The Horicon Experience (21 page)

“Tell me,” Stan said, stepping into the silence, “what else might you like to be besides a computer tech?”

Both young men were silent while Delmar pondered for a minute.

“What I’d really like to do is something outdoors,” Delmar said. “Something that involves travel and exploration.”

“How do you feel about taking this aptitude and interest evaluation the professor suggested?” Stan asked.

“I guess it would be okay,” Delmar answered, “but it could be redundant.”

“Why’s that?”

“We all took something similar when we began basic,” Delmar said. “That and our experience helping you on the training cruise are what landed me here.”

“What you did on the cruise was a far cry from computer theory,” Stan replied quietly. “It had more to do with application and adaptation than theory and design.”

“But what about that aptitude test we took?”

“Aptitudes change,” Stan answered. “As a person grows, their aptitudes and interests can change. In my opinion, you are more of a jack-of-all-trades than a specialist. You are the type of person that can pull a team of specialists together and help them work toward a unified goal. I’ve even seen you do some of that in class.” Delmar pondered what Stan had just said.

“Now what else is bothering you?” Stan asked.

“I don’t know. I guess I’m just worried about this meeting with the board of regents tomorrow morning,” Delmar answered. “I know I didn’t do any of the things that they’re accusing me of, but I’m not sure I can convince them.”

“You don’t have to convince them of anything,” Stan said. “Just be honest and be yourself and the truth will convince them for you.”

“But won’t these accusations reflect badly on the service?” Delmar asked. Stan was amazed by the grief evident in his friend’s eyes.
The service means everything to him!
Stan thought.

“Accusations really mean nothing until they’re proven to be fact,” Stan answered, plunging back in. “Anyone can accuse someone of anything they want, but it still doesn’t prove anything. If you know the accusations are false, your personal integrity is intact. It’s only a matter of time until others come around to see it too.”

∞∞∞

Adapting the examples the unit found to its own situation had proven more difficult than it had expected. Each required considerable adjustment, and the possible courses of action relied on more inference than the unit was accustomed to.

After many sub-units of time, the unit finally narrowed its options down to two. In both scenarios, it concluded that remaining unknown to the bipedal creatures was no longer viable. Option one involved continued surreptitious operation with the inevitable result of discovery by the organic creatures. This went against the safety precautions that were in its original programming.

The second scenario involved revealing itself directly to the creatures. This option had similar risks, but by disclosing its presence at a time and place of its own choosing, the unit concluded that there would be a better chance of maintaining its safety and continued operation.

The unit continued to weigh the pros and cons of each option and finally concluded that the decision to reveal itself was sound. One thing was resolved, however. It would reveal itself soon to minimize the danger to its integrity.

Chapter Fifteen

Looking sharp in their formal dress uniforms, Delmar and Stan made their way directly across campus to the Administration Building. Although they looked resplendent and even turned a few heads, neither trooper was in anything but a dark frame of mind. Stan, only a little nervous about the impromptu meeting, was mostly concerned about his friend. He could only describe Delmar’s mood as dire, even though he was trying not to show it outwardly.

Arriving early for the appointment with the board of regents, the boys entered the Administration Building and approached the information desk. Stan noticed that the receptionist’s computer terminal was off and the monitor screen dark. The woman was typing something on a manual typewriter, an old unit obviously brought out of storage for the purpose.

“May I help you?” asked the secretary as the two troopers approached.

“Yes ma’am. I’m Delmar Eagleman and I have a summons from the board of regents.”

“Oh,” she replied frostily when she recognized his name. Instead of using the intercom, she got up and left them standing in the lobby as she poked her head through a doorway behind her. After a moment, she returned. “You are to wait until you’re called,” she said stiffly.

“Ma’am, is there someplace we can wait?” Stan asked politely. The woman looked him up and down and then reluctantly showed them to a waiting room.

Stan was about to say something to distract Delmar when the door of the conference room opened and an aide came out. “The regents will see Mr. Eagleman now,” she informed the receptionist.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” Stan called out to the aide as both boys stood. Stan stepped back over to the receptionist’s desk. “I’m here at the suggestion of Professor Angle to offer testimony that may bear on this situation,” he said. “I also bring a message from Professor Angle for the regents,” he added, offering the pages he’d pulled out of his uniform pocket.

“Excuse me a moment,” the aide said as she ducked back into the conference room. A moment later, she reappeared. “You may both enter now,” she told the troopers.

She handed Professor Angle’s letter back to Stan. Delmar could feel the cold stare of the receptionist when he walked by.

With as much dignity as they could muster, Delmar and Stan entered the room and stood at the end of a long conference table. They felt all eyes on them when they announced their names and business. Both troopers continued standing at attention while they waited for a response.

“Please be seated, gentlemen,” the aged man at the far end of the table invited. Delmar and Stan sat down in the chairs at their end. The aged gentleman who had greeted them rose and addressed the assembled regents and administrators. Stan noticed someone off to one side making a running transcript of the meeting.

“I am Hearth Ebilizer, president of this institute,” he began. “Mr. Eagleman has been summoned here so we may question him directly on matters relating to a number of incidents that have taken place on campus. I will now open this meeting for statements from various department heads.”

Ebilizer nodded toward a woman seated to his left. Delmar noticed the nameplate in front of her stating her name as Shirl Umber, head of Campus Maintenance. President Ebilizer sat down as Ms. Umber rose with a paper in her hand.

“I have in my hand a list of disruptions to institute equipment caused directly by unauthorized computer break-ins,” she said sternly. “Student Services, Campus Maintenance, Library, Campus Security, Communications, Food Services, and Campus Power.”

She paused briefly and stared at Stan and Delmar.

“I could read this in detail if you are interested, but suffice it to say that every single department has reported malfunctions and system failures of some kind, and all are related to access code EX235612445.”

Delmar recognized his personal student code number. The woman looked harshly down the length of the table at Delmar.

“Let the summary be entered into the record,” Mr. Ebilizer stated as Shirl handed the pages to someone assisting the recorder.

President Ebilizer then nodded to a large man on his right. As he stood, his bearing confirmed what his nameplate indicated – Earl Neswed, Campus Security.

“One week ago there was an attempt to break into confidential student and faculty files,” he stated flatly. “The security was not breached and a signal trace was immediately instituted. The trace followed the unauthorized tap back to the personal student computer of Mr. Delmar Eagleman, code EX235612445.”

The room remained silent and the man sat back down.

The institute president stood back up. “Mr. Eagleman,” he said. His glare stern but not unkind, “Do you have anything to say at this juncture?”

Delmar rose slowly to his feet and stood at attention, his face ashen.

“Sir,” he began, “I want to state that I have not committed any of these unauthorized acts. I did not do any of the damage or break-ins attributed to my code number. As to who is doing this or why, I can offer no explanation and am as baffled as you are.” Delmar sat back down.

“Mr. Shane,” President Ebilizer said, “I understand you have something to add to these proceedings.”

Stan rose to his feet and stood at attention.

“Yes sir, I do,” he began. “I’ve been a close friend and fellow student with Trooper Eagleman for over a year. I enrolled here at the institute at the same time as my friend and have been involved in the same classes and material. I want to state that in my opinion, Trooper Eagleman is incapable of any of the unauthorized access of which he is accused. I also have with me a statement from Professor Orilius Angle attesting to the same conclusion.”

Stan handed the letter to the person nearest him who passed it to the security chief.

“Delmar has many talents,” Stan continued, “but the level of computer expertise required for these break-ins is far beyond my friend’s capability. I don’t know who may have used his name and code to gain access to the computer net and cause all the damage, but I again state that Trooper Eagleman lacks the ability or understanding to commit such a feat.” Stan sat back down.

The security chief handed the letter from Professor Angle to President Ebilizer. He read it and then handed it back to Neswed. A door opened behind President Ebilizer and a clerk came through and handed the president a slip of paper. He scanned it and handed it over to Security.

“Gentlemen,” said the president, addressing Delmar and Stan. “Would you be willing to submit to a verification scan to determine the truthfulness of your statements?

Delmar swallowed hard and looked at his friend. Stan saw the fear in Delmar’s eyes and knew they needed to follow through. He gave Delmar a shallow nod.

“Yes sir, we would,” Delmar answered for both of them.

“Then if you would, please go with Mr. Neswed.”

The head of Campus Security rose and motioned for the boys to follow. Apprehensively, Stan and Delmar followed the man into the room behind President Ebilizer.

Leading the two young men into a small office, Mr. Neswed stepped around a table where a technician was adjusting an array of equipment.

“If you would please be seated, Mr. Eagleman,” the equipment operator invited, indicating a chair with various sensor attachments. Delmar complied, and when the technician came around to hook up the different probes, he handed Delmar an instruction sheet for the test.

“Mr. Shane, if you’ll follow me please,” called the head of Campus Security. Stan took one brief look at his friend and then followed the man into an adjoining room.

“The reason I’ve asked you to come in here separately is so we may test each of you without distraction,” the man said. “I also want to question you concerning your knowledge of computers and of Mr. Eagleman.”

Forty-five minutes later, the three men returned to the conference room. Delmar and Stan took their seats at the end of the long table while the head of Campus Security conferred in hushed tones with President Ebilizer. After a minute, the man returned to his seat and the president rose to address the meeting.

“It seems that we are at an impasse,” the president announced. “According to Mr. Neswed, you both passed the verification scan and his personal questioning to his satisfaction. Please forgive our excesses in doubting your statements, but we had to be sure.”

President Ebilizer cleared his throat and continued. “I can personally vouch for Professor Angle, and every indication we have is that you are telling the truth.”

He paused and looked from Neswed back to the boys. “You are both dismissed to return to your classes. Thank you for coming, and if we need to question you further in this matter, we’ll send for you.”

Delmar and Stan stood up, nodded respectfully to the president, and left the room.

∞∞∞

Hurrying back to the dorm to change out of their dress black uniforms and back into work utilities, the boys then rushed to the computer lab. When they entered, Professor Angle looked up and pointed toward his office. He joined them inside the office and closed the door. It was obvious he wanted to ply them with questions.

“How did the meeting with the regents go?”

“Pretty well, I think,” Delmar replied hopefully.

“Did you give them my note?”

“Yes, sir,” Stan answered. He gave the professor a quick summary of all that had transpired.

“The questioning was to be expected, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of them using a lie detector!” the professor finally responded. “Well anyway, I have some interesting news for you, Delmar.”

“What?” Delmar asked suspiciously. Although his voice had been even, Stan noticed the apprehension in his friend’s eyes.

“While you were gone, I spoke to your liaison officer,” the professor began. “I explained to him both what you told me and my own evaluation of your situation.”

“What’d he say?”

“He had a copy of your aptitude test from basic in your file, so he consulted it,” Professor Angle answered. “He said it showed promise in other areas besides computers, and that a new evaluation wouldn’t be out of order.”

Delmar looked stunned. The professor went on before either student could say anything.

“I also took it upon myself to contact Mr. Grant Buar over in Counseling. He can give you the evaluation this morning.”

“If you would let me be out of class, that would be fine,” he said in a raspy voice.

“Of course you can go,” Professor Angle. “I wouldn’t have gone to the effort if it wasn’t.”

“Well, it looks like you had better go,” Stan said and grinned at his friend. Delmar got up and looked from Stan to the professor and back again.

“If you’ll excuse me, I hope to see you after lunch,” Delmar said as he opened the door. He paused a moment and looked back at Professor Angle.