The attendants from the Rassec family were highly trained and strong. The weakest was a third-level warrior, but they all shared battle experience and an unwavering sternness.
However, things grew tense when the night approached. The servants had precise orders, and, in theory, no one in the entirety of the Global Army would dare to get in their way. After all, they represented the nobles' will, so the couple's lateness could be seen as an insult.
The hour got so late that the attendants left the flat to return to the sidewalk. Orders also flew, forcing Andrew to make a few calls. There was still time, but those servants couldn't accept the slightest risk.
Nevertheless, while Andrew was busy with his calls, a cab appeared near the dome's edge and began to descend into the district. Its landing beside the sidewalk reassured the attendants, but the two figures that stepped out of it attempted to shatter their sternness.
Khan was shirtless, proudly showing his blue scar and the nail marks on his back. Meanwhile, Monica was wearing the upper part of his uniform, and her messy state hinted at the recent endeavor.
The uniform wasn't only untidy and with missing buttons. Monica's curls were all over the place, going against any standard of decorum her mother had imposed. She also lacked her usual elegance, but her figure radiated pure affection as she leaned on Khan's arm.
That state broke the Harbor's dress code. It was especially problematic since Khan was the best man, too. Appearing in the open in such an intimate and evident attire didn't match the nobles' standards at all. It could actually reflect poorly on the wedding.
However, no one mentioned the issue for multiple reasons. The attendants didn't want to waste more time, and something told them that silence was the best course of action. They didn't know why they experienced that feeling, but everyone was certain Khan was the reason.
"Shall we go?" Khan asked, and the power carried by his voice confirmed the hunch. Somehow, his mere presence was a barrier that prevented the attendants from voicing any questions or complaints.
Of course, the attendants had their priorities straight, so they quickly opened a path toward one of the cabs. Khan wrapped his arm around Monica's back as the two advanced, and she let him guide her until they reached their seats.
The servants moved right afterward, with two entering the same cab as Khan and Monica. Needless to say, the situation was quite awkward for them since Monica seemed on the verge of dozing off under Khan's caresses, but neither mentioned the matter.
"We'd like to start," One of the attendants stated, focusing on the mission. "Time isn't short, but we don't have plenty either."
Khan adjusted his position to let Monica rest comfortably on his chest before addressing the statement. "Brief me."
"Your position as best man comes with a series of duties," The attendant announced.
"I'm aware," Khan replied.
"In addition to standing beside the spouse throughout the marriage," The attendant continued, "You'll have to introduce each guest who wishes to speak with him."
The attendant leaned forward, handing a device that Khan quickly seized. A long list appeared on the screen when it recognized his genetic signature, and multiple explanations stretched from each label.
"This is a comprehensive list of the guests," The attendant explained, "With comments written by the Rassec family's experts. You are to memorize all of them."
Khan skimmed through the list, counting almost two hundred names. He didn't see any nobles, so he suspected the number of guests to be higher. Still, the workload didn't scare him.
"There will also be a tight schedule to follow," The attendant continued, taking another device from the cab's drawers. "We'll do official test runs once the marriage approaches, but you are to be ready earlier than that."
Khan seized the second device, which immediately lit up to show the marriage's schedule. The event involved speeches, long feats, and dances, which he had to join and occasionally initiate.
"Anything else?" Khan wondered, dropping the device at his side.
"There are obligations for Miss Solodrey, too," The attendant revealed, clearing his throat. Monica wasn't even looking at him, making things awkward and difficult.
"She will fulfill them," Khan reassured, stretching his free arm. He was vouching for Monica, but the attendants couldn't help but exchange a hesitant glance.
The attendants didn't want to be impolite, and it wasn't their intention to underestimate Khan. Yet, their orders were precise, and they had every desire to follow them thoroughly. They needed Monica herself to listen to their demands.
"Khan is vouching for me," Monica suddenly declared, fixing a cold glare on the two attendants. "Does he need to repeat himself?"
The pair created a suffocating scene. Monica's political relevance and Khan's innate pressure were a combination even those attendants couldn't ignore. They would have been fine with politics alone, but the lingering threat of violence destabilized their sternness. They weren't used to those brutish manners.
Still, the attendants' training kicked in, snapping them out of their hesitation to hand the remaining devices to Khan. The latter showed them to Monica for her genetic signature, but she quickly reclosed her eyes afterward.
Khan dealt with the matter on his own, studying the devices while Monica rested. He wanted it that way since he knew how tired she was, but the attendants never stopped finding the scene surprising.
Theoretically, Khan was the warrior, and Monica was the political expert. The attendants expected her to deal with the devices or, at least, to be on top of the mission. Yet, Khan showed his responsible side, and he looked completely comfortable in the part.
The initial doubts about Khan's suitability as best man vanished. Somehow, the attendants knew he would do a good job. It was actually hard imagining him failing anything.
That reassurance continued throughout the trip. The attendants opted for polite silence, especially since Monica eventually fell asleep. Still, they internally praised Khan for his dedication since he didn't move his eyes from the devices even once.
The trip eventually forced Khan to wake Monica up. The group dropped off the cab and delivered new clothes to Khan before hopping on an exclusive teleport.
From there, the group had to go through a series of security measures that involved more teleports and additional cab trips. At times, they had to fly from space station to space station to reach a specific destination. Everything was convoluted since nobles were involved, but the couple didn't mind.
It took a while, and the day went deep into the night, but the final destination eventually appeared in sight. Khan and Monica were on a ship when the scanners picked up pictures of a massive cylindrical space station with a circular structure spinning around its center.
That wasn't the end of it. The space station had visible weapons, but a fleet of warships also hovered around it. The security in the area was top-notch, and the couple's ship took a while to go through it.
The landing inside the space station's hangar showed similar security measures. The place was packed with soldiers and attendants wielding scanners. Khan and Monica had nothing, but crossing those hindrances still took a few minutes.
"We'll give you a tour of the structure tomorrow," One of the attendants announced after escorting the couple to a corridor full of doors. "For now, rest well."
The attendant unlocked one of the doors, which opened into a massive suite featuring all kinds of luxurious furniture. The bathtub alone was bigger than Khan's living room, and the place had far more to offer.
Khan and Monica made themselves at home after linking their genetic signature to the place. They instinctively went for the bedroom, where a welcome package was waiting for them. Khan moved to open it while Monica began exploring the wardrobe.
"I think we'll find something to wear," Monica exclaimed, making Khan turn.
The wardrobe wasn't actually furniture. Opening it led to a separate section of the suite, which consisted of a series of rooms full of clothes. All of them were elegant and blatantly pricey, and Monica couldn't refrain from diving into them.
As for Khan, the welcome package had a map of the space station, a polite letter, and a big, expensive bottle. Explanations about the suite's functions and advantages landed in Khan's eyes, but his hands were already on the booze.
"You need to try this suit!" Monica shouted from inside the wardrobe. "Khan!"
"Are you sure they'll let us pick our clothes for the wedding?" Khan scoffed, opening the bottle to taste it. The booze's quality was as good as he expected.
"Who cares about the wedding?" Monica snorted, hurrying out of the wardrobe, wielding a blue suit that matched Khan's hair. "I want to have a private spectacle."
Monica grinned from cheek to cheek, and Khan couldn't even try to stay put. He left the bottle and mattress, taking slow steps toward Monica. His performance with the attendants had already turned her on, and that walk was a killing blow.
However, as Monica hid the suit behind her back, a ringing noise ran through the suite, alerting the couple. Khan couldn't help but wear a cold face as he approached the main door to check who it was, but his expression relaxed as soon as he cleared his doubts.
"Lieutenant Colonel Clayman," Khan exclaimed as soon as he opened the door.
Khan performed a military salute out of respect for the man. He hadn't seen him since his days on Ecoruta, where he was still a Captain. Yet, Khan had kept track of the news, learning about his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
That wasn't the only change. Lieutenant Colonel Clayman had become a fourth-level warrior in those years, which his military uniform confirmed. He almost surpassed Khan when it came to sheer achievements.
Lieutenant Colonel Clayman leaned backward, wearing a surprised expression. His smile froze while his eyes darted up and down to inspect Khan. He looked bewildered and shocked.
"What happened to you in these years?" Lieutenant Colonel Clayman gasped.
The Khan in the Lieutenant Colonel's memory was completely different from the man standing before him. Back then, Khan had been nothing more than a valuable soldier. Instead, he now gave off the vibe of a wild and unruly beast. His mere gaze felt threatening enough to kill.
"Khan?" Monica called, peeking at the entrance before stepping forward. She reached Khan's side, and her political façade activated to greet the guest. "Lieutenant Colonel Clayman, what a pleasure. Khan speaks highly of you."
"Miss Solodrey," Lieutenant Colonel Clayman greeted, clearing his throat. "The pleasure is mine, and I should be the one speaking highly of Captain Khan. I was lucky to have him in my battalion."
"He taught me about dragons," Khan summarized.
"Dragons?" Monica wondered, her eyes darting between Khan and the Lieutenant Colonel. "What about them?"
"I'm sure you know more than me, Miss Solodrey," Lieutenant Colonel Clayman stated, fixing his gaze on Khan. "I knew you were no rat, but this."
"Lieutenant Colonel," Khan called, smiling. "You are confusing my girlfriend."
"My apologies," Lieutenant Colonel Clayman shook his head, "And, please. Jason is fine. I don't want formalities, especially after you helped Joe."
"How is Joe doing?" Khan asked. "I've been too busy to check."
"I've read about that," Jason revealed, glancing at Monica. "I can understand why, too. Joe is fine, but you are faring far better."
"Of course he is," Monica intervened. "My Khan is the best there is."
"We are in agreement, Miss Solodrey," Jason stated. "On that matter, I know the hour is late, but I was hoping I could have a short chat with Captain Khan."
"Is something the matter?" Khan promptly asked. Lieutenant Colonel Clayman had dealt with the anti-mana project on Ecoruta, so Khan took the request seriously.
"Nothing serious," Jason reassured. "Just some catching up. Of course, only with your permission, Miss Solodrey."
Monica was completely against that, but her face didn't show it. She stared at Jason before moving her gaze on Khan. He was already looking at her, and compliant words followed.
"Be good," Monica sweetly ordered, leaning to her side to kiss Khan. She briefly clung to his shirt before letting him go and whispering a few words. "Don't make me wait too long."
"I'll be right back," Khan promised.
"Lieutenant Colonel," Monica called. "I hope the chat will be truly short. I don't like to sleep without my man."
"I won't disappoint you, Miss Solodrey," Jason promised.
Monica held back a sigh and limited herself to another long look at Khan before turning and disappearing inside the flat. Khan stepped out right afterward, and the two men exchanged a knowing glance once the door closed.
"It's lucky the Rassec boy didn't invite that woman of yours from Ecoruta," Jason commented.
"I dreaded that possibility," Khan admitted. "Though it would have been funny."
"You are a fearless man," Jason uttered.
Khan and Jason exchanged another look before chuckling simultaneously. Their relationship wasn't deep, but they understood each other. Moreover, Khan liked the man, which immensely helped due to his mana.
"I don't want to worry you," Jason announced, pointing at one end of the corridor to begin walking. "This has nothing to do with you-know-what."
"What's the reason behind this visit then?" Khan asked. "Tomorrow morning would have been fine."
"Many guests will arrive in the following days," Jason explained. "We won't get another chance for private talks, especially with that fame of yours."
"The Global Army is treating you well, too," Khan praised. "It's a big jump from Captain to Lieutenant Colonel, sir."
"Well," Jason sighed, "Our secret endeavor helped. The higher-ups thought to buy my silence."
"So?" Khan questioned. "What's the issue?"
"It's no issue," Jason revealed. "You are simply about to reap the benefits of your hard work."
