363 Memory
'So, there is a way,' Khan thought.
The network was something that Khan had learnt to trust after his enlistment. He didn't understand how it worked, but it was a core part of the everyday life of basically every member of the Global Army.
Learning that the network could be hacked was a revelation that Khan couldn't exploit. Still, he made sure to memorize it. If his future put him on a path that went against the Global Army, he wanted to be ready for the clash.
The factory probably had barriers or protections that limited the network's reach, but it was theoretically possible to breach through those defenses. That could create a flaw in the security of the building, allowing eventual thefts to go unnoticed.
'The Fuveall,' Khan repeated in his mind.
Khan already felt a great interest in the Fuveall due to their atypical use of mana and technology. Yet, Monica's revelations strengthened that feeling. Part of him wanted to leave right away to study ways of entering the Fuveall's society.
Nevertheless, Khan's interest in those aliens didn't make him forget the main topic. Monica's words carried truths that he could confirm with Luke easily. The thief might have received the help of different parties or species, but the mastermind had to be human and with deep connections to the Global Army.
'That hypothesis is a bit convoluted,' Khan thought as he reviewed what he knew.
Only two hypotheses sounded plausible in Khan's mind. The first saw one or more of the families involved in the factory planting spies among the workers and somehow avoiding the security to steal the reinforced fabric.
Instead, the second saw the smugglers leaking information to interested parties that had relied on the Fuveall to enter the factory.
The first hypothesis was far more reasonable. The families involved with the factory had a higher chance to learn about the reinforced fabric, and they would have also found it easier to plant spies.
Meanwhile, the second hypothesis involved a series of leaks and ploys. There had to be interested parties with connections to the Fuveall and the Global Army. Moreover, even with all those possible factions, the culprits had to be humans.
Khan knew that both hypotheses could have common points. Maybe the families involved with the factory had relied on the Fuveall. Perhaps the smugglers had found a way to contact the workers. Khan couldn't confirm or deny any of that. He only had doubts and a lack of proof.
"This is way above my paygrade," Khan sighed before emptying his cup.Â
"Forming a team like ours was a smart idea," Monica commented, "But I think Luke underestimated Milia 222. Either that, or he plans for us to stay here a long time."
"I wouldn't mind it," Khan admitted as he browsed through the menu to choose another drink. "Milia 222 is an incredible environment."
"There aren't many places like this one in the universe," Monica agreed while forcing herself to keep her eyes on the table.
<br/>Khan noticed how Monica had tried to look in the direction of the bathroom before halting that gesture. It didn't take a genius to understand what was going through her mind, and Khan couldn't help but stare at her while she emptied her cup and chose another drink.
Two cups came out of the table, and Monica didn't hesitate to take hers. Khan quickly imitated her, and faint helplessness filled his mind when he saw that she was still avoiding his gaze.
"We aren't together," Khan whispered.
"What?" Monica asked while finally raising her gaze to inspect Khan.
"Jenna and I," Khan explained. "We aren't a thing."
Monica had acted cool during the meeting in Khan's room, but she had noticed almost everything there was to see. No one would believe Khan's claim under those circumstances, but she had practically begged him not to lie to her anymore.
"She touches you," Monica pointed out.
"We are close," Khan stated without revealing any detail, "Really close."
"You sleep together," Monica continued.
"You don't know that," Khan declared in an unconvincing tone before hiding his mouth behind his cup.
Monica didn't need to say anything else to express her thoughts. Her expression told Khan that she didn't believe him, and he couldn't blame her for that.
"It's Nele stuff," Khan half-lied. "I don't want to go into details. I just want you to know that we are only good friends."
"I-," Monica voiced before interrupting her line to sort out her thoughts. She didn't know how to take that explanation. Honestly, she felt that only an idiot could consider true something so unreal.
Doubts appeared in Monica's mind. She wasn't Luke when it came to social skills, and she lacked Khan's keen senses. Still, she had always been confident in her ability to read people, but that feeling wavered in front of Khan's words.
"What do you want me to say?" Monica eventually asked.
Even if Khan were telling the truth, the situation wouldn't change. He would continue to share his room with Jenna, and he still wouldn't trust Monica.
His words sounded like a lame attempt to keep Monica's interest in him alive while he played around with other women. Monica didn't want to think that of Khan, but it wouldn't be her first time meeting untrustworthy men, and the situation felt oddly familiar.
"You don't have to say anything," Khan uttered. "I just wanted you to know how things are."
That was the truth. Khan had no deeper reasons, and the idea wasn't wholly his. He had decided with Jenna to partially explain the nature of their relationship to Monica and Martha.Â
Of course, Khan had Jenna had different intentions. Khan wanted Martha to know the truth, while Jenna had pressed to give the same treatment to Monica. Khan could have refused, but he didn't completely dislike the idea.Â
Also, building a wall between Khan and Monica wouldn't help anyone. He could give something away and use that to test Monica's true character. Confirming that she wasn't a spy would benefit the investigation, and Khan would happily take the chance to remove the awkwardness that had fallen between them.
"Oh," Monica couldn't suppress a faint gasp. She still didn't know what to think, but Khan's gesture seemed to show care. It almost felt like he wanted to reassure her.
"Don't get strange ideas now," Khan teased as soon as he saw that Monica diverted her gaze and started playing with her curls.
"I'm not thinking about anything," Monica scoffed before shooting a worried glance at the closed door and turning toward Khan to show a knowing smile.
Khan shook his head when hearing a tone that didn't match Monica's usual elegant behavior, but a faint smile quickly appeared on his face. He preferred that version of Monica. It was easier to talk to, and her reactions were adorable. Part of him even began to hope that she wasn't pretending with him.
"Are you drunk already?" Khan joked.
"Hey, I'm still a second-level warrior," Monica complained. "I'm even sure that Francis made my tolerance increase."
"You should be careful around his booze," Khan warned. "I couldn't find much from the bottle I stole, but I saw enough not to like it."
"Right, I have yet to thank you properly for that time," Monica recalled.
"I didn't do that to get a reward," Khan stated.
"Why did you do it then?" Monica asked in an aloof tone.
Khan and Monica found themselves staring at each other. Khan didn't have an actual answer. He had acted instinctively. He felt that he didn't need reasons to do a good deed.
"I didn't want someone stealing my room again," Khan teased.
"But you came back with someone occupying your room," Monica responded in the same emotionless tone.
"Are you jealous?" Khan mocked.
"A bit," Monica admitted without showing any shame before taking a short sip from her drink.
The answer startled Khan, but he wouldn't let it silence him. Something told him that Monica was only teasing him, and he knew that he was better than her in that field.
"Please," Khan sneered as he took a sip from his cup. "You would be too shy to spend the night in my room when sober."
"Who said anything about spending the night in your room?!" Monica cried.
Khan laughed at that reaction. Monica seemed pissed, but her expression relaxed when she inspected Khan. She even had to cover her mouth at some point since chuckles tried to come out of her throat.
Khan could experience something similar to what had happened back in his room. The walls between Monica and him temporarily crumbled and allowed them to enjoy the moment.
"You should have seen Francis' face after you stole his bottle," Monica eventually changed the topic, but her tone now carried evident cheerfulness. "He was so pissed."
"About the bottle or you?" Khan wondered.
"I have no idea," Monica sighed as she laid back on the chair, and the metal bent to make her comfortable. "I swear. I can't understand what goes through his mind."
"I don't get what he is trying to achieve," Khan exclaimed as he imitated Monica. "It would make sense to take advantage of you since he is so set on getting you wasted, but he doesn't do that."
"I don't know what to say," Monica stated. "I've known him for so long. I guess he developed this shady side after seeing that I didn't belong to him."
"That shady side only pushes you into other men's rooms," Khan commented.
"How long are you going to tease me about that?" Monica pouted. "It happened only once, and you are to blame for appearing so trustworthy."
"I'll use it until I find something else to tease you with," Khan responded. "Wait, how is that my fault now?"
"It's your fault because I say so," Monica snorted.
"These wealthy women are so difficult to handle," Khan sighed.
"I am," Monica corrected. "I'm difficult to handle."
Khan frowned. He didn't understand what Monica meant, but he tried his best to play along. "Do you like to be the main topic?"
"I don't like you comparing me to others with similar status," Monica revealed in a low voice while diverting her gaze. "I'm me. Tease me with something about me."
Surprise swept Khan again, but an honest smile broadened on his face. Monica only wanted her true self to be seen by Khan, and he had no reason to refuse that.
"Fine," Khan uttered, "But I'll need to learn more about you to avoid comparison."
"Then do that," Monica timidly ordered.
While Monica and Khan were busy drinking and teasing each other, Martha and Jenna explored the bathroom and lost themselves among its wealth.
Martha couldn't believe how much that area offered. The actual toilets and sinks were vast and comfortable, but that space also featured proper bathtubs that could contain multiple people.
That wasn't even the end of it. The bathroom had luxurious services like saunas and so on. The Kingsize didn't lack any comfort, which also added sense to the relatively short time calculated for the actual dinner.
Martha didn't speak at all while following Jenna inside the bathroom, and she took the chance to relieve herself when her companion disappeared behind one of the metal doors. Martha didn't know what Jenna wanted, and the Nele's peculiarities stopped her from investigating any further.
The two women reunited in front of the sinks. They cleaned their hands in silence, and Martha was more than okay with that situation. She even started to believe that Jenna had requested her presence due to eventual insecurities caused by that unknown place.
Still, it became clear that Jenna wanted something more once she was done with the sink. Jenna turned to look at Martha, and she stared at her without showing any sign of wanting to interrupt her gesture.
"Yes?" Martha asked when the stare became too much for her.
Jenna didn't answer. She kept her emotionless purple eyes on Martha to study her various reactions. Martha initially remained calm, but the constant and intense stare soon forced her to speak again.
"Did I do something?" Martha asked.
Martha had studied Milia 222's environment with Khan. She didn't know the Nele as well as him, but she was more than ready to face those aliens. Yet, that remained her first mission after Istrone, and Jenna's situation was even peculiar since it involved Khan.
"Is something the matter?" Martha continued since Jenna remained silent.
Jenna didn't answer, and Martha wouldn't bother to ask a fourth time. She didn't understand what was going on, but Jenna's behavior was irritating, especially for what she represented in Khan's life.Â
Martha suppressed a snort as she turned toward the exit of the bathroom, but Jenna finally decided to speak at that point. "You love him, don't you?"
A tremor ran through Martha and made all the annoyance vanish. The topic had changed, and she knew what Jenna had asked, but she still forced herself to mutter a clear "excuse me?" while turning.
"Khan," Jenna promptly explained. "You love him, right?"
"That's none-," Martha interrupted her rash reply to calm down and voice something more polite. "That's a personal matter."
"Though you don't love him," Jenna continued. "You are in love with a memory of him, a person that doesn't exist anymore. Maybe someone who had never existed in the first place."
"Where are you getting at?" Martha said without hiding the faint anger building up inside her.
"I'm curious," Jenna revealed. "He trusts you so deeply. I want to see why."
"You should ask him," Martha coldly replied.
"But I'll miss the chance to know you like that," Jenna stated. "Also, I already have his version. I want to hear yours."
Martha was getting genuinely annoyed, but she did her best to calm down. It was clear that Jenna's mindset was too different from hers, so she bottled up her emotions and approached that tricky topic as politely as possible.
"I'm sorry," Martha exclaimed. "I don't want to share my version. I hope you can understand."
Martha turned again at that point. She had every intention to leave the bathroom and escape that situation. She even prepared herself to ignore Jenna if she decided to speak again, but her resolve shattered in no time.
"Khan told me about the coma," Jenna announced. "He told me that you were about to end up together. He told me that he taught you alien arts to help you regain control of your mana."
Martha halted her steps and turned to face Jenna. Disbelief and surprise filled her face. She felt betrayed. Khan had revealed some of her most personal secrets to an alien he had known for no longer than a week. It sounded as if those events weren't important to him.
"Do you think you know me because Khan told you a few stories?" Martha questioned as evident anger filled her tone.
"No," Jenna replied.
"What is it then?" Martha asked. "What are you trying to prove? Are you having fun of me?"
"Not at all," Jenna calmly responded.
"What's all that stuff about love?" Martha asked. "Why did you even mention it? What do you want from me?"
"I want to get to know you," Jenna stated.
"I don't," Martha snorted. "I don't care what you have with Khan or what you two have planned, but leave me out of it. I don't want any part in these games."
"You misunderstood," Jenna pointed out.
"Misunderstood what?!" Martha shouted.
"Khan told me about you because she trusts me," Jenna explained. "Still, our connection mostly comes from the mana. It's not founded on experiences or time. It's similar to the connection he shared with Liiza."
Hearing Liiza's name snapped Martha out of her anger. Her insecurities and Jenna's sudden revelations had made her doubt how much Khan valued her, but she knew that Liiza was no joking matter. He would never be friends with someone capable of using Liiza's memory disrespectfully.
"Instead," Jenna continued, "He built his relationship with you without any influence from the mana. Your friendship doesn't carry any instinctive purity, but he still trusts you deeply. You probably are one of the most meaningful people in his life. I can't fully understand how that's possible without an innate connection."
Martha struggled to follow Jenna's words, but she could make some sense out of them after reviewing them in her mind. She didn't know every detail of the Niqols' methods, but she had learnt to approach the mana differently. She could vaguely understand what Jenna had said, but her purpose still escaped her thoughts.
"I don't understand what you want from me," Martha whispered as a tinge of tiredness seeped into her tone. Her anger had vanished, but she remained confused.
"I want to know you," Jenna repeated while wearing a bright smile. "I want to understand why Khan trusts you so deeply. I want to hear stories about him, and I want us to discuss how to help him."
"But-," Martha muttered.
"Don't you want to help him?" Jenna interrupted, and Martha found herself unable to answer. She ended up nodding since her honesty was the only emotion able to make its way among her confusion and stupor.
"Let's go then," Jenna happily announced.
"Wait! Go where?" Martha asked as Jenna began to walk toward the exit.
"We can go to Khan's room to talk while he and Monica remain here," Jenna explained.
"Wait, wait!" Martha repeated. "I barely know you. I don't know if I'm comfortable revealing Khan's stories."
Jenna stooped when she reached Martha's left side and turned toward her to express her doubts. "He trusted me with yours. Isn't that enough for you?"
"I'm not Khan," Martha pointed out. "I can't trust my senses yet, especially when it comes to people."
"I see," Jenna whispered before showing her hand and pointing her palm upward. "[I offer myself with nothing but respect]."
Martha's eyes widened. She had studied that custom, and she had even seen Khan perform it with Jenna on the first asteroid. She knew what that meant and what Jenna wanted from her.
Martha hesitated as her eyes darted between Jenna's palm and her serious expression. Martha's right hand closed into a fist and relaxed a few times, but she eventually raised it to place it on Jenna's.
"[I'm Martha Weesso]," Martha said in the best Nele's accent she could muster.
"[Jenna]," Jenna replied before retracting her arm and walking toward the exit.
Martha was in a daze. She followed Jenna, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Touching a Nele was a big deal in her mind, but the scene that unfolded in her vision after leaving the bathroom forced her to recover.
Monica and Khan weren't doing anything special. They were simply talking from their respective seats and enjoying their drinks, but the peace between the two felt a bit too natural in Martha's eyes. Even she would fail to recreate that atmosphere with Khan.
"We'll take our leave," Jenna announced as soon as the bathroom's entrance closed behind Martha and her.
Monica promptly wore her elegant manners and voiced a few questions. "Did something happen? Did the Kingsize leave you unsatisfied?"
Jenna didn't answer. She limited herself to looking at Khan, and the two stared at each other for a few seconds. They seemed able to communicate through their eyes, but the truth was far different. Khan was simply trying to understand whether Jenna had something strange in mind.
"[I'll escort you to the ship]," Khan stated as he skimmed through the menus to request a specific type of vehicle and pilot.
Monica wanted to add something, but she understood that it was better to remain silent in that situation. Martha was the same, and she even felt trapped in the following events.
Khan left his seat once part of the wall opened to reveal the windows and the areas past them. A triangular ship was hovering right outside the landing platform, and three comfortable chairs had already reached that spot.
"[I'd like to speak with Martha Weesso alone]," Jenna said without adding a single emotion to her words while she, Martha, and Khan walked toward the chairs.
Khan and Jenna exchanged another long stare, but Khan eventually nodded. Jenna and Martha sat on the chairs, which set off to enter the ship. Khan could see the Nele pilot from his position, but the latter remained perfectly focused on the path ahead.
"[I'll see you in our room]," Jenna said to Khan while the dark glass of the cabin closed above her.
Martha shot a meaningful glance at Khan while the glass closed above her. She was asking for help, but she didn't know that Khan was powerless in that situation. It was impossible to change Jenna's mind. Khan would have found a way to make her wear clothes otherwise.
The ship departed, and the windows closed. The wall that isolated the area from the menus also reappeared, and Khan didn't hesitate to reach the table at that point.
Monica watched as Khan activated a few functions to keep track of the ship's movements. He could see its trip through the second asteroid from inside the Kingsize. He knew that Jenna was more than fine on her own, but he still wanted to be sure.
"You sure care about her," Monica commented as she kept her attention on the flashing dot moving through a simple map of the second asteroid.
"I care about both of them," Khan revealed.
"You are overprotective," Monica teased. "You did the same with me."
Khan ignored the joke and remained silent until the flashing dot reached its destination. It didn't take long before his phone received a message. Jenna had used Khan's room to confirm her safe arrival in the building.
"Monica," Khan called while sitting on the seat and closing the menu, "Can you keep what I told you about Jenna for yourself? I'd like the others to think that she is with me."
"I was planning to do that anyway," Monica responded before lifting her drink with both hands. "I don't think they would believe me even if I tried to explain the truth."
"Thank you," Khan sighed as he also moved his focus back on his drink.
"Yet, I want something in return," Monica exclaimed.
Khan looked at Monica, and she shot a timid glance at him before voicing her request. "Don't leave right away."
"What are you saying?" Khan sneered. "I won't leave a place with these drinks so soon. Also, someone has nagged me for a date since our first meeting."
"It was a drink, not a date," Monica complained, but a sense of defeat filled her mind when she saw the warm smile on Khan's face. She couldn't even pretend to be angry at him when he wore those expressions.
