A long report reached Khan's ship once the call with the Headmistress ended. Intel about Abora and details about the mission filled the holograms, occupying many pages that the control desk couldn't show simultaneously.
Khan could only sigh as his satisfied smile vanished. He had expected things to take that turn. After all, Professor Parver had introduced him to multiple experts, and he was working for all of them now. The Headmistress simply acted as a middleman tasked with delivering as many challenging missions as possible.
'This should come from Carla Bevet,' Khan thought before skimming through the pages to find the mission's target. 'Great, I have to retrieve a plant now.'
That was an inaccurate summary of the mission. The plant was the target, but its location made it unreachable for ordinary and unequipped soldiers. Abora's poisonous swamps were only one of the hindrances to overcome. That planet had a rich and dangerous ecosystem, where even the vegetation fought for territory.
Khan enjoyed visiting, exploring, and learning about new planets. He would prefer to interact with other intelligent species due to personal inclinations and goals, but having a chance to fly on his own was already enough, at least for now.
The generally boring targets weren't even a problem. Khan didn't mind being an errand boy since Monica was the prize. Still, the immediate appearance of a new mission hinted at a pattern. There was a high chance the Headmistress would overwhelm him with tasks that left little to no free time.
Khan was no stranger to packed schedules. Yet, he risked spreading himself too thin. He was working on multiple political and non-political layers to achieve different goals. Not giving each of them the proper time could make him fail at everything.
A response ran through Khan's mana while those thoughts occupied his mind. The unreasonable desire to pursue everything without leaving anything behind filled him, and his resolve complied.
'I will get rid of these nightmares,' Khan declared, 'And I won't lose Monica.'
Two goals fueled by opposite emotions dispersed Khan's vague exhaustion. Desperation and love fused to create a firm peace. Nothing could disturb Khan now. Only his studies, the mission, and his training existed.
.
.
.
The missions' secrecy would theoretically keep the rumors in check, but the soldiers liked to talk. They couldn't reveal those tasks' purpose, but the gossip about Khan had no limitations.
Khan found it easy to ignore the rumors. His classmates were more interested in his relationship with Monica anyway, and he spent his time outside lessons inside his flat. As for Monica, she was still in hiding, and the descendants' patience held on only due to her status.
Once the last weekly lesson ended, Khan returned to his flat to retrieve his knife. Meeting Monica before a mission led to predictable outcomes, but he still managed to reach the appointed hangar by dinnertime.
The soldiers had long since been ready for Khan's departure by then. They had even painted the borrowed ship white, so Khan could set off without wasting too much time.
Abora was more distant than Honides, but the ship could still reach it in a day. A greenish planet entered the range of Khan's scanners on the weekend's first night, and he followed the Headmistress' instructions to coordinate with the outpost he had to reach.
Diving into Abora's atmosphere revealed many of its details. Khan crossed a thick layer of dark clouds before finding himself immersed in heavy rain that tried to hide the planet's true face. Still, the ship's scanners ignored the weather and gave a complete view of the surface.
Abora's surface wasn't actually visible. Tall trees with dark, green, and yellowish crowns covered the ground and partially shielded it from the rain. The only areas without them were vast and dark-green swamps resembling immense lakes.
Khan's destination was another exception. An area slightly away from the rain's range featured an odd hole among the immense crowns, and flying above it revealed its nature. The Global Army had dug out all the trees in that relatively large quadrant and had replaced them with a big, square outpost.
Replying to a transmission that reached the ship put it on autopilot to begin the landing procedures. Khan left his seat while the vehicle descended toward the center of that three-story tall structure. The building's flat roof opened to reveal a vast hangar, and Khan only needed a few minutes to reach it.
When the roof closed, Khan left the ship to meet the usual welcoming party. Still, the tense and stern symphony that touched his senses described an environment that reminded him of the battlefield. Abora's soldiers seemed more than simple workers and scientists.
The soldiers' appearance deepened that first impression. The cold gazes, overall calm attitude in Khan's presence, and various visible scars told him that those warriors had seen battles. They had probably grown accustomed to it after being deployed on that planet.
'Nice place,' Khan couldn't help but comment without meaning any sarcasm. He preferred true soldiers over simple guards or political monsters, and Abora provided just that.
"Sir, this way, please," One of the soldiers, a burly and tall man with a hideous circular scar on his cheek, called while stepping out of the welcoming line.
Khan appreciated that lack of political pleasantries and followed the soldier outside the hangar. Silence reigned for most of the walk, but the meeting with a worker wearing a white medical coat marked the beginning of the briefing.
"Captain, I believe Headmistress Holwen gave you a thorough briefing already," The scientist announced while joining Khan and the soldier in their walk.
"Correct," Khan confirmed. "I also have the map with the necessary markers. I only need a container, the antidotes, and a lift to the targeted location."
"If I may, sir," The scientist didn't hide his hesitation toward Khan's preparation, "Abora's vegetation can be confusing to an outsider. I'd like to go over the target in your presence."
"Go ahead," Khan nodded, and the scientist picked up a large screen from his deep pocket.
"This is a Dridie," The scientist exclaimed, bringing a picture to the screen and showing it to Khan without interrupting the walk. "It's a rare plant here on Abora, and the mutation you have been tasked to retrieve is even rarer."
Khan recognized the image on the screen. The Headmistress had already sent him similar intel, but he studied it again anyway. The device showed a small, short bush filled with tiny purple leaves that stood out from the rest of the greenish vegetation.
"Its color is quite striking," Khan stated. "I don't see how I could miss it."
"It's really small compared to its guards, sir," The scientist pointed out. "The same goes for the surrounding trees, and the swamp's fumes won't help your search."
"Wait," Khan called. "What guards?"
The scientist touched the screen to bring out a different image. A leafless plant with thick, spiked, pale-green branches that ended in scarlet flowers appeared, and the man even zoomed in to reveal the Dridie hidden behind its base.
According to the Headmistress' reports, the mutated Dridie was at most twenty centimeters tall, and the comparison with the spiked plant surprised Khan. The latter was bound to be at least twice his size, if not more.
"Why didn't they appear in the reports?" Khan questioned. "And how are they protecting the Dridie?"
"These are parasitic plants called Feicox," The scientist explained, opening a different image to show the spiked plant in its entirety. "Abora is full of their spores, so they appear whenever an environment becomes suitable for their growth."
"And the Dridie is to blame for that," Khan understood. According to the report, the Dridie was an excellent fertilizer, and its mutated version intensified those qualities.
"Exactly, sir," The scientist exclaimed. "Our probes have come back just recently, and they spotted three Feicox around the Dridie. There might even be a fourth growing as we speak."
"Can the Feicox really develop so quickly?" Khan wondered.
"Not under normal circumstances," The scientist revealed. "The Dridie is enabling such fast development."
"Derek, get to the point if you are in a hurry," The soldier scolded.
"Yes, I'm sorry," Derek, the scientist, uttered. "Captain, I'm afraid the matter is quite urgent. The more the Feicox develop, the weaker the Dridie becomes. We might lose the mutation if we don't hurry."
"I planned to leave right away already," Khan revealed. "Unless there is something else I should know."
"I'm afraid there is, sir," Derek sighed. "The rains are moving in this direction. It won't be long until they cover the entire quadrant."
The Headmistress' report obviously involved that topic too. A big part of Abora's fauna used the rains to expand their territory, especially when it came to the Tainted animals in the swamps. Since Khan had memorized that intel, he knew that his destination involved those environments.
"How long do I have?" Khan directly asked.
"Four hours," Derek responded. "Maybe less."
"Let's not waste time then," Khan declared.
"Sir, I must stress out how frail the Dridie is," Derek continued while the trio entered a new hangar solely filled with terrestrial vehicles. "Your element might destroy it by simply standing next to it."
Khan couldn't help but glance at Derek. The latter appeared genuinely sorry about the situation. He was asking a lot from Khan, but that was part of his job.
"These Feicox," Khan voiced, understanding the hidden meaning behind Derek's words. "Are they dangerous?"
"Yes, sir," Derek nodded. "Very."
"A Feicox gave me this," The soldier added, pointing at the scar on his cheek. "Calling them plants doesn't do them justice. They are damned turrets."
The soldier was a second-level warrior that Khan had already acknowledged in terms of battle experience, so seeing him speak so highly about the Feicox felt troublesome. Khan was stronger, but the situation would basically prevent him from using spells.
"It's alright," Khan reassured. "I'll take care of it."
Khan's confidence acted like a virus that spread among the group and even touched the team they were approaching. A series of soldiers had gathered around a jeep, and a tall bag stood at their feet.
"Here, Captain," Derek called, hurrying toward the bag to take out a half-transparent and rectangular machine. "You just need to place this on the Dridie. The extractor will handle the rest."
Khan reached Derek to study the extractor. The machine had dark and circular pieces on its two sides, featuring spacious openings. It seemed he could use both to retrieve the Dridie.
"Here," Derek eventually said, storing the extractor in the bag and handing it to Khan. "Take this too. It will track your position and confirm the target."
Derek gave his screen to Khan as soon as he put the bag on his shoulders. Khan activated it and spent a few minutes growing comfortable with its menus before storing it in the backpack.
"One last thing," Derek added, stretching his hand toward one of the soldiers, who delivered a small flask containing five violet pills.
"This is the antidote for the fumes," Derek explained. "Take one pill once marks appear on your skin. It will make the poison harmless but won't stop you from getting infected again."
Khan seized the flask and stored it in his free pocket before voicing a simple question. "Anything else?"
"No, sir," Derek shook his head before wearing a serious expression and performing a military salute. "I wish you good luck."
"Good luck, Captain!" The soldiers behind Derek echoed.
Khan nodded at the group before jumping into the jeep. A pilot was already on the steering wheel, and the vehicle advanced as soon as Khan occupied his seat.
The jeep headed for one of the walls, which opened to reveal the outside world. The Global Army had created a comfortable path after removing many trees, but the latter still existed, and reaching them alerted the entirety of Khan's senses.
Abora's vegetation wasn't simply full of life. Its environment radiated different strands of mana, probably belonging to Tainted animals and dangerous plants. The latter weren't even passive inhabitants. As soon as the jeep rode on a path among the trees, hundreds of eyes converged on Khan.
