Ch 4 Anyway (1)

I stirred when the limo came to a stop. It had been my plan to wake up and show Goliath and 2-bit what they needed to know but like my other plan it didn't work out. Goliath picked me up before I woke all the way and I just felt so safe I feel right back to sleep. I registered that Joe and him were talking as Goliath carried me but I couldn't understand what they were saying.

This time I woke in my own bed and fully clothed. I looked at the chrono on the bed stand. If I had been planning on going to school I was up much too early. If the house had kept its routines while I was gone it was still 3 hours until breakfast. I sat up as I remembered Goliath bringing me breakfast before.

The house sensors detected the movement and brought up the night lights. I wanted to be sure Goliath was ok so I started to get up. My shoes had only just touched the carpet when the governess AI brought up a projection. "Good morning, miss. It is still early can I help you with something?"

I almost jumped out of my skin at the appearance of the familiar, house maid. I had only gone three days without and she already seemed out of place. Her projection stood just a bit too still in the dark, and the light that came off of the generated image made her look ghostly. It was hard not to think of it as a she because she always took the form of a female maid.

I understood the female part, humans are programmed to have more patients with women if they make a mistake. If a man makes a mistake humans are more likely to lash out, or get defensive. So I got why it was always female. What I never understood was the French maid outfit she seemed programmed to wear. I hadn't ever ordered her to change it but it did seem silly that one of the most powerful and commanding systems in the house went around with a half naked avatar that included a feather duster, and frilly white hat thing. Even black high heels that looked very impractical for cleaning.

With a shake if my head I still did not order her to change it. "Yes, where is Goliath?"

"In the hallway, miss." The AI spoke with just a touch of French accent as well. Enough to notice but not enough to be annoyed by.

"You didn't assign him a room? Bring up the lights." The lights turned from night mode to normal as the maid answered.

"I didn't have to, miss. His assigned room has always been open." Right her AI would have already corrected for any data inconsistencies with the new data from the Government AI. "I asked one of the human maids to show him and mister 2-bit around, seeing as how they feel about technology, but Goliath didn't go with her."

"2-bit, like the upgrades to his room then?"

"I believe so, miss. He seemed happy before he started locking me out of the systems in that hallway." The maid frowned and tapped her feather duster against her palm showing annoyance. As true to the act of her program as always. "It makes my job harder having a hall I cannot see."

"Hardly, put up with it. Make sure the maids know they are not to bother him without an invite either." I managed not to wiggle my figure under her nose to reenforce the point.

"Of course, miss." The hologram bobbed as I stood with a stretch and walked to the door. With a frown I turned to face the holo projection of the maid when it didn't open. "It would not be lady like to invite him in this early, miss." Of course, reputation protocols left over from my grandparents.

"I think my reputation can handle it Governess. Open the door."

The holo loyal to its programming frowned at me in disapproval before opening the door. Goliath looked apparently unconcerned that the door opened. Which made it extremely clear that he was uncomfortable in the house. He was sitting on the floor facing the door playing with a knife, as he seemed to be watching everything. A knife, did he get that after arriving here or had he somehow gotten it by military security?

I guessed they could have given the knife back when he got released but it didn't seem likely, "It is a little early to be up miss, you should go back to sleep."

I jumped when Goliath talked, gee what was wrong with me? "Yeah, I keep hearing things along that line. Come in Goliath, we should talk, at least." Goliath's eyes focused on something behind me. "The house won't function without her, but you are my personal guard. Tell her to go away if you don't want her around." I turned and looked at the maid holo, "Enter private mode, don't record or store anything from now until I sit down to breakfast. Your services won't be required here."

The maid gave a small curtsy and vanished. I looked back at Goliath, "You can always have 2-bit check the files to be sure the AI has done as it was told." I turned and walked back into my large and familiar room.

You could see everything with the lights on. My most common impression of the room was white. My bed was big enough for four people and covered in pillows and soft sheets. The frame was white and had four posts that almost went to the ceiling. From them draped down white netting that served no purpose but to look interesting. When I was smaller I had made paper butterflies to stick in the net so they looked trapped. They were gone now. The sheets on the bed were white but had plants with purple flowers sewn into them. There was a white antique looking desk with drawers down both sides and a large mirror sitting on it. The lights around the mirror were off at the moment. The chair in front of the desk, also white, had long elegant legs and a high back cut to look like more growing flowering plants. The chair had a pink cushion attached to it, but you couldn't really see it from the doorway. You also couldn't see the two matching endstands by the bed that had built in wireless chargers. The carpet that covered the floor was off white just enough to make the white of the furniture and walls stand out. The room also held two couches, two arm chairs and a coffee table. All white with gold trim.