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Subject: +*+*+*+ Solomon's Private File #244 "Leaving the Circus" +*+*+*+
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2016 06:46:42 -0400
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Solomon's Private File #244
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 #244 "Leaving the Circus"
START Page
I said to the Head of the Empire's Security Office, "Action on Prime
is contained, and being systematically reduced. Palace and Government
Center are secure, and are not expected to see more action. All large
weapons were identified and secured. Some nasty ones were disabled.
Going to need more room for prisoners. Injured from GP are being
brought to a secure location, where I will heal them. Some know I can
do that." He said, "Just them?" I said, "Because they know, and will
keep it a secret. And because they won't heal the best way on their own
in this gravity." He said, "Oh! I never thought of that." I said, "And
the circus must perform." He nodded, and said, "Your last appearance?"
I said, "Probably. I would have loved to continue it, but I've exposed
too much of myself to them. They couldn't work with me as just a clown
now, and will want to honor me. That would be bad."
I said, "Local fleet action will take some weeks to complete. Then
there are the pirate stations to clean out, and the lost colony to
rescue. Crown has my suggestions for that, and will have my subtle
help. Yes, I expect to be around these er, parts for most of a year,
but not known to be so, even to the circus."
I said, "The exciting part for you is over. There will be a lot of
cleanup work to do. For others. You need to rest." He said, "But I'm
still needed!" He got a call. He said to it, "Yes, Your Majesty." After
disconnecting, he said to me, "YOU!" I just grinned. He said, "I
couldn't sleep." I said, "You will, and well." He nodded. He prepared
for it, and I made sure he did sleep well.
GP Cultural Center was packed with wounded. I circulated among them,
healing them. Jurk, after he was healed, told them they were not to
talk about it. I had a meeting with the top levels there. I said,
"Circus should receive no public honors for their participation in this
action, or even acknowledgement. We need to continue to be just the
circus to the public. If we are seen to be more, we will have lost our
mission. And frightened the public almost out of their skins, with our
deadly effectiveness." Grins and chuckles, and nods. I said, "I have
informed the Crown about that. Similar reactions." More of that. I
said, "The circus must put on the shows as usual, when we're able. We
were an agent or war, and now we need to be again an agent of peace and
normalcy. Not just because we should, but also because we want to. It's
who we are!" Some not so dry eyes.
I said, "There could be some notice of me, as being more than a
clown. For the good of the Empire, that must not happen. There is a
reason why people who were given the emergency authority I was given,
and used, who were to work only in secret. The various societies that
make up the Empire must not come to depend on us, or they will decline,
causing a future that would be worse than if the conspiracy had won.
That must NOT be allowed to happen!" They had to agree.
Concurrently with all that, I was saying similar things in private to
the Empress. She said, "What of the leader of the conspiracy?" I told
her what I recommended, and why. She agreed. She said, "There is going
to be something of a scandal, with my son." I said, "He did well." I
showed her. She grinned at my comments I had told the Head. I said,
"She was a trained fighter, too, but she underestimated him, thinking
her sex would cause him to go easy on her. Your publicists can make
something good out of it. There is another he's interested in. I see
you know of her. Good woman. Yes, I approve of her." She was grateful
for that. I said, "Better he's safely married, before he assumes the
Throne." She grinned, and said, "My thoughts, exactly. Six months about
right?" I said, "Good guess!" Chuckles.
I said, "Circus has two turned of the lost colony. One was in their
Navy before the first contact. We'll leave them here, for you to
include in the expedition to that planet. Er, even if they don't want
leave the circus. They can always come back." She said, "Very good.
Will you be staying?" I said, "I shouldn't. Might watch a little, and
er mess with some unpleasant people at times, but not so it can be
blamed on anybody. Empire MUST survive without my further intervention
I said privately to Mirch and Hrach, "There is going to be an
expedition to your planet after the pirates are dealt with." Mirch
said, "We should go with it." I said, "Then I don't have to ask you
to." Grins. I said, "But later, well, always remember you are a part of
the circus now, and forever. You will always have a place with us in
our hearts, and in the circus for real. If you don't get too soft and
lazy with the fleet. Come back, we'll work your tails of, and you'll
love it." Tears and hugs.
I opened the door, and walked into the apartment the leader of the
conspiracy was trapped in. I was looking like one of his own kind of
people. He was outwardly calm, and offered me a chair. He said, "Are
you my executioner?" I said, "No. I am unable to kill." He said, "Oh,
one of those." I said in obvious curiosity, "Which those do you mean?"
He said, "Actually, I don't know. I assumed something of the
religious." I said, "I am something of that, but it's my level in
psionics that prevents me from killing." He said, "Oh. I should have
known. Will I be killed soon?" I said, "I will not allow you to be
killed." He said, "You can actually enforce that?" I said, "Yes. I'm
unable to lie, too." He nodded. He said, "Will I be questioned?" I
said, "I doubt it. Not needed." He said, "A trial?" I said, "Not
wanted. Your deceived cousin who killed herself, will be the leader of
the conspiracy for the public. Handy body." He said, "Isolation until
natural death?" I said, "Most current plan. Can't let you at the
public, or the public at you, a former Naval officer of Survey." He
said, "Oh. He knows?" I said, "Cried." He nodded. I said, "Regrets?" He
said, "No." I looked askance at him, with a little smile, which he had
to return. He said, "Alright, a little. I made some errors."
He said, "You know I can kill myself at any time." I said, "I would
rather you didn't. But if you do, and want me to witness it, I would
agree to be here for you." He said, "You are kind." I said with a
smile, "So I've been told a few times." He said, "I'm not kind." I
said, "You were." He said, "Tortured out of me." I said, "I remember my
past lives. Most were bad. I know." He said, "I see your pain. You DO
know. I would not have believed I could say this, but thank you." I
bowed. He said, "Does my sister know?" I said, "Her work required it."
He said, "That I regret." I said, "A beginning." He laughed. He said,
"I will not kill myself, out of respect for you, but I will not live as
I am. Farewell." He started his mental destruction sequence. I stopped
it, but a lot of his memory was gone. I healed his body, and removed
the scars.
In the morning, Head saw my note, and came to the apartment in the
Center, where his son still was. I showed him what happened. I said, "A
lot of his memory is gone. His last memory is during the pirate attack
on his Survey ship. I healed his body and removed the scars. He is now
an exemplary Imperial officer, just as he was then, but physically
older. Here is a story you can use to explain this." I gave it to him.
He was crying as he memorized it. I said, "Her Majesty knows and
approves. Suicided maid cousin, will be the leader of the conspiracy."
More crying, and a hug. I said, "I can't lie, so you must be the person
to tell him." The room changed. I said, "We are now in a private room
of the Center Infirmary." He said, "You've changed, too. Again." I
said, "Med Tech." He said, "His clothes are different, too. Well
dressed, actually." I said with a smile, "Unusual for me. I'm not known
for an interest in clothes. I don't wear any at home." He said, "That
was more than I needed to know." Chuckles.
I said, "Your daughter has been informed by the Empress in person,
with some mutual comforting." He nodded his thanks. I said, "Ready?" He
was. I let the sleeper wake. He looked very confused, and said, "Were
am I?" I smiled and said, "You don't know how many times we hear that.
You're in the infirmary at the Center on Prime. I know it's confusing
for you, but all will be explained. Look at yourself." I gave him a
hand mirror. he said, "That can't be! I'm not that old!" I said, "It is
you, older, because you have lost the memory of the last ten years of
your life. What is the last thing you remember, before you saw us?" He
said, "Survey ship. We were being attacked by pirates. Oh! I was
injured?" I said, "It's a little complicated, and some of it is
security classified at the highest level. I'm cleared for it, but your
father will tell you."
He said, "Son, you were captured by the pirates. They found out who
you were. They held you for use in their plans to take over the Empire,
using the people of the lost colony you found. They tried to condition
your mind to support that, but they were new to that tech, and damaged
your mind. You've recovered, but your memory of that time is lost
forever. It's for the best. They didn't treat you well." He said, "But
what of the conspiracy?" He said, "They almost succeeded. There is
still some fighting going on, but they have lost, and we have won. They
brought you here to bargain with if they failed. You were rescued by
people who didn't know who you were. They thought you were injured in
the attack here."
I said to him, "Your sister has been informed. You are fit to be
discharged. I think you might want to go see her." He said, "I do! I
don't know how to thank you enough, Doctor." I said, "That you are
well, is all the thanks we should have. You have a new life. I know you
will do good with it." We shook hands, and his father had tears again.
They hugged, and walked out.
The circus wasn't needed in the cleanup. When we were allowed, we
used the shuttles to bring our equipment down, and set it up.
Government promoted our shows, and we had a full house for every one.
Our best performances, too. There were some issues with the circus
people looking at me strangely, but they eventually gave that up,
because I was just behaving normally for their best clown. After the
last show, our two Sumnerites left to join the fleet. We gave them a
good sendoff. In a meeting with the manager, I said, "What Jurk did."
He said, "I know where you're going." I looked at the door. He laughed.
He said, "Major it is." I said, "I'll give him the IDs." He said,
"Where and how do you get them? You didn't bring them from GP." I said,
"Did you expect me to tell you?" He said, "Er, no." We grinned. I said,
"I'm not going home with you." He said, "Going to be some farewell
party!" I said, "I don't want it, but it would hurt them not to have
it. But QUIETLY!" He whispered, "Alright." I said, "You were a clown."
He said, "I was. Best time of my life." I said, "I'll miss it very
much. Best time out of bed I've had in this life." He looked at me
strangely.
I said, "I'm married, and with children." He said, "You've been a
long time away from them." I said, "I never left them. No, I can't
explain it so it will make real sense to you." He said, "What do you
really look like?" I said, "However I want to. But that really doesn't
satisfy you. Before I became able to use any body I wanted to, I did
have a form I was born with and grew up in. If I showed you who I was
before I changed, in full reality, most of the psionic people on this
world would be a little inconvenienced. The best of them would either
be drawn to me like they were starving, or would want to deny that I
exist. Suppose I show you in an image as others saw me?" He said,
"Please." I said, "In order to accomplish something in the government,
I needed to reveal my real appearance at that time, as a matter of
trust. I had been using disguises before, to maintain my privacy." I
showed him what I showed the Joint Session of Congress. He said, "Not
bad looking. Not hi grav. Gigantic aura." I said, "It doubled in size
before I changed. I should go tell Jurk about his promotion. You might
hear the result." He chuckled.
I took Jurk to our room. I said, "You did very well out there in the
er, action. It was noticed. We just have to do something about it." I
gave him the new ID. He made some strange noises. I said, "Mister,
you're in major trouble!" He had to laugh, and loudly. We did a back
pounding hug. I said, "And Racen is with the boss now, being promoted,
too. Before you go join her, I'm telling you first, after the boss. I'm
not going back to GP with you." He looked devastated. I said, "I would
love to continue with the circus, but I can't." He said, "You're really
leaving us?" I said, "The Empire, yes. Er, mostly." He said, "What is
mostly?" I said, "You know I'm a little more unusual than most here
know." He nodded. I said, "I'll be gone physically, but not all the way
mentally. I have to maintain that connection, or I can't come back when
I need to. So, I might be watching things at times. If you see
something odd, like a criminal who keeps tripping while he's trying to
attack, or a pirate ship with engine trouble when it would the worst
if they knew. They have to know they succeed or fail on their own
efforts, or they will fail as people. Don't count on my help. I might
not be able to, even if I know about it. I hope you beat your next
roommate in the distance event." He said, "Ha!" Pokes.
They did have a party for me. Tears flowed, and they tried to laugh
at my humor, and did sometimes in spite of themselves. I helped them
load the ship. Then I shifted to meet with the Imperial Agent, Jurks
father, on GP. I gave him a complete update. He said, "Timeline
issues." I said, "Expect me to explain?" He grinned, and said, "No. As
if I would understand." I said, "You might want to act surprised, when
Jurk tells you things." He said, "I might. You're leaving?" I said,
"I'll be leaving some of my attention in the Empire, so I can return
someday." He said, "You will still be helping, but not so we will
grinned and nodded. I said, "But not often. Notice would be bad. Even
suspicion." He said, "True. Do you accept students?" I said, "I'll be
watching for candidates. Very special requirements." He said, "Thank
you! May I see who you really are?" I said, "That's not possible. But I
could show you who I was, when it was possible in the recent past.
Guardians will feel it, and will have a fit." He laughed, and said,
"Justification!" I showed him, gigantic aura and Ki flowing. I hugged
him with all my love, and helped him to sit. I shifted out, leaving the
Red Agent IDs behind. He said, "Solomon! Keep your Red Agent status for
when you might need it!" It vanished from his desk, and he grinned
widely.
I was watching. There were four rescue children candidates in the
Empire. None from GP. Two boys and two girls. In recruiting, I used
time stasis to manage the different availabilities, so I could take
them to Earth dimension all at the same time. I used Dad's house on
Misnok as a way station. I gave them English, and knowledge of Earth.
During that, I was saying to George and Daren, "I just completed an
action in another dimension with a time differential of 12-1, their
favor. Got four rescue students who look human enough for our school.
Here's their home dimension education setup. Action in this crystal."
They read it, and had wows. Daren had tears. He said, "I understand how
hard it was for you to give up being that clown. To join the circus;
every kid's dream. To make people laugh, whole stadiums full. What a
life!" George had tears, too.
Then he said, "Something familiar. An early SF story. A series."
Daren said, "I know what you mean." I said, "An infinity of galaxies
though." I said, "Real life is smarter than any author. Some of what he
wrote wouldn't work like that." Daren said, "And you weren't in it.
love.
END Page
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant
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