The New Kid

Simon came by my office to ask questions about Eddie.

"What's his thing with spinball? I mean, he bounced that annoying ball off of me for three hours before he got bored."

"Sure," I said. "You told him he didn't have anything to teach you about momentum. It probably took him that long to get momentum from your head to your gut."

He blinked. "Alright. I asked for it. But why does it make everyone so jumpy when he glares at them?"

"He knows things," I said.

"Like what?"

"If I don't use randomly generated passwords, Eddie can access my personal data no matter how often or on what schedule I change the code. Even if I don't think up the password until I change it."

"Sounds like a harmonic effect of some kind," Simon said. "Through the Submind virus."

"Maybe," I said. "But Eddie has always been nosy, and he was always the guy to ask if you wanted to find someone. We call him EMF Eddie for more than his evil spinball tactics."

"Oh. Perhaps amplification then. If his talent is people, why is he in charge of the data core?"

"Eddie is in charge of people who access the data core," I said.

"Ah. Do you know how he discovered my unauthorized access? When I first came aboard?"

"So that's why..." I stopped. "Eddie probably has files on everyone in Saturn system. You told the system someone was here, and Eddie didn't have a file to go with it. He probably has such events hardwired to a loud and annoying alarm somewhere."

Simon laughed.

"Occasionally I'll be stupid enough to make a bet on new arrivals before they get here, and I'll owe Eddie a favor," I said.

He laughed again. "What's your talent?"

"Part of it is a sense of momentum," I said. "But I'm learning how to access other Submind talents. Are you considering a symbiont?"

"I don't know," Simon said. "Those suits are impressive, but I'm not sure I want to trade one for letting a sentient virus in my head."

I shrugged. "I refused one for months, but the cats and chimpanzees didn't seem homicidally alien, and like you said, 'those suits....'"

"And now?"

I smiled ironically. "I'm learning to skip time."

Simon's face went blank. He blinked twice. Then he asked, "With the gravity focus? Is that really possible?"

"I don't get much practice because, well, six minutes of practice and half the day is shot."

"Yeah, but traveling, that could..." Simon stood up and bowed slightly. A Martian thing I guess. "Thank you for answering my questions, Mr. Jackson. I have an appointment to make with Doc Hestor."

"You're welcome," I said, wondering what happens to genius brains when exposed to Submind.