Wildden Safeguard Superior
[Safeguard :- Great Superior - Superior - {Nominal} - Inferior
{Security :- Public Order - Safeguard - Wildguard}
{Monastic :- Security - Sanitation - Agricultural - Mineral - Manufacturing}
{City :- Examiner - Business - Monastic}
The Monastic chapter house in the Business-order residential sector stood out, contrasting with the colorful designs of business order homes. It was placed here to allow Safeguards such as Wildden and his subordinates to patrol this part of the city, as well as housing Wildguards who patroled the wilds nearest to this southeastern city area.
The business folk resented the intrusion of monks in the area, but Governance had repeatedly stated that the chapter house was supposed to be here.
The three orders of the city, examiner, business and monastic were distributed across the city in particular ways. The adult working members of the three classes were in the southwest (business), northeast (examiner) and southeast (monastic) edges of the city.
Examiner students and Business students lived in rings near the two massive education centers in the middle of the city.
The monastery was just outside of town, partially in the wilds, and monastic students were housed directly in the monastery until they reached inferior rank in a specialty.
Wildden was with his Wildgard Superior level counterpart on the third floor, while the junior folk were on the first floor and responsible for cooking meals and cleaning the house. The normal or nominal level folk were on the 2nd.
It was curiosity which lead her to send a short message to the Safeguard Superior.
Her own position placed her at the bottom tier of business executives. Her boss, the head of all Med Bus, was an active and well regarded member of the scene. The size of Med Bus, meaning its many subdivisions, gave the Division Chief a lot of credibility and appreciation.
Joleen was just one amongst the crowd of Chief executives, invited to some parties, but not others, able to split the difference between the lives of those like her boss, and those like her subordinates.
Vice Executives were still part of the body of Business order membership, while Division Chiefs had a half step into the places higher still, speaking with the GEC council on occasion.
It would be a mini scandal, but Joleen was amused by the idea of inviting Willden to a social event.
She sent the chat message.
Joleen here,
I imagine you are there, back in the Chapter House,
perhaps dealing with the endless work of managing subordinates, like I am
perhaps reading through more documents
perhaps using jargon specific to your position.
I just thought
That I would check in.
It might be odd,
But I would like to ask you a few questions
Curiosity beckons
Carisca Crema, tommorrow, 6 pm sharp.
Let me know.
She didn't need to mention her name, as it would display that first, but it was part of her personal style.
She reviewed her schedule for tomorrow. Review of computer evaluations. Lunch with the Supervising Examiner of the Doctors Division, Psychiatric Subdivision. Her counterpart, leading the Psychiatric Doctors, as she lead the assistants and Practitioners.
A surprising amount could be done by a Senior Practitioner, without needing to schedule at doctor’s consult. She had 7 Vice Executives with their own Lead Medical Role, under the authority (but not supervision) of a Senior Psychiatric Doctor.
Most of those under her leadership were in an Assistant Medical Role. But they did a lot of the work.
The Highest officials lived exclusive neighborhoods near the halls of government. Wildden's superior officer, the Safeguard Great Superior, lived in that center area, as did the Head officials of the Security division and the entire Monastic order.
Wildden appreciated the trouble his fellow Superior Marlyk at the Examiner dominated northeast chapter house.
Wildden's office and quarters were seperate from the rest of the more crowded house. Between three Safeguards (nominal rank), and the 2 junior members of the safeguard team, as well as the corresponding numbers of Wildguards (only 4 in additional to the Superior), the chapter house was always full of activity.
Public Order operated in the denser parts of the city, although members of that subdivision had dropped by his chapter house to share information.
Wildden appreciated the trouble his fellow Superior Marlyk at the Examiner dominated northeast chapter house.
Wildden's office and quarters were seperate from the rest of the more crowded house. Between three Safeguards (nominal rank), and the 2 junior members of the safeguard team, as well as the corresponding numbers of Wildguards (only 4 in additional to the Superior), the chapter house was always full of activity.
Public Order operated in the denser parts of the city, although members of that subdivision had dropped by his chapter house to share information.
Wildden was with his Wildgard Superior level counterpart on the third floor, while the junior folk were on the first floor and responsible for cooking meals and cleaning the house. The normal or nominal level folk were on the 2nd.
He rarely saw the Wildguard superior so practically the third floor was his.
Wildden had a situation which would require his personal attention and pursuit today. He would always take on whatever the 3 officers under him could not, and the junior folk would work with them usually.
Syd, a rather bright woman by Safeguard standards, was the first of the three. Allan was strong, durable, a good leader for the juniors. Bull had that nickname because no one intimidated him out of doing what needed to be done.
An uninformed person would ask, "Why have Safeguard and Public Order, are they not the same?"
Public Order trained in quarantines, and safe occupancy limits. Monitored mass threats, riots and that kind of thing, and non-people threats such as fire and damage to vital civic systems. They coordinated with the Business order's Infrastructure group in working on new standards for buildings, electrical, plumbing, et all.
The Safeguard focused on individuals. Deviant behavior on the small scale. Trespassing, theft, electronic crimes, nominally murder, although removals usually caught any potential deviance on that order before it could explode.
The City was it's own organism which could tolerate some things, and not others, and those who could not or would not fit within it, had to be removed, to be placed in the outer places, where they would wander outside of Wildden's care and concern.
The cases which were above his team's trust level, such as the one he had to deal with today, they often concerned sensitive or highly ranked individuals.
After dressing in the white robes with shimmering silver stripes, which was the signature of the Safeguard, Wildden went into his office, and began reviewing the dossier on his pad.
Djen'tero Vice Executive Oncology
[Oncology Nurse :- Chief Executive - Vice Exective - Supervisor - Employee - Intern]
{Medical :- General - Orthopedic - Dental - ... {disciplines omitted} ... - Oncology }
{Business :- Infrastructure - Medical - Financial - Hospitality - Goods - Grocery }
{City :- Examiner - Business - Monastic}
Surveillance Data Collection Complete
Computer & Governance Examiners have evaluated the evidence as sufficient for Collection.
Charges (Major to Minor):
1. Attempted hacking of Exam computing system for the benefit of Dien'tero's daughter Elia'mina
2. Attempted bribery of promiment Computer Examiner, during Examiner's oncology office visit.
3. Overuse of City computing resources {Frivolous requests : 16 TB xfer)
Accusation
1. Daughter Elia'mina reported her father's activities, concerned for the jeopardizing of her 2nd form Exam scores.
2. Intrusion Response team forwarded Intrusion logs to Governance, Computer Senior Staff and Safeguard high command.
Collection Detail
Dien'tero is attending the City-wide Medical Business social at 11:00 today.
1. Collect with minimal attention.
2. Ensure Dien'tero's collection
3. Avoid extreme action.
Location Detail:
City-wide Medical Business social
Central South West High Density District
[Holo Directions have been implanted and will take affect once you reach the district.]
Authorization for Entry:
Governance Authorization for Entry into the Business order only event has been granted
{{PRINTING SINGLE-USE CARD}}
The Printer produced the card, which was thicker than a piece of paper, which read:
GOVERNANCE INTER-ORDER
AUTHORIZATION FOR SAFEGUARD SUPERIOR
SINGLE USE
City-Wide Medical Business Social, 01-19-157
RIGHTS: Vice Executive
The dossier continued, so he went back to that, putting the card in his robe's pocket.
Behavioral Notices:
1. Collectee remains unaware of Governance, Computer and Safeguard suspicion
2. Collectee entered the Examiner Computer division, reaching Examinee II, but was removed from the Examiner order for behavioral failure(s). Details of failures redacted at your security level.
4. Collectee behavior is degrading rapidly. Alcohol consumption restrictions have not been implemented for reasons of non-disclosure. Collectee consumption levels rising rapdly.
That was enough.
Wildden entered the numeric combination for his small desk safe, pulling the De-energizer pistol from the opened safe. He entered the Petty cash transaction log on his tablet, recording the withdrawal of 1500 credits. He recorded an estimated return amount of 1500 credits. The credits were a fallback, a resource in case his collection efforts were falling apart.
He might have to follow Dien'tero onto the VIP transport hub, if his other efforts fell apart. 250 credits should cover that. The rest was in contingencies and unknown unknowns.
Isolation was the order of the day. Though money was digital and transactions were easy, the Monastery didn't connect it's accounts to its official's acconts, required a paper trail and expected smounts and a 'petty cash' system. Tracing who withdrew the most petty cash, and who didn't withdraw enough, and who actually used it. It was trivial for computer division, and Wildden's superiors to see what he used it for. Likewise, he had access to see what the officials under him used it for.
Isolation, and regulated trust increments. Wildden was trusted to withdraw 1500 credits, but there was an infamous Public Order Superior official who had a withdrawal limit of 150 credits after abuse and overuse.
The official was very good at their job, so they kept the position by the barest of margins, but their operational finance was impaired.
Wildden left his office, looking ready for an official trip. He didn't always wear these nice robes, but for a collection like this one, it was imperative.
Syd was outside his office as he stepped through.
"Safeguard", he said briefly.
"I've got a supplement mission," she said, wearing the day to day robes of a normal tier official.
"What has Computer come up with now?" he said, noting the many unsual types of data and investigation they had asked for, to complete their computer analysis of various offenses.
"Soil chemical analysis, near the edge of the city. Have to interface with Wildguard. I'm not sure why they didn't hand this one to Wildguard themselves?"
Syd was good, but also sarcastic and sometimes insufficiently serious. This wasn't another order, this was the Monastic order, and that meant obedience and dedication, and less business order behavior. He liked Syd nonetheless.
"Work with Wildguard. I have to get moving. Catching the 930 train."
"Preparing the scene?" she quipped, and then answered, "Of course I'll work with Wildguard. My real question, should I take Anthony."
"Our newest member? Let Bull take him. Take Marl. His computer assessment shows him as next in line for promotion. Wildguard will be good experience for both of you."
"Yes, Superior."
He didn't pay much attention to the juniors on the first floor. He saw a Wildguard leaving in their full Bounding gear as he left the chapter house.
Supposedly, he didn't need to be at the Social Center until 11, but Wildden didn't become the Superior official he was by showing up just on time. It was 8:51. The train headed for Center-Southwest was one minute late.
He stood, letting the few Examiners and many Business order types take the seats. They were all of the more junior ranks in their respective order, division and specific positions, but they were Business order, and Examiner order.
His formal robes and the cloth belt which iconified the Superior-level military officer created a zone. No one wanted to be near him when his mission was at hand, and for all they knew, he was after someone on the train right now.
The Safeguard preffered that they had a reputation of being an enigma. No one wanted to being disruptive when they might catch the attention of an official.
The Computer division modified all Security division attire to include embedded cameras. Everything Wildden did, and everything those around him did would be tracked and collected for analysis by the Computer division and passed on to Governance as appropriate.
The train swiftly reached the Central Southwest district. He waited and the Business folk waited as the few Examiners left the train, and then Wildden waited for the business order people to leave the train and at last he got off before the train started boarding from the other side.
Wildden ascended the stairs up to street level with speed, but with deference, making it there as the morning surge was starting to fade. Within 30 minutes, train service would be reduced to inter-rush levels, until this afternoon, when workers left their posts for the day.
The holographic display promised showed a rendering of the collectee in question, with his current status in bold underline (HOME).
"Computer. Inquiry." he spoke to his computer interface. Without his tablet, he was limited to voice command and voice response. He preferred not to have the bulky pad in the field, unless the case indicated need for it.
"What is your Inquiry?" said a quiet feminine voice.
"Does my Governance Authorization allow me to enter the Business Social Center before 11:00?"
'Authorization is granted once at least one Chief Executive level official is on site."
"Thank you."
"You are welcome," said the computer interface.
It's polite to be polite to the computer. Some people didn't think so, but their discourtesy was likely not just to computers.
He followed the arrow to the Social Center, and walked around the block, identifying potential escape paths if the collectee was able to get out of the building.
There was no one here yet. It was likely the Chief Executive of each medical business order discipline would be arriving here sometime after 10, while the rest of the medical business people would go to their posts first thing, and then travel as a group to the social at the appropriate time.
Hopefully there were no emergency surgeries while the social was happening, as an Examiner Surgeon with no helpers would not be happy. They surely had procedures just as Safeguard has procedures for emergencies when they had their socials.
There was little but the street itself for exfiltration by the collectee. Crowds were their best approach if they intended to run.
Wildden put his years of experience in waiting to use. He stood silently outside as he waited for the Chief Executives to show up.
Why had they put the collection here, instead of at the Collectee's local office? High levels of loyalty from the Collectee's subordinates perhaps.
One Chief Executive showed up, and immediately beelined to Wildden's position.
"Can I see some authorization, monk?"
Wildden provided the Governance authority card.
"Looking to get into the building?"
"Yes Chief Executive."
The Executive, her business card identified her as Chief Executive - Radiology, lead him into the building, providing her own credentials to the Building controls.
The first thing Wildden saw inside was the Hospitality desk, where the concierge was already ready to personal welcome everyone.
He had to give credit to the Hospitality group of Business order. Every time he'd interacted with them, they had been welcoming, respectful and cheerful.
"Chief Executive Radiology Morina, what can we do to accommodate you today?"
The Concierge was a highly skilled hospitality official, a Vice Executive perhaps.
The Radiologist conferred with her briefly, and Wildden stood at attention. Giving people no excuse to look down on the Monastic Order was a key operating principle for Senior monastic officials.
Everything he did would be tracked and made part of his Field score, which composed part of his overall evaluation, which determined his present and future prospects, subject to a lot of Computer division analysis of his records.
Finally the Concierge approached him, as the Chief Executive headed to the Cocktail bar at the other end of the greeting hall.
"Safeguard Superior. The Chief Executive confirmed your authorization to be here and our records confirm this. Please operate with decorum and strive to avoid disruption to the event scheduled today," said the Concierge.
"I have already received orders to operate with a minimum of disruption. I will be dedicated to ensuring that is true," he said.
"Please inform us of any weaponry on your person."
He placed the desistor on the back table behind the concierge counter, where the Hospitality official was verifying and registering the weapons. Additionally he placed his emergency laser pistol on the table.
"Is such a thing neccessary?" she asked him.
"It's only emergency only operation. Central has to confirm with an Emergency clearance code before I can use it. I have no plans to use it today."
"How can I accommodate you this morning," she asked, handing back his weapons. The desistor he hanged again from his cloth belt, and the laz he stuffed into a secure pocket in his robes.
"If it's possible, can you summarize where the medical business order officials will be at during the Social?"
"My assistant will be greeting the majority of the guests as they arrive. The Chief Executives and the Medical division leadership will be meeting in a council room on the third floor. The rest of the officials will be moving between the Cocktail bar here, and the large meeting hall on the 2nd floor."
Meeting, or Cocktail bar. On one hand, if attention was on a speaker in the hall, he could quietly collect his target, but if he did cause a disruption there, it would be a much worse disruption.
The Cocktail Bar would offer him a chance to operate when there was less to disrupt. Simply approach Dien'tero and suggest stepping away for a moment.
The less disruptive option surely would be the Cocktail bar. It was tempting to try for a silent collection during some meetings, but the chance of failure was too much.
Perhaps his Great Superior drank, and he knew the leadership in the City Center socialized and stayed connected with the other orders, causing them to live a different lifestyle than the rank and file, but Wildden didn't drink, and he didn't allow his subordinates to drink.
He chose a seltzer water on the rocks, instead, keeping the appearance of being part of the gathering. Immersion wasn't part of the Monastic order's strong suit, but he had learned to be more discrete than most monks.
Wildden had a situation which would require his personal attention and pursuit today. He would always take on whatever the 3 officers under him could not, and the junior folk would work with them usually.
Syd, a rather bright woman by Safeguard standards, was the first of the three. Allan was strong, durable, a good leader for the juniors. Bull had that nickname because no one intimidated him out of doing what needed to be done.
An uninformed person would ask, "Why have Safeguard and Public Order, are they not the same?"
Public Order trained in quarantines, and safe occupancy limits. Monitored mass threats, riots and that kind of thing, and non-people threats such as fire and damage to vital civic systems. They coordinated with the Business order's Infrastructure group in working on new standards for buildings, electrical, plumbing, et all.
The Safeguard focused on individuals. Deviant behavior on the small scale. Trespassing, theft, electronic crimes, nominally murder, although removals usually caught any potential deviance on that order before it could explode.
The City was it's own organism which could tolerate some things, and not others, and those who could not or would not fit within it, had to be removed, to be placed in the outer places, where they would wander outside of Wildden's care and concern.
The cases which were above his team's trust level, such as the one he had to deal with today, they often concerned sensitive or highly ranked individuals.
After dressing in the white robes with shimmering silver stripes, which was the signature of the Safeguard, Wildden went into his office, and began reviewing the dossier on his pad.
Djen'tero Vice Executive Oncology
[Oncology Nurse :- Chief Executive - Vice Exective - Supervisor - Employee - Intern]
{Medical :- General - Orthopedic - Dental - ... {disciplines omitted} ... - Oncology }
{Business :- Infrastructure - Medical - Financial - Hospitality - Goods - Grocery }
{City :- Examiner - Business - Monastic}
Surveillance Data Collection Complete
Computer & Governance Examiners have evaluated the evidence as sufficient for Collection.
Charges (Major to Minor):
1. Attempted hacking of Exam computing system for the benefit of Dien'tero's daughter Elia'mina
2. Attempted bribery of promiment Computer Examiner, during Examiner's oncology office visit.
3. Overuse of City computing resources {Frivolous requests : 16 TB xfer)
Accusation
1. Daughter Elia'mina reported her father's activities, concerned for the jeopardizing of her 2nd form Exam scores.
2. Intrusion Response team forwarded Intrusion logs to Governance, Computer Senior Staff and Safeguard high command.
Collection Detail
Dien'tero is attending the City-wide Medical Business social at 11:00 today.
1. Collect with minimal attention.
2. Ensure Dien'tero's collection
3. Avoid extreme action.
Location Detail:
City-wide Medical Business social
Central South West High Density District
[Holo Directions have been implanted and will take affect once you reach the district.]
Authorization for Entry:
Governance Authorization for Entry into the Business order only event has been granted
{{PRINTING SINGLE-USE CARD}}
The Printer produced the card, which was thicker than a piece of paper, which read:
GOVERNANCE INTER-ORDER
AUTHORIZATION FOR SAFEGUARD SUPERIOR
SINGLE USE
City-Wide Medical Business Social, 01-19-157
RIGHTS: Vice Executive
The dossier continued, so he went back to that, putting the card in his robe's pocket.
Behavioral Notices:
1. Collectee remains unaware of Governance, Computer and Safeguard suspicion
2. Collectee entered the Examiner Computer division, reaching Examinee II, but was removed from the Examiner order for behavioral failure(s). Details of failures redacted at your security level.
4. Collectee behavior is degrading rapidly. Alcohol consumption restrictions have not been implemented for reasons of non-disclosure. Collectee consumption levels rising rapdly.
That was enough.
Wildden entered the numeric combination for his small desk safe, pulling the De-energizer pistol from the opened safe. He entered the Petty cash transaction log on his tablet, recording the withdrawal of 1500 credits. He recorded an estimated return amount of 1500 credits. The credits were a fallback, a resource in case his collection efforts were falling apart.
He might have to follow Dien'tero onto the VIP transport hub, if his other efforts fell apart. 250 credits should cover that. The rest was in contingencies and unknown unknowns.
Isolation was the order of the day. Though money was digital and transactions were easy, the Monastery didn't connect it's accounts to its official's acconts, required a paper trail and expected smounts and a 'petty cash' system. Tracing who withdrew the most petty cash, and who didn't withdraw enough, and who actually used it. It was trivial for computer division, and Wildden's superiors to see what he used it for. Likewise, he had access to see what the officials under him used it for.
Isolation, and regulated trust increments. Wildden was trusted to withdraw 1500 credits, but there was an infamous Public Order Superior official who had a withdrawal limit of 150 credits after abuse and overuse.
The official was very good at their job, so they kept the position by the barest of margins, but their operational finance was impaired.
Wildden left his office, looking ready for an official trip. He didn't always wear these nice robes, but for a collection like this one, it was imperative.
Syd was outside his office as he stepped through.
"Safeguard", he said briefly.
"I've got a supplement mission," she said, wearing the day to day robes of a normal tier official.
"What has Computer come up with now?" he said, noting the many unsual types of data and investigation they had asked for, to complete their computer analysis of various offenses.
"Soil chemical analysis, near the edge of the city. Have to interface with Wildguard. I'm not sure why they didn't hand this one to Wildguard themselves?"
Syd was good, but also sarcastic and sometimes insufficiently serious. This wasn't another order, this was the Monastic order, and that meant obedience and dedication, and less business order behavior. He liked Syd nonetheless.
"Work with Wildguard. I have to get moving. Catching the 930 train."
"Preparing the scene?" she quipped, and then answered, "Of course I'll work with Wildguard. My real question, should I take Anthony."
"Our newest member? Let Bull take him. Take Marl. His computer assessment shows him as next in line for promotion. Wildguard will be good experience for both of you."
"Yes, Superior."
He didn't pay much attention to the juniors on the first floor. He saw a Wildguard leaving in their full Bounding gear as he left the chapter house.
Supposedly, he didn't need to be at the Social Center until 11, but Wildden didn't become the Superior official he was by showing up just on time. It was 8:51. The train headed for Center-Southwest was one minute late.
He stood, letting the few Examiners and many Business order types take the seats. They were all of the more junior ranks in their respective order, division and specific positions, but they were Business order, and Examiner order.
His formal robes and the cloth belt which iconified the Superior-level military officer created a zone. No one wanted to be near him when his mission was at hand, and for all they knew, he was after someone on the train right now.
The Safeguard preffered that they had a reputation of being an enigma. No one wanted to being disruptive when they might catch the attention of an official.
The Computer division modified all Security division attire to include embedded cameras. Everything Wildden did, and everything those around him did would be tracked and collected for analysis by the Computer division and passed on to Governance as appropriate.
The train swiftly reached the Central Southwest district. He waited and the Business folk waited as the few Examiners left the train, and then Wildden waited for the business order people to leave the train and at last he got off before the train started boarding from the other side.
Wildden ascended the stairs up to street level with speed, but with deference, making it there as the morning surge was starting to fade. Within 30 minutes, train service would be reduced to inter-rush levels, until this afternoon, when workers left their posts for the day.
The holographic display promised showed a rendering of the collectee in question, with his current status in bold underline (HOME).
"Computer. Inquiry." he spoke to his computer interface. Without his tablet, he was limited to voice command and voice response. He preferred not to have the bulky pad in the field, unless the case indicated need for it.
"What is your Inquiry?" said a quiet feminine voice.
"Does my Governance Authorization allow me to enter the Business Social Center before 11:00?"
'Authorization is granted once at least one Chief Executive level official is on site."
"Thank you."
"You are welcome," said the computer interface.
It's polite to be polite to the computer. Some people didn't think so, but their discourtesy was likely not just to computers.
He followed the arrow to the Social Center, and walked around the block, identifying potential escape paths if the collectee was able to get out of the building.
There was no one here yet. It was likely the Chief Executive of each medical business order discipline would be arriving here sometime after 10, while the rest of the medical business people would go to their posts first thing, and then travel as a group to the social at the appropriate time.
Hopefully there were no emergency surgeries while the social was happening, as an Examiner Surgeon with no helpers would not be happy. They surely had procedures just as Safeguard has procedures for emergencies when they had their socials.
There was little but the street itself for exfiltration by the collectee. Crowds were their best approach if they intended to run.
Wildden put his years of experience in waiting to use. He stood silently outside as he waited for the Chief Executives to show up.
Why had they put the collection here, instead of at the Collectee's local office? High levels of loyalty from the Collectee's subordinates perhaps.
One Chief Executive showed up, and immediately beelined to Wildden's position.
"Can I see some authorization, monk?"
Wildden provided the Governance authority card.
"Looking to get into the building?"
"Yes Chief Executive."
The Executive, her business card identified her as Chief Executive - Radiology, lead him into the building, providing her own credentials to the Building controls.
The first thing Wildden saw inside was the Hospitality desk, where the concierge was already ready to personal welcome everyone.
He had to give credit to the Hospitality group of Business order. Every time he'd interacted with them, they had been welcoming, respectful and cheerful.
"Chief Executive Radiology Morina, what can we do to accommodate you today?"
The Concierge was a highly skilled hospitality official, a Vice Executive perhaps.
The Radiologist conferred with her briefly, and Wildden stood at attention. Giving people no excuse to look down on the Monastic Order was a key operating principle for Senior monastic officials.
Everything he did would be tracked and made part of his Field score, which composed part of his overall evaluation, which determined his present and future prospects, subject to a lot of Computer division analysis of his records.
Finally the Concierge approached him, as the Chief Executive headed to the Cocktail bar at the other end of the greeting hall.
"Safeguard Superior. The Chief Executive confirmed your authorization to be here and our records confirm this. Please operate with decorum and strive to avoid disruption to the event scheduled today," said the Concierge.
"I have already received orders to operate with a minimum of disruption. I will be dedicated to ensuring that is true," he said.
"Please inform us of any weaponry on your person."
He placed the desistor on the back table behind the concierge counter, where the Hospitality official was verifying and registering the weapons. Additionally he placed his emergency laser pistol on the table.
"Is such a thing neccessary?" she asked him.
"It's only emergency only operation. Central has to confirm with an Emergency clearance code before I can use it. I have no plans to use it today."
"How can I accommodate you this morning," she asked, handing back his weapons. The desistor he hanged again from his cloth belt, and the laz he stuffed into a secure pocket in his robes.
"If it's possible, can you summarize where the medical business order officials will be at during the Social?"
"My assistant will be greeting the majority of the guests as they arrive. The Chief Executives and the Medical division leadership will be meeting in a council room on the third floor. The rest of the officials will be moving between the Cocktail bar here, and the large meeting hall on the 2nd floor."
Meeting, or Cocktail bar. On one hand, if attention was on a speaker in the hall, he could quietly collect his target, but if he did cause a disruption there, it would be a much worse disruption.
The Cocktail Bar would offer him a chance to operate when there was less to disrupt. Simply approach Dien'tero and suggest stepping away for a moment.
The less disruptive option surely would be the Cocktail bar. It was tempting to try for a silent collection during some meetings, but the chance of failure was too much.
Perhaps his Great Superior drank, and he knew the leadership in the City Center socialized and stayed connected with the other orders, causing them to live a different lifestyle than the rank and file, but Wildden didn't drink, and he didn't allow his subordinates to drink.
He chose a seltzer water on the rocks, instead, keeping the appearance of being part of the gathering. Immersion wasn't part of the Monastic order's strong suit, but he had learned to be more discrete than most monks.
He had very little in common with a Business order or Examiner order officials, few luxuries and monastic social opportunities were rare. Marriage and family was only a possibility at the Great Superior rank for monks.
He sat at the far end of the polished mahogany bar, which curved to fill up a large wedge around the Bartender and his alcoholic paraphenelia.
The Radiologist exec had already left the bar, so it was empty, save the bartender, who continued to go into a back room to gather more supplies.
Wildden's position was such that he could see everyone who came up to the bar. When visual become blocked because of the rush of Medical officials, he would be able to use his tracker hologram to identify his Collectee.
He was surprised then, when a Chief Executive approached, and stood next to where he was seated, waiting for the Bartender to reappear.
Decorum required that he stand up and acknowledge the official of a superior order and superior rank. There were a few cases where decorum had to be broken for Sageguard business, but part of your evaluation was whether you minimized such breaches. The honor of the upper orders and high officials was considered crucial to the Computer systems Examiners who programmed the evaluations for every adult official in the City.
He bowed slightly, as he stood up, "Chief Executive."
"Psychiatry, she filled in. And you, Superior?"
"Safeguard," he said, trying to keep his conversation honorable and limited.
"Joleen" she said. Unconventional for her to introduce herself to a person of lower order who she will probably never see again.
"Wildden. Might I ask if there's something you wanted to approach me for? It's unfortunate, but I have business to attend to at this social.
"Well Wildden. I've been an Psychiatric chief assist on a few cases connected with your division's 'collection' efforts. Seeing a Safeguard, and a Superior as well, that was of note."
"I never thought about what happens after collection and processing," Wildden said. "I suppose Remediation is the Hoped for outcome."
"We can get them returned to a position one promotion lower than they offended at. If they successfully pass through remediation and therapy, and choose to change course. Like everything in the City, it requires testing. But enough of my world, you base out of the Chapter house in the Business residential district?"
"I'm in charge of the Chapter," he said, not sure why it slipped. Checking briefly, his target still wasn't here but a few other Chief Executives had sat down at the other end of the bar.
"So the Safeguard is a smaller subdivision than I expected, with a Superior running the whole chapter? I'm just one of 23 Chiefs among Med Bus."
"Most of our Safeguards are based out of the Headquarters. As Chapter houses, we only handle cases involving the Business order and Examiner Order. Central handles the Monastic order cases."
"A lot more of those then," she asked.
"Most who would make trouble have already been transferred into our Order. There's a lot of tension and work for Public Order during the major Examiner and Business tests. And Safeguard central picks up the pieces. Individuals angry at their placement. Most working Business order and Examiner order people are well aware and under control. They realize the system can't be diverted. An order is immutable. But some few abuse their authority, mostly those with the smallest amounts of it, but in a few cases, more senior officials."
She stood up. "Well listen, I need to get up to the third floor, for our Chiefs meeting, but I want to see more lines of communication open. I'm sending you my contact information. I would like to meet sometime again."
She stepped away, and he waved his glass of selter at her in passing.
She turned back for a moment, "And Wildden, it only takes a little thought and sense to realize the only level of official you would be here for, and not your superior or your subordinate."
Everyone else let him alone, although in the crush of all of the less senior officials entering the bar, he gave up his stool and stood in the corner.
His voice activated computer spoke softly. "Collectee is entering the building."
Other than Joleen, everyone else had been distracted, talking to each other, and no one had taken notice of a Monastic order official in the room.
"Dien!" said one of the women at the bar, a fellow Vice Executive.
Dien'tero approached the bar. "Sarani," he said to the other executive.
"I'll have a Manhattan," he told the bartender.
Dien'tero, of all of the people near the bar, actually glanced at him, as he stood in the corner, near a table full of Medical officials.
His Collectee looked away, chatting with those around him amiably. There was a tension in the man, Wildden believed he saw it. He carefully weaved through the group of officials, trying to make no noise nor disturbance.
Dien'tero looked at him again, and this time, the man was ready to act. Giving his drink to 'Sarani', he pretended to be calm, and told everyone around him that he had left something behind and had to check the lost-and-found.
By the time Wildden got out of the crush of officials, his collectee had left the building.
The white LED lights on the chandelier, and those in the ceiling mounts flashed red, and the lights pulsed, strobed almost.
"THIS IS A SECURITY LEVEL 1 WARNING. ALL EGRESS POINTS ARE INACCESSIBLE UNTIL THIS SECURITY WARNING IS RELEASED. PLEASE STAY WHERE YOU ARE."
The Concierge came running to the Hospitality desk as Wildden approached it.
"Did you trigger that?" the Concierge said heatedly.
"I have no authority to do something like that. Only High Command could trigger that," he said truthfully.
Wildden watched as the Concierge tried to connect to her own systems without luck. After another thirty seconds, he turned to the door, wondering if it was possible that Dien' Tero knew something or someone to cause a warning.
"SECURITY LEVEL 1 WARNING CLEAR. YOU MAY RESUME YOUR ACTIVITIES."
The Hologram showed Dien'Tero already descending to the subway platform. This was bad, but Wildden had experience.
"Request a 15 second delay on all trains, Central Southwest Main Station," he spoke to his computer.
The request was encoded and sent on the rapid response loop to Computer division's central command.
He didn't know whether he would get it, but he ran towards the subway stairwell.
The little dimple button on the right side of his belt activated the Safeguard warning system.
"SAFEGUARD COLLECTION IN PURSUIT. SUPERIOR OFFICIAL IN PURSUIT OF SUSPECT."
Only a few were entering the Subway at this point, most people were arriving here in this business district. Those few who were stepped to the side as Wildden bounded down the steps, his training making what would seem recklesss, routine.
"REQUEST GRANTED," returned Computer Command.
15 seconds was all he was allowed to request. The hologram still pointed him to the platform, as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he identified Dien'tero two platforms down.
The train was rolling in, and would be there within a few seconds. Unfortunately for Dien'tero, there was no crowd waiting with him. It was easy to lock on to just the Collectee with his desistor.
He pressed the trigger, and Dien'tero toppled over. He disabled the Safeguard warning system.
"Nothing to be concerned about here. We will be gone within a moment."
He walked over to the platform where Dien'tero was collapsed and unconscious.
"Notify the transport team. Send HQ confirmation," he told the computer.
The desistor was ultimately an electronic tool, overriding the target's security rights and privileges, causing a temporary unconsciousness and preventing movement.
People were broadly aware and afraid of the desistor, so a voluntary collection was far more frequent. Dien'tero's evaluation would be lower because he didn't take a voluntary collection. If he interfered with Computer division operations to cause the Security Warning he would likely have no choice at all.
A senior Executive like Dien'Tero would usually end up with a few choices after serious crime. Go through an evaluation program to return to the business order at a lower rank, or start over in the Monastic order as a Trainee, or leave the City entirely.
The City divided and separated authority. Wildden could apprehend the suspect, but Public Order's transport team would take him to Lockup. The Transport team could transport him, but only Legal's Advocate and Governance's Remediation could determine sentencing and offer choices.
Wildden travelled with the Public Order team as they carried Dien'Tero onto the Public Order special train car, which attached to the arriving train, and was loaded first, before the rest of the travelers could get off.
Quickly, the Public Order Transport team carried Dien'Tero onto the train car, and Wildden followed him. He would stay beside Wildden through transport and sentencing, as an immediate presence in case of any attempted escape. Few tried such things these days, however. It was largely a formality for Wildden to follow his Collectee, but he had an interest in how the other parts of the Enforcement system worked.
The special car detached from the main train as they reached the Southwest district station. It followed another train that traveled between Southwest and City Center, and Wildden and the Public Order team unloaded Dien'Tero from the special car after the rest of the passengers debarked from the other cars.
It was two blocks at street level, so the now conscious Collectee was escorted swiftly to the central Legal division complex.
They entered the complex and headed left at the signpost with directions to different parts of the facility.
There were two dozen sentencing rooms, and that was for the entire City. Only half of those were occupied as they entered.
The Legal official (junior-grade) recorded their information as Safeguard and Public Order representatives. She noted Dien'Tero and the charges against him and directed them to room 7.
The public order officials took his collectee to the room, and Wildden followed behind. Dien'tero was seated and secured in the sentencing determination chair, and Public Order left, but Wildden stood still behind the chair.
An Associate Examiner of Legal division (Sentencing Subdivision) entered the room, followed by a Governance division (Sentencing Subdivision) Full Examiner.
"Pardon the delay, I was involved with another case," said the governance minister. Examiner order ranks and levels were more involved than in the other two orders, so it was tough for Wildden to draw a parallel between his level and these ministers. Except they were nonetheless far above him in practical authority and esteem.
Dien'Tero was facing the Governance minister, who sat down at the far end of the conference table, while the Legal division associate sat at one of the chairs on the side of the table and closer to Dien'Tero.
Legal spoke first, looking to the Governance associate. "Am I correct summarizing that these charges are 2 Class A offenses, a Class C offense, 1 Class D offense, Honored Minister?"
"Legal Associate, you are correct in confirming that those were the original offenses analyzed in Computer Division document 6a-7d19. However, during the Collection attempt, additional offenses were analyzed. The Computer division Addendum - Pursuant Offenses document should be arriving in your inbox now."
"I will refer briefly to such document then," the Legal associate asked.
"Granted."
The associate pulled a tablet out of his briefcase and placed it on the table.
Wildden let his vision blur as he avoided focusing on the associate or anyone else. Dien'tero would find it impossible to escape now, but he kept the sentencee in mind.
After five minutes, the Legal associate put away the tablet and returned to the order of business.
"Permission to proceed?" they asked the Governance minister.
"Granted."
"Vice Executive Dien'Tero," the associate addressed Dien'Tero.
"Yes sir," he said to the associate.
"You are charged the following Offense codes: S-CC1 Serious Computer Crime, A-ED7 Suborning of Educational Integrity, B-SG1 Resisting collection by an Authorized Safeguard official. C-FC Financial Crimes against Computer division minister, D-FC Frivilous over-use of Computer Resources. I am your legal representative, pursuing the best course of action for you, in consideration of the offenses which have been analyzed and found overwhelmingly probable."
"Thank you sir," Dien'Tero said. There was little fight left in him.
"Can you describe your encounter with Superior Safeguard Wildden, including what followed subsequently?"
"I spotted him standing in the corner. He stood out among all of the Medical Business officials. After having some other conversations, I noticed that he was moving away from the corner, and I thought he must be after me. I carefully made my way out of the crowd, giving an excuse, and left the building.
I knew a few people in Computer division, I'm sure you know I was in the training program before being reassigned to Medical. I contacted a junior examiner, I had known before who said they would flag the building computer system. Some kind of corruption causing a temporary security warning. They didn't know how long it would last. It was a secured line, so you wont be able to incriminate the Technician. It was a favor, they owed me, and now I was in their debt.
The Train was late, and then I was desisted. The end."
The Governance Minister spoke up, "The matter with the Computer examiner will be dealt with separately. Are there any more preparatory questions, Legal Associate?"
"Honored Minister, I believe answers are sufficient for our representation on behalf of Dien'Tero."
"Thank you, Legal Associate. Now, beginning with this Sentencing Presentment, Governance will start with the lesser Offenses and proceed to the more Serious offenses. Due to the Composite of all Offenses duly charged at this time, Governance is prepared to drop Class D and Class C offenses, however, we will fully charge Class B, Class A and Class S offenses.
"On the charge of Resisting Collection, you will be placed in a monitoring program with an automated desister implant. On the charge of Suborning of Educational Integrity. An order of protection will be granted preventing you from approaching Second Form student Elia'Mina. Elia'Mina has already been provided with alternative residency in anticipation of your Collection. You are formally stripped from the Business Order and Medical Division within it, pending Trainee assignment to the Monastic Order. All privileges and expectations pursuant to the rank of Vice Executive - Oncology, have been removed. New attire will be provided as appropriate for Post-Sentencing and Pre-Training. Subsequent behavioral infractions will be doubled in their effect on your Monastic evaluation. Subsequent sentencing will result in an automatic expulsion from the City.
"On the charge of Serious Computer Crime. Your violation of the trust of our Computing system in the pursuit of Resisting Collection is a Severe offense. Governance has declared that it is willing to put repentance to the test and allow Senior officials of the Examiner and Business orders to show their contrition and obedience in Monastic training. Basic Monastic Training will test your humility and integrity and ability to relocate your identity in a lowly station. You will be classified as Security-Exempt, and not allowed to enter that division, but all other divisions are open to you if you pass your training.
"Because of the accumulation of offenses, the doubled penalty for behavioral infractions will instead be quadrupled.
Your first Option, is to accept these burdens and begin again as a Monastic Trainee (Class L). You will progress to being a normal Monastic Trainee and then advance further if you show humility, respect for Governance and Superior Officers and work with Excellence and Dedication.
Your second Option, is to be escorted outside of the City, never to return. You will be Expelled and Expunged from our records.
Legal Associate, please advise the Sentencee of his choices."
This was the part, that 95% of the time was predictable. Some people were Citizens, and some people were Opportunists. Wildden predicted Dien'Tero would choose exile before humilitation and humility.
He did.
It was the Wildguard who would take the Exilee out of the City, so Wildden could finally say his goodbyes to the Legal Associate and Governance and make his way back to the Chapter house.
It was both boring and exhausting to go all the way from Preparation to Collection to Transport to Sentencing. Most of the time when he went out, it was with another Safeguard. But this one was important to Governance, that they wanted to keep things small and quiet.
~ o ~ o ~ # ~ o ~ o~
Joleen Chief Executive Psychiatry
[Psychiatry :- Chief Executive - Vice Executive - Supervisor - Employee - Intern]
{Medical :- General - Orthopedic - Dental - ... {disciplines omitted} ... - Psychiatry }
{Business :- Infrastructure - Medical - Financial - Hospitality - Goods - Grocery }
{City :- Examiner - Business - Monastic}
Samae was hungry. Studying and working on problem sets at School all day. It was sixthday. Joleen wished her daughter didn't have to spend so much time, even on seventhday, studying and doing practice exams. But it was necessary if she was going to rise higher than Joleen, and make an Examiner of herself.
Joleen considered the Safeguard she had seen that morning. Though he was part of the lowest order he seemed content, even happy about his career. She doubted he'd been involved in any sort of behavioral infractions.
Samae had a few trifling notes in her behavioral file. Mostly her interrupting other students accidentally, because she wanted to contribute. They were only a 2 point malus in aggregate, which was considered quite good for the daughter of a Business order executive. She wanted to be offended, but she worked with business executives, and managed them. She knew that they had occasional lapses.
The Security Warning on the building had been weird, but she assumed it was something to do with Wildden's task.
Oncology sub-division Vice Executive Dien'Tero has been expelled from the city after collection and sentencing today.
She wasn't there when the collection happened, being on the third floor in a mostly pointless meeting. There were points to discuss, but points that all of the Chief Executives already agreed with.
Tommorrow she would reinforce these points with the Vice Executives at Central Mental Health Hospital.
Expulsion was something she thought a lot about. The Mentally Ill, would they ever get better. Would it be better to expel them, or to continue consuming a bed. How can they do more on an outpatient basis. It was disturbing to a point.
The Doctor division Examiners who her subordinates worked with almost always chose expulsion. The Mental Hospital was not designed to support long term care.
The City was an aspirational, an uplifting place. Not a place that accepted everyone, but a place that filtered out only the suitably stable and proficient. You had to at least pass the monastic exam and become an Inferior.
But she now suspected the Monastic exam wasn't any easier than the Business entry exam, just testing different things.
Examiners, and students still on that highest track like Samae, were subjected to intense intellectual and behavioral standards. In First Form, half of the students were sent straight to the monastery. Only a quarter continued on, and a quarter went to Business school.
He sat at the far end of the polished mahogany bar, which curved to fill up a large wedge around the Bartender and his alcoholic paraphenelia.
The Radiologist exec had already left the bar, so it was empty, save the bartender, who continued to go into a back room to gather more supplies.
Wildden's position was such that he could see everyone who came up to the bar. When visual become blocked because of the rush of Medical officials, he would be able to use his tracker hologram to identify his Collectee.
He was surprised then, when a Chief Executive approached, and stood next to where he was seated, waiting for the Bartender to reappear.
Decorum required that he stand up and acknowledge the official of a superior order and superior rank. There were a few cases where decorum had to be broken for Sageguard business, but part of your evaluation was whether you minimized such breaches. The honor of the upper orders and high officials was considered crucial to the Computer systems Examiners who programmed the evaluations for every adult official in the City.
He bowed slightly, as he stood up, "Chief Executive."
"Psychiatry, she filled in. And you, Superior?"
"Safeguard," he said, trying to keep his conversation honorable and limited.
"Joleen" she said. Unconventional for her to introduce herself to a person of lower order who she will probably never see again.
"Wildden. Might I ask if there's something you wanted to approach me for? It's unfortunate, but I have business to attend to at this social.
"Well Wildden. I've been an Psychiatric chief assist on a few cases connected with your division's 'collection' efforts. Seeing a Safeguard, and a Superior as well, that was of note."
"I never thought about what happens after collection and processing," Wildden said. "I suppose Remediation is the Hoped for outcome."
"We can get them returned to a position one promotion lower than they offended at. If they successfully pass through remediation and therapy, and choose to change course. Like everything in the City, it requires testing. But enough of my world, you base out of the Chapter house in the Business residential district?"
"I'm in charge of the Chapter," he said, not sure why it slipped. Checking briefly, his target still wasn't here but a few other Chief Executives had sat down at the other end of the bar.
"So the Safeguard is a smaller subdivision than I expected, with a Superior running the whole chapter? I'm just one of 23 Chiefs among Med Bus."
"Most of our Safeguards are based out of the Headquarters. As Chapter houses, we only handle cases involving the Business order and Examiner Order. Central handles the Monastic order cases."
"A lot more of those then," she asked.
"Most who would make trouble have already been transferred into our Order. There's a lot of tension and work for Public Order during the major Examiner and Business tests. And Safeguard central picks up the pieces. Individuals angry at their placement. Most working Business order and Examiner order people are well aware and under control. They realize the system can't be diverted. An order is immutable. But some few abuse their authority, mostly those with the smallest amounts of it, but in a few cases, more senior officials."
She stood up. "Well listen, I need to get up to the third floor, for our Chiefs meeting, but I want to see more lines of communication open. I'm sending you my contact information. I would like to meet sometime again."
She stepped away, and he waved his glass of selter at her in passing.
She turned back for a moment, "And Wildden, it only takes a little thought and sense to realize the only level of official you would be here for, and not your superior or your subordinate."
Everyone else let him alone, although in the crush of all of the less senior officials entering the bar, he gave up his stool and stood in the corner.
His voice activated computer spoke softly. "Collectee is entering the building."
Other than Joleen, everyone else had been distracted, talking to each other, and no one had taken notice of a Monastic order official in the room.
"Dien!" said one of the women at the bar, a fellow Vice Executive.
Dien'tero approached the bar. "Sarani," he said to the other executive.
"I'll have a Manhattan," he told the bartender.
Dien'tero, of all of the people near the bar, actually glanced at him, as he stood in the corner, near a table full of Medical officials.
His Collectee looked away, chatting with those around him amiably. There was a tension in the man, Wildden believed he saw it. He carefully weaved through the group of officials, trying to make no noise nor disturbance.
Dien'tero looked at him again, and this time, the man was ready to act. Giving his drink to 'Sarani', he pretended to be calm, and told everyone around him that he had left something behind and had to check the lost-and-found.
By the time Wildden got out of the crush of officials, his collectee had left the building.
The white LED lights on the chandelier, and those in the ceiling mounts flashed red, and the lights pulsed, strobed almost.
"THIS IS A SECURITY LEVEL 1 WARNING. ALL EGRESS POINTS ARE INACCESSIBLE UNTIL THIS SECURITY WARNING IS RELEASED. PLEASE STAY WHERE YOU ARE."
The Concierge came running to the Hospitality desk as Wildden approached it.
"Did you trigger that?" the Concierge said heatedly.
"I have no authority to do something like that. Only High Command could trigger that," he said truthfully.
Wildden watched as the Concierge tried to connect to her own systems without luck. After another thirty seconds, he turned to the door, wondering if it was possible that Dien' Tero knew something or someone to cause a warning.
"SECURITY LEVEL 1 WARNING CLEAR. YOU MAY RESUME YOUR ACTIVITIES."
The Hologram showed Dien'Tero already descending to the subway platform. This was bad, but Wildden had experience.
"Request a 15 second delay on all trains, Central Southwest Main Station," he spoke to his computer.
The request was encoded and sent on the rapid response loop to Computer division's central command.
He didn't know whether he would get it, but he ran towards the subway stairwell.
The little dimple button on the right side of his belt activated the Safeguard warning system.
"SAFEGUARD COLLECTION IN PURSUIT. SUPERIOR OFFICIAL IN PURSUIT OF SUSPECT."
Only a few were entering the Subway at this point, most people were arriving here in this business district. Those few who were stepped to the side as Wildden bounded down the steps, his training making what would seem recklesss, routine.
"REQUEST GRANTED," returned Computer Command.
15 seconds was all he was allowed to request. The hologram still pointed him to the platform, as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he identified Dien'tero two platforms down.
The train was rolling in, and would be there within a few seconds. Unfortunately for Dien'tero, there was no crowd waiting with him. It was easy to lock on to just the Collectee with his desistor.
He pressed the trigger, and Dien'tero toppled over. He disabled the Safeguard warning system.
"Nothing to be concerned about here. We will be gone within a moment."
He walked over to the platform where Dien'tero was collapsed and unconscious.
"Notify the transport team. Send HQ confirmation," he told the computer.
The desistor was ultimately an electronic tool, overriding the target's security rights and privileges, causing a temporary unconsciousness and preventing movement.
People were broadly aware and afraid of the desistor, so a voluntary collection was far more frequent. Dien'tero's evaluation would be lower because he didn't take a voluntary collection. If he interfered with Computer division operations to cause the Security Warning he would likely have no choice at all.
A senior Executive like Dien'Tero would usually end up with a few choices after serious crime. Go through an evaluation program to return to the business order at a lower rank, or start over in the Monastic order as a Trainee, or leave the City entirely.
The City divided and separated authority. Wildden could apprehend the suspect, but Public Order's transport team would take him to Lockup. The Transport team could transport him, but only Legal's Advocate and Governance's Remediation could determine sentencing and offer choices.
Wildden travelled with the Public Order team as they carried Dien'Tero onto the Public Order special train car, which attached to the arriving train, and was loaded first, before the rest of the travelers could get off.
Quickly, the Public Order Transport team carried Dien'Tero onto the train car, and Wildden followed him. He would stay beside Wildden through transport and sentencing, as an immediate presence in case of any attempted escape. Few tried such things these days, however. It was largely a formality for Wildden to follow his Collectee, but he had an interest in how the other parts of the Enforcement system worked.
The special car detached from the main train as they reached the Southwest district station. It followed another train that traveled between Southwest and City Center, and Wildden and the Public Order team unloaded Dien'Tero from the special car after the rest of the passengers debarked from the other cars.
It was two blocks at street level, so the now conscious Collectee was escorted swiftly to the central Legal division complex.
They entered the complex and headed left at the signpost with directions to different parts of the facility.
There were two dozen sentencing rooms, and that was for the entire City. Only half of those were occupied as they entered.
The Legal official (junior-grade) recorded their information as Safeguard and Public Order representatives. She noted Dien'Tero and the charges against him and directed them to room 7.
The public order officials took his collectee to the room, and Wildden followed behind. Dien'tero was seated and secured in the sentencing determination chair, and Public Order left, but Wildden stood still behind the chair.
An Associate Examiner of Legal division (Sentencing Subdivision) entered the room, followed by a Governance division (Sentencing Subdivision) Full Examiner.
"Pardon the delay, I was involved with another case," said the governance minister. Examiner order ranks and levels were more involved than in the other two orders, so it was tough for Wildden to draw a parallel between his level and these ministers. Except they were nonetheless far above him in practical authority and esteem.
Dien'Tero was facing the Governance minister, who sat down at the far end of the conference table, while the Legal division associate sat at one of the chairs on the side of the table and closer to Dien'Tero.
Legal spoke first, looking to the Governance associate. "Am I correct summarizing that these charges are 2 Class A offenses, a Class C offense, 1 Class D offense, Honored Minister?"
"Legal Associate, you are correct in confirming that those were the original offenses analyzed in Computer Division document 6a-7d19. However, during the Collection attempt, additional offenses were analyzed. The Computer division Addendum - Pursuant Offenses document should be arriving in your inbox now."
"I will refer briefly to such document then," the Legal associate asked.
"Granted."
The associate pulled a tablet out of his briefcase and placed it on the table.
Wildden let his vision blur as he avoided focusing on the associate or anyone else. Dien'tero would find it impossible to escape now, but he kept the sentencee in mind.
After five minutes, the Legal associate put away the tablet and returned to the order of business.
"Permission to proceed?" they asked the Governance minister.
"Granted."
"Vice Executive Dien'Tero," the associate addressed Dien'Tero.
"Yes sir," he said to the associate.
"You are charged the following Offense codes: S-CC1 Serious Computer Crime, A-ED7 Suborning of Educational Integrity, B-SG1 Resisting collection by an Authorized Safeguard official. C-FC Financial Crimes against Computer division minister, D-FC Frivilous over-use of Computer Resources. I am your legal representative, pursuing the best course of action for you, in consideration of the offenses which have been analyzed and found overwhelmingly probable."
"Thank you sir," Dien'Tero said. There was little fight left in him.
"Can you describe your encounter with Superior Safeguard Wildden, including what followed subsequently?"
"I spotted him standing in the corner. He stood out among all of the Medical Business officials. After having some other conversations, I noticed that he was moving away from the corner, and I thought he must be after me. I carefully made my way out of the crowd, giving an excuse, and left the building.
I knew a few people in Computer division, I'm sure you know I was in the training program before being reassigned to Medical. I contacted a junior examiner, I had known before who said they would flag the building computer system. Some kind of corruption causing a temporary security warning. They didn't know how long it would last. It was a secured line, so you wont be able to incriminate the Technician. It was a favor, they owed me, and now I was in their debt.
The Train was late, and then I was desisted. The end."
The Governance Minister spoke up, "The matter with the Computer examiner will be dealt with separately. Are there any more preparatory questions, Legal Associate?"
"Honored Minister, I believe answers are sufficient for our representation on behalf of Dien'Tero."
"Thank you, Legal Associate. Now, beginning with this Sentencing Presentment, Governance will start with the lesser Offenses and proceed to the more Serious offenses. Due to the Composite of all Offenses duly charged at this time, Governance is prepared to drop Class D and Class C offenses, however, we will fully charge Class B, Class A and Class S offenses.
"On the charge of Resisting Collection, you will be placed in a monitoring program with an automated desister implant. On the charge of Suborning of Educational Integrity. An order of protection will be granted preventing you from approaching Second Form student Elia'Mina. Elia'Mina has already been provided with alternative residency in anticipation of your Collection. You are formally stripped from the Business Order and Medical Division within it, pending Trainee assignment to the Monastic Order. All privileges and expectations pursuant to the rank of Vice Executive - Oncology, have been removed. New attire will be provided as appropriate for Post-Sentencing and Pre-Training. Subsequent behavioral infractions will be doubled in their effect on your Monastic evaluation. Subsequent sentencing will result in an automatic expulsion from the City.
"On the charge of Serious Computer Crime. Your violation of the trust of our Computing system in the pursuit of Resisting Collection is a Severe offense. Governance has declared that it is willing to put repentance to the test and allow Senior officials of the Examiner and Business orders to show their contrition and obedience in Monastic training. Basic Monastic Training will test your humility and integrity and ability to relocate your identity in a lowly station. You will be classified as Security-Exempt, and not allowed to enter that division, but all other divisions are open to you if you pass your training.
"Because of the accumulation of offenses, the doubled penalty for behavioral infractions will instead be quadrupled.
Your first Option, is to accept these burdens and begin again as a Monastic Trainee (Class L). You will progress to being a normal Monastic Trainee and then advance further if you show humility, respect for Governance and Superior Officers and work with Excellence and Dedication.
Your second Option, is to be escorted outside of the City, never to return. You will be Expelled and Expunged from our records.
Legal Associate, please advise the Sentencee of his choices."
This was the part, that 95% of the time was predictable. Some people were Citizens, and some people were Opportunists. Wildden predicted Dien'Tero would choose exile before humilitation and humility.
He did.
It was the Wildguard who would take the Exilee out of the City, so Wildden could finally say his goodbyes to the Legal Associate and Governance and make his way back to the Chapter house.
It was both boring and exhausting to go all the way from Preparation to Collection to Transport to Sentencing. Most of the time when he went out, it was with another Safeguard. But this one was important to Governance, that they wanted to keep things small and quiet.
~ o ~ o ~ # ~ o ~ o~
Joleen Chief Executive Psychiatry
[Psychiatry :- Chief Executive - Vice Executive - Supervisor - Employee - Intern]
{Medical :- General - Orthopedic - Dental - ... {disciplines omitted} ... - Psychiatry }
{Business :- Infrastructure - Medical - Financial - Hospitality - Goods - Grocery }
{City :- Examiner - Business - Monastic}
Samae was hungry. Studying and working on problem sets at School all day. It was sixthday. Joleen wished her daughter didn't have to spend so much time, even on seventhday, studying and doing practice exams. But it was necessary if she was going to rise higher than Joleen, and make an Examiner of herself.
Joleen considered the Safeguard she had seen that morning. Though he was part of the lowest order he seemed content, even happy about his career. She doubted he'd been involved in any sort of behavioral infractions.
Samae had a few trifling notes in her behavioral file. Mostly her interrupting other students accidentally, because she wanted to contribute. They were only a 2 point malus in aggregate, which was considered quite good for the daughter of a Business order executive. She wanted to be offended, but she worked with business executives, and managed them. She knew that they had occasional lapses.
The Security Warning on the building had been weird, but she assumed it was something to do with Wildden's task.
Oncology sub-division Vice Executive Dien'Tero has been expelled from the city after collection and sentencing today.
She wasn't there when the collection happened, being on the third floor in a mostly pointless meeting. There were points to discuss, but points that all of the Chief Executives already agreed with.
Tommorrow she would reinforce these points with the Vice Executives at Central Mental Health Hospital.
Expulsion was something she thought a lot about. The Mentally Ill, would they ever get better. Would it be better to expel them, or to continue consuming a bed. How can they do more on an outpatient basis. It was disturbing to a point.
The Doctor division Examiners who her subordinates worked with almost always chose expulsion. The Mental Hospital was not designed to support long term care.
The City was an aspirational, an uplifting place. Not a place that accepted everyone, but a place that filtered out only the suitably stable and proficient. You had to at least pass the monastic exam and become an Inferior.
But she now suspected the Monastic exam wasn't any easier than the Business entry exam, just testing different things.
Examiners, and students still on that highest track like Samae, were subjected to intense intellectual and behavioral standards. In First Form, half of the students were sent straight to the monastery. Only a quarter continued on, and a quarter went to Business school.
Samae was bright and lucky to be close to making Third Form.
But there were 14 Form ranks, and then you were assigned, or if you were extremely lucky, got to choose a division. Governance, Education and Computing were the most exclusive and difficult divisions to get into, they ran the city, essentially. The GEC council of Division Examiners was the highest authority.
After reaching Examinee I in a division, you still had to advanced through five Examinee ranks, where you began to apply your knowledge to real situations in a double checked and supervised way, and then finally you became an Intern Examiner.
So many interns showed up in her hospital. They had freedom in daily life that that had lacked before and they didn’t know how to handle it.
The possibility of Marriage and freedom and a new social life, plus insane expectations at work meant they faced a crucible of pressures.
Joleen was still statistically unlikely to make it that far but they could hope. She needed to make Intern Examiner by 30 or she would be sent to start over in Business school.
Joleen was still statistically unlikely to make it that far but they could hope. She needed to make Intern Examiner by 30 or she would be sent to start over in Business school.
For her own order, after they passed through the 8 trainee ranks, students they only had to go through Intern and Junior positions before they had a full position and freedom to socialize and fraternize.
The monastic order was different. Even this Wildden had probably never been to a real party other than strictly controlled Security division socials. Only Great Superiors running whole subdivisions would be invited to the kind of gatherings her subordinates would be invited to.
It was curiosity which lead her to send a short message to the Safeguard Superior.
Her own position placed her at the bottom tier of business executives. Her boss, the head of all Med Bus, was an active and well regarded member of the scene. The size of Med Bus, meaning its many subdivisions, gave the Division Chief a lot of credibility and appreciation.
Joleen was just one amongst the crowd of Chief executives, invited to some parties, but not others, able to split the difference between the lives of those like her boss, and those like her subordinates.
Vice Executives were still part of the body of Business order membership, while Division Chiefs had a half step into the places higher still, speaking with the GEC council on occasion.
It would be a mini scandal, but Joleen was amused by the idea of inviting Willden to a social event.
She sent the chat message.
Joleen here,
I imagine you are there, back in the Chapter House,
perhaps dealing with the endless work of managing subordinates, like I am
perhaps reading through more documents
perhaps using jargon specific to your position.
I just thought
That I would check in.
It might be odd,
But I would like to ask you a few questions
Curiosity beckons
Carisca Crema, tommorrow, 6 pm sharp.
Let me know.
She didn't need to mention her name, as it would display that first, but it was part of her personal style.
She reviewed her schedule for tomorrow. Review of computer evaluations. Lunch with the Supervising Examiner of the Doctors Division, Psychiatric Subdivision. Her counterpart, leading the Psychiatric Doctors, as she lead the assistants and Practitioners.
A surprising amount could be done by a Senior Practitioner, without needing to schedule at doctor’s consult. She had 7 Vice Executives with their own Lead Medical Role, under the authority (but not supervision) of a Senior Psychiatric Doctor.
Most of those under her leadership were in an Assistant Medical Role. But they did a lot of the work.
No comments:
Post a Comment