Patrik Jones and the Code of the Universe

by Robert S Kleinstone

  Alannah approached Marco and asked if the news they had was good.

  «I would not say so» he said. «His mother disappeared and he is very far from home».

  Lokkar heard the conversation. He wanted to say something to the Earthman but he didn’t, he was still his enemy. But he knew what he meant by not being able to help people that you love.

  Without warning, he suddenly he had felt dizzy and slumped to the ground.

  «What's up?» Marco asked him.

  «I don’t know» he replied. «I don’t feel good».

  «I didn’t think a single beer would have this effect».

  «It's not that. Something’s wrong» said the Arkassian, while Patrik was also trying to understand.

  «We can explain it to you» suddenly said one of the thirty or so Careinean people who suddenly appeared from around the corner of Liliah's palaces.

  «Who are you? What do you want?» asked Patrik.

  «Your friend has nothing wrong, he just has to watch what he drinks. Now you will deliver him to us. Taking out a black Guardian is an opportunity that we cannot miss».

  «Nobody will touch this man» Patrik replied, holding the siel.

  «Get out of the way, Terrestrial. We don’t have a problem with you. Continue on your way and give us the traitor».

  «Alannah and Marco, protect Kaira and Lokkar. I’ll handle it with these idiots».

  «Patrik, they're too much for you» Marco replied, but he didn’t hear him.

  A group of them attacked him and he managed to hit five or six, but some blows reached him throwing him to the ground.

  Suddenly Jaco, from behind, attacked a couple by stealing a stick from one of them. With a series of blows he disarmed at least another five, knocking them on the floor. In front of his new ally, Patrik became strong and the two started fighting together.

  After about a minute all the Carineans had fled and Jaco found himself next to his master looking around without expression, to make sure that no one else was there. Patrik, sweaty and out of breath, watched the droid like it was the first time he had seen it.

  «Jaco, but when did you learn to fight?» he asked.

  «My creators thought it best to make me learn self-defense techniques to protect you, sir» he replied.

  Patrik smiled trying to catch his breath. «Good» he said, patting him on the shoulder.

  «Truly a beautiful thought».

  31

  Lokkar opened his eyes with the feeling of being trampled by a herd of Karna's buffaloes. He looked at the ceiling for a moment and the arkassian robe lying on the bed next to his. Then, as soon as his senses became clearer, he began to look around to see where he was.

  «Finally you're awake». Kaira suddenly appeared near the edge of the front door.

  Caught unaware, he raised his body resting on the palms of his hands.

  «Little girl, what place is this?»

  She didn’t answer and ran away. After a few seconds she reappeared in the company of Patrik and Kalberham.

  «Good morning, Sir! Did you sleep well? Can I serve breakfast?» Patrik asked him, to make fun of him.

  «What’s happening? Where am I? And why am I wearing these clothes?» he replied, touching the hooded sweatshirt of the Chicago White Sox.

  Kalberham handed him the black Guardian's tunic.

  «Here, get changed, I cleaned it up. Sorry if we've dressed you in Patrik's clothes, but you’ve slept about thirty hours and we had to».

  «Thirty hours?!» Lokkar couldn’t believe it.

  «Someone drugged your drink in the room. They wanted to make you harmless and then kill you. That stuff was really powerful, but I managed to intervene in time and your vital levels are back to normal now».

  «Drugged? Who did it?».

  «I don’t know, rebel Carineans I think. Followers of the Flower or any of these new sects».

  Kalberham looked away from the infirmary monitors and headed for the exit.

  «A couple of days and you'll be brand new. Fortunately, you were not alone».

  He smiled and then disappeared to the bridge.

  Patrik leaned on the wall in front of Lokkar with his arms crossed and a very pleased expression on his face.

  «Good! It seems you owe me a favor».

  «For dragging me to the ship?!»

  «For saving your neck! In case you hadn’t noticed, about thirty strange characters wanted to take you out. It seems that the Arkassians don’t have many admirers down there».

  «And have you faced them all?!» Lokkar asked making fun of him and trying to stand up. He was fine, but his head was still spinning.

  «Sure, be witty too. These two bruises are a gift from your little friends, but you cannot remember, you slept like a little angel» Patrik replied, holding up his sleeve to show the black marks on his skin.

  «Why are you complaining, Terrestrial? It seems to me you're fine».

  «I'm fine thanks to Jaco. If he had not intervened, it would have been worse».

  Lokkar's eyes widened and he looked at Patrik in amazement.

  «A handful of Carineans attack you and you need the help of your droid?! You are truly a fearsome wag warrior».

  Patrik looked up at the ceiling, incredulous.

  «This is typical of you, Arkassian. Not only don’t you show any gratitude for what I did, you don’t even like "how" I did it. But that's okay, I didn’t expect anything at all. Now I’ll go back to the bridge. We’ll all be there. Come as soon as you feel better».

  «Patrik Jones» Lokkar called to him before he could leave.

  «What's up?» he asked.

  «Thank you».

  The two stared at each other for a moment. Patrik knew it had cost him to express gratitude, so he decided not to be angry.

  «You would have done the same. Not because we’re friends, but because we need each other right now. So I won’t give you the Sox sweatshirt! Change and come to put something in your belly. Fortunately, with Napoleon’s machine you can eat better here».

  Patrik came out, wearing a smile that Lokkar never saw.

  *

  Marco seemed born for stellar navigation.Tadiero often left him to govern Olympia in his absence, even if only for a few hours.

  Patrik thought about how strange life was, seeing him sitting and piloting something launched at flexion speed, something that was almost unthinkable on Earth. The same Marco, who drove at the speed limits in evenings of revelry in the area of Aschaffenburg.

  And now he was there, intent on managing the route to Arkass.

  «Marco, you never told me how it went with the governor's daughter. Did you talk to each other after the concert?» he asked when they were alone for a moment.

  «Let's forget that she didn’t understand the point of constantly beating on those drums» he replied, raising his eyes to the sky, as if that girl had a brain that produced only popcorn.

  «Ahahaha ... I'm afraid she's not the woman for you».

  «You know how much I hate to agree with you, but this time you nailed it. That’s all I need, a daddy’s girl».

  A moment of silence.

  «What about your woman?» Marco asked him point-blank. He had that fish in the barrel for a while, after the perfect performance in which he had tried to get Alannah on board.

  «What woman are you talking about?»

  Patrik pretended to fall from the clouds, but he knew very well who his friend was referring to.

  «Have a joke with me, Jones. Let's just pretend that I don’t know you at all. However, I decided not to intrude, you are so focused on ignoring reality that you have never considered yourself properly».

  «Let's pretend you're so focused on piloting the Olympia that you will not miss the route?!» Patrik replied, trying to close the conversation.

  Marco smiled, giving his friend a fist bump and he understood that it was better not to insist. Patrik had his own world and he could only take a peek when Patrik allowed it. This was the founda
tion of their friendship and he knew it well. It was worth the wait to allow his strange friend to lead the game. This thing had taken them far, even though he would never have suspected that it would take them as far as this.

  «We are about to enter hostile territory» he told him, still changing his expression, sharing with him the constant and sharp thought that every member of the crew had had on their minds for a while now.

  The planet of the black Guardians could mean certain death.

  «I don’t like risking your life. I don’t know if you owe me so much. After all, you're the only one in here who doesn’t have a real reason to die».

  Patrik said this without the courage to look him in the eyes. He was not good at these things.

  «I would never give up» answered Marco, whirling around, almost taken aback. Unlike his friend, he looked him straight in the eyes because there was no doubt that Patrik could only suspect that this was not true.

  «But it's not a game. Here you risk dying every day and I wonder if it's really worth it for you».

  «But we are already dead».

  Patrik finally stared at him, but without understanding.

  He kept talking.

  «We died when they took us and carried us away from home. The Patrik and Marco we were no longer exist. Do you really think that, knowing everything I know today, I could stay home pretending nothing ever happened? I belong to this time with you, and may God end it well».

  Patrik had always suspected that there were not only girls in bikinis inside that hard head.

  «I'll take you home» he replied.

  «Don’t promise things you cannot fulfil. It will be enough for me to know that you will try».

  At that moment Tadiero entered and sat next to Marco, checking the various instruments.

  «So, boy, did you make any trouble in my absence?»

  «No, sir» he said, saluting. «Navigation continues quietly, my lord».

  Lokkar emerged from the automatic doors, looking at Patrik insistently.

  «Did something happen?» asked Patrik as he approached him.

  «Terrestrial, you saved my life on Eta Carinae. For a matter of honor I am forced to offer you the same favour».

  Patrik smiled. He had seen this scene already in some film or other, he was sure.

  «I thank you Lokkar. At the moment I don’t need anything, but I will keep it in mind».

  «Do you already know how to deal with Vortix crawlers?»

  Patrik stopped for a moment.

  Now Lokkar had his attention.

  «Vortix is part of the solaryan alliance, but only those living on the surface adhere to the agreement, so only two-thirds of the planet. The creepers are creatures apart. Not much is known of them, the queen keeps them segregated. However, we Arkassians have established profitable business relationships with those creatures. I have often done business in the name of Arkass».

  «Kalberham didn’t tell me anything».

  «Nobody knows. Apart from the commercial value, we like to have someone spying from the inside. Creepers are skilled in this. So if you survive the gohtarma, I offer to accompany you».

  «If I survive the gohtarma?!»

  Patrik believed he had not heard him properly.

  «You mean you offer me your help on Vortix, but if I were in danger on Arkass, would you be holding hands with them?»

  «If my lord deems it opportune to triumph over you, I will not be able to intervene. To affirm his superiority is a right he is allowed to have» replied Lokkar, annoyed at having to explain something that was absolutely normal.

  Patrik started laughing, so he would not cry.

  «Yes, Arkassian, what do you want it to be? After all, the people of this galaxy began to die precisely because someone demanded it, right?».

  Lokkar didn’t answer. There was no need.

  «I accept your help anyway. My father’s over there and I'm desperate».

  Now he was very serious and didn’t laugh any more.

  *

  After spending quite a bit of time on the bed tossing and turning, thinking constantly about Patrik and hating him, Alannah decided to turn on the light and get up.

  Little Kaira still slept blissfully and Alannah didn’t want to wake her up, but in space it was important not to overuse too much sleep, her mother had taught her that when she was still a child.

  «Kaira wake up. Start preparing yourself, if you’re quick you could even have breakfast with your hero».

  With the sarcasm that came out of her voice she could uproot a tree and realized it. She decided to control herself. She didn’t want to talk badly about Patrik to the girl. It would be useless and negative.

  «Come on, baby. Camilla will surely be waiting for you to play» she said, still touching her hand.

  Nothing.

  The child didn’t move. Strange, she usually woke up in an instant, as if someone had pressed a start button somewhere.

  Alannah sat down on her bed and brought her face close to kiss her.

  «Hey sleepy, wake up».

  No response.

  Not only did the child not wake up, she was cold and strangely still.

  The blood of the Princess of Solyar instantly froze. She picked her up and began to shake her, touching her face and forehead.

  «Kaira, honey, what's wrong? Wake up, please».

  The girl remained motionless with her head falling back and forth like a rag doll.

  Panic attacked Alannah.

  She laid Kaira on the bed and started running down the corridor to the only person she wanted to see at the time: Patrik Jones.

  She arrived in front of his room and entered almost by breaking through the door. Patrik was standing, intently picking up something from his closet. He turned and saw the princess who was looking at him, all worn out and out of breath.

  «But what…?!».

  «Kaira. She is sick and she’s not moving. She’s not breathing» she said quickly.

  Patrik's expression immediately changed, he dropped what was in his hand and rushed out of the room. When he arrived in the bedroom of the girl he saw her sitting in front of the mirror, intent on brushing her hair. As soon as she noticed him, she let go of the brush and rushed into his arms.

  Patrik leaned over and hugged her tightly.

  «Baby. Are you OK?».

  At that moment Alannah arrived, slightly behind her.

  «What game are you playing?! It gave me a heart attack» Patrik shouted in her face as he stood up with Kaira in his arms.

  «But what…?!».

  Alannah didn’t believe her eyes. She immediately pulled the girl from Patrik's hand and squeezed her tightly. Then she placed her standing on the bed and stroked her face. «Honey, are you okay?»

  «Of course she's fine».

  Patrik was furious. «But you think that was funny? Stupid idiot?!»

  Alannah raised her tail and squeezed her cat's pupils in a threatening way. «Don’t you dare talk to me like that, Earthman».

  «Oh yes? I'm sorry to have offended you, princess meow, but if you act like an idiot I don’t think you can expect anything else».

  «Patrik Jones! I assure you that she wasn’t moving a moment ago» she said, raising her index finger to illustrate the point.

  «It's called "sleeping"» he replied, mocking her. «You know, when people sleep they don’t always move».

  «I know very well, stupid, but she was strange».

  «Ah, I'm stupid now? That’s really funny!»

  Kaira knelt on the bed and began to cry. The two noticed it and stopped yelling.

  «Honey, what's wrong with you?» asked Patrik, placing his hand on her shoulder.

  «You two always fight» the little girl replied.

  «No, darling. We were not arguing. The princess played a naughty little joke, that's all».

  «Still with this story? I did not…».

  Patrik stared at Alannah and nodded at Kaira. As much as she wanted to tear his
tongue out, Alannah realized that the quarrel had to end at that moment.

  «It's my fault. You’re quarreling because of me» Kaira continued, still sobbing.

  «No, honey. You see, Patrik and I pretend to argue, but then we love each other so much and we also love you» Alannah reassured her as she wiped away her tears.

  «Really?» the girl asked Patrik too.

  «Sure» he replied. «We love each other» and a mocking smile appeared on his face.

  Something like a million laser beams came out of the eyes of the princess of the planet Solyar.

  «Then give him a hug and a kiss too».

  Checkmate.

  The mysterious little girl had made the move of the century and now the two boxers were on the ropes.

  Alannah, who at that moment would have preferred to kiss a thuni, looked at her smiling. «Honey, there must be a reason to hug. Hugs are important, you can’t give them as if they were nothing».

  A tear still fell on the girl's cheeks. «It’s not true that you love each other!»

  Patrik smiled because he had understood the game of that little witch. He took Alannah's hand, squeezed it and pulled it to him. Their faces were less than five centimeters away.

  Then he kissed her on the cheek by moving her hair behind her face.

  Kaira smiled and hugged them both. Then, seeing Camilla pass in the corridor, she ran out of the room.

  «What a beautiful sceeene!» Marco had appeared at the edge of the door and looked at them as if he had found a treasure map.

  Patrik hugged Alannah. She was in nightwear and completely unkempt and he was bare-chested, barefoot and with only shorts on. The two immediately broke apart, as if aroused from a state of hypnosis.

  «No, no, no, I beg you» Marco said again, fearing he had ruined something, «don’t mind me. A little advice though: close the door» and so saying he activated the automatic closing, leaving them alone inside the room.

  «It will be good for you to leave, Patrik Jones». Alannah looked at the ground with the face of a thousand colors. Only now she realized that he was practically naked.

  «What if I don’t want to?» he replied, crossing his arms.

  «What?! This is my room and you must leave».