Khan couldn't help but frown. It made no sense for a representative to be already near the Harbor. Actually, that behavior was suspicious in light of recent events.
"Ma'am," Khan called but hesitated to speak. The matter was problematic since it involved a noble family, and he didn't want to overstep or sound impolite.
"How," Khan continued, "How can she be already here? Does the Virray family have estates nearby?"
Professor Leelli didn't initially understand what Khan was implying, but a realization soon arrived and made her chuckle. "Noble families have access to private teleports. Don't worry about it."
"Oh," Khan exclaimed. "Thank you for your honesty, ma'am."
"It's no secret," Professor Leelli explained. "Anyway, a ship will fly you up soon enough. I talked to the doctors. I know you must visit the medical bay, but be clean and ready by seven p.m."
"Military uniform?" Khan questioned.
"Yes," Professor Leelli confirmed. "Finish your lunch now, and try to take a nap. You must be exhausted."
Khan wore a fake smile and performed another military salute before leaving the isolated area. Multiple shouts welcomed his return to the ship with the goods, but he headed directly for George due to the change in his schedule.
"I have new orders," Khan explained while seizing two more cans from the ship. "I'll leave soon."
"They didn't waste time," George announced, jumping to his feet. "Political meetings?"
The Professor didn't tell Khan to keep the meeting a secret, so he made the matter public to increase his fame. "A representative of the Virrai family asked for me."
Lucian and the other descendants remained surprised, and murmurs immediately resounded. Still, Lucian recovered quickly enough to say something before Khan could leave. "Captain, you are truly putting all of us to shame."
"I just have more experience in these situations," Khan dismissed the praise as his gaze wandered into sad memories. "There is nothing lucky about that."
The audience remained captivated by Khan's sad and mature answer. He had always been a hot topic in the Harbor, but his recent feat, his shirtless state, and the incoming meeting enhanced his status, making most women consider him a potential partner.
What had started as a partial joke was a proper option now. Having the backing of a noble family would remove Khan's only social weakness. His poor background was bound to disappear, making him the perfect man to catch.
"I'll talk to my family," Lucian continued as Khan left the scene. "I'm sure I can find a job worthy of your expertise."
Khan turned to nod but didn't add anything. He left the area with George and returned to where Monica and Anita were staying. The two women were still on the ground, leaning on the ship's side, and his appearance made silence reign.
"So," Anita exclaimed while standing up, "You two were truly hiding something."
"I hope you can understand," Khan stated.
Anita looked at George before voicing another question. "You also knew, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," George coughed.
Anita's look turned into a glare that no one took seriously since Monica smiled. Anita also noticed her at some point, and a complaint escaped her mouth. "Don't expose me so soon."
"Khan needs a break," Monica declared, "And only I can tease him."
"You lost your head so thoroughly," Anita giggled as her gaze returned to Khan. "I knew something was up, but I didn't expect you to have actually caught her."
"I tried my best to stay away," Khan sighed. "I really tried."
"Ooh?" Anita's eyes lit up in curiosity as she took Khan's left elbow. "So, it was my girl who pushed you into this."
"It's entirely her fault," Khan claimed.
"Hey!" Monica pouted.
"Monica Solodrey!" Anita announced. "This hottie made you so shameless."
"Let him go already," Monica scoffed while also standing up.
"And jealous," Anita laughed while leaving Khan alone. "Everything is clear now. I'm surprised you let him go to parties."
"Those sluts," Monica cursed while crossing her arms. "They never left him alone."
"What did you expect?" Anita teased. "Good looks, talent, and potential. He was a nice treat even before today's events."
"I'm still here," Khan pointed out.
"It would be hard to miss you," Anita joked. "My girl surely didn't."
Anita looked at Khan from head to toe without hiding her appreciation for that fit body. Still, her gesture made Monica step in the way of her inspection, and George coughed to claim her attention.
"What?" Anita asked. "Are you also jealous now?"
"Of Khan?" George wondered. "Never. I know you only have eyes for me."
Anita shook her head, but George reached her back to put an arm around her waist. She diverted her gaze to avoid giving him any satisfaction, but Khan and Monica laughed at that cute gesture.
"Don't believe for even a second that I'm done with you two," Anita complained. "I don't want secrets anymore."
Khan and Monica rolled their eyes. Part of their intimate life would never hit the public, and Anita gasped when she understood that point.
"You are a shameless coup-!" Anita interrupted her line when she realized where she was. Some soldiers were nearby, so she couldn't speak too openly.
"I'm feeling a bit tired," Khan voiced a blatant lie. "I think I'll take a nap."
"Me too," Monica played along. "Captain, do you mind following me in my tent? We need to discuss something."
"How could I refuse?" Khan stated, and the couple showed meaningful smiles at Anita before heading for Monica's tent.
"She took it well," Khan exclaimed once inside the privacy of the tent.
"Anita is a good friend," Monica revealed. "Though I think she has yet to accept everything."
"Everything?" Khan wondered. "What did you tell her?"
"The truth," Monica claimed. "How you couldn't stay away from me on Milia 222. How you can't stop thinking about me. How I'm your entire world."
Monica exploded into a laugh when Khan hugged her from behind. She would usually fight back, but Khan's injured state made her immediately give in. She let Khan hold her and turned her head to exchange a kiss.
"I'm glad Anita knows," Khan whispered while throwing the cans on the bed to focus entirely on Monica. "You needed a friend."
"You just like to have someone else covering for us," Monica joked.
"That definitely is an advantage," Khan pointed out, making Monica laugh again.
"Come," Monica muttered while escaping Khan's hug and taking his hand. "Let me take care of you."
The two ended up on the bed, with Khan resting on Monica's lap. Monica wanted Khan to sleep, but learning about the incoming meeting with the representative made her start a useful lecture.
Monica's knowledge in those matters helped Khan get an idea of what waited for him. Thanking Khan for his feat was the easiest explanation, but Monica came up with different ideas. One even saw an offer to join the Princess' guards.
The two kept talking until a ship came to pick Khan up, and Monica joined the flight without meeting any resistance. The couple soon returned to the Harbor and headed straight for the medical bay since Khan needed new bandages.
The doctors in the medical bay gave Khan a better brace and changed the metal structure keeping his right hand still before sending him off. The couple then headed for his flat, and Monica couldn't be bothered by the cameras when he needed her help.
"Remember your manners," Monica warned as the couple entered the flat. "You can't risk ending up on the Virrai's family bad side."
"I saved the Princess," Khan exclaimed. "They should just praise me."
"Noble families aren't so simple," Monica explained while gently pushing Khan onto the bed to inspect his bandages. "They might deliberately insult you to see where you stand."
"Stand how?" Khan asked.
"Think about what Ron said," Monica replied. "You might have reassured the Virrai family on that topic, but nothing stops you from becoming an advisor for other nobles. Actually, your relationship with the Princess makes you a perfect candidate."
"What do they expect me to say?" Khan scoffed. "I can't refuse their orders anyway."
"That's why an invitation is plausible," Monica stated. "The Princess' guards have restrictions. Her family might consider applying a few to you."
"No one is putting foreign mana in me," Khan cursed.
"Don't be stupid!" Monica scolded. "If a noble family wants you to have restrictions, you'll get them."
"I told you," Khan rebuked. "I'm not joining the guards. You know I can't."
"What if they have something to do with the Second Impact?" Monica questioned. "What if they know about your nightmares? What if they want to keep the matter a secret?"
"I'll use Princess Edna to get out of the situation," Khan said.
"Yes," Monica approved. "Princess Edna will be your greatest ally, but the representative must know ways around her character."
Monica finished checking Khan's bandages and took his hand to pull him inside the bathroom. To Khan's surprise, she went to her knees and pulled down his pants before moving to his shoes.
"Monica?" Khan called.
"Buy yourself time until the Princess arrives," Monica continued while taking out Khan's shoes. "Maybe mix some honesty with your lies. Even the representative will have to buy them."
Monica finished taking away Khan's pants once the shoes weren't in the way anymore. He remained in his underwear, but she barely looked at him and began to prepare a warm bath.
"You can also use your injuries as an excuse if the situation gets rough," Monica suggested. "Just don't get on their nerves and pretend to be willing to do anything they say."
Warm water soon filled the bathtub, and Monica kept checking the temperature until she felt satisfied. She moved to Khan's underwear at that point, but he grabbed her hand before she could pull it down.
"Monica," Khan called again, but his tone clearly expressed his intentions now.
"M-," Monica muttered as shyness took over her voice. "My mother taught me how clean I must be before a meeting with nobles. You also need help with your injuries."
Monica pulled Khan's underwear down and pretended not to notice his reaction. She hurried on her feet and pushed him inside the bath, but he didn't immerse himself in the warm water just yet.
"Not a word," Monica warned as she unbuttoned her military uniform. She got naked in seconds before joining Khan inside the bathtub.
"Scoundrel," Monica pouted as she put a plastic cover around Khan's brace before pushing him into the water. He let her do as she wished, and his gaze only intensified when she sat on him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Don't move," Monica whispered to Khan's ear. "I'll take care of you."
.
.
.
A few minutes before seven p.m., a ride came to pick up Khan at his apartment. He was clean and ready by then, and Monica had even helped him wear the upper part of his uniform, so he could leave right away.
The ride wasn't a terrestrial vehicle. It was an actual ship that gave Khan an idea of the meeting's location, but he held back any questions during the flight. Only a pilot was with him, and he didn't disturb him.
The ship crossed a few domes until it reached one of the hangars. The vehicle eventually left the Harbor, confirming Khan's initial guess, but the scene that unfolded afterward still managed to surprise him.
A big, circular ship was waiting past the moon's orbit. Khan's vehicle flew toward it, and a docking area opened once the landing was imminent.
Khan's ship entered the circular vehicle, and the pilot waited to open the doors until the docking area closed. No orders resounded, so Khan seized the initiative and crossed the exit on his own.
A long corridor unfolded in Khan's vision. Bright white light illuminated the area and the soldiers guarding every door on its sides. Only the entrance at the bottom of the passage was open, and Khan slowly advanced toward it while letting his senses roam free.
All the soldiers in the corridor were third-level warriors who reeked of battle experience. Moreover, an even stronger presence came out of the room at the end of the passage. The atmosphere was inevitably tense, but Khan could only advance.
The soldiers performed military salutes whenever Khan crossed them, and that pattern continued until he advanced through the corridor. At that point, he found himself in a circular room, with a beautiful middle-aged woman waiting for him at one end of a metal table.
The entrance closed behind Khan as soon as he entered the room, leaving him alone with the woman. The latter was a fourth-level warrior who reminded him about Christal. Her beauty was undeniable, but the coldness leaked by her mana made her almost unapproachable.
"Captain Khan," The woman announced. "Take a seat."
Khan complied and sat in front of the woman, who stretched her right arm forward. Khan didn't initially understand what she wanted, but the gesture that followed made him put his hand on hers.
"We'll start now," The woman exclaimed. "Relax. Anxiety can affect the inspection."
Mana came out of the woman and enveloped the table before Khan could ask any question. He found himself immersed in that chilling energy, and the representative even placed her fingers on his wrist to keep track of his heartbeat.
Khan couldn't help but give a second look at the woman. She had brown hair tied into a ponytail on her left shoulder, and her bottomless black eyes never left him. Her entire focus was on Khan, and her mana echoed that behavior.
Khan's eyes darted left and right since he could see the symphony. The woman's mana trembled whenever he moved and grew softer to adjust to his natural aura. That technique probably wanted to prevent lies.
"You have keen senses," The woman said in a robotic voice. "Did you gain them from an alien species?"
"Yes, ma'am," Khan confirmed, and the chilling mana remained still. It seemed that the truth wouldn't cause any reaction.
"Why did you chase after Princess Edna?" The woman questioned.
"I-," Khan didn't expect that sudden question, but the woman spoke again before he could sort out his thoughts.
"The Second Impact tainted you, didn't it?" The woman asked.
"Yes," Khan replied. "That's public knowl-."
"Why did you chase after Princess Edna?" The woman repeated.
"It was my duty," Khan declared, but a tremor ran through the chilling mana. That was a partial lie, and the woman's technique didn't miss it.
"What's the color of your hair?" The woman asked.
"Blue," Khan responded.
"Why did you chase after Princess Edna?" The woman repeated once again.
"Everyone else was injured," Khan explained. "I didn't want my friends to jump into a dangerous mission."
The chilling mana didn't react now. Khan had still kept something hidden, but the woman's technique let it slide.
"What's the color of your eyes?" The woman questioned.
"Blue," Khan uttered.
"Where does your loyalty lie?" The woman continued.
"I don't understand the question," Khan stated without showing the slightest hesitation.
"What's your rank?" The woman asked.
"Captain," Khan replied.
"Where does your loyalty lie?" The woman repeated.
"I'm not sure how to answer that," Khan admitted.
"What's your element?" The woman questioned.
"Chaos," Khan stated.
"Where does your loyalty lie?" The woman repeated once again.
"With myself?" Khan wondered, and the chilling mana remained still.
"Yourself," The woman finally slowed down before picking back up at full speed. "Saving Princess Edna added an incredible feat to your profile. In a way, the attack benefitted you."
"I don't have the connections to plan something like that," Khan declared.
"But you are surrounded by people who have them," The woman pointed out.
"I would never make innocents suffer," Khan declared. "I know that pain far too well."
The chilling mana grew softer after that reply, but the woman remained emotionless and continued with her questions. "Your tragic experiences can give birth to hostility toward the Global Army."
"I've kept bleeding for the Global Army even after all my tragedies," Khan uttered while bending to his left to show his brace.
"We've seen similar pretenses in the past," The woman revealed. "You aren't the first putting his life on the line to get to the nobles."
"I simply follow orders," Khan explained. "Also, with all due respect, becoming a noble guard has never crossed my mind."
"We wouldn't be able to hire you for that anyway," The woman stated.
"What?" Khan gasped.
"We know you learnt about the Hive," The representative said. "How does it make you feel?"
"Confused?" Khan wondered while his mind remained on the previous topic.
"Order is necessary for the current state of the universe," The woman declared. "The Global Army is far from perfect but remains a necessary evil."
"Wait," Khan decided to address his doubts. "Why can't you hire me as a noble guard? Why are you telling me this?"
"Because it benefits the Virrai family," The representative replied.
"How?" Khan questioned.
"Every word exchanged here is classified," The woman ignored the question. "Revealing the contents of this meeting is akin to an action against the Virrai family."
"Ma'am?" Khan called because he was struggling to follow the conversation. Yet, a door on the other side of the room suddenly opened, ending the meeting.
"That's not good, Ella!" Princess Edna scolded while entering the room. "I told you to skip this part."
"We were just having a nice conversation," The representative smiled, replacing all the coldness coming out of her body with warm feelings. She even retracted the mana that had enveloped the table.
"Ron, handle this," Princess Edna ordered, and Ron stepped into the room to bow in front of Ella. The latter let go of Khan and stood up before disappearing behind one of the exits.
"Come on, Captain," Princess Edna giggled. "My family pulled me out of the Harbor, but I still have this night. I have enough time for one last story."
