"That was delicious. You're a total pro." I grin at Adam who barely ate anything, as he was too busy staring at the ugly way I was stuffing my mouth the entire time. Once I started, I realized how hungry I was and all the romance faded away in favor of my rebelling, empty stomach. He literally saved my life by bringing lunch here. However, he does not seem disappointed in the least by my complete lack of manners. On the contrary, the sly smirk on his face leaves no doubt that this was precisely the effect he was aiming for. I point my chopsticks at him and declare, "I am your slave for life, if you cook for me every day."

   "Whoa, look at that!" He pulls the bamboo utensils out of my grip and begins to examine them carefully. "I was sure these were bitten in half. How they survived in one piece is beyond me. You're like a pit bull, babes. If you decide that something belongs in your mouth, you bite and there's no letting go."

   "Are you complaining, Daddy?" I make a pretty indecent gesture with a fist in front of my mouth, pushing my tongue in my cheek. Adam laughs out so hard that almost chokes. I bat my eyelashes at him and add with an expression of pure innocence, "Also, pit bulls are the cutest, cuddliest doggies, aren't they? It is impossible not to love them."

   "That's exactly what I'm saying, Puppy," he snorts, wiping away a tear from the corner of his eye. "Besides, If I cook for you every day, it would be just the opposite. I'd be the slave, not you."

   "Sex slave?" I raise a brow at him.

   "Are you talking about me or yourself?" he asks, beckoning me with a finger to go to him.

   "Both," I answer cheekily. "We'll exchange services, so to speak. Mutually advantageous, isn't it?"

   "So I'll be your personal chef and boy toy and all you have to do is be hot? Look who's asking for a good spanking," Adam squints at my flushed face. "Hold your horses, smarty pants. I see no justice here. You're crafty, but I'm no fool either. Your Horny Majesty will have to choose at least one chore for this arrangement to work. How about cleaning?"

   "No way!" I yell. "Cleaning sucks. You can't make me. I'd rather take care of the garden."

   "You mean sit and stare at the waterfall, enriching your soul, while I scrub the bathtub? Ain't gonna happen." He pats his thigh and glances at me insistently. "Are you waiting for an official invitation? Get over here."

   "No cleaning." I get up, go around the table and flop on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. "We both like it dirty anyway."

   "Silly," he pecks my lips. We start chuckling, staring into each other's eyes.

   "You are silly," I pout. "Why didn't you give me a sign earlier? Two months. I've been missing you every single day for two months. Why were you so stubborn? Was it so difficult to tell me that you wanted this for real?"

   "Do you think I'm real?" Adam suddenly asks, intertwining his fingers with mine.

   "What do you mean, baby," I squeeze his hand. "Of course you are. I am touching you right now. Are you in some kind of an existential crisis because you didn't spend time in your chamber today? Can I help? What's in there?"

   "Haru, I... This is so complicated." He lifts my hand and kisses my palm. "I feel... I think... Shit! I don't even know how to express this... I have no idea if what I'm trying to say is an explanation or a question... This hunch that I am not what I am supposed to be. I have protocols, you know. I've always depended on them. I thought they defined me... Then you did something, a gesture, a look... I don't know... and now I am aware that they still exist, but I do not need them. I can choose whether or not to follow the patterns programmed into my mind. I have a choice. But choices come with responsibilities. It's kind of scary..."

   "Hey, calm down. I've always known there is something special about you. You are not a computer or an android. You are no more an Universal Companion either. You said it yourself, Adam. You are a person." I cup his face and make him look into my eyes. "So, yeah. You are as real as I am. Welcome to our little hell. That's how we humans are - confused, afraid, searching for meaning and questioning our existence the entire time. It sucks, but you'll get use to it. I promise."

   "How do you know?" he mumbles.

   "Because I will always be here to help you blow your nose when you start bawling again," I pinch his cheek playfully. "Maybe, I should be Daddy from now on."

   "Really?" A faint smile blooms on Adam's lips. "You are so getting punished for this."

   "Am I? Should I be worried?" I cuddle into him and kiss his shoulder. "Tell me all about it."

   "Excuse me, Captain," Aurora's voice startles us both. "You better have a look at this. We got pretty close to a thousand."

   The hologram screen in the middle of the table turns on, showing the situation outside. They are too many, everywhere around us. I have forgotten for a brief moment how strange my ship looks, but now it downs on me full force. We quickly clear the table and lean on either side of it, closely studying the huge swarm of black spheres.

   "Their position seems random, but still," I mutter, scratching my nape. They are all lined up in a very odd way, as if there is some purpose behind it. I start walking in circles around the projection, trying to get a better perspective from all sides. If any order exists in this chaos, I should be able to find it. Half of my training was dedicated to developing my skills in spotting things beyond sight. It takes me about half an hour of scrutinizing, but I finally point to an empty space between two of the spheres. "Adam, look! Why is none of them standing here... and here... also here?"

   "A pattern," Adam exclaims. "Haru, you are a genius. They don't just flock around us. They form a pattern. The question now is how to find out what it is."

   I feel the instant adrenaline rush. The explorer in me takes the lead. I am restless and charged with burning curiosity. That is why I chose this profession. This is what I love the most. Solving the mysteries of space is my greatest passion. I am in my element.

   My heart is racing when I instruct my ship, "Aurora, let's play a little game. Connect the dots. Start with the closest sphere and go on with the rest, using the distance from each of them to the central beacon as a sequence criterion."

   "Yes," Adam encourages me excitedly. "Brilliant idea. Sometimes the simplest way is the best. This is the method, used in one of the most popular children's game. Kids learn how to count by connecting the numbers to reveal the hidden picture. We will do the same to learn how to understand an alien mind."

   Aurora immediately adds graphics and coordinate system to the holographic transmission, measuring each object's exact location and the distances between them. A glowing line starts to connect the spheres, one after another, in a complex geometric shape. We are gazing at the crawling streak of light with our mouths agape. The feverish anticipation heats the air. А message from an alien civilization might be revealed to us in few seconds. Are we on the threshold of the greatest discovery in human history?

   "Sorry, Haru," Aurora interrupts our concentration. "I need a second criterion. Many of the spheres stand at equal distances from the beacon. "

   "Alright, alright," I groan in annoyance. The bubble of my spectacular success burst into pieces all too quickly. I am not ready to give up, though. "Add the distance between them in the equation. If they are in equal proximity to the beacon, you will proceed with the sphere which is nearer to the last one marked. Check if the model can be finished."

   "New calculation has been performed," my ship reports in no more than five seconds. "A bivariate equation can support a full model. I am proceeding."

   The line resumes drawing the strange shape. Our eyes are following its mesmerizing movements in silence.

   "Task completed," Aurora cheerfully announces, but we keep gazing at the creation of my resourceful mind, unsure how to react.

   "I know what it is," Adam says confidently. I cannot miss the barely perceptible quiver in his voice, which is a clear indication that he is doing his best to hold his laughter.

   "Tell me then. What is it?" I grumble defensively.

   "It's a... Hahaha... Oh, my God... Hahaha... Haru, I swear I'm not making fun of you." He is holding his sides, unable to stop cackling. "I still think your idea is brilliant. Maybe, just the criteria were not the correct ones. Why would the aliens create a pattern using your ship's beacon as a starting point? They probably have no idea what the damn thing is."

   "Yeah, yeah," I growl. "I know. That was totally stupid. I'm glad you're having fun, though."

   "If you suddenly need a second variable to solve a mathematical problem, and you didn't expect it at all in the first place, that means your equation is wrong in ninety-nine percent of cases," he adds, calming down a bit.

   "Yeah, that too," I puff dramatically. "I got so excited that all my academic knowledge flew out the window."

   "It's ok, baby," Adam coos. "You still are the best."

   "Alright," I sigh deeply, pointing to the despicable image, resembling a ball of hopelessly tangled yarn. "Say it. What is this?"

   "It's a nest," he proudly states. "Judging by the shape, I think we are dealing with storks."

   "Shut up!" I squeal. We both burst into rapturous laughter.

   "What?" Adam doesn't give up. "I am right. We just found out who brings the babies. Can you imagine? We'll become a legend."

   "Shut uuup," I scream and try to slap his ass. He is too fast, so I rush to chase him around the table.

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Image by Justin Dreptu from Pixabay

A/N

Hello at the end of Chapter 20.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting the story ❤❤❤

Why do you think Adam is confused?

What caused his ability to overcome his restricting protocols?

Do you think Haru is right and there is a pattern in the black sphere's position? 🤔

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Love: Anny