C311 - Offer
Khan couldn't possibly know that, but his performance in the flight simulation didn't go unnoticed. After all, the recruiters on the stages were there for the very reason of finding promising pilots. Yet, a few reasons had forced them to let go of the matter for now.
The recruiters had questioned the waiter and her boss when they woke up from their naps. Still, the unfinished nature of the simulation, the lack of a proper name, and Khan's advanced age were demerits that those soldiers couldn't ignore.
Khan was already part of the Global Army. His military uniform stated that, and the stars on his shoulders also showed that he had been enlisted for a while. The recruiters usually aimed at younger candidates who had yet to approach a camp since the real flight training required those boys and girls to reach different structures.
In short, the interruption due to the late hour and the difficulties connected to contacting Khan made it easy for the recruiters to ignore the event. They would activate if Khan reappeared and showed potential again, but they did nothing for now.
As for Khan, he returned to the camp with Cora and enjoyed the time before the curfew with her. They were both pretty happy about the day spent in Reebfell, and it felt nice to see Cora completely devoid of the usual shyness that usually filled her actions.
Khan didn't try to push her limits that night. The two exchanged long kisses on an isolated bench in the camp's street and enjoyed their harmless intimacy. Cora grew even more used to those interactions, and Khan liked to see her so happy over every little thing.
Their separation allowed Khan to dive into his training. It didn't feel right to complain about the beautiful day, but he experienced some dissatisfaction for obvious reasons. Still, his many exercises dispersed that slight frustration.
Khan wasn't used to that slow pace in a relationship. Things with Liiza had been different since it had been their first time, and they shared an evident restlessness. However, Cora was simply shy, hesitant, and scared.
That state was pretty standard for an eighteen-year-old woman, especially since it was her first time going through a relationship. Khan acknowledged that and found comfort in his training, which had a lot to offer.
The purchases in Reebfell made Khan's training schedule more packed than ever. The events with the training hall didn't give him any additional free time since he could always fill his hours with the study of his many books.
The mental exercises and the repetition of the forms of his martial arts were part of his very being by then. Khan barely thought when he performed them. Yet, studying the many alien species discovered by the Global Army during its expansion through the universe filled him with curiosity, and memorizing other languages added interesting moments to his schedule.
The night went by in no time, and Khan even forgot to have his breakfast as he lost himself in his schedule. There was so much to study, but his goals were clear. He had to expand his knowledge and learn how to perform the remaining techniques in his arsenal.
A single night couldn't give significant results, and the same went for the following day, but Khan's resilience was inhuman. He took breaks, mostly to enjoy some time with Cora, eat, and exchange a few messages with Amber, but his training and studies claimed the rest of his free hours.
Khan decided to sleep only the night before his lesson. He didn't prepare anything for his students, but he took that chance to make them fight him again. It was too early for another battle with the Tainted ape anyway.
The students took those one versus one battles against Khan seriously. They tried their best to show killing intent, and he noticed decent results after the lesson with the weak Tainted animals.
The recruits were starting to understand the true nature of the battlefield, and they had spent only a week with Khan's subject. It was unclear what they would become after a whole semester, but he would be there to guide them on the path he considered correct.
The days went by in the peaceful environment that only a training camp on Earth could provide. Khan found himself visiting Reebfell often and uncovering more of its marvelous features. He even had more meetings with Lieutenant Abaze and Captain Goldmon to write reports about their subjects.
The reports weren't too important since the real judges of the subjects would be the students and the families behind them. Still, Khan did his best to be accurate, and Amber helped him. The two grew close as time flowed in the training camp, and they soon started to consider themselves proper friends.
When Khan found himself unable to come up with valuable exercises for his lessons, Amber helped or joined him in trips to Reebfell to purchase specific books about teaching and similar topics. Her price was a laugh and company during her inspection of various shops, and Khan didn't mind paying it.
Things progressed well on Cora's side too. She was happier than ever with Khan, and her shyness with him became a rare event as the two kept spending time together. Khan eventually felt that she was almost ready to move their relationship to the next level, but he didn't pressure her or insisted.
Truth be told, Cora had to consider herself lucky that Khan had a lot on his plate. In a different situation, Khan would have been unable to ignore the slight frustration building up in his mind. Still, his packed schedule and many interests allowed him to give her as much time as she needed.
Cora was also busy with her studies and training, but she always cleared her schedule whenever Khan was free. She also knew that they couldn't keep exchanging kisses on benches for entire months, but she appreciated how Khan didn't put any pressure on her, and that feeling eventually gave birth to a faint ardor.
Something unusual happened near the end of Khan's fifth week as a professor. On the first break day, Khan received a message from Headmaster Pitcus in which he requested a meeting in the afternoon.
The message didn't explain any detail, and Khan couldn't find anything blameworthy when he reviewed the past weeks. He had done nothing but training, holding classes, and visiting Reebfell in the past weeks.
Cora was the only part of his life that could create problems for his role due to their different status. Still, everyone was closing an eye since they were both survivors of Istrone's rebellion. They never announced their relationship, but gossips had started to spread since he first accompanied her back to her dormitory. Then the camp learnt about them when a soldier happened to see them kissing on a bench at night.
'I hope it's not about the training hall,' Khan thought as he walked toward one of the central buildings to attend the meeting with Headmaster Pitcus. 'It wouldn't make sense after so long.'
Khan instinctively caressed the sheath on his left as he thought about the training halls. He didn't visit those structures at all in that period, but he missed fighting. Yet, the idea of facing puppets didn't interest him, and he didn't find the need to lose himself in his sensations.
As for the sheath, it was a brand-new belt-like item that the "Divine Architects" had added when they delivered the new knife. Curtis had done an excellent job with the weapon. It had arrived slightly later than planned, and its handle had a skull-like shape, but Khan found it extremely comfortable with both his hands.
The amount of mana that the knife contained also surpassed Khan's previous weapons by a lot. Curtis had shown which advantages a custom-made blade could provide, and Khan had been more than satisfied when he first inspected it.
The knife was slightly thick but also sharp. Khan didn't know how Curtis had fused sturdiness and deadliness in such a short shape, but the secrets behind a second-grade weapon were too deep for his knowledge and senses.
The knife wasn't the only new arrival. Khan also received his first payment, which he had to withdraw from a console. One thousand and five hundred Credits weren't much, but it felt a bit good to earn money and give them a proper value now that he could compare them to the time spent in the lessons.
"It's Lieutenant Khan," Khan exclaimed when he pressed on the door of the Headmaster's office. "Did you want to see me, sir?"
The metal door slid open without giving any answer. Khan could see Headmaster Pitcus sitting behind his interactive desk and two soldiers on the couch before it. Their presence didn't surprise Khan since he had sensed them from outside the room, but their slightly different military uniform attracted his attention.
Both soldiers were slightly overweight middle-aged men. They appeared out of shape, but the three stars on their shoulders prevented Khan from underestimating them. Also, he noticed a few pins on their chests that reminded him of symbols read in some of his books.
'They are medals,' Khan thought without recalling the specific meaning behind those pins.
"Professor Khan!" Headmaster Pitcus exclaimed in a lively tone. "Please, sit. These gentlemen want to have a chat with you."
Khan nodded and performed a military salute before approaching an armchair in front of the desk and turning it toward the two soldiers. The latter smiled, but they spoke only when their silence became awkward.
"Lieutenant Khan, I'll go straight to the point," One of the soldiers said. "We have kept track of your performance in the flight simulation in Reebfell's amusement park. Needless to say, we believe that your talents are wasted in your current job. We would like to offer you the chance to become a pilot."
Everything became clear after those words, and Khan even connected the pins to the specific images seen in his books. Only pilots could get medals with those symbols.
The event felt slightly surprising. Khan and Cora had gone to the amusement park a few more times, and he had obviously given a try to the flight simulation without time limitations. However, he had eventually grown bored of that exercise since it was too repetitive and detached from reality.
'I've only left my name two more times on the scoreboard,' Khan thought. 'Is that enough to become a pilot?'
"Finding you wasn't easy," The second man laughed. "We knew you were in the training camp due to the uniform, but that nickname forced us to go through the entrance logs of the park. Luckily for us, your fame came to our aid."
"We are sorry for not contacting you sooner," The first man continued. "I'm afraid we are too old to understand these young trends."
"Young trends?" Khan questioned.
"Well, the nickname," The first man said. "The scoreboard used to feature real names in the past, not made-up ones."
"It's not made-up," Khan corrected. "It's the name of my Aduns."
The two recruiters had done their homework before visiting the training camp, and they had even heard about Khan before the simulation pointed in his direction. They didn't need explanations about the Aduns.
"We are sorry," The second man promptly intervened. "We didn't mean to insult you."
"Don't worry, sir," Khan reassured while wearing a fake smile. "I would like to hear more about this offer. I don't know much about pilots either, so an explanation would help."
"Of course," The first man announced when he saw the chance to redeem himself. "A pilot can take care of many jobs. They can go from the simple transport of goods that can't go through the teleports or the actual control of large battleships in the depths of space."
"The possibilities are endless," The second man continued. "The Global Army will need pilots as long as the universe exists. Many places and settlements lack teleports, and, most importantly, the human expansion requires talented young soldiers like you."
"Like me how?" Khan asked while choosing to appear hesitant.
"Brave in front of the danger," The first man responded. "Exploring the depths of the universe isn't only dangerous. It's a job that requires the steadiest minds since it can involve entire years of flight among pure darkness. It's a chilling experience that only the best members of our species can overcome."
The two recruiters appeared happy to speak about pilots. They seemed to miss those experiences, and Khan didn't miss the small changes in their expressions.
Truth be told, the two recruiters didn't give Khan a good impression. The matter about Snow's name had nothing to do with it. They appeared tired, old, and awkward, which didn't suit their role.
Still, everything became clear after seeing that excitement. The two soldiers weren't real recruiters. They were just pilots who had become too old to be part of the dangerous missions in space.
"So, it's only about riding spaceships?" Khan asked, trying his best not to sound offensive.
"Well, mostly," The second man admitted. "However, you often end up on alien planets whenever you drive special convoys or unique goods. You won't lack adventure if you play your cards right."
Khan couldn't help but feel interested in the job. He didn't actually like the idea of spending years alone in space or moving goods from one planet to another, but the freedom behind that position was appealing.
Also, as much as Khan didn't like it, exploring the depths of space might be the key behind finding the Nak or uncovering the location of the solar system in his nightmares. He needed freedom and to know how to handle a spaceship for that project, and training as a pilot could do the trick.
Still, there was a high chance that the Global Army itself knew a lot about the Nak, and Khan needed to climb the military ranks to uncover those truths. Some alien species might even hold greater knowledge about them, but only an ambassador could dive so deep into their culture to learn their secrets.
"What would the offer involve?" Khan asked after letting his mind absorb the recent exchange of lines. "Becoming a pilot sounds appealing, but it might not fit my goals."
"Initially, we would have you moved to a different structure," The first recruiter announced. "You wouldn't immediately get to a space station, but I'm sure that you will end there in a year of training."
"Training?" Khan questioned.
"Becoming a pilot is no easy feat," The second recruiter explained. "The terrestrial vehicles alone require long studies. The subject is only deeper when it comes to proper spaceships, and I won't even talk about the space stations."
"That sounds like a lot of busywork," Khan admitted.
"It is," The first recruiter responded. "The Global Army sends only the best of the best up there. I'm afraid you will have to let something go if you want to succeed."
"What did you let go of?" Khan asked. "If you don't mind me probing into your lives."
"No problem at all," The second recruiter exclaimed. "The Global Army provided the synthetic mana to keep the level up to standards, but many pilots end up with subpar battle prowess. It's only natural when everything they do is about spaceships and flight in general."
That was a problem that Khan didn't expect. He knew that every unique field in the Global Army required deep dedication, but he was already doing the same with his techniques. He thought he could stuff something else inside his schedule as long as he worked hard enough.
However, the situation was far different. Khan even believed that the recruiters were making it sound easy to tempt him into joining the offer.
"I can't give you an answer right away," Khan honestly stated.
"We didn't expect that," The first recruiter declared. "These decisions will affect your future deeply, so take all the time you need to think about the offer."
"We shall take our leave now," The second recruiter announced as both soldiers stood up. "Headmaster Pitcus, it has been a pleasure. Lieutenant Khan, we hope to hear from you soon. Until then, may your stay on Reebfell be as fruitful as possible."
Khan stood up and performed a military salute that he didn't break even after the two soldiers left the hall. Many thoughts ran through his mind, but his first instinct felt quite clear. He believed that accepting the offer would close paths instead of opening them.
"Is something on your mind?" Headmaster Pitcus asked as a warm smile appeared on his face.
"I'm sorry, sir," Khan said as he sat back on the armchair. "It wasn't my intention to get lost like this."
"Don't worry about it," Headmaster Pitcus chuckled and adjusted his glasses. "Rather, do you want to talk about what happened? I might not seem like it, but I am a good listener."
'You definitely look like a good listener,' Khan commented in his mind while sorting out his thoughts.
"How valuable is the position as a pilot?" Khan eventually asked.
"Define valuable," Headmaster Pitcus replied.
"How important is it politically?" Khan asked.
"I didn't take you for someone interested in ranks," Headmaster Pitcus laughed.
"I need to be interested in them," Khan explained. "That's how the Global Army works."
The honest answer surprised Headmaster Pitcus. He felt a bit sad to see that Khan had already started to view the political ladder cynically, but that approach was fitting when he considered his history.
"Pilots have an easy path toward the higher ranks," Headmaster Pitcus revealed. "Almost all of them get high positions in the Global Army after serving for a few years. You might become a colonel directly if you spend a decade traveling through the right routes."
"But won't that make me weaker as a soldier?" Khan wondered.
"Is it necessary to be strong?" Headmaster Pitcus asked. "You won't join battlefields as a pilot, not directly at least. You might have to give air support in wartime, but your individual power won't matter much in those situations."
Khan didn't follow up with another question. Headmaster Pitcus was right, but Khan couldn't accept to be weak, especially since his main goal was to find a species that had unleashed destruction on many known alien species.
"Everything depends on what you want," Headmaster Pitcus continued when he saw that Khan remained silent.. "Do you want to fight? Do you want to fly? Do you want to interact with different species? You can do a lot but not everything."
To be continued