gave me quite a run around. Finally I
said, "For most kinds of employment, I could not approve you. But for
Press Secretary, it's like you were born to obfuscate on command." She
laughed. I said, "The only real question about you is your endurance.
How long you can keep doing it before it gets to you. You know it will,
eventually." She nodded seriously, and said, "Going by the history of
the position, very true. I still want it, though. An impossible to pass
up opportunity." I said, "If you get it, mind some advice?" She said,
"Please!" I said, "Book material. Do it as you go. Golden parachute if
you can organize that into something marketable." She said, "Thanks! I
mean it!" I said, "Oh, and try to avoid direct lies. They'll bite you
in the end, so hard you won't want to sit down." She laughed and said,
"I'll be sure to remember that one!"
Next one. He came in and looked around. I said, "So sad. Not even a
window." He grinned and said, "I expected something better." I said,
"It's just a room. Temporary and convenient. And I'm not really here.
Just an image. I'm teaching a class elsewhere." He said, "May I know
which subject?" I said, "Advanced Physics. You thought it would be
psionics, didn't you." He grinned said, "Actually, yes, you being the
most powerful." I said, "And that's why I don't. Would be like using a
fire hose to fill a cup." He said, "Oh! Makes sense." I said, "I'm not
really needed to teach more than psychology, but they like it, and that
makes me like it." He said, "I think it's because you teach them to be
better people with who you are." I said, "Are you buttering me up with
the real stuff, or the new imitations?" He laughed. We discussed job
requirements. Then I said, "I haven't read your mind, but I sense you
are trying to hide something. That's not a problem here, but full
vetting is likely to uncover it. For a problem I can help with, we can
turn this into a privileged communication that doesn't end until it's
made clear that it has." He looked at me thoughtfully, and said, "A
real Rabbi, too?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Privileged." I said,
"Starting." He said, "I was abused as a child. Sexually, and involving
torture." I said, "That explains the scars." He said, "How?" I said, "A
fully psionic person perceives objects inside and out, for some
distance around him, constantly. It's not exactly like seeing, but
something like touch. It's generally not voluntary, but it is
focusable, to resolve finer detail, such as atomic structure."
He said, "Oh! Now I know why physics is needed!" I said, "Yes. It
does help a lot to understand what we perceive. Your issue is you don't
want that to go public, because it could change how people feel about
you, now that you've mostly overcome it." He said, "Exactly. And I
don't want my wife and children to know." I said, "You don't want their
pity." He said, "Right again." I said, "I fully understand. I would
feel the same. Actually, I HAVE felt the same in some past lives. Does
this talking about it now, trouble you?" He said, "I thought it would,
but it doesn't. I think it's how you're handling it. You really
understand it like nobody else can." I said, "We remember past lives
for a reason. They are meant to be used for good. Anyway, you know if
it comes out, there isn't anything that can be done about it, if you
don't have a strategy firmly established before that. You might not be
able to think as clearly as you need to, as it's actually happening.
Plan ahead, and you have some power over events. Don't plan, and events
have power over YOU." He had some tears, and said, "I wish I could tell
others how wise you are." I said, "Those who would believe, already do,
now. Those who won't, could make trouble for you over it. So, let's
work out a plan of action." We did that. I put it in a crystal, so he
could memorize it. Then he said, "I never would have expected it, but I
feel a whole lot better than I thought possible, about this. I thought
I was over it, but now I know I wasn't." I said, "Action over
passivity. More impact on the nervous system." He had more tears. He
said, "Can I see you again if I need to?" I said, "You shouldn't use me
as a crutch. You are now perfectly capable of taking charge of your
life, fully. Do it!" He said, "I will!" I said, "A second." I ported
in, and we hugged with love. I kept him standing until he could walk
out on his own, a changed man. Sometimes I really love what I do to
help people. I ported back to class.
A woman came in. We discussed the job requirements. I said, "You've
done it on both sides. Hmm, somehow, that didn't quite sound the best."
She laughed, and said, "Still, it's accurate. Prosecution and Defense."
I said, "At least you've had some experience being nasty. Er,
forceful." She laughed again. I said, "That position is thought of in
the masculine. Comment?" She said, "We'll just have to change that." I
said, "You know you'll have to be better, and you'll probably have to
fire good men who just won't get it." She said, "That last, will be the
toughest part. Do they really deserve that, because I'm a woman? Should
I let that stop me? I don't know. I'll never like it, but if the
President wants me, I'll do it. He's the top boss." I nodded, and said,
"And what am I?" She grinned and said, "I know what you mean. You are
what you say you are at the time. If anybody can be trusted to do the
right thing, it's certainly you!" I said, "You might feel a little
differently at times. It's happened." She said, "Oh I know! Interesting
times. We'll just have to work it out after the fact." I said, "It's a
tough job. I hope it doesn't damage your sense of humor." She nodded.
A man came in. I said, "Somehow, you seem familiar." He grinned and
said, "You're still the game warden?" I said, "Yes. Saved the President
of Brazil. In spite of his worth." He said, "I heard about that. So you
help other governments." I said, "Not that time!" He said, "Oh! I see
what you mean. You just oppose assassination." I said, "Right. Not in
season." He grinned. I said, "But I do help governments. What I'm doing
here and now." He said, "What do you look for?" I said, "Ability,
honesty, work habits, and aptitude. Let's see about that, for you." We
did some more discussion. I said, "Alright. That's enough. Didn't hurt,
did it?" He said, "Not that I can feel. Am I approved?" I said, "By a
kind of contract, I can't tell you of anything I forward about this.
And you aren't the only person being considered for this and other
positions, so if you don't get it, you might never know why. And if you
do get it, the same thing. You know most job interviews are like that."
He said, "I do. Thanks." He left. NOT approved. A vicious viper in a
well managed disguise. Absolutely no loyalty. Compulsive but careful
liar, ingratiating brown noser, and eager back stabber. I sent that on,
and received a serious thank you note in return.
A woman came in. I said, "You actually want that position?" She said,
"My boss isn't staying. Wrong party. I've been involved with my party
behind the scenes. I was asked. Of the available candidates, I think
I'm the best qualified." I said, "Working in the background, isn't the
same as taking the lead and the responsibility." She said, "I
understand that. I had leadership positions in college, but this is
very different. I think I can do it, but I can't know for sure until I
have." I said, "True for every position, and more for those who are
elected. We don't have to do any more here. I already know you. And you
know I know you well enough to have some confidence that you can do a
good job. Can I tell you something in confidence?" She said, "Of
course." I said, "After interviewing your major competition, I really
wanted to take a hard bath." She said, "Oh! That bad? I'm sorry for
you." I said, "Worse, is he hides who he really is, very well. I
wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him by an eyelash." She said
with a flickering smile, "I haven't heard that one before. New?" I
said, "Yep. Just for us." I ported in so we could hug. I gave her a
great recommendation.
That was all for the day. In my regular office in the Bureau, in
walked an applicant. The interview and tests went well. I said, "These
tests show things about people that most people wouldn't believe they
could show. For instance, there are questions that are asked more than
once, but worded differently. Inconstant answers can reveal a lot. Oh,
don't go yet. That door won't open unless I release it. The FBI is the
best law enforcement agency in the world. No, that's not a boast. Any
possible improvements that can be made, are. We have the best people,
because we really make sure of that. You should have known you would be
discovered. Why didn't you? Wishful self deception?" He thought a
little, and said, "I think you're right. You're actually a real
psychologist." I said, "Yes. It's almost impossible to respect the true
ability of an enemy, without thinking of them as less of an enemy than
is politically required." He said, "Wise." I said, "It's worse. In
order to kill in war, soldiers have to almost think of the enemy as
less than human, and subjects of ridicule, and that can last in a
damaging way in whole societies, long after the war is over, and the
enemies have become allies against another enemy they have to do that
to. I see you are beginning to understand. War only creates more war.
More division. More hatred. More death and other waste. Is this what
you really want?" He had some tears, and said, "I had not thought of
that." I said, "You didn't want to give up the feeling of power and
purpose that war gives you. Like a potent drug, it's very difficult to
give it up. Even when you want to, it can pull you back in."
He said, "But what can I do?" I said, "There is false honor, and true
honor. Sometimes we don't want to know the difference. It just isn't
convenient. You know now. How much will you work to make that last?" He
said, "I understand. But if I go back to my people like this, I will be
killed." I said, "And to THAT you owe your loyalty?" That really woke
him up. He said, "I have been deceived. I don't know how I could have
been so stupid!" I said, "We all feel that way when we discover we've
made a mistake. It's not a fun feeling, but I think better than making
bigger mistakes by not accepting it." He said "Very wise. Are all here
like you?" I said, "No, I'm unique, just like everybody else." He
smiled. "I have a friend here I would like you to meet." He looked
apprehensive. I said softly, "Would I deceive you in this?" He said, "I
will trust you. I know you could have done bad things to me already,
and you haven't, but talked to me as a man." I took a digital voice
recorder from my desk, and we went to see that friend. He was expecting
us. I said to him, "Job applicant who wasn't quite it. Here's the
recording. Your recommendations have weight. But don't wait too long.
He's a little lost. It's time for prayer soon. After that, then." The
new man was looking back and forth at us in surprised wonder. I said as
they left, "Danger monitor only." The new man went with the former
bathroom bomber to pray to Allah.
Back in my office, I received a lot of hugs and kisses. Galya said,
"I think we should share that." I said, "After his case is settled, and
public only in the Bureau." She nodded. We shared love.
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Grant
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