Homeward Bound Liberty (Complete)

Chapter Seventeen

My third day in my new home followed on from my second, painting and resting, eating and drinking.

My fourth day was looking to be the same until the meeting with the fleet came, just like Mrs Robinson predicted. I was halfway through reading the morning vidnews, much of it covering Ayms and I over a light breakfast, when Mrs R arrived with a much younger man who looked a lot like her, in a masculine sort of way.

I got up and wrapped my light gossamer knit cardigan around me. Much the same as my home interior, I found myself wearing a lot of blank canvas tones and shades in creams, whites and tans. It felt comfortable, homely, ready with a sense of anticipation before that next beautiful painting revealed itself.

Anyway, Mrs R and her grandson arrived. It could only be her grandson, with the same warm eyes, the long nose and wide mouth. Obviously the elder lady had told him all about me. Breakfast forgotten, I moved over to my new financial advisor.

"Mr Robinson, I presume?" I held out a hand which he took and shook gently but firmly.

"Yes, but please, don't call me that. Carl is fine, Ambassador Moss." His smile was infectious.

"Same here, Libby is fine for me here in the Lake House." I held out a hand, pointing towards the middle lounge space near the upper level stairwell. White and cream settees faced a vidcomm screen unit on the tree trunk, or at least it did before last night. Now the tree trunk showcased four new Mossie spores making themselves at home on my lounge wall. Shocked, I turned to Mrs Robinson.

"What is this? When did this happen? Are they OK?" I turned back and stepped closer to the spores and noticed they were growing along the sap and bark of the tree. "Goddess," I whispered as feelings of serenity and anticipation brushed my senses.

"Blue Star Clan patriarch spores, Lady Liberty. They followed us home, night before last from the grove. Ambassador Lockley sent a delegation this morning to communicate with the newly discovered clan and we will learn more about our four new Mossie babies when her team has completed their initial investigations. Until then, we will ensure a moisture diffuser is installed to keep them hydrated. How would you like an indoor waterfall featured here in this space while they live with you? I will have your office and conference facilities moved to the upper lounge room until your business complex next door is complete. It should only take another three weeks, another four until the bridges are built between the buildings."

"That's perfect, Mrs R. Do you think we could have someone making sure these little guys have everything they need? And, could you ask the Ambassador's team to come talk with them to find out why they are even in my own home?" As far as I could remember, no Mossie had ever taken up resident inside a human's abode on Omicron B before, but with this new Mossie clan, anything was possible.

"Yes, it will be done. Now, let me introduce you formally to your asset manager and financial advisor. Carl Robinson, allow me to introduce you to Ambassador Moss, Liberty and Ayms." We smiled and nodded as one does in polite society.

"Carl arrived a little later than I had originally informed you. He had a little trouble being released from prior commitments." Her voice took on a tone of irritation. Carl smiled again and rolled his eyes at me and shook his head.

"She didn't listen to me when I told her that my contract with Station Master Chau would take a few days to wrap up."

"I did listen, but that old battle axe kept filing new projects on your desk expecting you to complete them before your resignation date, knowing fully that it would tie you up another three months."

"I managed to develop strategic business plans for all four of the new projects then dumped them with her secretary at midnight last night. I caught the first shuttle down this morning."