Milostali, Noliah and everyone present inside the great hall on Eta Carinae looked at each other amused and amazed.
The fate of the Terran was now certain, they all thought.
Poligon Dhaal looked around for a moment.
«Being scared is something you'll need, Patrik» he said with his usual calm air. «See, young Jones, I have here next to me among the best Guardians of the galaxy. Yet none of these blowhards would ever admit to being afraid. They are so all taken by being chosen that they behave as if the Code is here to serve them. In reality we are to serve the Code».
The Guardians were literally stunned at the sound of those words.
Nobody said anything and he kept talking.
«Despite their great size, their horrible appearance and their great strength, the most terrifying part of the Kentauros is their gaze. Face off against the one who will be chosen to fight against you, win his gaze. His eyes will scrutinize the depths of your soul. You will know true fear. But fear makes us give in or makes us do extraordinary things. You will decide».
«I'll try to keep that in mind, thank you» Patrik replied.
«Ah ... by the way. I did not tell you the most important part» continued Poligon Dhaal. «I almost made it down when it touched me, alas many years ago».
Kalberham and King Karmora burst out laughing.
At this point the dismay in the guardians' room was total.
Patrik smiled, more out of courtesy than willingness. Joy was the last of the feelings he felt at that moment.
«Now we leave you. Time is not much and it is right that you have the opportunity to best prepare the boy» said King Karmora. «I would like to meet you as soon as you get close to Kentaura. You will come here on the imperial ship. We will descend together to the planet».
«As you wish, your majesty» answered Kalberham.
The connection ended.
Kalberham and Patrik were alone again in the room aboard the Olympia. The Guardian resumed his siel.
«Let's go back what we were doing!» He said, looking intently into his eyes.
11
Olympia docked beside the great Solyar flagship.
Kalberham opened the door. Uniformed guards of the king waited for him and his crew to escort them to the bridge.
Patrik walked thoughtfully next to Marco and Selidar. The corridor had a large window that looked outward and the planet Kentaura looked very similar to the Earth when seen from there.
Tadiero, in the company of the inseparable Camilla on his shoulder, completed the group.
«Where the hell are we?!» Marco whispered incredulously, looking out. «It all seems like a dream».
«Maybe it was. You don’t know how much I want to wake up in my house» said Patrik, who was observing the planet like a condemned man observing the gallows.
Marco looked around for a moment to see if the others were far enough from him. He took Patrik's arm, so that he could talk to him in a low voice without being heard.
«Listen Jones. I have a plan!» He said without looking at him, trying to be less suspicious.
«What plan?!» Patrik replied.
«Eh, shut up! Why are you screaming? Do you want everyone to hear?»
Patrik didn’t understand.
«Listen well. While you were with your cat doing Karate Kid workouts, I made friends with the big ape and his monstrous creature back here ».
«No come on. She's so cute». Patrik turned to look at her smiling.
«And don’t turn around, you idiot!» Marco replied, tugging at his friend's arm. «I'm glad you like the monkey, but this is not the point, you jerk!»
This time he had been talking loudly, so he turned again to make sure no one had heard.
Then he continued.
«Have you noticed that kind of weapon that Tadiero carries inside his belt? Well, I got to understand how it works. If things get bad, I'll take that weapon and shoot the monster down with a bang to the head. I will not be there to wait for you to be slaughtered».
Patrik smiled.
He only realized now how lucky he was to have his friend there. Far from home and with the task he was about to face, Marco being there meant a lot to him.
«Thanks» was the only thing he could say.
The two stared at each other for a moment.
«But look at what kind of situation we've been hunting for. You have always been strange, for heaven's sake, but this is really too much! Did you learn to use Sylvester the cat's magic cylinder?» Marco added, trying to play things down.
«I don’t know» said Patrik. «I cannot use his siel and I'll get mine just before the fight. Apparently it all depends on my concentration. He gave me some good advice. He says I can do it».
Before Marco could add anything, the door at the end of the corridor opened and they all entered the control room.
«Permission to enter the bridge, your majesty» said Kalberham, nodding respectfully.
«Come in, my friend» replied Karmora, getting up and going to meet him. The two clasped hands with affection, like two found friends.
«Come in everyone, please. I offer my tributes to you, Prince Selidar of Velado» he added, looking at the dog.
«Karmora, seeing you again is an unexpected gift. I was not hoping for more…» answered what everyone had once called Billo.
«Now that your mission has come to an end, whatever you do, let's make sure you have your body back, Selidar. The Guardians keep it on Eta Carinae. Your sacrifice will be recognized».
«I only hope it was not in vain....»
That said, Selidar turned to look at Patrik, as did everyone else.
I welcome you to my ship, Patrik, son of David Jones. Your father was a great ally in these dark times. I pay tribute to you that you have been chosen by the Code».
At the sound of these words, the whole crew stood up, hands behind their backs and heads bowed low in respect.
Patrik blushed dramatically.
«Thanks» he answered, embarrassed.
This he had not really expected.
He looked around for a moment, watching those strange beings who greeted him so dignifiedly.
He tried to imagine his father walking and interacting with them. He tried to understand the reasons for his remoteness for all that time. He wanted to have him close.
Now that he might die.
Now more than ever.
The king approached the girls, who had been left behind.
«These are my daughters. Myah and Alannah».
«Hello. Nice to meet you». Patrik didn’t know what to say.
How does one present himself to beings from other planets? It was something that Patrick had never considered. He felt Marco pulling his shirt from behind.
«Ah ... yes, right» he said, looking at his friend. «This is my friend Marco. Please accept him too. He’s here because of me. He followed to help me».
«Welcome to you too, Marco, friend of Patrik Jones» King Karmora said to the boy.
«Oh, well ... thank you» Marco answered in utter embarrassment. «You know, Patrik and I are always together. I don’t think he can do this task without me!»
Patrik turned to look incredulously at Marco, who shrugged and opened his eyes with an expression like "what else could I say ?!".
Kalberham and the girls laughed up their sleeves.
«The fight will take place, as always, just before sunset. We still have a few hours before it is time to get off the planet. You can eat and rest. Ask everything you need to know» the king said again.
«Yes, this is a good idea. It will be good if you rest a little before the test. I need you to be lucid over there» Kalberham said, looking at Patrik.
«All right» replied young Jones.
That last sentence had brought him back to harsh reality. He wanted to be alone with Kalberham, to understand even more what kind of creature he would find in front of him and how he had to face it, but he was exhausted. He didn’t know if he could
sleep, but he definitely wanted to lie down a little.
Alannah was looking at Patrik incessantly. There was something about him that intrigued her. She had spent a lot of time in the company of his father David over the years. He had spoken to her about the Earth, made her listen to music and learn things. He talked a lot about his wife and also about his son Patrik, and now Patrik was there.
She summoned all her courage and approached him.
Perhaps she would have no other opportunities to talk to him.
«Can you play hopscotch?» she asked, naming the first thing that came to her mind. David had taught her that game.
Patrik turned to her.
«Excuse me... ?!» he asked, to make sure he understood correctly.
«Hopscotch» she repeated smiling. «You know, that game where you draw a numbered pattern on the ground, then throw a stone and jump».
«Hopscotch?!» he asked, still incredulous.
Alannah bent her head slightly to one side and narrowly squeezed her eyes to study the Terran. She did not understand if he was stupid or was simply making fun of her.
Patrik smiled.
She's beautiful, he thought. Apart from the feline features, the ears a little longer than normal and the tail, her body was similar to that of a girl.
He also bent his head to follow hers, as if hypnotized.
«Yes, yes ... I know the game, but it's girly stuff» he replied quickly, as soon as he realized that he had been staring at her.
«Ah ...» she replied a little disappointed.
«Ahahah ... our Patrik always wants to joke» Marco interjected, smiling, after witnessing the scene, kicking his friend to make him understand he had been rude.
«You're hurting me!» said Patrik, who had not understood.
«You know, actually Patrik is a great champion of Hopscotch. We play in pairs. In our area we are very respected, we even do tournaments» Marco continued.
«But what are you saying ...Auha!» another kick on the foot.
Patrik, incredulous, turned to his friend. Marco's eyes widened and he nodded to the girl.
At that point, Patrik understood.
«Yes ...» he said looking at Alannah. «We are two excellent players. I think...» he added, a little confused.
Obviously Marco immediately noticed the sisters who had just come on the bridge. Two very sexy kittens from his point of view, and then he was sure they were much more like humans than he thought.
It could be interesting.
«I'm Marco anyway» and he reached out to introduce himself.
She looked without understanding the outstretched hand. Then she smiled and stretched her own, on the other side, saying «I'm Alannah».
At that point Marco took her hand, but she immediately withdrew it and yanked out one of her daggers.
«What do you want to do Earthman?!» she shouted menacingly, pulling back.
«Nothing» he said in a frightened tone, retracting his hand too. «Absolutely nothing».
«What's up?» asked King Karmora, who was talking to Kalberham and Selidar at the time.
«The other Earthman touched me» said Alannah, who now had all her daggers out.
«What ?!» Marco cried in astonishment. «What are you saying, are you crazy?!»
«How dare you, Earthman...» Myah interjected, who had witnessed the whole scene.
Four solaryan soldiers aimed the spears in the direction of Marco.
Patrik stood in front of him to protect him.
«Hey, are you crazy?! My friend did nothing wrong».
«The Earthman touched me. He squeezed my hand tightly» she said still without taking her eyes off the boys.
«Ahahahaha....» King Karmora laughed out loud and everyone looked at him stunned.
«Okay, okay. Lower your weapons. Nothing happened» he said in the direction of his daughters.
The guards returned to their seats very slowly.
«People on planet Earth do so to introduce themselves. It's unusual for us, I know. But I'm sure the Earthman didn’t want to hurt you. You can put away your daggers now».
«Yeah ... put the little knives away. Someone could get hurt» Marco began to rant, protected by Patrik's body.
«Stop it now!» the latter addressed him. Then he turned to the princess, approached her and smiled at her.
«Let's start all over again shall we…?». So saying he held out his hand to her. «I'm Patrik. Nice to meet you. I'd like to play hopscotch with you!»
He smiled again.
She blushed.
She looked around for a moment and then decided it was fine. She held out her hand to that of the Earthman.
«I'm Alannah, nice to meet you» she said.
Their hands tightened. The eyes stared.
Four, maybe five seconds of silence.
A sphere of invisible energy began to form around the two kids, raising everything in it from the ground.
Marco took three steps back in fear.
Every person on the bridge stopped and stared at the scene.
King Karmora started to say something, but a gesture from Kalberham's hand silenced his voice.
«Wait a minute...» he said without taking his eyes off the two.
Patrik smiled with the expression of someone who has a clear vision of something that others cannot see.
With his mind, as if in a dream, he found himself next to Alannah fighting the wolves.
«Remarkable...» he said, never taking his eyes off her.
«You've faced four alone. You don’t lack courage».
The princess saw things twirling in disbelief, without being able to take her hand off the terrestrial.
Patrik watched her absently, as if he saw holographic images in front of him.
«Damn that bite! How's your shoulder?»
She did not answer. The feeling she felt was total abduction and she could not understand anything anymore.
Patrik became sad. «I'm sorry for your mother» he said.
Scared Alannah pulled her hand back. The objects returned gently to where they had risen from.
«But how do you know...?» but before she could finish the question, Patrik replied «I don’t know».
Princess Myah ran to hug her sister, taking her away with her.
«Okay, I would say that now our boy has to rest».
With that said, Kalberham took Patrik under his arm and led him out of the room.
Even Marco followed them willingly and turning around raised his middle finger towards the sisters. «Hiii, meowww».
King Karmora clutched his daughter's shoulders as he watched the group come out of the control room.
The princess was still confused by what had happened just before. She leaned her head on her father's shoulders.
She felt that the boy had managed to peer into her mind.
Patrik turned to look at her one last time before leaving.
*
It was only two hours before the transfer to Kentaura.
Patrik was all alone inside the room made available for him.
Marco had offered to stay a while, but he preferred to be alone. Understanding his senses better. He had to learn this now.
He could pick up and move things easily enough after being with Kalberham for a while, but fighting was a different matter.
He didn’t know how his senses would react, with fear. And he was afraid. If being a sort of chosen one meant not having it, surely it was not so in his case.
He recalled the words of Poligon Dhaal and tried to be brave.
He walked up and down the twenty square meters of his room, with the distinct feeling that moving would help him to think.
Fear of death. Desire to see his mother again. Free his father.
Thoughts revolved between these three priorities.
Suddenly the perception of something beyond the door caught his attention. He put his head close and his hands down to feel who was behind the wall.
He closed his eyes.
He smiled.
It was her.
«It's not nice for a young lady to eavesdrop behind the doors».
Patrik opened the door suddenly and found Alannah there motionless, a little embarrassed.
«What do you want to do? Piercing me with your daggers before that monster kills me?!»
Her expression passed from embarrassment to hatred in less than a second. She turned her heels and walked steadily toward the corridor.
What had come to her mind she didn’t know. Giving all that importance to a stupid Terrans had been out of place.
Suddenly Patrik grabbed her arm.
«I'm sorry» he said, trying to hold her back.
«Leave me now, human» she answered, turning with a menacing look.
Her hair fell slightly in front of her eyes. The pupils narrowed to emphasize the fact that there was little to joke about.
«This story of combat makes me nervous and I talk nonsense».
She looked at her arm without batting an eyelid.
«Let me go, Patrik Jones» she said firmly.
«Oh ... sure!» he replied when he had not even noticed that he had not let her go.
«Then? Would you like to come in for a moment?» he asked.
«I have nothing to say to you» she answered, looking at him sufficiently and turned again to leave.
«I believe it» he replied before she disappeared behind the corridor. «I have to ask you a couple of things. Come on... I will not do anything to you».
«If you think I'm afraid of you, you're wrong. Only I have no reason to enter».
Patrik leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and a half annoying smile.
«And why the hell were you listening to me then?»
«I was not eavesdropping. I was passing by and now I'm going. I was curious to know the trick you used on the bridge with me first. Who told you of wolves and my mother?»
Patrik sighed.
He pulled away from the wall and walked towards her. His expression was more serious than ever because he didn’t want to be misunderstood. Not by her.
«Look Alannah, I have no idea. They came to pick me up at my house and since I woke up on the Kalberham ship I’ve felt confused. Different. The perception of things is different. My thoughts go fast, too fast. If it is true that this Code is within me, well... I still have to learn how to handle it. The funny thing is, if things get bad on Kentaura, I will not even have the time».
Patrik Jones and the Code of the Universe Page 9
