*****
That evening Keelic didn’t play with his ship models. Instead he sat before his chessboard, head in his hands, staring at the board. Anny was his adversary, and she was beating him soundly when a shuttle soared past. It was Mr. Hallod. Keelic barely used the stairs on the way down, and was at the pad before the shuttle could land. Mr. Hallod stepped out, then Leesol, in green pants and red shirt. Keelic wasn’t even embarrassed by his swollen and discolored nose. His father had surprised him by telling him to wear it proudly like a medal. It was a battle mark from a victorious fight.
Inside, Mr. Hallod accepted a cup of tea and said, "I’m glad you had the time to visit on short notice. When you were good enough to visit my household, I mentioned that my daughter is home educated. I have a proposition. I propose that I tutor Keelic as well."
Keelic’s mother beamed, and his father frowned.
Mr. Hallod said, "Leesol likes the idea, and I’m sure Keelic does as well."
"What would you teach?" asked Keelic’s father.
"I am officially certified as a university-level master’s instructor in Expansion History, Mathematics, Astrophysics, and Neo General-Dynamics specifically relating to organic evolution and other complex systems."
"Yes, but what would you teach?"
"What do you want Keelic to learn?"
"Carl," said Keelic’s mom, "I think this is a good idea. Keelic, why don’t you show Leesol your room. I don’t think it’s too messy."
Barely suppressing the urge to run, Keelic led Leesol up to his room. The alien met them at the top of the stairs, and backed up as they walked into the room.
"This is my friend," said Keelic. "He’s a new species. An ADL far-probe found him, but no one knows where he’s from."
Leesol blinked, and bent forward and said, "Hello."
Keelic asked the alien, Did you talk to her?
Blue-maroon affirmative.
"That’s how he talks."
She straightened awkwardly, staring at his friend like this was the last thing she expected. Keelic tried to think of something to do. He grabbed his model control pad and flew his starship models out a window and lined them up. Leesol looked interested, but kept looking at the alien.
"You want to have a battle?" asked Keelic, indicating the models.
Leesol made a sour expression and said, "I hate fighting."
"Really?" he asked, a little appalled. His nose throbbed and felt very large on his face.
"It makes me sick," she said.
"No, but this is fun," said Keelic, indicating the starships.
"Why?"
Keelic felt under more pressure than during final exams. A dozen answers blazed through his mind, none seeming right. The alien hopped onto the bed, and Leesol stepped up to him carefully. She nodded like a question had been answered, and reached out to pet the alien’s breathing fur as his eyestalks looked over, behind, and around her. She grinned as he examined her.
Keelic was appalled that she hated fighting, but he said, "It’s a game."
"Like chess?" she said without looking.
Keelic nodded. "Yeah." That was exactly it.
"Do you have a chess set?" asked Leesol, turning from the alien to look at him.
Keelic retrieved it, and thought of something else.
"Anny, this is Leesol."
"I am honored to meet you, Leesol."
"The honor is mine, Anny."
Honored? Keelic had never heard Anny say anything like that before. Keelic set the board on his bed. The two sides were Tritzbagian armies. He piled the pieces in the center of the board. They powered up and began sorting themselves out, walking to the starting positions. The alien snuggled next to Keelic. Leesol smiled at the board as the pieces stood ready.
"You just touch the piece you want and touch the place you want it to go," said Keelic.
After a calm beginning, the game erupted and Keelic found himself at a disadvantage. He was unable to recover, and lost resoundingly. It didn’t seem so thrilling this time to lose, but he didn’t want her to know that.
"Want to see my expedition equipment?" he asked. He got out his suit and belt, and began to show Leesol how they worked, but Leesol seemed to know.
"I have an E-suit, too," she said.
Keelic sagged a little. She knew everything he did, and was better at it.
She saw his reaction and said, "But it’s only a Class II. There’s a lake above my house and I go swimming."
The adults came up the stairs and told them that Mr. Hallod would be tutoring Keelic from now on. He would not even have to finish the week at school. Mr. Hallod would be by the next morning to pick Keelic up.
Keelic was too stunned to react. He would get to be with Leesol. He was going to be tutored by a Pathfinder. He never had to attend that horrible school again. Tears formed in his eyes, and he looked away. The alien leapt into the air, doing a backflip at the top of the arc, thankfully distracting everyone as Keelic mastered himself.
After the Hallods left and his parents went back inside, Keelic remained on the landing pad with the alien. It was all so amazing, it felt a bit scary.
What if I’m not good enough? he thought to his friend.
His friend ignored the question and leaned against Keelic’s thigh with a sense of warm orange. Keelic sighed and they went up the path to the house together.