Solar Warden

Encounter Part 3

A week later students working with him had verified the algorithm on different known problems. It seemed to work well. So Samuel had not found any error. He was in his office and wanted to finish work early that day.

Then someone was knocking on the door.

"Come in, it's open," Samuel informed.

The door opened and two men in military uniform came in.

"Hi, I guess you don't want to sign in to one of my courses," Samuel was wondering.

"Hi, I'm Major Thomas Ryan and this is my assistant Lieutenant John Caine. You won our contest. So I have a paper for you to sign, then you will get the offered prize," Ryan a man about 30 introduced.

Ryan had a medium size. He was older then Caine and seemed to be good trained. Even with the uniform it was clear not to rifle with him. With his shiny blue eyes, he looked handsome which gave him a charismatic aura.

Caine instead seemed to be young, similar like Samuel. He was a bit taller than Ryan and also as strong if not more. His face and mimic let him look more like a police officer you don't want to upset.

"You mean the contest with close to Mesopotamian symbols and more than one solutions?" Samuel asked while Ryan came up with a paper.

"Well, it should be not an easy one. This contest existed for years and you are the first submitting the fitting solutions. There is also an additional offer, but first you only need to sign this. Then the money will be transferred to your bank account at top or you just correct it to a different one if you want." Ryan handed the paper to Samuel which looked at the account and then the number of 750000 dollars.

"Well, was nice to make business with you. I guess this will make my retirement an easy effort," Samuel replied and signed without changing the account. Then continued. "I guess you don't tell me why the military does such contests."

"Actually I will, it's to find people with outstanding and needed skills. So I have an offer for that you have to sign this confidential disclosure agreement." Ryan gave him another papers.

Samuel read the papers then replied. "Why should I do this without reason."

"Well, there is a job offer I can't talk about the details. But here is the first page of it." Ryan gave it to Samuel which checked it.

"I have a job. This payment is much better but it does not tell what I have to do."

"Yes, for that you have to sign the other papers then you get more to read. I don't know if you are the type who likes adventures and getting secret knowledge." Ryan wants to lure him.

"Well, that sound interesting, but for the military? I'm not a soldier and didn't had the need for weapons," Samuel replied.

"You won't be a soldier just a scientist and adviser to take care of the thinking. Your status can be still civilian as you don't have any military training. The only thing here is as you can guess. We want our secrecy for our projects we do. You still can deny the offer. But to know more you just have to sign the agreement," Ryan declared.

Samuel signed it and gave it to Ryan.

"Good," Ryan replied and gave him more papers.

It took Samuel a while to get through them.

"So this means I can die while doing my work?" Samuel asked then.

"Depending what you are choosing to do. You see this passage is for field missions. In the lab with computers it's very unlikely. But there might be field missions you choose to do. Then there are the risks you will be told. Sure you will be protected by the best we have to offer. But it won't be like here on this job. By the way doing archeology in certain countries without military protection is much more dangerous," Ryan explained.

"Well, it is enough for me that I can decide to work in the lab or let's say choosing the risk I want to take," Samuel replied.

"That's no problem," Ryan assured.

"OK. With the secrecy I have no problem. I accept. Still I have not seen much secrets." Samuel decided and signed for five years.

"Fine. Then you can get your stuff. Everything is arranged. If you want you can have a vacation till the end of this month or drive tomorrow with us to your new workplace," Ryan informed.

"Well, I don't need much. My software stuff fits on a simple stick and the other stuff fits in a trunk. I just have to say goodbye to some of my colleagues here. So I come with you tomorrow." Samuel was thinking if he did not forget something.

"Alright, we pick you up tomorrow at eleven at your home. We have an SUV so the important stuff should have a place. If you need to store other stuff that does not fit in or want to transfer it, we can arrange that. You will have a flat near your workplace," Caine told.

"Well I thought not about it yet. The flat here I won't need for a while. So I don't know yet what to do."

"No problem, we see to it tomorrow," Ryan meant confident.

"Then till eleven. Have a nice afternoon." Samuel reached his hand then all shook.

"Till tomorrow," Ryan replied. Then he and Caine left.