"That's enough for tonight," Professor Parver announced, sitting behind one of his lab's interactive desks. "I'd like to keep you here longer, but we can't get in the way of your normal studies."
"I wouldn't mind remaining here a few more hours," Khan revealed, removing his phone from his desk. "As long as it isn't too much for your condition, sir."
"No, no," Professor Parver refused, waving his hand. "Doing too much would only confuse you. I must give you the time to absorb what you learnt today. Besides, you must prepare for next week's tests."
"As you wish, sir," Khan said, standing up to prepare for his departure from the lab. "I have yet to hear from the Headmistress for the next mission."
"It should probably be Abora again," Professor Parver stated. "Miss Bevet can hardly contain herself from sending you right away."
'No Honides,' Khan thought before changing the topic. "I have been meaning to ask, is there a secluded place I could use to meditate on this floor?"
"Is there a problem with the training halls?" Professor Parver asked.
Khan rarely wanted to overshare, but telling the truth was the fastest way to achieve his goals. "I have an alien technique I can't use around synthetic mana. I was wondering if you could suggest a place without it."
"Without it inside the Harbor?" Professor Parver didn't hide his surprise but still spent a few seconds thinking about the topic. "Maybe a greenhouse will do. You should ask Miss Bevet about it."
"Could you mediate for me, sir?" Khan requested.
"Gladly," Professor Parver showed one of his kind smiles. "She should be in the western sector. I can contact her while you head there."
"Thank you, sir," Khan voiced, performing a military salute and leaving the lab.
Since Khan's injuries had healed, he didn't need soldiers driving him around anymore. He had also gotten used to the underground floor's general layout, so he promptly jumped in the jeep outside the lab to head toward his new destination.
The giant garden grew closer in Khan's vision, and a soldier near it eventually waved in his direction. Khan approached the woman, and the latter led him into a more private part of the sector to leave him in front of a lab.
The soldier left the jeep to send a notification inside the lab, and its entrance soon opened. Carla Bevet's exquisite figure appeared in the open, and her slightly dirty tracksuit allowed Khan to see her in her natural element.
"Captain, you already arrived," Carla announced, showing a genuine smile. "I just finished talking to Professor Parver about your request."
Khan left the jeep to perform a military salute, and politeness filled his voice when he spoke. "Thank you for seeing me so quickly, ma'am. I hope I'm not imposing."
"I'm the one who's sorry for showing myself in this state," Carla replied.
"You shouldn't, ma'am," Khan shook his head. "It elevates your beauty to see you immersed in your job."
"Always such a player," Carla giggled, letting the lab close behind her to reach Khan. "You sure know how to make women fall for you."
Khan ignored the teasing comment, and Carla crossed him to enter the jeep and extend an invitation. "Let's go for a ride, Captain."
The soldier remained in front of the lab while Khan and Carla left with the jeep. Carla only pointed in a general direction, so Khan rode forward without making any turns.
"I read about yesterday's events," Carla teased. "You made this old woman's heart skip a beat."
Khan could only show an awkward smile. No matter how often Carla joked about her age, she still looked almost as young as Khan.
"So," Carla continued, "Between you and me, did you get engaged?"
"It was just a gift for her birthday," Khan calmly explained.
"A ring is much more than that," Carla pressed on. "Don't tell me you are up to no good again, Captain. It would fit your character to have a secret marriage."
"I always play by the rules, ma'am," Khan joked. "Monica simply wanted a ring."
"And you bought it for her," Carla stated, "You even put it on her finger. You must know how it looks."
"I'm not sure what you are implying, ma'am," Khan feigned ignorance. "I just wanted to make my girlfriend happy."
"Captain, don't make me beg," Carla chuckled. "At my age, gossip is one of my few remaining guilty pleasures, and you know I'm a fan of you."
"Miss Bevet, as much as I'd like to please you," Khan announced, "Monica is my priority. I wouldn't be worthy of her if I went around revealing our secrets."
"Such respectable dedication," Carla praised. "Pity. It only makes me more curious."
Khan laughed to avoid giving a precise reply, and Carla understood it was time to drop the topic. She focused on providing directions from that moment onward, and the signal to stop the jeep arrived in minutes.
"Linus told me about your bias toward synthetic mana," Carla said, stepping out of the jeep to approach a nearby lab-like building. "I don't know if this place can meet your requirements, but it's worth a try."
Carla unlocked the lab with her genetic signature and phone, and Khan followed her inside. A simple room with a few interactive desks unfolded in his vision, but Carla headed directly for an elevator on the other side.
The two descended for less than two seconds. The elevator brought them to a lower floor that turned out to be far bigger than the upper. A long and quite vast room stretched from Khan's position, and ten huge tables filled with peculiar pale-grey plants occupied it.
Khan could immediately feel the difference from the outside world. The ceiling had many white lights fueled by synthetic mana, and tubes stretched over the plants to create an irrigation system reliant on the same energy. However, very little leaked into the room, making the natural mana far more abundant.
"There are many greenhouses like this in the Harbor," Carla explained, leading Khan into the room. "Does it meet your requirements?"
"It might," Khan nodded. "Though my intentions involve bringing foreign materials here. Would that be a problem?"
"Are the materials toxic in some way?" Carla questioned. "Can they affect this atmosphere?"
"They shouldn't," Khan reassured. "It's just a blood-based liquid."
"It's no problem then," Carla stated. "This greenhouse isn't too valuable even, so feel free to request new arrangements if needed."
"Thank you, Miss Bevet," Khan uttered. "How can I repay you?"
"Don't even mention it," Carla rejected the question. "You are providing great services to the Harbor already. This is just me repaying favors."
"Thank you, ma'am," Khan repeated. "If you wish, we can set up an appropriate schedule right now."
"This greenhouse is completely automated," Carla explained. "I check it only once a month, so you can come here whenever you want."
"That would be perfect," Khan declared as his eyes threatened to light up.
"I'll add you to the authorized personnel immediately," Carla stated. "You won't have to ask anyone's permission that way."
"Thank you so much," Khan said. He didn't expect to get that opportunity so easily, so his gratitude was genuine.
"Captain, I know you are hesitant about the scientific field," Carla exclaimed, "But many experts consider you part of it already. It's only normal to grant you access to some of our special structures."
Khan wasn't anywhere close to being a scientist, but the Harbor had made him part of that environment. He was a mere cog in that big field, but that was enough for some specialists.
"You can contact me directly if you have any problem," Carla continued. "As for now, I have to get back to work, and you need to rest. I seem to remember that the tests are getting close."
"They are," Khan nodded. "You have been incredibly helpful, ma'am. I won't waste any more of your time."
"It's always a pleasure, Captain," Carla giggled. "I look forward to our next proper meeting."
"Me too, ma'am," Khan stated, ending the exchange of pleasantries. Carla only needed a minute to update the greenhouse's security settings, so the two could leave right afterward.
Carla refused Khan's offer for a lift, and the two split, allowing him to go on his way. In theory, he had to go back and study some more, but his new opportunity caused a change of plans.
Khan still had part of the Radola inside a hangar, so he headed there after a quick stop in the shopping district. He had lost his special bucket on Milia 222, but his skill had improved since then, so he didn't bother to order a new one. He only purchased some essential equipment necessary for his alien technique.
The special box had kept the dead Radola in decent condition, but retrieving enough blood after so long was challenging. Luckily for Khan, he could use the hangar's tools to help himself. The menus actually provided a precise procedure once he marked suitable settings.
Khan was ready to start the procedure right away. He left his new flasks on the floor before entering the box. Yet, he remembered his position when he was on the verge of getting dirty.
'I can't go around looking like a mad beggar anymore,' Khan sighed.
Khan left the box and removed the upper part of his military uniform, throwing it on the floor. A smile broadened on his face when he saw the three lipstick marks on his torso. Monica had made sure to leave them before he could attend the private lesson, and they were still there.
As if hearing Khan's thoughts, a call carrying Monica's name reached his phone, and he didn't hesitate to answer while continuing to undress.
"Will you be late, dear?" Monica asked before Khan could say anything.
"Professor Parver and Miss Bevet found me a place for my technique," Khan explained. "It will be pretty late by the time I'm done with it."
"Miss Bevet," Monica whined. "Are my kisses still on you?"
"They never left," Khan chuckled. "I can still feel your lips if I close my eyes."
"Close them then," Monica teased, "And don't open them until you get back to the real thing."
"I will," Khan promised. "Don't wait for me. We have lessons tomorrow."
"I can't sleep without your goodnight kiss," Monica stated. "I'll prepare more notes and a bath for you in the meantime. If I feel alone, I'll just look at my hand."
"You sure have nothing but me in your head," Khan joked.
"You made sure of that," Monica replied. "So, hurry and let me take care of my Captain."
"I'll see you in a bit," Khan promised. "I love you."
"I love you too," Monica responded, and Khan closed the call to get back to his project.
Calculations happened in Khan's mind when he looked at his tools and materials. He couldn't attend the lessons with evident injuries, so the [Blood Vortex] couldn't remain active for too long. Still, the trips across the Harbor were bound to eat away some time, delaying what could have been a shorter training session.
'I should use my trip to Abora too,' Khan considered. 'Purchasing Tainted animals here is a pain, but Pandora and the shopping district should have what I need.'
A new schedule took form. Khan had to step on the accelerator, especially since Raymond wouldn't let him relax. His attunement with mana had to increase drastically, and Khan wouldn't hold back now that he had regained access to his best training method.
****
Author's notes: Sorry for missing yesterday's release. A friend came back from Ukraine, and I ended up spending the entire day with her.
