C332 - Dinner
Martha's expression went through multiple changes as Khan's stories piled on. She initially wore an honest smile seeing the love that Khan radiated whenever he spoke about Liiza, Snow, and the Niqols who had grown close to him. Yet, everything vanished when his tale reached grim parts.
Nitis had been a hellish experience in many ways, but Khan didn't want to lie to Martha. Even holding back some details would make him feel bad. She wasn't George, but she remained a close friend that deserved his honesty.
Of course, Khan didn't reveal everything. He lacked time to do that, while other memories were too private to share with someone who had almost become his girlfriend. Yet, he didn't omit the gory details, and Martha didn't know how to take them.
The village near the lake, the arrival of the sunlight, the long escape, and the final battle against the rebels depicted a bloodied picture of Khan's time on Nitis. Martha couldn't believe that he had gone through all that and still loved that planet dearly.
Khan wasn't expressing his emotions on purpose, but he couldn't keep them back whenever Nitis was involved. Moreover, Martha could see right through him, and she even understood how he had managed to remain sane during those months.
The answer was simple but significant. Khan had someone on Nitis who could make him willing to survive hell. Martha had seen love, and she even believed to have come close to experiencing it, but Khan was showing emotions that went far beyond the limits of her experience.
Martha could voice many snarky comments, jokes, or even mock Khan due to how fondly he spoke about Liiza while in a relationship with another woman. However, she couldn't find the strength to open her mouth.
Martha fell in a daze whenever Khan talked about his happy time with Liiza. The intimate moments experienced on the snowy mountain, the cave at the marsh's edges, and the hidden castle were the most joyful part of his life. Something even told him that nothing could dethrone them from that spot.
The intensity of the affection that Khan leaked out put Martha in a pensive mood. She had always liked Man-Khan, but those new faces brought that feeling to a new level. She even felt a bit annoyed that she wasn't the target of that love.
That annoyance never lasted for too long since Khan always had new gory details to add to his stories. Martha could forget how attracted she felt toward him and go back to the disbelief generated by the hellish events.
"That was a lot to take," Martha announced when Khan interrupted his tale due to the late hour. "It sure put my situation into perspective. I'm not too unlucky in the end."
"And that was only one planet," Khan laughed.
"Were the others as bad as Nitis?" Martha asked.
"Ecoruta definitely wasn't good," Khan stated, "But Onia was nice. As for Istrone, you probably know enough to get an idea."
"I do indeed," Martha sighed. "Though I feel a bit better. Even with all my misfortunes, I'm still alive. I only need to get in charge of my mana."
"Look at you, rejoicing at others' tragedies," Khan mocked.
"I'm happy that you can joke about it," Martha declared as she laid her head on Khan's shoulder.
Khan smiled at the sight of Martha's relaxed expression. She probably could be so calm only because he was there, but that was a good starting point toward accepting her trauma.
"I guess I've grown," Khan sighed.
"You sure did," Martha commented.
The two remained in that position for a few minutes, enjoying the training hall's silence and the overall privacy. The matters with Luke and other issues would return once they went out, but the dark walls were keeping them safe for now.
Khan and Martha couldn't stay like this forever, and they eventually stood up to leave the training hall. They didn't say much along the way. Their main conversation was a short banter over Khan's desire to accompany Martha to her habitation, and she lost that discussion.
The habitation that Luke had rented for Martha wasn't fancy, but it remained a flat that she could claim as her own. The event didn't please her too much due to her existing debt, but she quickly confirmed that the refund from Istrone's crisis would cover those expenses.
Martha's flat wasn't close to Khan's habitation, but it wasn't far either. He could go back home, shower, and change quickly, especially since Cora was somewhere with Amber at that time.
Then, when Khan was about to leave his flat to reach the train area, Luke sent another message. The text changed his plans since Luke stated that they would go to dinner through his spaceship.
The train was far from uncomfortable, but Khan found no reason to refuse Luke's offer. Cora and Amber even sent Khan messages to express their excitement about the matter, so he moved toward the landing area after leaving his flat.
Khan realized that he had gravely underestimated the dinner when he reached the landing area and found his friends. Luke, Bruce, Cora, Amber, and Martha had donned elegant but comfortable clothes that reeked of Credits, and the mood was even overly polite.
Meanwhile, Khan was wearing his usual military uniform since he didn't have other options when it came to clothes. He had also approached the dinner quite calmly only to find a tense atmosphere waiting for him.
"Did you even change since this morning?" Bruce commented as a short laugh left his mouth while Khan approached the group.
"Khan doesn't buy clothes," Amber declared. "Cora and I mentioned the issue a few times, but he always runs away when we are close to planning a shopping trip."
"I don't run away," Khan sneered. "My schedule is simply packed."
"Cora will deny that," Amber contradicted Khan while wrapping her arms around Cora's shoulders.
"Amber," Cora called in a scolding tone.
"Be on my side this time around," Amber pleaded while nearing Cora's ear to whisper words that everyone in the area heard. "Don't you want to see him all dressed up for once?"
Cora wanted to reject those words, but her eyebrows arched when she thought about that image. By the time Khan reached her, most of her had already sided with Amber.
"You two are spending far too much time together," Khan shook his head.
"You can't keep her in your flat forever," Amber teased before realizing that her comment wasn't proper in that situation.
Luke, Bruce, and Martha were basically strangers to Amber. She knew that they were Khan's friends, but she didn't want to give a wrong impression right away.
Bruce and Luke wore awkward smiles as they exchanged a meaningful glance, while Martha appeared interested in Amber. She didn't enjoy her comment, but she liked her earnest character.
Khan used that chance to get a good look at his friends. Bruce was wearing a neat black pullover under an elegant blue jacket, while Luke had a white shirt under a dark-blue waistcoat.
As for the women, Amber had a brown jacket and a darker shirt that slightly exposed her cleavage. Martha was wearing black trousers and a tight, elegant sweater, while Cora had a nice, squared, grey dress that ended in a skirt. She had a belt-like item around her waist that highlighted her perfect body, and she was also using black tights to cover her legs.
Khan's gaze fell on those tights almost immediately. He had to admit that Cora was a few leagues above Amber and Martha in terms of beauty, especially in that outfit. The dinner almost became an annoying hindrance in his mind since it prevented him from remaining alone with Cora right away.
"I told you that he would have liked it," Amber whispered in Cora's ear again.
"How do I look?" Cora asked in her sweet tone while grabbing the edges of her skirt and bending her legs slightly to perform an elegant bow.
"You are beautiful," Khan honestly admitted as he grabbed Cora's waist and pulled her closer.
Amber let Cora go, and the couple exchanged a quick kiss before taking each other's hands. The previously overly polite atmosphere had disappeared by then, but a silent awkwardness had replaced it.
Luckily for the group, Luke's ability to handle social matters went far beyond his age. He cleared his throat and clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention before voicing a question. "Shall we get on the ship? The place won't cancel my reservation, but I like to be on time."
No one disagreed with Luke, and the group quickly moved toward the platform with his ship. The vehicle's entrance was already open, and the pilot had was also waiting for everyone to arrive.
"Khan told me that he will take care of your rehabilitation," Amber announced while approaching Martha's side as the group entered the spaceship.
"You did?" Martha asked while glancing at Khan, and the latter nodded. He had roughly summarized the situation during his texts to Cora and Amber.
"I hope I'm not causing any problem," Martha exclaimed while glancing at Cora.
"Not at all," Cora warmly replied. "You are important to Khan. It wouldn't be right to stop him. Also, I like seeing his altruistic side."
Cora and Khan couldn't help but exchange a glance. He even caressed her cheek with his free hand. Everyone on the scene could see that the two shared actual feelings, but Martha noticed how Khan's expressions didn't reach the intensity from their talk in the training hall.
"These two," Amber sighed before turning toward Martha. "Khan has a sharp tongue, but he is quite good as a professor. I'm sure he will know how to help you."
"I'm already feeling better after today's training session," Martha revealed while watching her hands. "Besides, I've had a taste of his sharp tongue. I know how to handle it."
"Ooh" Amber exclaimed as she got closer to Martha. "We'll have a lot to talk about then. I'm starting to lose my ground against him lately."
"I can share my tricks and come up with new ones together," Martha smiled.
"Deal!" Amber immediately accepted.
"Don't join forces against him already," Cora complained, even if she had to cover her mouth to suppress faint giggles.
"Hey, your help is necessary," Amber declared. "You are our main weapon against him."
"Amber!" Cora called, but Khan left her hand and caressed her cheek again before whispering to her ear. "Just go and have fun."
Cora smiled and kissed Khan's cheek before sitting next to the two women. The spaceship's insides weren't ample, so their voices were pretty clear, but Khan ignored them as he turned to face Bruce and Luke.
The two men appeared speechless at how easily Khan handled women. They knew that he had become famous, but they didn't expect him to be so smooth.
"Do you mind showing me around?" Khan asked before Luke could sit.
"Of course," Luke exclaimed. "Bruce, make sure to keep our guests entertained."
"I wouldn't dare to do otherwise," Bruce stated as he sat on a seat behind him.
"Please, come," Luke invited as he stepped toward the ship's front. "This spaceship is rather small, but it's perfect for traveling among cities."
"This is an E-2, right?" Khan asked as he followed Luke and inspected the vehicle.
"You know your stuff about ships!" Luke declared in surprise while turning to face Khan. "Are you interested in purchasing one? My family has good connections with multiple sellers. I'm sure I can help with the purchase."
"I'm only studying spaceships for now," Khan honestly revealed. "I've cut a deal with a few recruiters to be partially inside the pilot training."
"Only you could make those arrogant soldiers bow their heads," Luke laughed.
"The recruiters have been polite during the meeting," Khan explained.
"Because they wanted you to join their program," Luke laughed again. "Pilots generally have a bad reputation. Many abuse their privileged position inside the Global Army, but everyone gives them a free pass since their job is very dangerous."
"So I've heard," Khan responded.
"Anyway, I can show you the pilot's cabin," Luke continued. "It's a bit small in this model, but you might appreciate taking a look at the real deal."
Khan limited himself to nod as Luke turned to approach the cabin. A metal door blocked the path, but Luke opened it by pressing his hand on its dark surface.
Two comfortable seats, a series of screens, many buttons, and two handles unfolded in Khan's view when the door slid open. He also saw the pilot on one of the chairs, but he couldn't identify his facial features due to his large helmet.
"Don't worry about us," Luke announced before the pilot could say anything about that invasion. "We are only looking around."
The pilot didn't dare to oppose Luke's orders and continued to focus on the commands. The soldier pressed a few labels and buttons, and the ship set off slowly enough not to cause any reaction in its insides.
Khan paid special attention to the commands used by the pilot. He knew the function for some of them, but that wasn't enough to make him understand everything. He could probably succeed in turning one of those vehicles on, but flying them was a whole different story.
"You can get closer," Luke reassured. "He won't go too fast since the city is close. There are even restrictions in place there, so the flight should be pretty smooth."
Khan took that offer almost immediately and inspected the cabin without touching anything. He even made sure not to walk in front of the pilot, and his knowledge slowly expanded as he gained some familiarity with that equipment.
Khan didn't remain in the cabin for too long, and he soon found himself sitting next to Bruce and Luke. The three women were sharing gossip in front of them, but they only smiled when some comments reached their ears.
The spaceship didn't take long to reach its destination, and Khan even got the chance to see it flying among Reebfell's tall structures before ending on a landing spot growing from the middle of a building.
Everything that came after was mostly filled with Luke's voice. The man went through many explanations while the group moved toward the dark window that separated the platform from the building's insides.
The explanations merely involved the place's history and fame, but its layout immediately told everyone that they were inside a fancy environment. The dark window slid open and revealed a series of descending staircases, tables, private rooms, and dining areas on the lower floors.
Everything was beyond elegant. The staircases had soft carpets on their steps and decorations on their railings. Soft yellow light shone from different spots and filled the area with a cozy atmosphere. Each chair had thick padding, and the table's legs carried intricate carvings or specific images.
A waiter reached Khan's group as soon as the dark window closed, and Luke took care of that. It only took them a few seconds to enter one of the private rooms isolated from the rest of the structure through a sliding, interactive brown door.
The insides of the room were even better than the restaurant as a whole. Proper armchairs enveloped a table that had multiple options. The group could even cook there if they wished to.
The dinner began after everyone sat, and Khan quickly became the main topic of the conversation. His fame had yet to come into play by that point, but Luke and Bruce had lived a relatively plain life. It was only normal for them to become interested in Khan's stories.
The focus on Khan ended once the food arrived. He had ordered an expensive steak because Luke had already handled the bill, and its taste was simply superb.
"I don't think I've ever eaten something so good," Khan announced once he was done with his steak.
"You still eat quickly," Luke laughed while taking sips from his soup through his spoon.
"I'm surprised he doesn't order another one," Martha commented.
"Did he eat a lot in Ylaco too?" Amber curiously asked.
"He put the supply of spicy chicken at risk," Martha joked, and Cora and Amber inevitably laughed since they had seen something similar happening in Reebfell.
"We have so much to talk about," Amber said in a resolute tone as she took Martha's hands.
"Don't leave me out," Cora giggled.
"Okay, let's hit the bathrooms," Amber suggested. "We can take some time away from prying ears while we wait for the dessert."
"That sounds like a plan," Martha quickly agreed.
"I'll see you later," Cora whispered as she stood up and followed the two women outside the room.
Khan took a sip from his drink as he watched the door closing on its own. It was only men at the table now, but the situations strangely grew tenser, and Khan was to blame for that.
"Is everything okay?" Bruce asked since he sensed that something was off.
"I'm only overwhelmed with thoughts," Khan explained as his cold mood affected his mana and intensified the tense atmosphere. "I know both of you are rich, but that treatment was too much for someone outside your family."
"Martha is a friend," Luke announced while showing one of his best smiles.
"She sure is," Khan added, "Yet, I believe you had more than that simple reason in mind."
Khan took another sip and decided to look at the two men. Both of them had dropped their smiles by then, but they still hesitated to speak.
Still, Luke eventually revealed the nature of his trip. "It wasn't random, but it wasn't completely selfish either. I know you probably won't believe me, but I really did want to see her get better."
"What's the offer?" Khan asked.
"Well," Bruce exclaimed before Luke took control of the conversation. "My family has businesses almost everywhere, even in the lawless zone.. That's where I need to go to fix some matters, and I need the best team available."
To be continued