L'Gem

  Chapter Eighteen

  Danny got the complete plan the group in the mine had built, after Larry did a bit of tailoring and polishing, and put it on the infonet. There were two party platform proposals, not terribly different in general, but there had been conservatives and liberals in the group and they'd defined their differences well.

  She scheduled both party conventions, appointed the chairs and committees on Larry's list, paid the meeting room and convention hall fees, appointed the slate of pro tems, sent voter registration requests to every taxpayer and put government job listings on the net. All the pro tem bureaucrats, members of congress and party committee members received messages.

  "The interplanetary news services are coming! They could be here in four days! You've been drafted to make it at least look like we're getting ready to support R and D on the formulas, so they don't just take them home and forget us. Congressional session starts at nine, Lodestar time, tomorrow, agenda attached. Bureaucratic appointees, get to offices by then and start reviewing applications. If you wanted the job, you wouldn't have been appointed. Find replacements. Personal office key and auth codes attached. We'll sound like total idiots saying, 'Duh, we don't have any shuttles, so we can't get to the portal.' Move it.!"

  Since the full list of pro tem appointees was attached all would know who else. It was an extremely competent and respected group, despite the former gov's attempts to control or coerce them. Day or night, wherever they were on the world, their comps sounded emergency buzzers.

  Danny commed Knight and told him to get the shuttles somewhere visible fast. He told her they were on the seventeenth green and they'd be visible in a half-hour.

  On the northwest curve, Knight turned on the shield. They went up to the mine, hooked up the three repaired, and open, shuttles, put a message on their comp screens, floated them and invisibly towed them to the top of the tallest hill on the campus land. They set them down, unhooked them, opened the rear end of the shield until it cleared them, closed it and reduced the shield size when they got to road. Knight drove to the flyer hangar and the car became visible when he parked in its shadow. They went in the side door.

  Blade told everyone about his first golf game and most were giggling too hard to work in moments. They finished the fourth flyer at thirteen twenty-three and Nev invited everyone to their place for late lunch. At fourteen oh eight, Kail came in the kitchen door and leaned on the counter. He was laughing so hard he needed support.

  "Donations to the building fund!"

  "Donations?"

  "Three shuttles, Drand, with 'I'm a donation to the building fund. I'm sure someone wants to lease me,' on their screens. They were on top of a hill on the campus land."

  "They weren't there when we played golf. We'd have seen them."

  "Oh, I'm sure they weren't, Blade."

  "Answer comm. Hello, Andrea."

  "Since Kail's there, you've heard."

  "Just. Knight, Blade and I took turns eating and answering the comm chime. Thank you, I think."

  "They were all just waiting because no one knew what else you had to do, Nev. We have the most anonymous anonymous donation anyone's ever seen. There's absolutely nothing to identify those shuttles in their comps, or anywhere else. Judge Wadronna said we have shuttles. One moment. I've got a priority message. It's a planetary voter registration form!"

  On a shaded street corner in Roper district, six people sat at comps and entered information people gave them. The lines in front of them were long. Behind them, four people cooked and filled cups. A sign above them said, "Voter Registration. Free fried gint pods and iced tea. Bring the kids."

  Knight, Blade and Nev had five 'building' jobs and three rental prep. Case and Stats had three and five. Drand and Dawn had three building jobs. They were passed any that required more than rental maintenance licenses covered.

  People had been told the two businesses would be working together and their place on the combined schedule. Since Danny needed Dawn to do some contract tailoring checks, she wouldn't be working with the business full-time. Nev nodded his uncle into the living room to talk.

  "She doesn't like the carpentry as much."

  "You don't like the math as much. You're both tech crazy, but a lot of what we're doing is primarily enjoyable to her because of you and new. She loves using tools of any kind, but the sixth time she builds four identical platforms, she'll wish she was using the bonder on something interesting. Danny's tugging because she isn't going to let the pleasure of working together be diminished by routine. The flyers are done and you have licenses to build anything you want. Next?"

  "I was out of next when I got here."

  "Knight! Blade's right. He's being careful not to attract attention to us. He won't even think about something that won't fit in the garage."

  "Drand, at this point, we're just dodging people who want to push us into a physics lab. Everyone in the region is obviously going to help. Blade said building a spaceship under a dome would be a good long-term hobby project, but you have what's needed to get the university building bid process open."

  "I do?"

  "Go introduce yourself to Tatton Tellerlock. He can't bid on the science building, until he has someone who knows all the systems needed and can price and build them. The bid committee doesn't want to open bids until someone local can."

  "Dawn! I'll be back!"

  "Drand?! Nev?! Knight? Blade!"

  "Nev said you were both going to get bored, Dawn. My personal experience with boredom is extreme, so avoidance is always at the top of the priority list."

  "You're not going to tell me where my husband was going when he ran out the door."

  "I don't actually know, but probably not to buy parts for spaceship. Yet."

  "What?!"

  "I didn't think building a shuttle would keep you happily busy evenings all winter."

  "Dawn, Ronnie and I need you. You're important to two businesses, but neither need you full-time. A spaceship will be fun. I hope you find somewhere close to build it. I wanna play too."

  "So do I."

  "Me too."

  "It's unanimous. We all want to help you and hubby with your hobby project. Meanwhile, Knight had an idea."

  "A revelation, Nev. There are as many applications as the measurement count. That's why it's there. The measurement is from outside and inside. Empty and fill, anchor and move, block and assist, save and squander, open and close, pull and push, and all the other opposing actions. The more bases, the more refined the actions. A cone is stop and go, or on and off."

  "From outside stop, inside go."

  "Yes, Case."

  "Messing with a cone is dangerous, Knight. It could stop the planet in its orbit, or all electrochemical processes."

  "Damn! Danny, get a warning out. Blade's right."

  "Knight, someone would think 'ultimate weapon.' We have to refine the warning."

  "The cone is stop or go, of everything. Totally inert or accelerated through atomic breakdown, you wouldn't be around to record the results of an experiment."

  "Thanks, Ronnie. Sent to all universities, known corp R and D labs and high-tech retailers. If you want anything else checked, changed or sent, tell me now. I expect my auth code to auto-expire shortly after eight tomorrow, our time."

  "Danny, don't do that."

  "Why, Blade?"

  "Because there are about fifteen thousand greedy sociopaths still running around out there and some have got a lot of money."

  "Not unless they declared it on their taxes last time. There are two fully-funded political conventions scheduled, including rooms and meals for four delegates from each congressional region. There are fully funded classroom and on-the-job training assistance programs already beginning in the four large subsidized districts, and the new government has a lot of research grant money to distribute. There are no longer a large number of nonexistent people with bank account
s and stock portfolios. The pro tem Treasury Minister has correct figures to use. The adjusted population figure is noted as correct except for an unknown number of 'removed.' The method of computation is noted. Since I used it to identify non-existent people and remove them from records, I already had an actual count."

  "Method?"

  "Every hospital, clinic, midwife, rural physician and birth-at-home register gets a new baby kit, Stats. Every death recorded has a notation if there's no one to notify, or who was. Every inoculation series, education program and cremation is recorded. Our identities didn't kick out when I ran a cross-check, but thousands did. I eliminated births that didn't happen, registered deaths that did, noted exile of the families of the oligarchy and subtracted the five hundred forty-eight duplicates and several known removals."

  "You noted five hundred forty-eight duplicates?"

  "Yes, Blade, but there's no record of how many rebels were convicted, nor how many were once in Horgen Field or Fataner. Doc Larry said the total figure is a validation of pro tem appointments. It's one hundred ten more than the total who made the first pro tem administrative and congressional appointments, and they appointed many from among them. The five hundred forty-eight figure, representation of every region on the planet and notation none of the selecting body, nor their family members, were appointed is at the top of the agenda, the first item to be read into the new congressional record."

  "Danny, five hundred forty-eight didn't… Selecting body."

  "Yes, Ronnie. It's the same term that was used the first time. Larry said it's probable that more participated in making our appointment list than theirs. By that time, the cost of staying in Lodestar would have become a financial burden to most of the delegates. The election was only twenty-two days away and the pro tem job was change 'Colonial' to 'Planetary' on forms."

  "Ours have a lot more to do."

  "They were chosen for their ability to do it, Dawn, not because it wouldn't bankrupt them to stay in Lodestar another twenty-two days, and ours have quarters, transportation and a nice meal budget."

  "A very large number of large, unoccupied houses, unowned cars and more money than you could spend."

  "Addresses, key codes and auth codes to pay for groceries or meals, Knight. The cleaning services and comp installers have enough done to assign three to a house with three cars in the garage. The rest get for-sale signs as they're completed. The other cars already went to used car lots in four cities. That money, and the money from the sale of houses, goes toward replacing 'approved' texts with good ones for elementary and secondary education, and to retraining teachers and school administrators, if needed. Basically, elected and appointed people aren't going to all live in one neighborhood, and if they want one of those houses, they'll have to buy it."

  "You think all those houses are going to sell?"

  "Very fast, Blade. They're priced at their assessed value. Do you think any of those people paid property taxes on their real value?"

  "People on subsidy will be buying them."

  "Not if they plan to rent or resell them within two years. That's in the contract, and all eight of the realtors who have listings have been notified potential buyers must be told Lodestar city government is expected to reassess for property taxes, as soon as an assessor is elected. They'll sell fast, but to people who can afford to pay taxes on what they're worth, and intend to live in them."

  "Two years is a congressional term."

  "And the max of five consecutive terms, with two terms intervening before reelection, is back in the constitution, Nev. Some may still serve twenty years in congress, but it will be over twenty-four years."

  "A lot of gov employees can afford those houses, Danny."

  "Yes, Case, and they'll be able to pay taxes on them, if they actually work. All offices have been notified employee evaluation will begin at nine tomorrow, Lodestar time, and be ongoing. The attached note said anyone not doing everything in the job description will be terminated, unless allocation of time and completed work is submitted and comp verified, so new job descriptions can be written. Any person taking, or asking for, a bribe or gratuity, other than those declaring gratuity income for tax purposes, such as food service personnel, will be arrested and prosecuted."

  "There are going to be a lot of resignations and early retirements."

  "They'll discover they have what they said they had, Blade. They don't have four other accounts, and they'll either live on their retirement or job hunt. The people actually doing the work will submit it, or smile widely, because they'll get promoted, and there will be lots of on-the-job training positions open in the government. I didn't do it. The whole plan for blowing out the chaff, reconstructing education and getting people in sub districts trained and working is from the bunch who worked with Doc Larry. He talked to a lot of them and many others at the wedding reception and since, and refined it to specifics. He said it's the fastest way to change 'grab everything in sight to honesty and hard work pay off' in the minds of our children. Dump the grabbers, reward the workers and take everything grabbed and give it back as education. Even their own kids will know why, and no longer think it's the smart way. We'll probably end up with former gov employees on subsidy, but the kids in subsidy and low income families now have educational priority and a big government grant fund to help with post-secondary education of any type."

  A man in Jenneara watched a live-cam image of four people coming out of the building he'd just leased to the planetary government. They'd carried a hauler-load of office equipment into it. One of them set up a ladder, carried the end of a banner up and attached it to the wall. He moved the ladder, got the other end from a woman holding it and climbed. As he did, the banner spread. It said, "The Work Place. Employment, On-The-Job Training, Work Skills Training, Higher Education, YOUR government bringing opportunity to YOU. Hours 8 to 20. All programs fully funded with what we took away from the greedy pocks."

  He burst into laughter and told his employee no apology for the jiggling cam was necessary. He completely understood. The last image was of the sign just posted on the door. "Opening Celebration. Free tea and biscuits 7-9. Warning: OJT in action. Twelve people will be told they're counselors, led to desks and paid well."

  "Spread the word. Make sure they have twelve who'll be good at it, and will stick with it, waiting at the door at seven. Don't limit, but at least twelve. They'll find good jobs for others."

  "I'd have trouble believing it if it didn't say, 'greedy pocks,' Boss."

  "That's why it says it, Kerp. Tell the pimps to encourage, not discourage, their girls and boys to go."

  "They won't like that, Boss."

  "They'll like feeding and clothing more prostitutes than there are customers less. Any good pimp has excellent managerial skills, and job counselors from the district will know it. Half their customers were 'greedy pocks,' and the pimps know it. Some should decide if they'd like to have nice condos in the burbs and spend evenings at Bardrips and Speed Lane. They won't have to work any harder and they won't have to kill somebody to make more. Income just keeps going up and invitations to play golf and attend cocktail parties go up with it. Successful licensed brothel operator, smart enough to grab the opportunity to change occupations to well-paid middle manager, with unlimited career growth potential, won't be a social detriment."

  "Boss, they work for you."

  "My business is changing too, Kerp. You should consider becoming a police officer."

  "What?!"

  "You like people and you like making sure no one hurts them. You're fast, smart and know the right questions to ask. That's what a police officer is supposed to be like. If you showed up there in the uniform, those people would all know the city government means what it says about serving the citizens. They don't pay as much as I do to start, but you'd be a sergeant before long and a captain, if you decided you wanted to be."

  "Like up in Teal Valley."

&nb
sp; "You'd have to work harder, but addicts and pushers are gone and the door to opportunity opens at seven."

  "I could still say give it to me to give back and don't do stupid again."

  "Probably get an award for getting all those kids going the right way."

  "You're going to tell a lot of us we should be looking for other jobs, aren't you?"

  "The right people are taking on the job of taking care of the people. The people needed protection from the ones taking the money to do it before. No police in the district station yet, Kerp. Who would the people trust enough to call when they need help? That's who belongs in it. Your job of record is security officer. Your current employer, and a lot of people, will give you a good reference."

  "Somebody needs to do it first and you think it should be me."

  "You'd be who I'd want in that station, if I still lived two blocks down, fifth floor back."

  "When you were a little kid. All right, Boss. I'll set the example. If they'll hire me. Police officer, my mother is not going to believe it."

  "She'll be very proud of you, when you teach everyone in Roper what it's supposed to mean. Comm out. Comm connect Larton Gliss."

  "Good afternoon."

  "You're taking over my other job, look after the people of Roper. Since you're the one who's supposed to be doing it, I'm not unhappy they don't need to pay me to do it, but I've got a lot of people on my payroll who should be on yours. They're going to start coming in to put on uniforms to do the same job they've been doing for years, protect and help the people. They're the only ones the people in Roper district will be sure they can trust in the Roper district police station. They intend to help you teach them this government is of the people."

  "I'm… stunned."

  "Why, when you knew they were liars, did you believe what they said about Roper district and me? A lot of my business was illegal. I assured people could buy a used comp for kids to study, even though they couldn't afford to pay the gov taxes on used comp sales. I assured none of the greedy gov, who went to Roper, beat up prostitutes. I assured the slime, who wore uniforms, didn't grab girls on the street or take the little people had, and I assured no one sold dream dust to kids in Roper district. Every apt I own meets building codes and I get someone there in the middle of the night if a cooler goes out. I hated the gov, loathed IS, and I've been doing just what you have, watching close and following the examples of how to bring it down. Why did you believe nothing else they said, but were sure they told the truth about Roper and me?"

  "That's a good question and I don't have an answer. I'm sure you're telling the truth, and still can't pitch the feeling, but at least I'm aware it's based on lies."

  "That's a beginning. The new planetary government is opening an employment office in Roper district tomorrow and the sign on the door leaves no doubt they know who the people are and understand them. I talked to the person I know is best for the real job of police officer in Roper into applying for the job and setting the example. I want to make a donation for the purpose of changing the color of uniforms and patrol cars."

  "That's a real good idea. Color?"

  "Kerp said, 'Like Teal Valley,' when I talked about what police are supposed to be like. A touch greener or a couple shades lighter than Teal Valley's?"

  "My opinion on color is ask my wife. Liva! New police uniforms! A little greener or little lighter than Teal Valley's? She said lighter won't be as hot and she really likes the idea."

  "Will twenty thou get you started?"

  "More than. We haven't got twenty police officers yet. Maybe a color change will help."

  "Wilton Kerpella will help too. Let me know if you need more."

  "Shouldn't. We suddenly got more money just dumped into the budget. Got a note said it was being returned."

  "I'm finding a cam image of the note Roper district got. There."

  The new mayor of Jenneara burst into laughter. He found the reference on accepting civic donations, established the fund for the purpose and the money was transferred. He checked his reference text again, conference-called the new city council and showed them the image. The new council member from Roper district whooped and said her district was about to shrink.

  The mayor told them about the comm call and the donation. The Roper rep said "the boss" was exactly who he said and Kerp in a police uniform would fill every good heart in the district with joy that ran over in tears.

  The mayor showed them the color for uniforms and cars his wife had picked. They were unanimously approved. The Roper rep got the job of getting it started with additional funding approved. Seventeen minutes later the first dark blue police car entered a custom colorbond bay. In eight minutes it exited, white, with the city police logo across a broad "light teal" stripe on both sides, and the next one entered.

  The rep had gotten the city a very good price. The shop was doing the cars for cost plus dinner at Datser's for the seven people donating their labor and working all night. At six the next morning, the first fifty "light teal" police uniforms were delivered to police headquarters. The man told the astounded woman at the desk it had taken a while to get the dye blend right, but they'd have the other four hundred fifty in "standard healthy active size distribution" in two days. Thirty-eight more people were planning what they'd order at the best restaurant in Jenneara, as thanks for donating their labor.

  By the time the pro tem prime minister called the pro tem congress, with all members in attendance, to order, Datser's had said they'd donate the dinners, nine other cities were changing the colors of police cars and uniforms, and a man called "Kerp" was dressing in a light teal uniform. Police Academy would come after there were police enough to start one. Kerp already knew the important part of the job, protect the people.

  Danny, Ronnie and Dawn watched the GGN coverage on Channel Forty-eight for a few minutes, then called the guys, already working on the first jobs on their lists. Every person appointed had made it to Lodestar by nine, Lodestar time, eight theirs. Danny sat and watched resignations and retirement requests be auto-processed, openings be auto-added to the jobs available list and applications pour in, until nine forty-six, Teal Valley time, when her code auto-expired.

  "They're in! All the auth codes are in! And mine's out. I'm very happy, and bereft."

  "You did the job, Danny. The old gov is gone and good people have taken on the job of building the new one."

  "I know, Ronnie, but it's like my favorite game just expired."

  "World Builder Eleven, level twenty."

  "Eight and three-fourths, Dawn, and level nine gets played by someone else. What happened?! What… Who the hell did that? Uh, hello."

  "I'm Kabelle. Who are you?"

  "Danny. You're the pro tem Comptroller General. It was supposed to expire when all the auth codes were in."

  "I realized that. I got 'primary auth code expired,' hit 're-auth and notify' and rode along. I couldn't have traced it. We have a very clean and well-organized mess."

  "That was the best we could do. Clean, put everything in its place and set out sounders to chase the roaches out."

  "You did fantastic. Five hundred forty-eight?"

  "That's the number. It includes gov captives and people IS tried to kill, just because they might know something. Since they didn't, they blamed it on an innocent."

  "The physics lab. No records of anyone not currently in Horgen Field or Fataner. None of rebels. I knew those prisons were empty. None of you wanted anything but a new government."

  "Oh, yes, many wanted something, to hug the ones who'd missed them so terribly and hopelessly so long, their families."

  "The census method was genius, and the number hurts."

  "They'd figured out how many slaves they could control."

  "Yes, they did. I bought a house. I'm donating it to my congressional region. They have to pay the taxes. It's not a rich region and I don't want them limited to selecting from t
hose who can afford to leave their land or businesses there for two years. Most would have to pay two people to put in the hours they do."

  "That's why no rent or resale, but it doesn't say anything about donate. I'm the programmer, but the number is five hundred forty-eight, and they're five hundred forty-eight the gov was so afraid of they shackled and buried them beneath the ground, or labeled them mad beasts and caged them behind high walls. The gov was right, very dangerous to it."

  "Five hundred forty-eight people where?"

  "In nice homes in nice neighborhoods, working at good jobs."

  "And even baby kits are the right number."

  "We don't have to hide who we are, but we'd really rather not be trailed around, asked questions, or be nominated for something. You were appointed because you'll get that office put together right, so whoever comes in to go to work can get to work. If you decide you're right to continue to do it, even though you don't want to, you'll tell someone, but you and I, and the large group who talked, thought, and discussed, think you can get it set up so just a very good programmer-manager can do it."

  "Thank you. Yes, I think I can. You dumped enough rotten fodder in the cycler to find the barn floor and swept it clean. I like the employment training program."

  "You've got some people who took and did the jobs because someone had to. Move them out of cubicles arranged so they didn't see anything, take out the view blockers and let them OJT a room full who've been kept in boxes, to assure a big-budget was available to steal and they were easy to catch to sell."

  "That's the plan. We all see it. Thank you, for every decent person on this world, I thank five hundred forty-eight, and you, because I know what kind of programming it took to do this. Want the auth code canceled?"

  "Of course not. Absolutely."

  "If you ever get a re-authed message, I'm sure we're in trouble. I won't copy. I'll set it up so I can do it from anywhere at any time, but only key a re-auth. You've proved beyond doubt you can be trusted with it. I just proved I yell and key fast."

  "Very. We wish you well."

  "That's real obvious. Nice clean, big office. I like my cluttered tea-dripped little one better."

  "Get the election scheduled soon."

  "Very. Farewell."

  "She followed it back?"

  "She's the very best, Ronnie. There are quite a few as good as I am at programming. We're not as good as she is and she's a superb manager too."

  "You've got a feeling it's going to come back on someday."

  "Yes, Dawn, but not for the same reason. Not the gov is trouble, the government is in trouble."

  "I guess I'll keep my invisible car."

  "You were thinking of not?"

  "I was thinking of one not quite falling apart, like Blade's."

  "Switch it, after the car's done, or put it in Drand's, or do both."

  "Good idea, both. I want to take him to the big play room to play."

  "Knight's got ideas, so we'll suddenly all be running that way soon."

  "Danny, I'm worried. No one in your spa for ages."

  "My patience is wearing thin, Ronnie, but they're still settling their relationship."

  "No one else interests?"

  "Not until I get Blade in the spa. Then I may try for all three."

  "Danny!"

  "Married a few days and already getting staid."

  "She'll get over it, Ronnie. You did."

  "Ow. Work?"

  "Updates. Caelton, Bresmir, Ferrim."

  "Caelton first."

  "And middle and last and first…"

  "They do pay well."

  "And promptly. Let's go, Dawn."

  "Maybe I want a different car because we always take yours."