Adult - Julie Steimle (best motivational books for students .TXT) š
- Author: Julie Steimle
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āTranslate the next part,ā the judge commanded him.
Nodding, Jafarr listened.
Reluctant Testing
After five hours and two separate testing sessions, Jafarr Zeldar recited nearly thirty pieces of documented history, solved around a hundred math problems, properly conjugated his native tongue, the Ancient tongue, and the Parthan tongue he had been studying. Afterward they took him to another room where they performed a physical examination. The doctor there peered at the various scars in his skin he had received in confrontations with groupies, clicking his tongue in judgment as he noted that Jafarr was developed and healthy despite all the abuse he had takenāand he passed him. From there the doctor sent him into the emotional evaluator who merely handed Jafarr a certificate saying that his observations of him during the test fulfilled the requirement for Emotional Maturity. Handing him over to the Psychological Evaluator, Jafarr had to endure another set of questions, all concerning how he dealt with death, loss, and disappointment.
Dural Korad seemed to sigh with a renewed determination when the testing ended, his eyes fixed on Jafarr as the boy cleared the last level neither smiling nor frowning with that fathomless stare of his. When the undercity boy finished and was sent into the hall to wait for his rating, Dural Korad approached him. Jafarr just stared at the scoring screen. His levels tallied in front of him on a dark vis-pad mounted on the wall just like in his school for tests. He could see the numbers run up and up, the first few stopping on high marks. Jafarr sighed.
āNot low enough for you?ā Dural Korad asked, smirking.
Jafarr did not respond. He just kept watching the numbers run. Each settled on high marks. Watching the scores himself, Dural Korad drew in a breath as they continued to go up. Jafarr closed his eyes. The Peopleās Military officer turned his eyes to him, shaking his head from honest amazement at how well Jafarr had hid himself. All the scores flickered across the screen, fixing at last on their totals and then the whole total tallied up. Jafarr turned away from the screen and started to walk down the hall. He knew it already. He did not need to see his score. Jafarr was declared a fit and capable adult.
The P.M. shook his head then rushed to stop Jafarrās attempt to leave. āNot so fast, Zeldar. We have another order of business to complete.ā
Jafarr stopped and turned around, staring at him in annoyance. āWhere to now, Korad? I have to get home.ā
Dural Korad shook his head and smiled. āYouāre not going home for a while, kid.ā
Closing his eyes with an exhale, Jafarr leaned against the wall. āI thought the test proved I wasnāt a kid.ā
The P.M. glared at him for being smart-mouthed. Jafarr had been wise to keep his abilities hidden, and Dural Korad wondered if he was still hiding some behind that tired and cool expression.
āWe have to stop at the twenty-sixth floor,ā the P.M. said.
Dural Mesela strolled out of the testing room just then and handed Dural Korad the final certificate with the new identicard he received for Jafarr. Dural Korad nodded as he took them, gazing at the rating. He then passed them over to Jafarr. Watching his partner, Dural Mesela bit the side of his cheek and saying nothing.
āCongratulations, boy,ā Korad said. āItās official.ā
Jafarr received them with a lack of enthusiasm. He gazed at the card, his eyes flickering to his new photograph etched on with his thumbprint and his blood code. He was a marked man. Jafarr stuffed the certificate and card in his pocket.
Dural Korad stopped him, pulling the paper out. āGently, boy, gently. Youāll wrinkle it.ā
With a glare, Jafarr folded the paper in half giving it a sharp crease with his thumbnail, and then again, making sure the P.M. saw him plainly enough. He stuffed it once more into his pocket.
Dural Mesela said, āLetās take him downstairs. Theyāre waiting.ā
Dural Korad nodded.
Jafarr gave both P.M.s the eye. āWho is waiting?ā
āYour new boss,ā Dural Mesela replied, pulling on Jafarrās arm.
Jafarr frowned but let them lead him to the elevator and down to the employment level of the building.
They already had a job picked out for him. A manager of a major maintenance crew for the middlecity and uppercity stood in an office down below, waiting for them to arrive. He was a tubby man, middle-aged and balding. The man gave a grunt as he took Jafarrās hand, asking immediately to see his identicard.
Jafarr handed it to him.
The man inspected Jafarrās written credentials mostly. His other eye was on the P.M.s who watched Jafarrās reactions with varying degrees of interest and consternation. With a look at the cardās written rating he grunted with satisfaction.
āAny experience in the field, or are you just fresh from school?ā The man asked. āYou look a little young to be starting any good core work.ā
Speaking for Jafarr as the boy looked to the ceiling, Dural Korad said, āHeās experienced. His fatherās been training him.ā
The man nodded, grunting as he looked again at the card.
āIāve been an apprentice since I was ten.ā Jafarr spoke up, annoyed that the P.M. though he needed to speak for him. āBut if you think Iām too young Iād be glad to just go back and finish school.ā
The man looked up. He gave Jafarr, and then Dural Korad, a distrustful look. āHe didnāt finish school? I thought this here says heās an adult. This card says it.ā
āBerāsak Kārenn,ā Dural Korad said as he gave Jafarr a dirty glare. āHe is everything we said he was. He has more than surpassed his schooling. Heās been merely playing around.ā
Jafarr turned away with a huff of disgust. It didnāt matter that he was there. It wasnāt like he wanted the job or would be interviewed for it.
āIs he a hard worker?ā Berāsak Kārenn asked, still eyeing the undercity boy.
The P.M. nodded. āYesāheāll give you your moneyās worth.ā
This seemed to satisfy the man. He gave Jafarr a once over and handed him back his identicard.
āIāve got work for you right away,ā the man said, wrapping his thick arm around Jafarrās taller shoulders. āWeāve got some right in ISIC that these gentlemen want us to work on and they say you are the right man for the job.ā
āIām touched.ā Jafarr murmured.
The man noticed his sarcasm with a frown. Pulling down his collar on the back of his neck, he showed it to Jafarr. āDo you know what this is?ā
Jafarr swallowed and hesitated. āA Labor Class tattoo?ā
āThatās right. This is the sign of an honest Labor Class man. They said youāre a hard worker but stuck in the wrong crowd. I can give you the opportunity to make something of yourself. If you stick with me and do as I say, youāll live comfortably, and not stuck in some undercity sludge factory.ā He read Jafarrās silence as stubbornness. āIām talking about a middlecity living with middlecity benefits.ā
āI understand, sir,ā Jafarr replied just to calm him down.
The manās expression showed he took Jafarr as half-serious. Reading Jafarrās slouched posture and dark looks well enough to know that Jafarr disagreed with the whole operationā¦down to the job the Peopleās Military arranged for him, Berāsak peered back at the P.M.s, his eyes taking in Dural Koradās examining posture of the boy. It was half-satisfied, half-discontent as if the P.M. was not sure this would work out.
āIāll take it from here, Durals,ā Berāsak said, still holding Jafarr by the shoulders.
Dural Korad looked at the two. Jafarrās pained expression gave Dural Korad the satisfaction he seemed to be seeking, so he turned to go.
āSee you at ISIC,ā Korad said.
The P.M. then turned to Dural Mesela and gave the word for them to be off. He glanced once more at Jafarr as he walked back out to the elevator. Jafarr sat down at the office desk and sighed, taking the compuvid there and inputting his employment information. With a grin Korad stepped into the elevator. The doors closed.
Berāsak breathed freely once they were gone. He looked down on Jafarr as he filled out the forms that made him his employee. As he watched Jafarr fill each detail out, he stopped him when Jafarr typed in his age. āYouāre only fifteen?ā
Jafarr nodded.
Berāsak shook his head. āWhat trouble have you got yourself into, boy, to get you those P.M.s on your back?ā
Jafarr handed the pad back to Berāsak. āI was born.ā
The middlecity Labor Class man shook his head. āThatās very pessimistic, fella.ā
With a smirk, Jafarr nodded. āPeople think it is.ā He stood up and sighed. āSo, are we really working at ISIC today?ā
Berāsak nodded. āIn the eastern block, prisonerās quarters.ā
Jafarr nodded. āI know the place.ā
The Labor Class man shook his head, but he led Jafarr to the door and out to the elevator. āWhat did you do, really, to get them on your back?ā
With a laugh, Jafarr shook his head, going with him. āI told you. I was born. It is reason enough for them.ā
āNot for this much effort, Jaff.ā Berāsak looked puzzled as he pressed the button.
Looking up when he heard his nickname, Jafarr gave a side-glance at the Labor Class man.
āIt is obvious you aināt a Tarrn,ā Berāsak said giving Jafarr a once over. āI mean, an undercity Seer Class boy like you should not be a target for P.M.s.ā
The elevator doors opened and they stepped on. Jafarr pressed the bottom button then leaned on the side wall. āThatās what you think I am? A Seer Class boy?ā
Berāsak nodded. āIt says so on your identicard you speak Ancient. Besides you look it.ā
Jafarr took out his card to see it for himself. He had not really given the card any consideration, just wishing the entire day away. Sure enough written on the card showed he spoke Ancient Arrassian as well as English. Jafarr shook his head and put the card back into his pocket.
āWell, my mother was Seer Class. Iām not,ā he said. Then he added, āRead the card again. Iām a Zeldar. Thatās reason enough for them.ā
The Labor Class man blinked, mouthing āZeldarā to himself with a nod as he eyed Jafarr more intently.
The elevator opened. They stepped out into the first floor. His new boss steered Jafarr back past the receptionist to the outside doors where the woman looked up and called for Jafarrās identicard. He shook his head and pulled it out, handing it over.
Not even looking at him, she ran it through the scannerāthen she looked up.
Jafarr gave a simple smile. She recognized his face then peered back at his adult rating. Her face flushed a little as she blinked at it, but she simply delivered his card back and said, āYou can go.ā
Jafarr nodded and walked out without speaking.
Berāsak already had a flight car waiting outside. As he instructed Jafarr to step inside, Jafarr took one look at the middlecity sky and let out his last breath of free air. He closed his eyes and climbed in.
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