Riot control forces descended into the district, filling it with soldiers that sent everyone back home. Amox updated those reinforcements, isolating the problematic individuals who ended up in handcuffs.
After a short briefing, Khan and Amox resumed their inspection. The few remaining houses didn't oppose any resistance due to the lingering awe toward Khan, allowing the two scouts to finish their task quickly.
All in all, the inspection led to a handful of arrests aggravated by the riot. Khan and Amox found a few illegal items but nothing that could connect that district to the bomb.
Khan didn't know what the Thilku would do with the prisoners, and part of him wanted to remain ignorant. His mind wasn't exactly stable after the recent events. He yearned for a break. Still, Amox had to deal with more briefings once the inspection was over, and Khan waited for him in the street, relying on the rain to cool down his thoughts.
Amox exchanged words with the soldiers and riot control forces, giving a more detailed report. Meanwhile, a few Thilku connected their armguards to the street lamps, obtaining the images recorded by those machines.
Awestruck gazes fell on Khan as the troops watched the recordings, but the matter ended there. The riot control forces eventually returned to their ship with the prisoners while the other soldiers started patrolling the district.
Only Amox and Khan remained on the street, but the former wasn't alone. The riot control forces had left a strange ride beside the Thilku, and he didn't hesitate to hop on it to move toward Khan.
More details became visible as the ride grew closer. The vehicle was a motorbike without wheels or engines. A big, spinning tire encircled its two seats and interactive controls, acting as a cover from the rain and a driving force.
The tire was big enough to leave enough room for Amox. His head wouldn't touch the ceiling even if he stretched his back completely. The same went for the seats. That vehicle had the Thilku's size in mind, looking quite spacious from Khan's perspective.
"[Hop in]," Amox called when he stopped beside Khan. "[Let's eat something]."
"[Shouldn't we report back]?" Khan questioned, inspecting the ride's insides. The seat behind Amox was empty, and his hands were on handles dug into the interactive controls.
"[Lord Exr has already cleared us for the rest of the day]," Amox explained. "[I'll drive you to the human building once we are done]."
Khan couldn't find any reason to refuse. He wanted to blow off some steam and talk to Amox privately, so he hopped on the back seat, sealing his hands on its side handles.
Amox waited a few seconds before accelerating. A circular metal surface separated the seats from the actual tire, and its spinning motion generated whooshing noises. Splashes also resounded due to the wet street, but the rain couldn't touch Khan inside that vehicle.
The bike was quite fast, and Amox made it run around the district before diving into the previous main street. The two scouts crossed the factories in a few minutes, but Amox didn't stop at the landing area and rode deeper into the city.
The inspection from the ship couldn't compare to a ride among Neuria's districts. The bike went fast, but Khan still gained insights into the city's true face, and his senses added details.
The Thilku seemed to love open, big spaces. Many shops along the way had vast entrances without doors or windows that could hinder the view of their insides.
That didn't only apply to cheap-looking stands where Thilku focused on drinking. Restaurants and shops selling various items preferred those open entrances and didn't care about the weather or cold that could seep in.
That stylish choice repeated itself and became the norm as Amox drove into better parts of the city. It seemed that the Thilku would always opt for the open spaces when they had the chance, and that wasn't limited to the first floors. Khan saw many short balconies offering similar services, even if they could probably seal themselves when needed.
The ride through the city had a calming effect on Khan's mana. His mood improved as he became more aware of the new environment. That truly was an alien city, and he was in the middle of it.
Amox eventually stopped the bike and parked it in a specific space beside the sidewalk. The two scouts were in the corner of a block featuring a big shop with red and yellow signs, and a similar illumination filled its insides.
Similar signs occupied the building's upper floors and stretched on both sides of the corner. The shop was multiple stories tall, and its insides had a few rows of stalls attended by a couple of waiters each.
The place was quite crowded. Thilku filled the stools before the stalls, drinking, eating, and chatting. The insides were loud, and Khan couldn't see a single empty seat. Yet, that didn't stop Amox.
"[Come]," Amox called, leaving the bike to approach the shop.
Khan complied, jumping out of the bike to follow Amox. The rain had never stopped falling, so the scouts' shoes left wet marks on the shop's clean floor, but circular cleaning robots immediately came out of the walls to attend to them.
The robots captured Khan's attention only for a second since something more interesting happened. The loud chatter began to wane as the customers noticed Amox and went completely silent when Khan entered their view.
Khan had expected a similar reaction for him, but the fact that Amox was part of it triggered his curiosity. Amox wasn't any different from the other Thilku. His clothes were his only peculiarity, and the many looks at his drenched cape gave Khan explicit clues.
The customers didn't have the baggy and poor-looking clothes Khan had seen in the targeted district. They were rather well dressed, or, at least, that was what Khan could guess from that short inspection. After all, he wasn't an expert in Thilku's style.
However, the absence of red capes said enough. Khan was almost certain the shop didn't have soldiers. The customers' reactions also told him how respected that job was since Amox's mere presence could make an entire floor go silent.
Amox didn't mind those reactions and continued to advance, and Khan imitated him. No waiter arrived, so the two reached the end of the shop uninterrupted and began to climb the metal staircase they found.
The second floor was almost identical to the first, except for the shorter and fewer stalls. They were the equivalent of smaller tables that tried to offer some privacy, but the open space slightly defeated that purpose.
The new area had far fewer customers. Khan only spotted three groups on different stalls, with two being couples seemingly out on a date and one having three old Thilku. The latter looked drunk but still lifted their heads and nodded when Amox appeared.
The two couples imitated that reaction, and Amox didn't refrain from giving a general nod. The groups also inspected Khan and experienced some surprise, but that study only lasted a few seconds. It didn't take long before everyone focused on their businesses.
Khan couldn't find red capes on the second floor either but put the matter aside when Amox approached a relatively isolated stall in the room's corner. The spot was between two open balconies pointed at the street below, and the rain's noise filled Khan's ears as he sat with his companion.
The stalls on the second floor didn't have waiters but featured heaters and other cooking equipment on one side. They also had a red rune on their metal surface, which Amox touched to order a few meals.
The surface took life once Amox finished the order. Drawers opened, and mechanical arms came out to prepare the meal. Cups also appeared alongside a metal jug reeking of a harsh and strong scent Khan recognized.
"[Are you sure we can drink on duty]?" Khan asked as the mechanical arms captured his attention.
"[We are clear for the rest of the day]," Amox reminded, grabbing the jug and cups to pour the booze, "[And we deserve a feast]."
"[I'll be in your care]," Khan laughed, seizing the cup and lifting it with Amox to join that toast.
"[To a job well done]!" Amox shouted, disregarding whether his loud voice disturbed the other customers.
Khan chuckled before letting the booze deal with his remaining lousy mood. That situation was leagues above the previous task, but he had just gotten to Neuria. The following days would probably feature similar jobs.
"[Ah, finally]!" Amox exclaimed when the mechanical arms pushed two fuming bowls toward the other end of the table. The plates had meat and other meals Khan didn't recognize, but that didn't stop him from eating.
The Thilku ate with their bare hands, and Khan and Amox followed those traditions. They wolfed down the meal, accompanying it with the strong booze, and relaxed only when the bowls were empty.
"[Khan, you sure are surprising]," Amox laughed, patting Khan's left shoulder before half-turning toward him. "[I didn't know humans had shamans]."
Khan frowned since he struggled to remember the meaning of the last word. He had to scour his memory to find it, which changed his confusion into surprise.
Translating a word wasn't easy, especially across multiple languages. Khan had to use the meaning it expressed to understand it, which revealed similarities that awakened distant memories.
'A shaman?' Khan wondered. 'Like Zalpa?'
Khan knew the Thilku's version of shaman didn't match the Niqols'. However, Amox had probably hinted at something similar, forcing Khan to study his situation.
Amox wasn't the first to point out something similar. George also thought that Khan had begun to resemble Liiza, and he couldn't blame him. His senses and approach to mana were alien, and learning the Nele's arts had only worsened that aspect of his skillset.
In Amox's case, the alien had seen his senses, and the recent riot had added more details. Khan had dispersed fire generated by mana with simple words. That wasn't a feat ordinary humans could accomplish.
"[I'm not a shaman]," Khan rejected that definition, grabbing a wet strand of his blue hair. "[I'm just odd]."
In a different situation, Khan would have considered that statement a compliment. Yet, he had seen true shamans. He couldn't claim that title so easily.
"[You look like a shaman to me]," Amox happily exclaimed, laying his elbow on the stall. Khan would gladly do the same, but the metal surface was too high for him. Only a Thilku could be comfortable using it.
"[I didn't think we would have resorted to riot control forces today]," Khan sighed, changing the topic. "[We are lucky no one died]."
"[You scared them into submission]," Amox laughed, reaching for Khan's shoulder again. "[You almost scared me too]."
"[They pissed me off]," Khan snorted. "[Who even fires such a thing in the middle of the street]?"
"[A Thilku]," Amox proudly stated, letting go of Khan's shoulder to slam his fist on the stall. "[I told you we had better criminals]."
"[Who was he anyway]?" Khan asked.
"[An ex-soldier]," Amox explained shortly. "[That weapon was a relic from when he served]."
Khan couldn't help but glance to his left to inspect his companion. Amox fell silent, focusing on his drink. He could add more to the story, but something held him back.
"[What did we even do there]?" Khan chose to probe further. "[Why did Lord Exr send us in that district]?"
Amox glanced at Khan and hesitated again, but a sigh eventually escaped his mouth. He grabbed the jug and refilled both cups before leaning forward and lowering his voice.
"[I'll tell you this just because you saved that kid]," Amox announced.
"[I'm not going to say anything to my superior]," Khan reassured. "[I just want to understand what's going on]."
Amox's small eyes darted across Khan's face before another sigh left his mouth. He turned toward the stall and took a long sip, gulping down loudly to prepare for his explanation.
"[That district has been problematic for a while]," Amox revealed. "[Lord Exr used the cooperation with the Global Army to clean it up a bit]."
"[Problematic how]?" Khan asked.
"[The Empire controls an immense territory]," Amox explained. "[We don't always have a willing and proper workforce. To continue the colonization, we must compromise]."
"[That's why you use criminals]," Khan added. "[It makes sense]."
Populations had limits. The technology could make up for some of them, but the colonization of a planet required citizens, which a species might lack if its territory was too vast.
"[What about the bomb]?" Khan questioned.
"[It probably came from Neuria]," Amox replied. "[That much is true. However, you won't find the culprits on the land]."
"[What about the seas]?" Khan asked, understanding the hidden meaning.
"[That's where most shipments happen]," Amox responded. "[If the bomb came from Neuria, it passed through the stations in the seas]."
"[Do you think Lord Exr will ever send us there]?" Khan wondered, dropping his inquisitive vibe to start a more casual conversation.
"[The Lords stuff is above me]," Amox scoffed. "[If it happens, I'll be there. If it doesn't, we can still feast together]."
Amox lifted his cup, and Khan imitated him. The two gulped down the booze before relying on the jug again. The container was almost empty, and Amox didn't hesitate to order another through the rune.
The two didn't have to say anything, but both knew the previous topic was over. Even if Khan wanted to know more, Amox couldn't speak. He would endanger his position otherwise, and Khan preferred to avoid that.
"[Well]," Khan decided to break the silence. "[Will you return to your family after dropping me off]?"
"[My family isn't on Neuria]," Amox revealed. "[I won't see them for now]."
"[You can call them]," Khan suggested.
"[I'd rather hear my wife's rants when we can make up]," Amox chuckled, "[If you know what I mean]."
"[I definitely know]," Khan said, lifting his cup. "[Cheers to that]."
"[What about you]?" Amox asked. "[Did you make up with your girlfriend before flying here]?"
"[She was away]," Khan sighed, shaking his head. "[We could only call each other]."
"[Pity]," Amox commented. "[At least you can call her once you get to the human building]."
"[Only my superior can make those calls]," Khan groaned. "[I'm stuck here alone until we fly back to the Global Army's territory]."
"[Not alone]," Amox laughed, patting Khan's shoulder. "[You have me]."
"[You aren't my type]," Khan joked, and Amox laughed loudly, almost making the customers forget about the rain.
