Safeguard-Superior day 2

Samae Level 4 Student [encrypt record key id ***]
[Student [pre-divisional] :- Level 5 - Level 4 - Level 3 - Level 2 - Level 1]
{Examiner :- Legal - Doctor - Educator - Government - Computer }{City :- Examiner - Business - Monastic}
 `- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -`
                               [_______________________________________]
                               | EDUCATIONAL PYRAMID: Student L4  |
                               |      Discipline -- Civics -- Health -- Etiquette       |
                             /  Reading -- Math -- Writing -- Exams -- History    \
                    /  Studying -- Analytics -- Probability -- Economics -- Instruction \
[X]      / Doc. Analy -- Biology -- Neuropsych -- Civics L2 --Health L2 -- Computing \
avg                 68                 81                73                   92             89                  83              : [82]
 / Pre-Legal -- Pre-Doctor - Pre-Educator - Pre-Gov -- Pre-Computer -- Exams L2 -- Orders \
 `- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -`


Her mother Joleen had already left for work. Samae took a flash shower, got dressed, and left for school.

Her tablet provided the legally allowed amount of advice about her school day: 1st, she needed to work on her Document Analysis, and try to get that school up. Secondly, working on Civics L2, because a flashpoint was close.

With all subject grades at 70 or above, she could reach Level 5 immediately by getting one subject grade to a flashpoint: 95 or above.

She soared in Civics and Health L2 more easily than the other courses. Computing and Biology were going pretty well, but she was struggling in Document Analysis and needed a boost in Neuropsych.

So she headed into the Level 4 Student building with intent and determination.

Her tablet interface with the building AI, and received her assigned workstation. Exams were held every 2 weeks at her level, which meant that fifthday would be the next chance to update her scores.

Each workstation was isolated from the others by a thin half-wall made out of some kind of supermaterial. It prevented sound from spreading about the facility, each from one station to the next.

Samae put on her silent demeanor and stepped before the workstation, sitting down in the solid chair, which provided support and comfort but didn't turn, twist or tilt.

She flexed her fingers, stretching and warming them up.

She stowed the tablet in the workstation's identity slot, both identifying her to the system and preventing her from using the tablet during her school day.


[SAMAE LEVEL 4 Student] - - - / / /
~|
ADMINISTRATION MESSAGE:
You are required to attend the monthly Student Social at the Examinee's Social Center tommorrow night at 7:30 pm. Please dress according to formal standards of attire. You will be attending with students of all levels in your specified student block [#0630].
~|

EXAMINEE MENU:

Document Analysis
Biology
Neuropsychology
Civics Level 2
Health Level 2
Computer
GRADEBOOK
SYSTEM INTERACTIONS

>> Document Analysis

Document Analysis
~|
MENU
Video Instruction
Transcripts
Examples
Documents to Review
Documents to Write
Documents to Review (Appellate)

>> Video Instruction

Her first step was to go over the Video Instruction given by the Associate Professor for Legal Education.

The class videos were given by both Legal and Governance professors, but she had done well in the parts of the class that covered Governance document analysis, but the Legal stuff was more subtle, it seemed.

~|
Lesson 1 - What is a Document
Lesson 2 - Reviewing a Document
Lesson 3 - Writing a Document
Lesson 4 - Sending and Receiving Documents
Lesson 5 - Honorable Sending and Replying Procedures
Lesson 6 - Governance Documents pt 1
Lesson 7 - Governance Documents pt 2
Lesson 8 - Legal Documents pt 1
Lesson 9 - Legal Documents pt 2
Lesson 10 - Computer Documents
Lesson 11 - Doctors Documents
Lesson 12 - Education Documents
Lesson 13 - Business & Monastic Order Documents
Lesson 14 - Legal Capstone
Lesson 15 - Governance Capstone

>> Legal Documents pt 1

The Legal education professor painstakingly went through a variety of topics he said would be covered in more detail later.

Creating a legal brief for a client, reviewing the briefs created by others. Documents of communication between Governance and Legal. Civil and Governmental Liability. Sentencing Documents. Documents of communication to inform City officials of any order and division of the dispensation of their subordinates.

Legal Documents pt 2 got into the nitty gritty. Recommended lengths and number of times to revise for different document templates and standards. Proper use of critical status flags in message headers. Serving papers on someone. Documents asserting Identification and authorization and crimes related thereof.

Details, details, details, and not a lot of concern about sensibleness.

She started going over the Legal documents to be reviewed, and it was the first 15 minute break.

The room full of students cleanly walked down the hallway to the break room, where they passed another group of students who had just left.

Samae always shared a classroom with the otherr members of block #063. Break times were staggered based on available break rooms to make sure students all had a chance to step away from the computer briefly.

Juwan was one of the few people she talked to much in her block. There wasn't a lot of time in the day to get to know people, and she didn't hang out with the people in the dorms because she lived in the business residential district with her mom.

Juwan was in a similar boat, being the son of a Monastic division chief. She didn't ask what division.

"You've got a chance to make it through! Level 5 here we come," Juwan said eagerly.

"Let's talk about something else though. My brain is in a fog."

"More legal document research," he said, and Samae nodded.

"I've started thinking about what division I want to get assigned to," he said.

"Let me guess... Education?"

"No. Of course, I wouldn't mind that one, but I was thinking Governance like you, or even better, Doctor, preferably a Diagnostician."

"How do you know I want Governance," Samae said. "I just want to make it. Whatever division they put me in is fine."

~ o ~ o ~ # ~ o ~ o~

The chapter house was full of conversation.

Syd proclaimed, "I got two collectees to put away their makeshift weapons and surrender."

Allan said, "I worked with 3 different juniors. I think they really are learning."

Bull spoke only a few words, "I protected a Senior minister."

Dinner was chicken chili. spicy, creamy. Made by Syd. It was her turn to make dinner for the group.

Marl and Anthony, the junior members, didn't say much. Marl's evals were started to reach full member status. Most likely he would be moved to another chapter house, once promoted.

Still, it was his duty as Superior and Commander of the house to train up the next generation.

"There's a few irregularities with your file," Syd said to him. Syd's supplemental role was as watcher and minder of him. She reported right to the Great Superior Safeguard on that one.

"Unexpected contact with a high level business order official. High enough to override Monastic protocols and request a second meeting," he said.

"What happened?" Allan asked.

"Sat at the end of the bar watching for the collectee's entrance. She sat down next to me. Had a lot of curiosity about the monastic order for someone so high up."

"Division chief," Syd asserted.

"Not that high. Chief Executive in charge of a subdivision of Medical."

"So on your boss' level. Why do you call that so high?" Syd responded.

"One level and one Order higher. She's seen and heard by the elites."

"This invite. It's for a place that will not welcome you eagerly. We're not welcomed in their eateries, boss."

"One meeting and this will all be over," he said, then changed the subject. "What missions are planned tomorrow?"

"Patrol. Be a presence. We're all going out onto the streets. No specific missions beyond that," said Bull.

"I'll be there to help. Make sure Marl and Anthony clean everything up. This place could use a good cleaning."

He left his bowl and plate and went upstairs to his quarters.

It was illegal to wear anything other than official attire of the three orders, appropriate to rank and position and occasion. So he was perplexed by how to dress for this meeting.

Formal robes, way overkill. Regular robes, not nearly nice enough. Disciplinary Robes, rather drab.

He avoided the Disciplinary robes and Regular robes on the off chance someone knew what they were. Formal robes, headed right into the center of business and examiner elites.

He fretted, perspiring from the anticipation of what would happen. He brandished the invitation he had printed out like a weapon.

Carisca Crema wasn't busy despite the time of day. An occasional man or woman in a business suit, complete with bow tie and shiny shoes. They presented a business card to the hostess standing outside the door and were let in.

Examiners, men and women alike, came to the Crema wearing their black or grey dresses handing letters in envelopes with colorful floral wax seals, and entering.

Associate examiners and Chief Executive level business people were mostly those who entered, but as Wildden mustered the courage to walk to the Crema he saw a Business Division chief and a Full Examiner enter one after the other.

In contrast to the flashy business cards, and elegant Examiners' envelopes, Wildden's clearance was a  long letter with several seals and evaluations verifying that he was authorized.

The hostess couldn't help but react when he presented the long letter without any envelope.

She had to go inside to confer with the restaurant's Vice Executive.

"Well sir," said the hostess, as she came back to the door. "You may enter. Our manager requests that you exhibit the well-known reserved nature of the monastic's superior."

There was laughter and light conversation in the restaurant. The bar was full of patrons sitting on the stools and talking with others who stood next to the bar.

There seemed to be three drinks of choice. White wine, whisky on the rocks, and the martini.

There were signs directing guests to private booths, available for the more senior members of their clientele.

It struck Wildden that the Associate examiners didn't seem to have a haughty attitude towards the business execs. They were friendly with the mostly older crowd of Chief Executives. A successful examiner could reach the level of Associate by their early twenties, but Joleen and these Chiefs here looked more thirties or even forties.

How many chief executives were there in the business order? Far more than there were Great Superiors in the Monastic Order surely? That latter number was only 28, the vast majority of those being in Agricultural, Mineral and Manufacturing.

Wildden had little chance of reaching Great Superior level unless he requested a transfer into another division. There were 7 agricultural subdivisions, 5 mineral and 9 manufacturing, but only 3 military and 4 sanitation. He suspected there were perhaps 20 subdivisions in medical alone.

Joleen was in the middle of the crowd at the bar.

He didn't approach until she spotted him, saying, "Wildden, come on over."

"This is Wildden," she said to the others. "He just collected on one of the Oncology vice execs. It was interesting to shake things up by talking to someone else for once."

"How many students do you have to collect on after exam day?" one of the Associate Examiners immediately asked.

"It's down to only a few dozen, as far as I know. I run the Southwest district chapter house, the business residential district. Mostly dealing with Business order situations,"  he said.

"Well then, a toast to our pursuer. I'm Chief of Infrastructure - Trains by the way," he said.

They all toasted to that. To Wildden it seemed like mockery, but he took it in stride.

"You're all higher grade than my purview. It would be the Great Superior of Safeguard, with an Governance examiner accompaniment."

"I'd like a moment with my esteemed guest," Joleen said to the others and pulled Wildden away from the bar.

"What's this about. You know I'm already getting close to disciplinary action just being here."

"You might be wondering," Joleen interrupted, "How I got you in here? I mean, we can't just invite whomever we want, or there would be effectively no controls at all. Just step inside that private booth over there, and then have a talk with me after."

 If you had asked Wildden who he expected to find in the booth, not even his feverish dreams would have included Governance Division Chief.

The City's 2nd highest official was sitting in the booth wearing a gray dress that wouldn't look out of place among his junior governance examiners. He had no special insignia or fancy threads that Wildden had seen the senior examiners wearing.

He stood up as Wildden entered the booth. He slid the cloth divider to close the booth from peering eyes.

"Safeguard," he said. "Thank you for coming."

"Lord Governance, I try to do everything I can to work with the better orders," Wildden said with some trepidation.

"It may surprise you that many of the newer Superior Safeguards can't handle the responsibility. You've had three personal collections including the one last week, and you've conducted yourself with professionalism and not any sense of resentment or getting back at the business order," he said.

"I enjoy doing just what needs to be done. I can't think about anything but doing the job with excellence, to lead my team. I know it's just a small piece of the puzzle, and Governance and Computer do everything to make the collections possible."

"Well, that's good to hear. I'll get right to the point. One of the Examiners working for me is in charge of a rare multi-order program intended to use associates well versed in all three orders. We find our associates make many connections that the three orders separately cannot make. If you pass the entrance tests, you'll be the first member of the team coming from the Monastic order.

"Even if you don't pass all of the tests, as long as I see a full effort from you, I'll be inclined to encourage a promotion to Superior Safeguard at Central district."

"I love leading this team of Safeguards... however, I can't pass up an opportunity given by the Lord Governance."

"Don't sign up just for me, Wildden," the man said in warning.

"It is a good opportunity, but will there be any used for my Safeguard background, will I have a good chance at being helpful to the team?"

"You'll learn a lot more from my Special Operations Subdivision chief, if you chose to go through the testing process, but I'll say this: Safeguard skills will be a key asset to the team, but you need more. Business order, Financial division skills will be a big plus, as well a Governance skills. This will be a severe test, which is why we haven't had any Monastic order members as of yet.

"My projections indicate that the cause of your release from the Examiner and Business orders is behind you. You have a real chance to pass the Examiner and Business order qualifications. If that sot of thing interests you, this is another chance to make it in both the Examiner and Business orders. This is a sealed envelope. Only Spec Ops Chief Granville can open it. Present yourself at the Central Examiners Compound, with this envelope, and you will be into the applicant process."

"My existing position will be inapplicable once I become an applicant?" Wildden asked.

"It's as if you received some rare transfer back to Student Level 1, except you will also have to go through the entire business order training program if you make it through Examiner training. I would recommend letting your charges know, if you end up taking this opportunity. And be quick about it."

"I've got a lot to think about them," Wildden said.

"Please close the slider when you go."

~ o ~ o ~ # ~ o ~ o~

 It was late at night. He had been uneasy, and left the dinner table early to go back to his office. Maybe his closest friends and subordinates had sensed something because when one of them knocked softly, they were all right there.

"Something happened, something unpleasant," Syd said.

"Sit down, all of you," Wildden said. "Unexpected good news, but it makes me sad too. I apprecate all of you and this chapter house. I don't know how I'll handle not working with the three of you, but I've been given an opportunity, kinda like a cross transfer and a promotion all in one."

"Man," Allan said. "Well, on the bright side, what can you tell us about this new position you're headed to?"

"I still have to decide if I want to take it. But if you look me up, it won't make any sense, that's all I can say."

"Even though we'll miss you, Wildden, you have to take the shot? Who thought they would keep you here as long as they did."

"My evals were good, certainly not promotion material," he said. "But I'm glad to hear you guys encouraging me. Maybe someday, you'll see me again, and maybe I'll see you, the next Superior or Great Superior."

He slept better knowing his team was behind the effort that would surely come in the days ahead.

Marching into an Examiner's compound was both culture shock, feeling of being out of place, and nostalgia from his early days when he was still a student.

Once again he wielded the sealed envelope as a badge, and several examiners in sequence scanned it discretely, placing him directly into the Special Operations floor, 7 floors below ground level.

The elevator only opened on the floor because of his envelope, and no one else was getting off on this floor.

 Lighting on the floor was dim, casting a dull red palor over it.

The clerk at the front desk on the -7th floor took the envelope and actually unsealed it.

"Room 721," he said.

There were no windows on the doors, no visible key or keycard, but only internal computing system authorization. Some rooms had only a flat wall, and no visible marker of a door at all but for a number above it.

"Mr. Leblanc," said a man standing in the center of the room whose door swung open as Wildden approached.

He wanted to look back, to see who the man was referring to. It wasn't since the days of his childhood that he had been referred to by last name. Leblanc might as well mean nothing as a monastic.

How do you address someone who doesn't seem to be wear the attire of any of the three orders, instead wearing white slacks and a white shirt with long sleeves which his arms barely reached out of.

"Lord, sir, honored one. I apologize, I'm not sure how to address you," Wildden said.

"You're here to get a reset. Listen, I don't care why, or what Governance is up to. Nonetheless, here you are. Yours is a second chance reset. If you fail out of the Examiner's program due to behaviorally infractions, you have no second chance, but a failure by reason of low grades will give you another chance as specified by your contact person. I need to attach this second chance beacon to your pinky toe."

Wildden took off the impeccably polished and cleaned tall black boots of the order, pulling even the grey tube socks off his feet.

"Please undress the rest of the way as well," the man said without any hint of impropriety. He probably did this on a regular basis.

The little mark on his little toe hurt for a few seconds as it was applied. The attire he was clothed in was full of meaning and emotion. Senior Examiner, Special Projects.

A far cry from the plain dresses of his childhood as a Level 1 student, this outfit had gold filigree and broches. The flower of Governance Senior Examiners was pinned on his dress; the blue ageratum being a tradition in governance, and even the Division's main complex in the city had a special garden for the flower.

The honest truth was that men were less likely to become examiners, 48% to 52%, and the ratio was reversed in the monastic order, except that most of the truly deviant men were exiled from the city, putting monastic officials at nearly 50/50.

It seemed a little odd and ornate to be wearing flowers on the official attire of one's profession, but Wildden had never seen an examiner comment or joke about the honorary corsage of another senior examiner. It was a mark of distinction, that you were speaking to someone of true importance, and he'd never approached a Senior examiner closely until he met the Governance chief.

"As a Senior Examiner, the punishment seen to be sufficient for your 'crimes' is the become a Level 1 student all over again. For many Examiners, such a thing is worse than exile. Your crime is tortious in nature, purloinment and abuse of supervisory power over the BusHosp division. You will meekly accept the judgement against you."

"I will meekly accept the judgment," Wildden said with trepidation.

There was little else to be said, and no instruction given, so Wildden went to leave the office, only to find a Superior Safeguard, with Junior Examiner in tow.

Thankfully, the Safeguard didn't recognize him in the Examiner's attire.

"Honored Examiner, have you agreed to turn yourself in now?" asked Superior Safeguard Jack, of Central district.

Wildden pushed away his recognition of the man and instead nodded. "I am," he said.

"And I am prepared to use the desistor, so please don't resist?" the Safeguard said.

Wildden knew very well that he didn't want to be desisted. He complied in the best way he could, knowing the nerves of a Safeguard on a collection run.

The Public order van was very nearby, this being the heart of central, and Governance sentencing was only a few minutes away, so he was very soon sitting in the opposite situation at sentencing.

It was five minutes before Legal and Governance got there, and they didn't have much to work with, both admitting so.

"Well since this is a self admission, and not a collection against a non-cooperating collectee, please describe the nature of your perfidity?" the Government agent asked.

Knowing of such cases from his time keeping up on Safeguard news, and the time he collected on an Examiner involved in the health division helped him to play the part well.

"I convinced the hotel staff I was reviewing their treatment of guests, actually I was supposed to audit their financial system controls. I told the group that their relationship with the Sanitation monks had been flagged in the system, and I extended my investigation, getting things like free food and rooms. I wanted to a host a party for free, but I was identified, and here I am," Wildden said.

"Surely a Senior Examiner has no need for such things?" the Governance agent asked.

"I had my eye on a certain Examiner. She had similar thoughts but she was shy, and didn't really like my normal circle of friends, so when the hoteling investigation began, it seemed like a nice opportunity. It was really stupid, but I wasn't thinking."

The legal advisor spoke up next,

"You are charged with two offenses. B-P7 Purloinment under Investigatory Duress and H-M7 Failure of Examiner code of ethics," he said. "Are you allocuting to these offenses?"

"Yes minister," Wildden said, feeling acutely, th sense of strangeness of the last 24 hours.

"We will begin our sentencing presentation," the Government minister spoke.

"On the charge of B-P7 Purloinment under Investigatory Duress, you are hereby demoted to Associate Examiner, under the monitoring of a trained Governance examiner, subject to weekly evaluation of conduct.

"On the charge of H-M7 Failure of Examiner code of ethics, in conjunction with the prior offense, you are hereby demoted to learn again the standards of the Examiners order as a Level 1 Student. You will be excluded assigned to Governance, Legal and Computer divisions on the basis of failing the Morale Maturity test, assuming you rejoin the ranks of Examiners."

"You have two options: First, you may accept these burdens and become a student once more, or Second, you may choose exile from the City. Legal Advocate, please inform the Sentencee of his choices."

The Legal advocate spoke again, Wildden could have spoken for him.

"Citizen of the City," Wildden recited as the advocate spoke. "You are surely needed even now. Your contribution is less than the City desires, but what time, effort and integrity you give to the City, she gives to you. Governance and Legal Affairs, and indeed all the orders of this city, and the Premier herself, implore you to take the punishment and begin again. You will find you contribute more, learn more, and make a new dedication that restores the City's faith in you as it restores your faith in the City. We Implore You."

Wildden could sense the Government examiner already preparing the Exile process as he spoke. "I choose to continue in the city, and begin again as a Student."

"Very well, Legal Affairs, if you would take him to the Rehabilitative Student Program. Safeguard and Public Order, please return to your branch offices. The City thanks you for your service."

The Legal advocate directed Wildden's steps, standing just a few feet behind him. He was directed back to the original Examiner building he had traveled to the -7th floor in.

This time the advocate lead him up to the 2nd floor. Rehabilitative Student Program, said the placard above the door.

This room had a large closet and changing room.

"Examiner," the Legal Advocate addressed the one sitting beyond a desk.

"An arrival, excellent. Perhaps our rehabilitation will have another success someday soon. I see that this one's Sentencing placement is Student Level 1. Very good. Thank you, Examiner. I will take over from here."

The Advocate bowed slightly, and walked away.

"First," said the Rehabilitation examiner. "You will find Student attire in the closet section marked Level 1. Please get changed. Leave your old clothes in the changing room, hanging."

The Level 1 student's attire was a plain, boring grey dress that dipped onto the floor as he put it on. It was rather baggy, and even wider at the bottom. There was no mark of distinction or decorate, but instead just an identity of plain-ness, but still the dress was special to Wildden. Another chance, though even if he passed, it would not be an ordinary Examiner's career for him. If he didn,t he had the opportunity to advance further as a Safeguard, which he loved anyway.

"Good, next up, I'll speak to your expectations as a Level 1 Student, and your assignment. To be honest, few among the examiners choose to go back to being a Student, for many, it was a harrowing time. For others, the privileges they have, they don't want to lose.

"You may socialize with your fellow students during break times, and in the residences, but you are not an Examiner any more. You are restricted to places which are explicitly allowed for students. You will largely be traveling between the residences and the Education complex.

Your behavior will be noted, and will affect your Exam grading. As a Level 1 Student, you will be spending most of your time at the Complex in immersive VR. You will be asked to demonstrate Discipline, understand the history and pridefully represent the Civics of the City, have an understanding and practical habits of Health and cleanliness, and practice proper Etiquette. In particular I must remind you to treat all persons with the respect and honor they deserve. Treat members of all orders as your superiors, as they are. Honor your fellow students and practice deference to everyone else."

"You are assigned to a Block which we hope will contain every Sentencee who is reassigned to the Student program. Few are Sentenced these days, which is good, but less than 1% chose rehabilitation, which is bad. Your Block currently only contains two other rehabilitators, but also contains 198 other Level 1 Students who are first time Students. Be respectful to your younger students, but also reach out to the other rehabilitators.

"I don't expect to see any others, today, so I will walk you over to the Student building. Your Block id is 0198."

The Computer room Wildden ended up in was full of 8 year old students. They didn't recognize Wildden as he entered, being surrounded by the VR equipment which filled their field of few.

The Level 1 Student's desk was like an exercise machine, hidden inside a desk chair at the moment.

The computer chided him, "Please put your tablet in the bay. Identity processing will commence."

Wildden took the tablet out of his new students bag, which the Minister had obtained for him on the way here. He put it into the slot.

"Level 1 Student Wildden. This is your first session, so I will go over a few things. The Level 1 Student Program covers the four subjects of Discipline, Civics, Health and Etiquette. Discipline will be taught entirely in Immersive VR. The other three subjects will contain both traditional exams and exam preparation, as well as VR segments. You are encouraged to spent at least 10 hours a week in Discipline VRs. 5 hours a week in Civics VRs. 2 hours a week in Health VRs. And 8 hours a few in Etiquette VRs. Spend the remaining time studying your written exams in Civics, Health and Etiquette. Since you have begun your classes mid-week, I recommend you start strictly with Discipline VRs for today. Choose wisely."

~|

EXAMINEE MENU:
Discipline
Civics
Health
Etiquette

>> Discipline

Discipline Sub-Menu

Initial Progressive Evaluation VR

Improvement Techniques <Enabled after first Evaluation>
Easy Practice VR <Enabled after first Evaluation>
Moderate Practice VR <Enabled after first Evaluation>
Hard Practice VR <Enabled after first Evaluation, passing Moderate Practice VR>
Last Year's Grade Promotion VR <Enabled after first, Evaluation, passing Hard Practice VR>

>> Initial Progressive Evaluation VR

The "Exercise Machine" VR unfolded around him, blocking out the view of students around him. His block was full of other new students, so many of these young first time students were also going through the same VRs and exams, he assumed.

He couldn't really remember how real it felt to be in the VR when he first was a Level 1 Student.

He felt a wave of claustrophobia as the equipment surrounded him closer and closer, and then his eyes adjusted, and he saw new things.

He was in a classroom, sitting at an old fashioned school desk that shouldn't have fit him as an adult, but he was smaller, the same size as the other kids sitting at the desk.

"The Examiner is going to be late," said a man that appeared. "Please stay in your seats and remain quiet. It will be able 5 minutes."

Could they scan his brain activity during the test, Wildden wondered, as he sat there, waiting. He had been on a lot of Collections as a normal Safeguard official where he had to wait hours, or even days for the right situation, or the final authorization from governance.

He interacted with Business order and Monastic order officials during nearly all of his missions, and dealt with interruptions from his staff and by other people all the time.

He relied on an old trick he learned from his superior officer when he first become a Junior Safeguard.

"Imagine there's a contest going on between you and me. The contest is to not notice what time it is, or that time has passed, and also to not zone out or fall asleep. We're going to wait here on this bench, and I've put a tracer on your internal interface and the tablet to find out when you ask for the time.  I'll also be monitoring alertness and awakeness. After a few weeks of tracking, you'll be thinking of these days and this little contest, even when I'm not tracking your alertness and your time checking."

He lost focus and also checked the time way too often at first. But then he began to hone the craft of alertness without awareness of time. He began to rely on his subsystem, setting alarms when he needed to do something, rather than relying on constantly checking the time. So he stopped checking the time.

He might be vaguely aware, oh look, the sun is going down, but he never explicitly asked the time, but instead relied on years of programmed alarms and specified system behavior from his personal computer interface.

Jason would be proud. The only reason he knew it was five minutes was because the man came back in, and said it would be a little longer.

Wildden wasn't sure how long had passed before the Examiner actually showed up. The students around him were either sleepy or caught talking when the Examiner entered.

"Leblanc," said the Examiner.

The last name was a bit more familiar from this morning. "Yes, Honored Examiner," he responded.

"Please take this down to the Admittance office," he said, handing over a heavy manila Envelope.

"Can you help me out? I don't know where the Admittance office is?" Wildden answered.

"Follow the signs."

The signs were clear, but deceptive. They pointed in the right direction, but when he thought he had reached the Admittance office, it was still further away, he had reached some other office. After the third time, he realized something odd was happening. He kept going anyway, keeping a steady walking pace.

After finding the real office, it turned into the Principal Examiner's office, where the Principle Examiner spoke at length about how Wildden had broken the rules and deserved the punishment that was coming.

After that, the situations became more intricate and odd. Another student wanted to copy from his exam with a spy tech.

Suddenly, he was an unspecified powerful Examiner who had discovered one of his assistants had stolen from the department. He was in trouble now from his superior because of it.

At this, Wildden told his superior he would investigate, and deal with whatever punishment his superior brought to him.

Then he was walking through a crowd as people bumped into him. Rude people, people shouted at him, accussing him of things. Someone stole his tablet as he got on the train.

An extortionist promised that he would kidnap Syd if he didn't get the man into the Computer Division's secure data center. He refused to comply, and he didn't believe the man could get away with something like that, or accomplish it. Governance and Computer division must have put a high priority on malignant cases such as this.

He responded to every situation, knowing he couldn't do more than a little, instead relying on the whole City's system of people checking on people, assuming they would deal with the increasingly horrifying scenarios presented to him.

At some point, it all became so surreal that his awareness that this was a Progressive test VR returned.

There were trolley problems, and halls full of people laughing at him, in equal measure. He was humiliated, tortured, extorted, offered opportunities at every turn. Tested in a thousand ways. There were a few that hit the mark, in that he was tempted to take the easy way out, but he resisted.

He gritted his teeth, dealing with a complex situation, in which he had forgot that he was in a VR all over again.

He knew that the current City Premier would be removed from office if the false allegations were passed along, but he also had the obligation as Computer Chief Examiner, to force the exact Secure message which had been relayed to him. He had spent an hour punishing his subordinates for trying to interfere in Quantum message passing protocols, but now,he would be passing lies!

In addition, he knew that the alternative for City Premier, the current Legal Division Chief, had a lot of shadiness.

He wanted to dig into the information on the man, but he left that to the computer system. He had a positive duty to send the message, which overrided his personal objections to the content of what was sent and who sent it.

He was invited to a dinner party. Everyone wanted to sit at the head table, where the City Premier would be sitting.

No one knew exactly who would be coming, so it was tough to say if you'd be more junior than the others sitting at that table, or even embarrassed and forced to sit elsewhere.

Instead, he sat at the most plain tablet, with a bunch of students, Monastic order junior members and  a mystery guest. It turned out the man was Division Chief of Education, who could have sat at the head table, but he sat with the junior members of the three orders at this littlest table.

The Education chief's words broke Wildden out of the after-dinner reverie, however.

"It's been a while since I've embedded in another person's VR. I only have a minute, but I wanted to see for myself. The perfect score."

The Education minister toasted to Wildden, and the other juniors toasted with him.

His vision became blurry again, and then returned to the VR, which folded itself back into the desk and chair.

~|
Discipline Progressive Evaluation

Predicted Advancement Grade: 35%
Your Progressive Evaluation Grade: 100% (OVERRIDE)

:: Education Chief Examiner Emmet has ordered a bypass to your Discipline Exam Result. Your Discipline Exam Result is 100%. You do not need to take further Discipline exams or training.

It had been hours inside of that Progressive evaluation. The windows in his Block's computer room were now dark, the sun had set.

Wildden was surprised that he hadn't be instructed to leave the area before the end of the school day.

>> Log off.

He entered on the computer, pulling the tablet out of it's receptacle, and putting it back in his new backpack.

Safeguard-Superior day 1

Exams & Monks Verse
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.

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 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. 

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. 

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.

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.

Shinamo and Exeter (Sword and the Go Stone Rewrite, pt 1)

Toyota Special Transport Class cruiser Sephiroth

Aesril L. questioned him. She had boarded at their last stop before leaving Google space. While he had began and the beginning of the route, at Shinamo. Several of their pickups at Shinamo had debarked at Aesril L.s homeworld.

"Why Go?" she continued. "I've never heard of it. No one has ever heard of it. There's a thousand challenges you could try, even the super-hardcore fighting games."

"The Compound AI spoke with Toyota central AI, they believe I would be well adapted to quickly pick up the game. And as to why Go? The game shows up in a shadow form in Toyota's historical records, what little still remains. It was a very popular game in Ancient Japan. For it to dominate in a culture of British Asian "Google" expats, while it is forgotten by Toyota, it is very strange.

"Toyota wants me to bring the game back to Shinamo, and establish a Go Masters Challenge."

"Well, I suppose I should wish you the best. But you'll be missed. Who could find a training like you. I mean reaching 6-1 to even be eligible fo your training was a very grave challenge"

They were in the Sword Fighting arena onboard Sephiroth. Real sword fighting, real medical recovery bots

Aesril L tried her Tier 6 tactics, was rebuffed by his parrying, foot work dodges, push backs and leans, following by unambitious counterstrikes.

"My full repertoire was for the Grandmaster," Michael M said.

"That's why you only counter-attack now?"

"I don't want you to be in med-bay when we land," he said.

After three more sound defeats, Aesril L had enough. She brought up the video screen projector.

"Grandmaster battles playlist 17," she said to the projector. "I kept accumulating your fights with Shin B."

"Really," he said. He didn't know how to think about leaving battling Shin B (9-1) behind. Sure, he had to train the up-and-comers, and do some basic morale & discipline work, basically run the Sword Masters' Challenge, the parts that the Compound AI left to him.

It was shocking to see the blur of activity between him and Shin B. Neither of them hesitated once Yoshi R. ordered the fight to start.

The video recorder used couldn't pick up all of their movements as they dashed around the circular Elite Battling Ring. Sword cuts and manuevers on both sides were rapid fire.

"You've slowed down a bit since then," Aesril L said.

"I can't fight like that unless I'm in the zone. Having fought two or three warm up rounds against Shin B. After sparring with him for 17 months. Training with him for 6 months before the spars started.

"You developed a defensive style because attacking style was insane against him," she said.

"You become a great spirit of sword fighting when you face Shin B. And he's always been a great spirit. Why did you agree to leave this behind. It's almost religious to watch it, yet alone be part of the art."

"Shin B showed me conclusively, with help of the Compound AI, that I would never beat him. I approached his level, but never reached it. The AIs agreed with my master, that they wanted to put effort into training a new second. That I could returned when that second was ready, and regain my old level, so that there would be 2 8-4 swordfighters in the future. The process goes on, and someday the winner of a growing collection of fighters as my level would advance to 9-1, but Shin B would advanced to 9-4 ahead of time. 9-1 was never meant to be a real level. It was just a sign that he was unapproachable."

"If you become as good at Go as sword fighting, I fear for Exeter, and New London's Go scene," she said.

After a few hours of Sake and toasts to the old days, when Aesril L had been in the SMC and reached the height of 6-2, they headed seperately to sleep. Sephiroth would be arriving in the morning.

<>

Exeter Local Time: Thursday, July 01, 2697 0615



Michael M and Aesril L were the only passengers onboard Sephiroth, but a group of 10 locals were waiting for the rare opportunity to travel to Toyota space.

"What's Toyota network like?" one of the guys asked. He was slightly paler of tone than normal Toyota, but still had a rather Japanese look to him.

"Challenging, but worth it. Go for one of the competitive activities if you really want to enjoy yourself. If you want an advocate for ractives, Michael and I are not your best choice. We both were active martial arts competitors," Aesril L said.

"What are you here for? Go or Table Tennis would be the most competitive, but we have a lot of master chefs here on Exeter. Most of the competitive pastimes are still centered in New London."

Michael spoke up this time, "I'm going to play in the upcoming tournament. I believe we are meeting with Exeter AI shortly. Aesril L is headed to New London to enjoy some caligraphy."

"It was a hobby of mine after I got discouraged by Sword fighting," she said.

"Well good luck," said the man.

The locals boarded Sephiroth, as a woman (clearly Holographic) waited for Michael and Aesril.

"You can call me Uno. I feel more comfortable when you are comfortable," said the holographic woman. "If you must know, I am AI #1, Director AI of Exeter colony. Because of the rarity and unusual nature of arrivals from outside our network, I would like to invite you back to my office to discuss your situation and the rules of Google UK network and Exeter."

"We'll follow you," Michael said.

 They followed the holographic representation of Uno into a waiting shining white car. There was two rows of seats, no drive controls or even nav system. They sat in the back.

Uno's hologram disappeared.

The car immediately sped off.

Eventually they felt the thump as the car turned and went into an underground structure, clanging against grates of some kind.

Finally the car stopped and they got out.

"This way," said the Uno hologram.

They climbed up a series of steps into some kind of massive skyscraper. They immediately turned left in the darkened hallway and went into an elevator. Another row of elevator floor buttons soon reveleaed themselves (-1, -2, -3 down to -100).

-96 automatically depressed itself. The elevator shuddered and descended.

"Floor -96 is our evaluation floor. We can determine if you have access to illegal cheating methods, imported computer equipment, nanomachinery or anything else inconsistent with the Google UK network charter."

The elevator dinged at another darkly lit hallway.

"Michael M, if would would go through that door.

A doorway had a big blinking green light at the top. Michael went in.

A separate Uno hologram appeared in front of him, as he sat down in the illuminated seat. He had noticed the other Uno still walked with Aesril.

Bright florescent lights lit up in the room.

"This is the Go examination room. Normally, Exeter's residents are born and begin to play Go outside the home at 6 years old, and are classified at Beginner A - 200 to 800 elo. As they play league games and tournaments they gain elo and eventually gain whatever higher classification they can reach.

"Casual Go players, who focus on one of the other activities on Exeter, sometimes start playing Go later, maybe 12, or even 18. They start at Beginner A as well, and have to prove their way. But I know since they've been in Exeter, they don't possess any illegal performance enhancements.

"On the other hand, I both don't know if you've played Go before, neither do I know your performance enhancements, if any. Asking to play in the annual tournament after no league play history is rather a lot. But, I am able to accomodate, if you will agree to my Go evaluation, otherwise, if you don't want to play Go, you only need the Google UK network entrance eval, which is much less involved."

Michael M smile. He wasn't going to give up Sword Masters for a period of years just to quit. "I'm willing to go through any testing." He said.

A holographic game board appeared in front of Michael's chair.

It had a bunch of squares on it. Hundreds of squares. Michael got a little nervous, but then excited. This many squares would surely mean there was a lot to learn, but what did he know about boards and game pieces.

Suddenly these little black and white stones were all over the board.

He noticed that there seemed to be patterns and groupings of the colored stones, but they still seemed to be jumbled every which way.

"Look closely, study the position," said Uno.

There were areas with a lot of empty space, and something like fences of black or white stones. He couldn't put anything together however.

He noticed the stones had numbers on them, and followed (slowly, agonizingly) the line of numbers. White and Black alternated.

It was a rapid progression of what he guessed were Go puzzles, games, structures, patterns and so on.

Finally, part 1 was complete. "You have the mental capacity to start working things out, but you have no recognition, nor familiarity with Go or games in its family at all. You are used to uncertainty rather than the certainty of games like Go."

"Next I will evaluate whether you have any method of cheating, or violating the terms of the Google UK Peaceful People policy. This means you may not use mind alteration or chemical alteration to provide an advantage. This policy is regulated at the highest levels by Google UK network, to remain free of unfairly superhuman cheaters."

Lights flashed, a gust blew through the room, sounds of buzzers, and other weird things happened in that. He felt like a lot was happening that was on the edge of his awareness.

"This next part of testing will sedate you. Please speak up if you want to abort the proceed."

Michael blinked, this was a lot of testing, even for a serious pastime like Sword fighting. But he continued, sayng nothing.

LP:EQO Saber Artist 2

That mare sure loved to fly.

He didn't intentionally trot out to his balcony, he said to himself that it was to practice his saber stances, but every time Blue Yonder came roaring out of a puff of white clouds, or came around the corner of a building, he watched her fly.

She was new to it, but practically glowing as she tried every trick in the book and outside it. A crash was just another chance to get up and try again.

It would be neat if Blue Yonder was interested in fencing sabers. She had the same passion for flying that he had for martial arts. Tomorrow he was going to be at the PD in the morning. He enjoyed that too and it was helpful for the ponies of Hobby Bluff. But his favorite was sabers.

He pranced back into his apartment, which was set up with a padded dojo in the living room and a separate bedroom.

He thought it would be awkward to sword fight when he first heard about it as a child, but he could fight by swordhoof style, standing on two hooves, or fight with the sword hilt in his mouth for a 4 hoof style. He never seemed to be awkward since the earliest days of learning.

The pony sized training dummy took its cuts as he spent his daily practice time with the 4 hoof style.

Hobbython needed a shake up, maybe Blue Yonder could help make in fresh and new, he thought. Everyone broke off and did their own thing, or even just snacked and chatted. They needed to bring the whole town together.

After his practice, he ran hot water, and took a hot bath, prepared himself for tomorrow, and finally tumbled into a pile of blankets to doze off the night.

It must have been 4 hooves past midnight when his Sheriff pager made a big racket. It shifted from sound to sound, imitating a chicken cluck, a gong, a howl, a rooster, swoosh sounds and finally, "wake up sleepy", which was his aunt's voice.

Saber Artist lumbered out of bed. He loved a new case to chase down. He quickly drank his blueberry wakie juice and looked at his pager.

"Another star, north of Blueberry Ranch -- Auntie Heart."

He strapped on his saber sheath, his dazzler pistol and tie rope. By the time he had leapt off the balcony and landed at ground level, he was galloping at a full pace.

The fog of an early wakeup was replaced with his determination. These random stars falling from the sky were weird and mysterious.

Always they contained a little message and a bizarre item. Auntie hadn't let him get involved before, but he heard from her. The messages were disturbing, and they tried to keep it between herself and the Mayor to avoid alarming people.

Blueberry Ranch was a ten minute gallop east of town, but Saber Artist made it in 8 minutes.

Auntie Heart Warden was standing beside a massive six pointed star, which was glowing.

"The silly-bit wouldn't let me touch it. Says its got a list of letters, and I'm not on the list," she said.

He approached the star, which pulsing from white to blue to brown.

 "Saber Artist," said the star accompanied by a humming sound.

"Yes star," he said, placing his left hand on his hip.

"I have a letter for you. It's about the newcomer, Blue Yonder."

"Can I have it," he asked, becoming antsy.

"First, I do have to say, this whole star business was forewarning."

It hummed and pulsed in time.

"What were you forewarning?"

"Me, nothing. But my masters yes. My masters wanted you to know ..."

He waited for the star to spill.

"Did you know about Visitors, Saber Artist? That mare Blue Yonder, She's going to get Hobby Bluffs destroyed! She's connected with Princess Celestia. What if this is all--"

On instinct Saber Artist reacted before the star could (ridiculously) try to move. He used his earth pony skills to instantly wrap the star in his robe, so that the star couldn't move.

"Quick thinking, Saber Artist" said the princess. Instead of the bright happy Celestia, it was Princess Luna in her darker blue mane.

"This star here is part of the Starcity bandits. They are stars who are unhappy with the order of the heavens, and they want to come here to wreck every good and lovely town of Equestria. It is true that they've been homing in on Hobby Bluff ever since Blue started flying this way."

 "Oh, I didn't realize they were really smart and smarting," Auntie Heart joked.

Luna cast quite an imposing figure, Saber Artist felt frozen stiff by her gaze.

"Visitors are very important. Especially when we find a visitor that is so miserable in their hometown and so happy here," Luna said.

"Is Blue Yonder going to stay?" Saber Artist asked.

"I think she will no longer be a visitor someday soon. You have to keep this a secret. Princess Equestria looked through all of the small towns all across the land, and Hobby Bluffs was just perfect for Yonder. Make sure she's comfortable and not too awkward.

She loves to explore and try new things, and you may not see it now, because she is transfixed by flying, she loves to solve problems and fix things, if the fix is tricky and interesting. She likes to design games and hobbies too. She's one smart hoof back in her hometime, and she'll be a smartie here to once she settles in."

"That mare will really help liven up Hobby Bluffs. Celestia and I also are certain there is more in store for her and for the town in the near future. I want you to keep an eye on these stars, and take this moon flare. It will alert me that the Starcity bandits are trying again. Don't approach the star, just let me handle it."

"Yes, Princess Luna," he agreed. "I promise not to approach those bad stars," he said, taking the moon flare.

Auntie Heart agreed.

After that, it was back to the Police Department, for some hot cocoa with Auntie.

"Don't think about it too much," she said. "Life has a way of working out, if you stop worrying and start living!"

He could have went back to sleep but instead he and Auntie Heart sat up at her house, had a cup of cocoa and chatted.

“Visitors are kinda like foals. They may not look it but Blue Yonder is discovering who she is in her own way.”

“I heard the Blue Hoof Legion had quite a few visitors. They are quite good at certain things despite being quite young.”

“A lot of trouble with that group, but most of the visitors are nice, like Yonder.”

Quidditch GM back up and running

I tried to run Quidditch GM the other day, and it no longer runs with the changes to its components, or whatever.

So I used my newfound Git skills and connected to the new gm-games git repository, and painstakingly merged all the changes dumbmatter has made to the base game, which has turned into basketball gm and football gm.

I had to reapply the game sim and adv stats changes, and I picked different values for those crucial variables.


3-pt : (catching the snitch) : 150 pts : game ends immediately :

shootingThreePointerScales * 0.15 + 0.01
(0.15 * 0.85 + 0.01 to make 3 for perfect seeker. 0.01 for worst seeker)


2-pt : 10 pts (goal)
Jumper : 0.0525 miss & foul, 0.0375 add one, MidRange * 0.24 + 0.24
Dunk / Fast Break : 0.2775 miis & foul, 0.1875 and one, Rim * 0.24 + 0.39
Post : 0.2475 miss & foul, 0.1125 and one, LowPost * 0.24 +  0.2775


Changes:

Change statistical feats criteria
(Rebounds / assists double, scoring mult by 5)

Gryffindor Lions 1270, Hogwarts Professors 970

Prev

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	OT1	OT2	OT3	OT4	OT5	OT6	OT7	OT8	OT9	OT10	OT11	OT12	F
GRY	15	45	65	75	70	90	70	110	45	70	80	100	75	60	90	210	1270
HOG	55	50	35	100	50	60	60	55	65	105	75	70	105	40	20	25	970

eFG%	TOV%	ORB%	FT/FGA
22.3	10.4	26.7	.190
20.3	14.5	23.6	.157

It's nowhere close to scores from the books, but it does have 10s and 150s ( and 5 point fouls as a concession to the basketball modelling going on underneath.)


Pottermore shows Quidditch world cup scores like:

270 - 240
170 - 160
260 - 180
450 - 300
300 - 220
750 - 640

Most games in the first game day I played, were over 1000 points on each side.


Ideas:

Remove 5 point fouls
Reduce FG chance, so its more like a hard goal

Increase snitch chance. Gryffindor went 1 / 152 from 3, Hogwarts Professors went 0/121


Let's start with significantly increasing the 3pt chance.

Base rate: from 0.01 to 0.05.
Scale: from 0.15 to 0.3

This was a little extreme the other way. There were several 150 to 0 games.

Base : 0.03
Scale: 0.22

These settings had some quick games and some long games.


Gryffindor game log:

Loss 20 - 150 : in Q1
Loss 230 - 335 : in Q4
Loss 55 - 205 in Q1
Loss 615-945 in OT7

These seems good, although tweaking FG changes and removing fouls is probably a good idea too.

I'll play through a season or two to get a feel for it.

LP:EQO Hobby Bluffs

Butterscotch took me right to the Hobby Bluffs apartments after we left Mrs. Nugget's place.

"Let me know what you end up getting into," Butterscotch said. "Maybe you could be a map maker, help find more locations for orchards and shops around the edges of town? I don't know. I'd like to trade and we can help each other," she said.

With that, the Earth pony waved, and I flung myself off of the cart, doing a little loop de loop which descended right into the entryway of the apartment complex.

Butterscotch puttered off in the cart, and I took in the big entryway / mailroom of the apartments.

There were at least 50 little mailboxes, and a big box that had a hand drawn note: "Overstuffed". With the cutie mark of a stamp pressed against the little square note attached to it.

There was a tack board on the opposite wall.

The biggest thing tacked to the board was the Hobbython details.

HOBBYTHON - Hobby Bluffs own tradition. 
Late Summer schedule

Late Summer week 1 - Butterscotch Candy Store (Upstairs) : Candy making & Word Puzzles
(written below: a brief note: "Quizzly was right, that last one was hard.")


Late Summer week 2 - Knicknack Oddities Store (Basement) : Toy making & Hobbython Settlers
(written below was a note: Went great! I made a barking dog toy!")

Late Summer week 3 - Sweetmuffin's Bakery (Dining Area) : Baking Ideas & Indoor ball games

Late Summer week 4 - Just a Peach's Orchard (Picnic Area) : Gardening & Orchards & Sodaglug's new Capture the Flag variant.


From the notes I guessed tomorrow was the bakery.

Just for fun (and because some games sent you mail at the beginning), I checked my mailbox, number #27.

The box was fully of letters, and a key which had "Oversized" written on it. I decided to wait for the oversized until tomorrow. I was getting tired already.

I grabbed the letters and headed upstairs and down the hall to apartment #27. It was a studio apartment, snug but not so tiny that I couldn't have guests.

It had blue shades decorated like the sky with white clouds interspersed. The shades were closed on the large glass slider door which lead out to a balcony.

The balcony had a pony friendly chair and plenty of area for me to fly off and land. The railing was only three feet high, and perhaps might make some earth ponies nervous.

 I walked back into the studio, closing the sliding door but pulling the shades open.

It was a pretty good view for the middle of an apartment complex. I could see the back of the Hopricot Brewery (Hopricot: Mr. Hoppy and Mrs. Apricot's own concoctions.)

 There were a few empty Kegs, but the back area was shockingly clean for a brewery. I had worked in a craft brewery and restaurants during my 4 years at the University of Colorado. Without an exception the areas that were not public were a mess. No one had time or desire to thoroughly clean the area near the dumpster, but Hopricot's overly small dumpster was polished and closed, and no offensive odors had wafted their way over.

I pondered for a moment, if Butterscotch had helped make a Butterscotch flavored beer. Weird, but I was curious.

 The physical me was tired. Blue Yonder was a mare with a desire to explore. I succumbed to my Grad Student desire to sleep whenever possible.

I had rushed home, leaving half graded papers on the kitchen island as I went into my bedroom and picked up the ponypad, and entered Blue Yonder's apartment.

The shades were closed again, though I had not closed them. Like before, I quickly forgot grad student and became a curious mare again.

It was only a half hour before Hobbython, I realized when I picked up the invitation that slipped under my door.

Being a studio, the bed was just tucked into a corner, slightly isolated with a jutted out section of wall.

My letters were still sitting unopened on the counter, but I read the invite first.


Dear Ms. Yonder,

No invitation is required, but I thought I should specifically invite you to tonight's Hobbython. I understand that as a visitor, you may be extra sleepy at times, so I just wanted to remind you the Hobbython stars in 28 minutes (I put a little spell on the letter so it shows you how long you have to wait.)

Cheery Tinsel, your new neighhhbor.

PS. It's at Sweetmuffin's Bakery, downtown Hobby Bluffs.


I somehow brushed my mane in record time and flew off from the balcony. I would have been lost flying around the downtown area without the sight of three ponies waving their hoofs at me.

I circled and swooped back around and came in for an flashy landing right in front of the bakery.

"Welcome new neighbor!" said the first pony, a unicorn with silver wobbly lines for a cutie mark said. "I'm Cheery Tinsel, this is Songbird Scroll, and Saber Artist here says he met you outside Canterlot."

"Blue Yonder," I responded.

Songbird was a Pegasus like me, Tinsel was a unicorn and Saber Artist, of course, an earth pony.

"This calls for a celebration!" said Cheery Tinsel and as she took a breath, Songbird Scroll interrupted, "Uhh, Hobbython is start. Afterward you can Tinsel it up."

"Hmmph, alright. Come on Blue Yonder, Hobbython is starting."

The bakery had a large dining area as they entered. The warmth of baking bread and the wafting smell of sticky buns assaulted his senses.

From the name and the amount of celebration over it, I thought Hobbython would be big on ceremony. But it was more like a gathering at a civic center. The ponies were sitting on pony friendly chairs arranged in a moon like arc, all pointing towards a central spot where another pony was waiting.

"Looks like everypony is here. Glad you all made it. So, um, Hobbython, Late Summer week 3. I'm your hostess Frosting Sweetmuffin, baker and jolly pony of the community. I know most of you, of course, but we have a new pony here so I thought I'd make an introduction. For the Hostess event, I will be showing you how to make your own bakery confection.

"Whether it's bread, muffins (my favorite), cherry turnovers or creme-filled long-johns, I'll help you prepare and bake your confection. For the less craftsy pony, we have a game room filled with several whimsical game ideas using balls.

"From dodgeball to rainbow sparkle hot potato there's a lot of hobby fun. And there's always impromptu connections, food, friendship and fun!"

Saber Artist (with his saber on a canvas cutie-mark), spoke up, "Anyone interested in some funny games with bouncing balls of all sizes, follow me upstairs."

"Follow me if you want to bake something of your own," said Frosting Sweetmuffin.

Others stuck around at the dining room, congregating over their favorite topics and eating delicious bread, turnovers and tarts.

"We're going to follow Saber," Tinsel said and Scroll nodded.

I followed Tinsel and Scroll, who were following Saber Artist with a few other ponies. They climbed up a spiral of steps to Sweetmuffin's home, which had a sign saying, "Hobbythoners Welcome! Come on in!"

"This was Frosting's guest bedroom yesterday. The largest room in the loft, of course. All the bedrooms gone, and Hobbython here," said Tinsel.

Saber Artist spoke up, as he looked down at the multi-colored beach ball bumping against his leg.

 "Let's all introduce ourselves in the Hobbython style, for our new neighbor. I'm Saber Artist, an artistic minded policeman from a family of guard ponies in Shield Bay. I teach sword based martial arts on the side, and sometimes MC Hobbython activities like this one."

"I'm Carmel Apple, Granny Apple's eldest grand-daughter. Normally I love new craftsy stuff, but I needed a break from all the time I've spent making my new apple bounce. I like to play the flute too."

Carmel Apple was an earthpony with an apple on a stick as her cutie mark.

"I'm Captain Rose, I'm Princess Celestia's military attache to Hobby Bluffs. While Saber Artist walks the near path, keeping an eye on lost travelers and miscreants alike, I scout out the wider reaches around Hobby Bluffs, between us and our neighboring villages to the east, northwest hills and southwest plains. I watch for threats against Equestria as a whole.

"Prompt reaction to a threat occurring in one place, before it has a chance to spread, is a key part of us Bounders, we are extra eyes for Celestia to see who may be disrupting our peaceful kingdom. Oh and I ramble I guess. Um, I make weapons, just for fun and target practice. Ms. Doodle keeps reminding me to give them the humor they need. I don't want Celestia to ask me to stop because I'm terrifying the people of Hobby Bluffs. My latest one shoots sparkles."

"I'm Songbird Scroll. I come from a family of unicorns who focus on magic and sometimes music, but I wanted to fly, so I got Celestia to change me to a Pegasus. I kept the Scroll family name, but I'm Songbird now. I give singing lessons, and advanced flying lessons too, and still use the family scrolls, though now its for transcribing my favorite songs."

 Songbird winked as she ended her intro.

"I'm Cheery Tinsel. I love making tinsel, streamers, any kind of celebratory decoration that moves. I'm the town cheerpony, self-declared of course, I like to cheer up anypony that's having a bad day. I also enjoy greeting anyone new moving into the Hobby Bluff apartments."

Cheery smiled.

They all turned to me now.

"Uh. Hi! I'm Blue Yonder, I'm visiting Hobby Bluffs, hopefully staying here for good. I love to fly, but I'm still learning my skills. I don't know what sort of hobby I'll find here, but I'm willing to try it all, because I love to explore, new places and new ideas."

"Hi Blue!" they all said.  "We'll find your Hobby, I promise," Cheery assured.

"OK, well for Blue Yonder's benefit, I'll go over the game. This is kinda chaotic, and off we go, improv ball games. You do something, and you tell others what you're doing. One word only!"

They backed up to give more room between everyone, balls gonging, and tinking around.

Cheery picked up a big red and white beach ball and kicked it up with a hoof. "Potato!"

It bashed me right in the snout, ricocheting back towards Cheery, who pushed it over to Songbird.

At the same time Saber Artist tossed a small heavier ball into the air. "Float!"

He juggled the ball with his whole body, leaping up into the air off of his hind legs.

I got into the fun, after tossing back the Potato ball and tapping the Float ball back into the air with the top of my mane, I rolled the heavy ball, which landed with a thunk.

I froze: "Pin!" I said. Wasn't sure if pinball was counted as one word.

The others got it, and rousing game of pony pinball got going, while other balls flew through the air. Each pony was a flipper, and I was the last flipper before the heavy ball rolled out the door.

I was getting used to being a pony, as a I laid down on my side and used my whole back as the flipper. It was silly.

"Usually the group finds the game they like and we meld into playing that. We haven't played pinball, well since last year, Cheery?"

"Mudwinter last year. Week 1," she said as she slid on the floor as a flipper.

"What kind of Seasons do you have around here," I asked as I prevented the ball from rolling out the door ago.

"Same seasons as everywhere else," said Carmel Apple. "But oh, I guess you are a visitor, so I'll tell you. There's Early Summer and Midsummer and Late Summer. Harvest Fall and Spooky Fall and Thankful Fall. Holly Winter, and Midwinter and Mudwinter. Lastly there's Springfrost, Rainy Spring and Flower Spring"

"Jump", said Captain Rose. The Stallion launched one of the softer balls into the air and leapt up at the ball in mid air, hitting it.

They all started hopping like a bunch of fools.

I started flying, running into balls. Songbird Scroll ran into some more of them, and then Saber Artist drew out a soft plastic sword (from who knows where), batting the balls around by directing the hilt which was between his teeth.

In mid sword swipe, I collided into the same ball Saber Artist was hitting and tumbled a few feet to the ground, sliding towards the stallion on my back.

"Oops," said Saber Artist.

"We need big puffy bats too," I said, getting into the fun as I spun around onto my four legs.

"Bop" said Cheery and everyone threw balls at each other until they were worn out.

"Is this what Hobbython is like every week?" I asked.

"There's crafts, puzzlers and board game fanatics, chefs and wacky games like these, and even some sports-fanatics. We do one Hobbython a month outside, usually at one of the farms. Let's get some of those baked goods, maybe we can even try what our fellow Hobbyists have made," said Saber Artist.

They picked up the balls and put them all in a great big bin, which they left in the room.  Saber Artist said, "Ms. Sweetmuffin insisted we don't have to worry about returning these, she'll get them to Knicknack tommorrow. He's just down the street."

When they got back downstairs, a few tables were filled with pony's talking excitedly, some playing cards or board games, and others trying baked goods.

There were a few bigger tables, and they grabbed one themselves. Frosting Sweetmuffin was busy teaching the craftsy ponys how to make baked goods of their own, so Cheery promised to go get some sweets for the group. Songbird insisted on going with her.

"Cheery would bring just the sweetest stuff. I know Saber likes the more subtle flavors, and what about Blue?" Songbird said.

They came back with a collection of breads, donuts and the proprietor's special, muffins with hand applied frosting on them. The muffin frosting spelled out Hobbython in tiny letters.

Turned out, I liked sweet stuff, but the most over-sweet stuff was only loved by Cheery. I wasn't into the nutty flavors that Saber liked, but I appreciated that he had a connoisseur's taste. He chose the walnut bread with only the lightest hint of sweet coating.

Songbird liked fruit flavors, especially the cherry turnover. Captain Rose liked the sweet breads and Carmel Apple liked pastries with a cream or fruit filling, something that went with something else. Which made a lot of sense, because she made apples with other flavors added.

I didn't recognize a lot of the group's jokes, but neither did I feel excluded.

"How much have you explored so far," Saber Artist asked.

"Well it was a bit cloudy when I flew from Canterlot. I loved flying above the clouds but I wasn't sure where I was until I descended and spotted Chicken Nugget Orchard. I met Nugget Blossom and Butterscotch. And I helped out on the farm. They needed some Pegasi help. Then Butterscotch drove me into town on the Orchard's cart. That was last night."

"You slept all day?" Cheery asked, and Songbird tried to whisper, "don't ask that."

"I love to fly, but flying that far wore me out," I said.

"Well once you get settled in, go to Mayor Hobbypony and register. I know you've been set up with an apartment, but the Mayor will help you to find what you'd like to do around town. A lot of cooperative work with the people of Hobby Bluffs is listed on the board in the Mayor's office," Songbird Scroll said.

"I know I could use a Pegasi from the sky to scout the bounds of Hobby Bluff. There's a lot of behavioral observation I do on foot, but after some training you might be able to help with that, if you find it interesting, Blue," Captain said.

"I'm sure the PD could use a set of Sky Eyes too," Saber Artist said.

"Well I know Butterscotch and Mrs. Nugget appreciated my help picking the nuggets high up on the trees. I'd like to help them during harvest, but both of your ideas are interesting. Maybe I should stop by the Mayor's office first just to make it official." I said.

"Don't let go of your own special dream," Carmel Apple said. "We love helping out around here, but we all have our passion projects! I help out with mom and dad's orchard all the time, but I still love making my favorite apple concoctions as much as I can."

I said, "I don't know exactly what my dream is, but I'm going to chase it!"

It was a good fun afternoon, but it was time to head home, I'd go to the Mayor's office tommorrow and spend some time noodling with ideas of what I wanted to do."

I said my goodbyes, promised Saber Artist and Captain Rose I'd work with some on a collab or two, and returned to the apartment complex.

I enjoyed my social time, feeling part of a group that was interested in me, even if I wasn't one of them quite yet. But my favorite thing still had to be flying, so I leapt off of my balcony, and flew around town, practicing climbing high into the sky, dive bombing towards the park in the center of town, stumbling and falling as I made a clumsy landing, swooping and spinning, and I made a long slow loop around the outskirts of town, finding nothing but beautiful farms, craftspony's workshops and nature in impossible cleanliness and perfection.

It was late both in Hobby Bluffs and in real life, when I landed back on my balcony.