Professor Parver held the intensive course inside his lab on the hidden floor since Khan was the only student. The room's privacy gave them more freedom, allowing them to share a few drinks while going over the lesson.
Khan drank and took notes while Professor Parver explained and expanded on the many holograms coming out of the two interactive desks. The man had to take many breaks during his illness' outbursts, but the lesson flowed smoothly nonetheless. Khan could only complain about its contents.
Professor Parver's course aimed to educate on the immense field of alien environments. The subject had more branches than specialists, so the Professor had to start from its very foundation, opting for a broad and general topic that would span for many days.
Khan didn't exactly hate that idea, but many of Professor Parver's initial explanations covered topics he had already learnt in the advanced classes. They were more detailed in the intensive course, but that didn't completely justify the time spent reviewing them.
Of course, a few interesting points appeared throughout the course. According to Professor Parver, every environment enhanced by mana followed specific patterns. The latter were quite broad, and the Global Army didn't claim to know all of them, but a deep knowledge of those topics could make the difference between a good and bad scout.
"Sir, there is something I don't understand," Khan announced once Professor Parver stopped coughing. "Why are we going over the procedures to identify said patterns? I only need my senses for that."
Khan could have said "eyes" instead of "senses" but preferred to keep the details of his sensitivity to himself. The Global Army didn't need to know how alien he actually was.
"Yes, you indeed are an exception," Professor Parver showed his kind smile while immersing his hand in the holograms. "These teachings are probably useless for you."
"Then, why should I study them?" Khan wondered, playing with his almost empty drink while skimming through the holograms. "It would save both of us a lot of time if we skipped this topic."
"Captain, you might only need a glance and some knowledge to identify a pattern," Professor Parver stated, "But your team won't be able to understand you. Studying this will help you explain what you sense to them."
Understanding dawned upon Khan. The Professor was educating him to be a scout, which involved a team of specialists and an ambassador. In that arrangement, he would be the first to acquire information, which required a common language to convey to his eventual teammates.
"Besides," Professor Parver continued, "Eventual discoveries must be tested and proven by the Global Army's methods. The scientific field won't just take your word."
"That sounds slow," Khan pointed out.
"It is," Professor Parver confirmed. "Science moves slowly and only when it's certain that a phenomenon works according to its descriptions. We don't allow mistakes. We merely strive to clear the darkness of our ignorance."
Khan didn't share Professor Parver's passion for the scientific field but could acknowledge its strict requirements. It was the same with the many regulations covered by the advanced classes. Aliens might not need them, but they were necessary to humankind.
Coughs took control of Professor Parver after his last statement. The violent reaction forced him to lean on a desk nearby and almost made Khan stand up. Yet, the man lifted a hand to stop him and let that outburst go away on its own.
"I'm afraid I reached my limit for tonight," Professor Parver used his kind tone before clearing his throat.
"Is the schedule I requested too harsh for you, sir?" Khan asked. He was still grounded, so he had asked Professor Parver to have those lessons every night.
"No, no," Professor Parver chuckled. "It's perfectly fine. Exhaustion is a small price to pay to enlighten such a bright mind."
"Sir," Khan couldn't help but feel a bit bad, "You know I'll never pursue the scientific path."
"Don't overthink it," Professor Parver reassured, reaching for a seat and retrieving his full glass. "I don't expect you to do anything. I only want to share my knowledge with someone who might benefit from it."
Khan nodded but remained silent. Truth be told, he had learnt to agree with Professor Parver's idea. Starting as a scout didn't sound too bad. The job didn't only suit him. His status would also make promotions and advantages arrive sooner.
"Anyway," Professor Parver exclaimed after taking a sip from his drink, "How are your injuries?"
"The doctors said I'd need a full month," Khan revealed, tapping on the floor with his braced foot. "I think I'll be fine in a couple more weeks."
Khan was actually staying humble. His grounded status gave him a lot of time to meditate, and his body's recovery speed surpassed humans. He might need less than fourteen days to heal.
"That's good to hear," Professor Parver said. "What about your tasks? According to the reports, you are surpassing everyone's expectations."
"They are easy," Khan admitted, "Easier than war, at least."
"Few can say that," Professor Parver revealed before heaving a deep sigh. "I feel I must apologize. I initially planned to gradually increase your tasks' difficulty, but the situation-."
"I asked for this, sir," Khan shook his head. "It's better for me anyway. I would have questioned the value of your tasks if I spent months retrieving rocks from caves."
"Those rocks are worth tens of thousands of Credits," Professor Parver laughed. "Mister Nore and Miss Bevet can't wait for you to recover. They have praised you to no end."
"I'm glad I'm helping," Khan stated. "I'll get back to work as soon as the Headmistress clears me."
"Excellent," Professor Parver exclaimed. "I also wish you to have another meeting with the Harbor's specialists. Everyone is eager to meet you."
"I'll make the time, sir," Khan promised. He couldn't leave anyway, and meeting potential future employers was for the best.
"So," Professor Parver announced. "You've seen most of the Harbor by now. What do you think of this system?"
"I have been meaning to ask," Khan said since the Professor mentioned the topic. "I know the Harbor has many valuable resources, but I was wondering if there was something truly special in the system."
"Are you referring to your recent endeavor?" Professor Parver questioned. "I've seen the video. Awful stuff. I'm glad you are okay, Captain."
"I was simply wondering why a criminal organization would be so active here," Khan clarified. "Princess Edna left weeks ago."
"Oh, you are asking if there is something worth these risks," Professor Parver declared. "The Harbor is mostly self-sufficient due to the resources in its system. Yet, I can't think of anything unique or priceless."
"Even from a political standpoint?" Khan pressed on.
"Captain, I'm a scientist," Professor Parver smiled. "Those fields don't concern me, and my illness keeps me more away than my peers. I'm afraid I can't help you."
Khan kept track of Professor Parver's mana but didn't notice anything wrong. He knew the man could mask and hide part of his presence, but his answer didn't feel like a lie.
"Thank you for your honesty, sir," Khan decided to answer.
"Anytime, Captain," Professor Parver exclaimed. "Now, you should go back to your lodging. Don't let me get in the way of your recovery."
"It was a pleasure, sir," Khan nodded, retrieving his crutches to stand up. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Good night, Captain," Professor Parver revealed a last kind smile before the two separated. Khan left the private lab and found a jeep waiting for him outside. The vehicle also had a driver ready for him, so his trip back to his flat started immediately.
The long elevator brought Khan back to the upper floor, where he found another vehicle waiting for him. The cab set off immediately, marking the end of that peaceful night.
'Nothing from Professor Parver either,' Khan sighed inside the privacy of the cab. 'Maybe John is wrong. Maybe they are just trying to relocate somewhere safer.'
Various thoughts ran through Khan's mind, but nothing put him closer to the truth. He felt unable to find the true reasons behind those criminals' behavior from the Harbor. Those results made sense when he considered that the Headmistress was as clueless as him.
'Do I just have to wait for them to make the first move?' Khan wondered.
Khan's phone rang while he was immersed in those thoughts, and seeing Jenny's name on the screen confused him. Her updates only arrived on the weekend, meaning something odd had happened.
"Sir, I'm sorry for the sudden call," Jenny announced as soon as Khan brought his phone to his ear.
"What is it?" Khan directly asked.
"There is this strange contact," Jenny revealed. "It's not trying to importunate you, but I can't find its identity. It's only requesting a minute of your time."
"Can't it be a crazy fan?" Khan questioned. According to Jenny, he received hundreds of those requests every week. Someone tech-savvy enough to get noticed had to appear sooner or later.
"I don't think this is the case," Jenny revealed. "This contact surpassed many security measures just to show that it could before making its request."
'Mister Chares?' Khan immediately thought. 'Is he trying a politer approach?'
"Get it through," Khan ordered. "I'll deal with it immediately."
"As you wish, sir," Jenny complied, closing the call to make another reach Khan's phone.
Khan answered right away, but only silence came out of his phone. No one spoke, but he wouldn't make the first move. If that was a polite request, he had to wait for the contact to expose itself.
"Captain Khan," A voice that almost made Khan's mana boil eventually resounded in his ear. "The new title suits you."
Khan's mind went blank for a second. He didn't expect that man to call him now, but two words still escaped his mouth. "Mister Raymond."
"Raymond is fine in private," Raymond chuckled. "I hope you didn't forget that."
"How could I?" Khan wondered. "I haven't forgotten anything about your involvement in Milia 222's crisis."
"As expected from you, Captain," Raymond uttered. "Still, I heard strange rumors. It must be awful to have criminals in your neighborhood."
"Do you know anything about them?" Khan went straight to the point.
"I know many things," Raymond revealed. "I know you think they are after goods. You are close, but not by much."
"Just tell me what you want," Khan eventually ordered.
"You can't possibly imagine what I want," Raymond spoke words similar to his last interaction with Khan. "However, I suggest you take another trip to Honides. I heard the winds in its eleventh quadrant are beautiful."
"What-?" Khan began to ask, but Raymond closed the call before he could finish his question. His phone went silent, and Khan felt the unreasonable urge to throw it away.
However, another name appeared on the screen, making the device ring again. The Headmistress was calling, and multiple messages followed the event, with many coming from Khan's classmates.
