Chapter 107

Argent messaged me back right away when I paged him on my new system.

"How do you like your new office, John?" he asked.

"It's great and I'm thankful. I probably would never have thought of it myself."

"You can thank your mates. When they told the one you have named Frank you needed a meditation chamber with another one of him in it he realized right away you needed an office so you could have a place to plan and also to get away from the others at times," Argent said.

"He was right and the way I was going things were starting to get complicated. I didn't really have a place to do any thinking."

"When he mentioned it to me I came to the same conclusion. Frankly, we never envisioned you gathering such a large following so quickly. We are delighted, but we hadn't foreseen it. We should have offered you this option long ago. I'm afraid we got caught up in your adventures and didn't do a proper job of looking ahead," Argent explained.

"This should take care of most of the problem though."

"It will help and I hope you weren't offended we put it here without warning you. Your mates were very persuasive when asking that it be a surprise," Argent said.

"It was fine, I was touched they had seen my need before I realized it and happy they manipulated a system which they couldn't possibly understand to get the result they wanted."

"We were amazed about it ourselves. It seems they have taken the new technology on face value and are intent on getting the most out of it. Lately they have been asking Frank to tell them about things other than cooking and firearm safety," Argent told me.

"What have they been asking?"

"They specifically asked you not be informed on one of the subjects, but I will tell you if you want me to of course," Argent said.

"No, unless they get into areas you feel sure I should know about why don't we keep to their wishes as much as possible."

"I thought you would come to the same decision. There are other things they have asked which need not be kept secret from you though. For instance, Dalia asked Frank yesterday if he knew about other things besides cooking and when he told her he did she asked him if he knew how baskets were made and if he could tell them any better ways to make them," Argent told me.

"That is a big step isn't it? Not so much she wants to know a better way to make baskets, but that she realized Frank knew things she didn't and he might tell her other things besides how to cook in the new kitchen."

"We thought it was very perceptive of her and she isn't the only one asking new questions," Argent said.

"I'll let you be the judge of what you should or shouldn't teach them. You might have Frank remind them about the reading and writing lessons I promised them too. None of them have asked him about them yet have they?"

"No they haven't and I'm sure there has been so much going on they have forgotten. I will tell Frank to remind them soon. There is one other thing we think we should do for you though," Argent said.

"What is it?"

"We think we should rearrange your cave a little and make your bed area into a more nearly private place. The office isn't the only place where you could use some privacy. We can do it and make sure no others except your mates notice the change," Argent promised.

"That is another excellent idea and I will be even further in your debt if you can manage it."

"We can do it easily, but you are not in our debt, John. After all you have dedicated your life to our project," Argent said, and actually sounded grateful.

"Well there wasn't so much left to dedicate before you came along."

"Still, you have put yourself at our disposal and are doing a diligent job here and we appreciate it," Argent said.

"I am wondering about something else since you seem to be in such a generous mood. The big plasma display has given me an idea. I'm pretty sure you have more than a little video equipment around here furnishing you feeds to watch things. Would it be possible for me to have access to some of them through the plasma display?"

"Of course, and again I should have offered it to you earlier. We have almost complete video coverage of all the areas where there are people and any areas they usually travel over. You are welcome to view any of our streams. I will have someone prepare a menu system so you can more easily find those you want. Will it help?" he asked.

"It will be more than I hoped for and I look forward to using it soon."

"It should be ready within an hour and I will have them leave an icon on your flat panel's display. I think we should put a disturbance mechanism on the display though. In the event someone else is in the office with you or enters the office we will have the screen blank itself unless you specifically override it each time," he said.

"That is an excellent idea and it brings up another question. I noticed my mates couldn't open the door to my office, is it arranged so only I can open it?"

"Basically, I think it will also open for anyone you send for. If you'd like we can have it open for anyone you specifically send into it, incase you need for someone to fetch something from it," he said.

"That is what I want then if it can be done."

"It will be no trouble to set it for those conditions. I'll leave you now to make yourself accustomed to your new space," he said, and signed off.

I looked around at the office just to get it in my mind. I couldn't help wondering just how extensive the video feeds were going to be though. I also wondered what they would come up with for privacy in my bed area. It reminded me I hadn't asked when he would do it. Well, I would probably be one of the first to know. Kind of like a pilot is always the first to the crash I guess. I left my office, deliberately leaving the door open and I saw it closed itself noiselessly.

I joined my mates near the bed. They were already undressed and seemed to be standing around waiting for me. They were and when I reached them they all wanted to help get my clothes off me. It was time for me to thank them for my new office and I intended to do my best.

"You need to get into bed and wait for your company," Delia said, as I lay down.

"What company?"

"Jara and Jatalieta are joining us for the evening," Dieta said.

"They are. Who is going to watch over Barbo and Bowto?"

"Taahrausa and Talieia are taking over for tonight. We thought they would be very understanding considering the circumstances," Maia said, and giggled.

Jara and Jatalieta came in then and I beconned them to come and get in bed beside me. I noticed Jatalieta's fur clothes and knew she'd have new clothing to take back with her in the morning.