C488 Storms
The brainstorming session ended without reaching any meaningful conclusion. The group only agreed on a joint approach and a few more details before splitting to face the tense night waiting for them.
Khan obviously had it worse than his friends. His companions were outsiders or trusted allies who could feign ignorance, and Monica had even received orders to lay low. She wouldn't attend classes, so Khan would have most eyes on himself.
It didn't help that Khan had plans of his own. Lucian had been right, but Khan couldn't ignore a chance to learn more about his family and secret organizations. Wayne probably knew something, so Khan couldn't avoid him altogether.
The morning arrived faster than Khan had hoped and leaving Monica's worried hug felt harder than ever. They had to spend a bit reassuring each other, but Khan eventually entered a cab heading for the embassy.
Due to the unique situation, Khan had received the Headmistress' authorization to reach the classrooms area through more remote paths. His presence would cause a scene that she couldn't fully control otherwise, but that didn't completely prevent the arrival of unwanted attention.
Khan entered the embassy through one of the ceilings and used private elevators to reach the classrooms area, but people still occupied those corridors. Besides, his azure hair was too eye-catching, so countless gazes fell on him as soon as he showed his face.
Luckily for Khan, most people in the corridors lacked the status to approach him. The embassy was also different from the Harbor's streets, so some decorum was mandatory. Yet, the situation changed once he arrived in front of his class.
The delay with Monica and the alternative path had made Khan slightly late, so Lucian, George, Anita, and everyone else had already gathered in front of the hall's entrance. No one had tried to take their seats either, and Khan didn't even need to look at the symphony to explain that behavior.
A series of "Captain" and "Captain Khan" resounded while Khan made his way toward the group. George, Anita, and Lucian approached him before their classmates, but that didn't stop the other students from gathering around him.
"Captain," Zoe managed to take the reins of that gathering, "Allow me to apologize for my past behavior. I've also been impolite last time. I let my surprise take the best of me."
Khan knew that those words weren't directed at him. His classmates had shown nothing but respect in the previous months, but Zoe's tone conveyed something different now. Khan could smell some fear, and Monica was to blame for that.
'As expected,' Khan sighed in his mind at that predictable outcome.
Zoe had always been quite explicit in her interest in Khan, and her comments from the previous week had made things hard for Monica. The possibility of ending on the Solodrey family's bad side scared her in more than one way, so she seized the initiative and apologized.
"It's not your fault," Khan reassured, wearing a genuine smile. "Actually, I almost want to thank you. My girlfriend can be too serious at times, and you gave me something to tease her about."
Khan was following a previously planned script, and his classmates' reactions matched his predictions. He had confirmed that Monica was his girlfriend while also showing vague insights into his relationship. The audience could only gasp at that gentle openness.
"Oh, is she now?" Zoe let her curiosity take over. "I can't imagine Monica Solodrey getting teased."
"You are missing out," Khan laughed, "But I'll keep that part of our life private."
The gossip-hungry crowd couldn't help but yearn for more, especially when it came to the women in the group. They wanted to learn everything about that seemingly forbidden romance, and the frail peace built by Zoe's initiative crumbled under the torrent of questions.
"Is everything she said in the interview true?" A woman asked.
"Did she really make romantic advances?" A second woman questioned.
"Did she coerce you into this relationship?" A third woman followed. "Captain, you can tell us."
"She couldn't have been the one to make the first move, could she?" A man wondered.
"Do you think the Captain would have had a chance otherwise?" The first woman scoffed.
"To put Miss Solodrey in a similar situation," A second man commented. "Captain Khan must have a special talent."
"I don't think the Captain had much choice," A fourth woman guessed. "Monica is beautiful, and her family must have educated her in that field."
"Don't be lewd," The second woman scolded.
"I wasn't!" The fourth woman stated.
Khan couldn't do much against that barrage. He retained his smile, waiting for the general enthusiasm to wane while doing his best to ignore the questions that made him angry. No one dared to insult Monica, but the implications that the relationship could have political motives remained annoying.
"Please, calm down," Khan laughed again once some peace tried to arrive. "I know you are curious, but I don't have the liberty to speak freely. I'm sure you understand."
Khan kept his words vague on purpose to use the Solodrey family's silence to his advantage. The descendants were no strangers to those politics, so they thought that Monica's parents wanted things to remain private until they were ready to make an official announcement.
A series of nods unfolded in Khan's view, but he made sure to speak again to add a personal touch. "Besides, I'm the jealous type. I want to be the only one to know Monica's cutest sides."
A wave of surprise swept the audience before a few laughs unfolded. Smiles also broadened, and more nods followed. Everyone seemed happy with those terms. Actually, many women in the group appeared quite charmed by Khan's upfront and slightly protective approach.
'Stop smiling at me like that,' Khan cursed in his mind. 'Monica will really kill you otherwise.'
Khan obviously kept those words to himself. Monica's interview had allowed him to be more open, but his classmates remained influential figures. He still had to show some politeness and suppress his rudest sides.
"Alright, let's not forget why we are here," Lucian announced to change the topic. "Captain, shall we?"
"When did Lucian make a move?" Zoe complained before eyeing George and Anita. "Why didn't you invite me?"
"Zoe, you are bad with secrets," Anita joked.
"And Miss Solodrey also is the jealous type," George muttered.
"George?" Zoe called, and her eyes lit up in front of that potential chance to learn more about Khan's relationship. "Why don't we spend more time together? Of course, only if Anita doesn't mind."
"He can spend time with whoever he wants," Anita stated in a plain tone, but everyone could see her true intentions.
"Hey, I didn't say anything," George complained, but Anita pretended not to hear him and hurried inside the hall.
The gesture generated more laughs and made the group head toward the hall. Khan was no exception, but one more matter required his attention before he could focus on the lessons.
"Sit with us," Khan exclaimed as soon as he reached Wayne. "It should give us a chance to get to know each other."
The interaction didn't go unnoticed, and Khan wasn't trying to hide it anyway. Many grew interested in Wayne's answer, while Lucian mostly showed surprise since Khan's offer wasn't part of the agreed plan.
"Of course!" Wayne promptly agreed. "I'm a bit behind, so I hope you'll show me around."
Khan didn't add anything, and everything followed the agreed plan afterward. Wayne's presence was the only exception, but he didn't create problems. Khan saw nothing more than an excited student after sitting next to him.
The lesson unfolded smoothly. Khan could sense some awkwardness in the Professor, but the latter didn't mention anything about his relationship. As for Wayne, he behaved like a perfect student, paying utmost attention to the subject and even whispering questions to Khan when he didn't understand something.
A few strange but minor events happened. The screen under Wayne flickered twice for no apparent reason and resumed working properly almost immediately. That alone didn't mean much, but Khan made sure to add it to his mental map of clues.
Except for Wayne's invitation, Khan stuck to the agreed plan and spent as little as possible in the open. He even rode cabs in the breaks between lessons to avoid political interactions before ultimately returning to his flat.
That routine repeated itself for the entirety of the week. Khan focused on gathering information and studying while using the Solodrey family's silence as a shield for his privacy. Monica also never left his flat, so he completed all the lessons without facing problems.
Still, the time to attend to the Headmistress' task arrived at that point. Khan jumped into a cab as soon as his last weekly lesson ended, and a long trip brought him to a hangar. He handled a sweet call with Monica in the meantime, but his stance showed pure seriousness once he left the vehicle.
"Good evening, Captain Khan!" A series of soldiers performed military salutes as soon as Khan appeared in front of them, and he merely nodded to save time. The Headmistress had kept his new job a secret, so he could advance without dealing with the usual crowd.
"This way, sir," One of the soldiers called while leading Khan deeper into the hangar.
The man stopped after reaching a relatively small ship with a rectangular shape and two big engines. That was a fast vehicle meant for interplanetary travels, and its full tank created a bright spot in Khan's vision.
"It is my understanding that the Headmistress already briefed you about your ride," The soldier declared.
"That's right," Khan confirmed. "Is it ready to fly?"
"Yes, sir," The soldier stated. "We only failed to ask you whether you'd like a different paint. If this isn't to your liking, we can change it in under an hour."
The ship didn't match Khan's tastes. Its rectangular shape hinted at a spacious trunk, making it a small version of a cargo vehicle. He wanted something purely meant for speed, so he couldn't feel any ownership toward that booked ride.
However, the ship's dark-grey surfaces ended up putting Khan in a pensive state anyway. That wasn't his vehicle, but he had a preference when it came to colors. He couldn't imagine any different shade when it came to flying.
"Don't worry about today," Khan uttered. "Just make sure it's white for my next flight."
"White, sir?" The soldier questioned.
"Yes, white," Khan responded without moving his eyes from the ship. "As white as snow."
"It will be done, sir," The soldier uttered, performing another military salute.
Khan already had his directives, so he pressed his hand on the tall canopy and took out his license to gain access to the ship. A rectangular door opened, and a metal staircase stretched to the floor. Khan only had to jump on it to enter the vehicle.
The solitude of the ship felt almost reassuring, but Khan didn't let it delay his set-off. Tapping on the control desk and answering a few questions to the autopilot's robotic voice made the engines activate and start the automatic departure.
The flight inside the Harbor's channels was slow, and Khan had no power over it. Yet, his hands remained on the steering wheel, ready for the universe to unfold in his eyes.
"Set route for Honides," Khan ordered, and holograms appeared at his side to keep track of his flight.
The last of the Harbor's channels eventually reached its end, and Khan counted the seconds before the autopilot would finally take the backseat. His grip on the steering wheel tightened during that seemingly endless wait, but a beeping noise eventually arrived, putting a smile on his face.
'Finally!' Khan almost shouted in his mind before pushing the steering wheel forward. The ship immediately accelerated, and he made an upward turn to depart from the moon.
Nippe 2 soon appeared in the corner of the transparent canopy, but Khan ignored it to accelerate even more. He glanced at the holograms to confirm his route before the universe recaptured his attention. The blackness and the distant stars seemingly waiting for him captivated the entirety of his senses.
"I want to reach Honides before midday," Khan shouted as some pressure fell on his body due to the high speed.
"Calculating," The ship's robotic voice announced. "Captain Khan, your level is unsuitable for such speeds."
"Yeah, yeah," Khan scoffed. "Calculate it anyway."
"Sir, required speed and path calculated," The ship quickly exclaimed, adding a series of numbers to the holograms.
Khan glanced at the holograms before accelerating even more. The pressure became uncomfortable and was bound to increase, but that didn't make him slow down in the slightest.
"Sir, your heartbeat-," The ship didn't have the chance to finish its line since Khan deactivated those vocal inputs. He limited them to necessary information before pushing the vehicle a bit more.
The pressure began to affect Khan's ability to breathe. He felt heavy and struggled to move properly, but that was still bearable. He would be able to reach Honides the next morning if he kept that up, and saving time was one of his priorities.
Of course, that was no way to fly. The body had limits, even with mana. Khan was risking a series of internal injuries, especially in his brain. He was going past what average third-level warriors could endure, but those calculations only applied to humans. Since he couldn't escape his Nak's traits, he would use them to his advantage.
As the ship approached the intended speed, Khan let his gaze wander for a few seconds. The blackness of the universe made him feel incredibly small but not lost. Even his negative sides had to acknowledge that the flight was a significant achievement. He only wished to have more time to appreciate the event.
"Open Monica's notes," Khan coughed to make his voice loud enough for the ship. He had already connected his phone to the control desk, so new holograms appeared after his directives.
A series of pages about that week's lessons opened before Khan. The weekends usually hosted his longest studying sessions, and he planned to stick to that. Monica had even prepared special notes for him to streamline the process.
Studying in those conditions was far from ideal, but Khan couldn't move anyway. He alternated reading and meditation while the holograms kept him updated on the ship's position and state.
Space had no friction force, so the speed remained stable even after Khan turned off the engines. The tank also showed enough fuel to perform multiple trips between the Harbor and Honides, especially in that period when the two were so close. Khan only had to worry about eventual asteroids, but the ship would warn him in that case.
The night went by faster than Khan had expected, and half of the morning suffered from a similar fate. He studied during most of the trip, but the appearance of a grey planet on the windows eventually distracted him, forcing him to begin landing procedures.
Honides was famous for its storms, and the initial landing attempt confirmed how violent they could be. Khan brought the ship inside the planet's atmosphere, and problems immediately arrived.
"Sir, the winds below are full of metal shards," The ship warned. "The engines might not survive them."
'Fuck,' Khan cursed, but a call reached the control desk and diverted his thoughts from the issue.
"Captain Khan, am I right?" A male voice came out of the speaker when Khan answered.
"In the flesh," Khan replied. "Who is this?"
"I'm Richard Murrow from the extraction plant right below you," Richard explained. "Headmistress Holwen warned us about your arrival, but Honides is acting out today. You might need to wait a few days to land."
"I don't have a few days," Khan stated.
"I can't control the weather, sir," Richard responded. "I'm sorry, but your ship can't land in these conditions."
Khan slammed his fist on the control desk to close the call but giving up never crossed his mind. He used the holograms to study Honides' weather a bit before shouting a few orders and isolating himself in the cargo area.
"Open the back doors," Khan ordered once everything was in place. The ship tried to give a warning, but he overruled it. The vehicle's back opened, and storms sucked him into Honides' atmosphere.
To be continued