C339 - Alien-lover
Khan was obviously the first to recover from the teleport's effects. He had barely felt anything due to the new power that ran through his body, and the scenery didn't surprise him.
Milia 222 was hard to reach, and its peculiar environment prevented the presence of teleports. The shortest path toward that location always involved a space station, so Khan knew he would be in front of grey surfaces illuminated by white light after leaving Reebfell.
Still, Khan didn't expect the teleport area to be so crowded, especially in a space station. Except for the usual scientists in white medical coats, he noticed a small group of young soldiers led by an old, slightly familiar face.
"Welcome to Neo Station!" The elderly man exclaimed when he noticed that Luke's gaze had regained its focus.
Martha let go of Khan's hand as soon as she noticed that they weren't alone. Instead, Khan performed a quick inspection of the group before focusing on the elderly man.
"Ivor, am I right, sir?" Khan asked while jumping off the oval platform.
"Oh, I didn't expect you to remember me," Master Ivor exclaimed while stretching his arm forward. "I'm sorry that the last time I was too worried about Luke to express my gratitude properly. Thank you for everything you have done on Istrone and for the Global Army in general, Lieutenant Khan."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Khan shook Master Ivor's hand while showing one of his politest smiles. "I should be the one thanking you for training Luke so well. He has been a crucial ally on Istrone."
"You are too kind," Master Ivor replied. "I've only done my job as one of the Cobsend family's Masters. I'm unworthy of the praises of the most talented soldier in the Global Army."
Khan limited himself to smile as he let go of Master Ivor's hand. His gesture stated that he didn't deny that title, and no one could blame him. The two stars on both his shoulders were more than enough to prove that point.
Khan had met Master Ivor after teleporting back on Ylaco. Their interaction had been short, but he could see that the elderly man didn't age at all in those years. Even his grey goatee had remained the same.
Nevertheless, Khan wasn't a simple recruit anymore. Master Ivor wasn't wearing any military uniform, but Khan could understand his level easily. The soldier carried enough mana to be a third-level warrior.
'Luckily, I'm not the strongest,' Khan heaved a sigh of relief in his mind as his attention went on the other soldiers.
Master Ivor's group featured six young soldiers that Khan didn't recognize. Four were first-level warriors, while the other two were as strong as Khan. They were also wearing casual clothes, but their power couldn't escape Khan's senses.
Moreover, Khan noticed how a faint noble aura surrounded all of them. He had seen something similar with Bruce, so he could guess that those young soldiers were quite wealthy. It was also safe to assume that they had tight connections to the Cobsend family since they were part of the mission.
'So, this is Neo Station,' Khan commented in his mind as his gaze tried to find peculiarities in the circular room.
Neo Station was rather famous among the space stations since it was an important node in the vast array of commercial and travel routes. Its domain involved many private destinations or locations that lacked teleports. It even acted as a resting area for many travelers or pilots.
Neo Station's peculiarities didn't end there. The space station wasn't as militarized as the others but focused on offering various entertaining activities.
Khan knew that he would teleport there, so he had studied Neo Station a bit. The structure featured casinos, restaurants, and much more, with some activities meant only for really wealthy travelers.
A space station with so many riches would generally fall in the target of thieves or other criminal factions belonging to different species. However, its peculiar location in the universe allowed it to have its hands in many illegal businesses that protected it from most dangers.
Khan would have never learnt so much without Luke's help. A sharp eye would have understood that Neo Station was the home of a few illegal activities, even from regular reports. Still, Khan had needed Luke's connections to purchase comprehensive tomes that explained those matters.
Khan obviously didn't understand everything. Actually, many details were impossible to learn from outside the space station. Still, what he had found gave him a broad idea of the environment, which was more than enough.
Luke, Bruce, and Martha jumped down the platform and exchanged polite greetings before a soldier escorted the whole group outside the circular room. Master Ivor took over at that point and led everyone across a few narrow corridors until a vast hangar unfolded in everyone's vision.
'The true face of Neo Station should be a few floors above us,' Khan guessed since he didn't see anything peculiar on his way.
Khan disregarded the matter and focused on the spaceship after entering the vast hangar. He could immediately find differences from the other space stations there. Only a few vehicles had military purposes, while the others were private rides focused on luxury rather than firepower.
That alone gave Khan an idea of the type of people that filled Neo Station. Many of them had to be important members of wealthy families. He also noticed a few ships that didn't belong to human technology, which hinted at the presence of aliens.
'I've really left Earth, haven't I?' Khan sighed in his mind as he let the different environment overwhelm his senses.
The air was stale and reeked of metal and synthetic mana. The floor carried the unmistakable scent of cleaning products and similar items. The engines of the various vehicles assaulted Khan with their different mana signature, and everyone in the hangar appeared in a hurry.
The scene was cold, almost robotic, but it reminded Khan of the severe and stiff environment of the army. He was far away from the warmth and comfort of the training camp. He was back in the chaotic and unpredictable universe.
'I really can't give up on this,' Khan said to himself. 'This faint tension is addicting.'
Even a peaceful and protected space station rekindled the instincts that Khan had developed through his many tragic experiences. The life in the camp had never dulled those habits, but they exploded with new power now that he had entered an unknown environment.
The results of his training naturally fused with his habits and gave birth to a new level of alertness. Khan could finally express the entirety of himself, and he couldn't describe how much he had missed that feeling.
'I'm sorry, Cora,' Khan thought as he closed his eyes to bathe in his sensations. 'This is what I am.'
"Khan?" Luke called from the head of the group, and Khan opened his eyes to find everyone looking at him.
"Sorry," Khan exclaimed. "I was trying to list all the spaceships that I recognized."
"Don't worry!" Luke reassured. "That's why I called you in the first place. I'm sure you will like the vehicle rented for the trip."
The group accelerated a bit until Luke pointed at a huge ship in the distance. The vehicle was way too big for such a small group, and the amount of synthetic mana stored inside it left Khan speechless.
The spaceship had a cylindrical shape that featured two huge circular engines placed at its sides. Its tip was round and featured metal protections that could slide away to reveal reinforced windows. Dark, mirror-like panels also covered the entirety of the structure and gave it a strange appearance.
'Isn't this too flashy for our mission?' Khan wondered.
"You probably won't recognize it," Luke explained. "Only a few space stations have this model. Buying it is also pointless due to the amount of fuel it consumes. Even my family doesn't have one of these."
"Isn't this too much for a simple trip?" Khan expressed his doubts.
"I wanted to go for a cheaper model," Luke revealed, "But my father intervened. He even scolded me for bothering about money when the descendants of important allies are involved."
"Luke, be sure to express my gratitude to your father," One of the women in the group announced. "This ship is majestic."
'They aren't members of the Cobsend family then,' Khan concluded.
Khan still felt worried about eventual pirates or rogue companies during the trip, but the fact that the ship belonged to Neo Station reassured him. If the reports were correct, everything would be fine.
"You are free to settle inside," Luke stated. "The pilots will take a few hours to arrive, so you can pick different cabins and get used to the ship in the meantime."
The group followed Luke's suggestion and approached the vehicle. A large door rose and created an entrance on its side, and everyone could immediately get an idea of the luxury that expected them.
Khan's expression remained firm even if his mind failed to assess the level of wealth required to create something like that. A metal staircase stretched from the entrance and welcomed the group inside a brownish environment with comfortable seats and soft surfaces.
Leather and other precious materials filled Khan's sight. The entrance led to a vast corridor that allowed the passage of three grown men. A series of seats and a few tables magnetically connected to the floor occupied some slightly larger areas, and Khan even noticed an interactive canteen in the distance.
That was only one of the spaceship's areas. Luke guided the group throughout the vehicle and described its various environments. The cabins were small and had limited water, but the recreative spaces were comfortable and vast.
Those who had created the spaceship were masters in managing the limited space those vehicles inevitably featured. They had compressed multiple flats into something far smaller without making it appear cramped. Khan was honestly in awe of that level of perfection.
"It's a pity that this model has beds inside the walls," Luke uttered when the tour was almost over. "I guess the engineers believed that the travelers wouldn't spend long on them."
"Luke, please," Bruce called. "This ship is incredible. We might not meet each other in entire days due to how big it is."
"Well, privacy is a big issue when it comes to interplanetary travels," Luke stated. "This ship should solve it."
'It destroys the issue,' Khan corrected in his mind as his eyes continued to wander among the various features of the vehicle.
"Right, Khan," Luke eventually voiced, "The ship is built with materials resistant to the chaos element, so you can train freely. Though I'd avoid launching spells inside the training room."
"Does it have a training room too?" Khan asked without hiding his surprise.
"Yes, it's on the back of the ship," Luke revealed. "It's small, but its number of programs exceeds those found in normal training halls. Still, I'm afraid that some of them have nothing to do with the martial arts."
Bruce and the others revealed knowing smirks, and Khan took a while to understand what Luke meant. The training halls could generate holograms, so some programs involved porn and similar activities.
Khan found it funny that Martha was the only one to remain lost, and he didn't miss that chance to approach her ear to whisper the explanation. "Sex stuff."
Martha's eyes lit up in understanding, but she pouted when she noticed Khan's satisfied expression. "You sure are having fun."
"Just a bit," Khan replied. "It reminds me of the old days, even if we have switched roles."
"Enjoy it while you can," Martha scoffed before rolling her eyes and speaking in a serious tone. "Are you okay?"
"I will be," Khan dismissively replied before resuming the tour.
The group chose random rooms when the tour was over. Some directly went to sleep, but Khan decided to explore the spaceship a bit more after dropping his bag. As for Martha, she was already inside the training room.
"Khan!" Luke called while Khan roamed through the spaceship.
"You have outdone yourself," Khan commented as he waited for Luke to reach him.
"I didn't do anything," Luke dismissed the compliment. "This is all my father's work. However, this is mine."
Luke took a small casket from the insides of his military uniform and handed it to Khan. The latter inspected it without opening, and a question inevitably left his mouth. "What is it?"
"Open it," Luke chuckled.
Khan opened the casket and found a small white disk inside it. The item resembled the training programs that Khan had obtained during his life, but he couldn't understand the purpose of what stood in his hands.
"Go in your room and test it," Luke suggested. "I'm sure you will like it."
"Sure," Khan nodded and left for his room.
The habitation didn't have much, and it was pretty cramped, so Khan crouched to enter the bed inside the wall before tinkering with his phone.
The device absorbed the disk, and a new label immediately appeared in the menu with the magic items. Khan's eyes widened in surprise when he read the new program, and his fingers pressed it before he could even go over the matter.
"Flight simulator initiated," A female mechanical voice came out of the phone. "Please, pick a vehicle to start the simulation."
'How did he pull this off?!' Khan shouted in his mind as he rolled out of bed to sit on the floor. 'This is military-grade equipment available only in special structures meant for pilots!'
Khan had only worked on the theory after his deal with the recruiters. He was progressing steadily, but he had never gotten his hands to a proper simulator, let alone one with so many options.
Khan picked one of the names that he recognized from the holograms that had come out of his phone. Those images quickly transformed into a vast console that featured multiple keys, levers, and a few screens.
'This is like a real pilot's seat!' Khan exclaimed.
Khan didn't hesitate to test the console, but the holograms turned red when he touched the main handle. New images also came out of his phone and took the shape of instructions.
'Remove the security brake first,' Khan read on the holograms and understood his mistake.
That experience was completely different from reading books. Khan could put to use everything he had learnt and build on that foundation with a program that followed his every step. Needless to say, he lost track of time as he tested the various features of the simulator.
"Attention to all passengers," A male voice eventually resounded inside Khan's room and forced him to interrupt the simulation. "We are about to leave Neo Station. Reach the main rooms or activate your monitors if you want to witness the departure."
Khan didn't hesitate to tinker with the menus in the room and activate the monitors. The vast hangar appeared on the screen, but the spaceship eventually set off and left toward the blackness of space.
When the ship left the hangar, the cameras changed their target and moved to the space station. Neo Station soon became visible in its entirety, and Khan finally noticed its peculiar features.
Neo Station was massive, and its upper part featured a large ring that rotated around its main structure. Ads shone on that spinning machine, and Khan could even see people walking behind them through the zoom of the monitor.
'So much wealth,' Khan couldn't help but think as Neo Station shrunk until it transformed into a mere bright dot in the blackness of the universe.
.
Milia 222 was at only nine days of flight from Neo Station, and the group spent that time enjoying the absurd luxury that the spaceship offered. Even Khan indulged in the good food and booze of the interactive canteen, but his main focus remained on his new simulator.
Chances to interact with the other group members happened, and Khan didn't miss them. He introduced himself to everyone, but those interactions never went past a few polite words.
No one wanted to socialize during the short travel, and everyone seemed busy handling different matters. The width of the spaceship also offered a lot of privacy, so the atmosphere remained quite silent.
Only a few meaningful meetings happened. Luke called them to give overviews of Milia 222 and explain part of the mission. The second asteroid was their destination, but they would still have to land on the first and proceed from there.
Khan tried his best to gain an impression of his companions, but only three of them showed something more than politeness.
Master Ivor appeared a generally kind person with a lot of experience and an excellent social sense. He often left his companions alone to let them enjoy their youthful conversations, and he showed nothing but respect toward Khan.
Amanda Eerly was the woman who had expressed her gratitude toward Luke's father. She was one of the four first-level warriors, and she came from Bruce's family, but she didn't share any blood with him.
Her physical features also suggested a lack of kinship. Amanda had long brown hair and green eyes, but she shared Bruce's noble aura. Also, she had an evident romantic interest in Luke.
Monica Solodrey was one of the second-level warriors, and she had been the first to introduce herself to Khan. Her skin was dark, and her long black hair created large, elegant curls. Her eyes were icy-blue, and her refined manners reminded Khan about Lieutenant Abaze.
Monica and Khan didn't say much to each other during the flight. She was always busy reading the news or checking her phone, but she was the only one who lifted her eyes and showed gentle smiles whenever Khan arrived.
Khan didn't know if Monica was hitting on him or if her behavior hid a political agenda. Yet, he didn't ponder too much on the matter since he kept himself busy with Martha's training and his own exercises.
Khan also wasn't in the mood to flirt with girls right now. The break-up with Cora was still vivid in his mind, and the cold nights spent alone in his bed reminded him of what he had decided to abandon.
Of course, Khan could raise the temperature in his room, but he kept it low. That cold was perfect for his mood and mind. It reminded him why the break-up happened in the first place, and it added fuel to the excitement toward the mission.
"Attention to all passengers," The pilot's voice eventually resounded again through the spaceship. "We are approaching Milia 222. You can witness the landing through your screens."
Khan was with Martha in one of the areas with the interactive canteens. He was inspecting her progress with the Niqols' methods, but they interrupted the training and activated the screens to watch the scene.
Milia 222 resembled a small chain of stars in the distance, but it showed its true face as the spaceship got close. The seven asteroids eventually became clear, and the same went for their layout.
'It's prettier than the books make it out to be,' Khan thought once he became able to see the various bright domes.
The surface of the asteroids was barren, but life thrived inside domes that spread inside those vast rocks. Cities expanded vertically there, but Khan couldn't see much from outside.
The situation didn't improve after the spaceship approached the first asteroid. One of the domes on its surface opened to reveal a giant hangar full of vehicles and people belonging to different species.
Khan's excitement rose when he saw that crowded environment. He left Martha and went to his room to take his bag before moving to the area connected to the entrance.
The group quickly gathered around Khan. Luke and Master Ivor placed themselves in front of the entrance, and they didn't hesitate to descend from the metal staircase once it opened.
Air that carried the strong scent of synthetic mana immediately entered Khan's nostrils. He was ready for that, but he didn't expect such intensity. Even the space stations didn't reach those levels.
Apart from that, the environment reflected what Khan had read in the reports. His eyes soon lost themselves on the various alien faces and interesting details of the hangar, but a familiar aura eventually reached his senses.
"Oh, the guides are here," Luke exclaimed while turning toward a small group of humans approaching the spaceship.
Khan's face turned cold as he sprinted forward to arrive in front of a member of the incoming group. His hand went on his knife and grabbed its peculiar handle firmly as he voiced a question. "What are you doing here?"
"Long time no see, alien-lover," Rodney chuckled while wearing a sneering smile.
To be continued