Haven: Book Seven of "The Liminality"

Chapter 5 - Dinner

The glow in the sky spirals down from the clouds the way only Ophanim do. The only questions now were friend or foe? Gaia or Argent? I step back from my foundation hole, uncertain whether I should wave or go run and hide. I wish the rebels had found some way to distinguish their craft from those still belonging to the Powers-That-Be. I have a hunch about this one and take a chance by staying out in the open.

Its dizzying corkscrew flight pattern grows tighter as squeals down into the hollow. These things always look like they're going to crash just before they transition into a hover. This one settles down gently onto the patch of dirt I call my front lawn.

Tigger comes buzzing over protectively, acting as if another dragonfly was infringing on his territory. Pinky watches casually from his wallow in the weedy shallows of a pond cove.

Wisps of smoke peel away from the gleaming disc of the Ophanim and its shell pops open like a boiled mussel. A wave of golden hair emerges to confirm my hopes. Gaia has returned.

I veil my excitement as best I can, but I am walking rather briskly towards her. She seems much less excited to see me.

"No house yet? What have you been doing with your time?"

I reach her and pull her towards me and we kiss. She responds with warmth and is in no hurry to pull away. That's a good sign. Right?

"Honestly James, why do you not have a house?"

"I had trouble deciding what to build."

"Build what you had before. It's better than nothing. You can change it later."

"I have a tent."

"A tent?"

"The cleanup's taking longer than I expected. You have to admit it looks way better than the last time you were here, yes?"

"I was expecting to see a house."

"Made some friends, by the way! Our new neighbors invited me for dinner tonight. You should come."

"No thank you."

"I think they'd really love to meet you."

"The Penultians? I bet."

"They seem nice enough."

Something's bothering her. She has barely smiled since her arrival.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"I am making a house. A cottage. A shack. Whatever. I am not sleeping in a tent."

"Fine. I'll help. But, will you go to the neighbors with me?"

"If you insist."

Her expression remains grim.

"What's bugging you?"

She looks up.

"I am just tired. We are having ... issues. The committees are driving me batty. I had to get away."

"Is that all? I was worried the Powers were invading or something."

She sighs.

"Not yet. But if we don't get our act together soon, we are in trouble. We have no Army. No means of defense."

She steps around me and walks over to the foundation hole.

"This is much larger than your old footprint. Are you planning a mansion?"

"I'm thinking a bunker and a tower."

"No kitchen? Bedrooms?"

"Of course. And there'll be a porch. I'm still figuring it out."