C499 Gig
The ability to see the symphony was almost a double-edged sword. Khan couldn't help but be confused by Wayne's presence. That steady, cheerful mana grew stranger every time he inspected it but continued to lack clues.
Nevertheless, Wayne stopped being Khan's priority after the statement. Monica could read the Headmistress' message, and Wayne's spot-on guess made her wary and worried for Khan's safety.
"Will I see you there?" Khan spoke before Monica could do anything. He even drove her hand to his mouth to kiss it. That was already bordering the limits of what Madam Solodrey allowed, but it successfully calmed Monica down.
"Why would I be there?" Wayne questioned, showing his usual innocence.
"It doesn't matter," Khan said before glancing at the hall's entrance. "Oh, the Professor is coming."
The conversation ended at that low point, and the mandatory social interactions that filled the rest of the day didn't give the couple time to think about it.
Surprisingly enough, even the Professors congratulated Khan and Monica before continuing their lessons. The event was so big that no one could shy away from it, and its consequences created mandatory tasks.
Monica's needy character could only delay the inevitable. The next night, Khan and Monica had to separate to attend different social events, and neither was too excited about them.
The female side of the advanced classes invited Monica into a large flat rearranged for the occasion. Soft carpets, comfortable couches, and a few armchairs filled the vast main hall, and the students gathered there while servants delivered drinks and light food.
"Now that we are all served and comfortable," Zoe announced as every eye in the hall converged on Monica. "Details!"
A series of "yes!" and similar comments followed. Monica covered her mouth to hide her fake smile and wore a shy expression. That development was predictable, so she already knew how to handle it.
"I'm so embarrassed," Monica revealed. "I feel I'm forgetting my entire education."
"My, my," Lucy gasped. "Even Monica Solodrey loses her cool when her man is involved."
"I'm unfit for my family name," Monica sighed. "It's just. I can't help it, you know?"
"We don't know," Zoe complained as her friends leaned forward to get closer to Monica's couch. "That's why we want you to tell us."
"I think Anita can be calmer than me," Monica finally showed her smile.
"You won't involve me in this," Anita chuckled, leaning on the back of Monica's couch. "Come on, girl. Our parents can't reach us here."
"I guess there is something I can share," Monica pretended to give up while taking a sip from her drink. "I know I said we got together during the trip to the Harbor, but our relationship started a bit earlier."
A series of gasps resounded, even if many were fake. The decision to fly to the Harbor was a clue to that truth, and Monica's classmates had already noticed it.
"How did it happen?" Marcia asked. "Did you really push for it?"
"Initially, it was just curiosity," Monica revealed, playing with her curls. "I mean, how could I not be interested in him? Khan already had a great reputation, and you should see him without a shirt."
"The network is full of those pictures," Zoe laughed while exchanging complicit smiles with her friends. "We are all with you there."
Monica retained her smile, but some annoyance began to arrive. She didn't like how everyone could drool over her boyfriend so openly.
"Anyway," Monica continued. "I sought chances to talk alone and even took him out on a date. He was so different from my other suitors. It was the first time someone treated me as Monica without the Solodrey."
"Is that when you two got together?" Marcia asked.
"No," Monica chuckled, showing a genuine smile. "He had just come out of a long relationship. He only wanted to focus on Mister Cobsend's assignment and protect his old friend. Then, the Nele accepted him, which made everything more complicated."
"You must admit that the Captain has a knack for getting closer to aliens," Lucy commented.
"He is a natural," Monica confirmed. "He spoke, ate, and slept like them in a few weeks. He is truly unbeatable on the field."
"That sounds troublesome," Zoe exclaimed. "Why go through that hassle for someone not interested in you?"
"If I want something," Monica stated, "I get it. That's what my mother taught me."
"The Captain couldn't win against Monica's pride," Lucy joked, and a series of laughs resounded.
"I wish," Monica sighed. "He never offended me, but I couldn't attract his attention with expensive dinners and good drinks. Only honesty made him falter."
Silence spread in the hall as Monica lowered her gaze. She had spoken the truth, and her friends understood that.
"Well, honesty and nice clothes," Monica cheered the mood. "He liked me. That just wasn't enough to move him."
"You wouldn't think that from his record," One of the women in the hall pointed out.
"He is pretty serious about everything," Monica explained, running her finger on her glass' edge. "He doesn't notice half-measures. Yet, the more of my education I put aside, the less I could retain my cool in his presence."
"This sounds like one of the books I used to read when I was younger," Marcia declared.
"It reached the point when I didn't even think about my position," Monica continued. "I just went for it, hoping he would accept me."
"So bold," Anita couldn't help but exclaim.
"How did you know he wasn't playing with you?" Zoe wondered.
"I wouldn't be tricked by something like that," Monica proudly stated before lowering her gaze again. "Khan never cared about my wealth of influence. He never asked for any favor. He just likes me."
Monica had partially dropped the act during her explanation. She had revealed small truths about her relationship, and her expressions inevitably became honest. Still, she appeared more elegant and beautiful than ever because of that.
"Who knew that the path for Monica's heart was to treat her as a simple woman?" Lucy commented without hiding her surprise.
"I wouldn't have accepted any man," Monica corrected. "I'm sure you are aware of his feats and skills. No one in the Global Army or families even comes close."
"Still, Monica," Zoe voiced. "Weren't you worried about his background? Having fun is one thing, but now that your family has acknowledged him, marriage isn't too unlikely."
"Zoe is right," Marcia added. "I understand your feelings, but did you stop to think about it properly?"
"My friends," Monica exclaimed, "I'm a proud descendant of a Solodrey family. I chose Khan because I can imagine myself standing at his side for the rest of my life."
Another wave of gasps resounded. Those wealthy ladies were no strangers to occasional hook-ups and believed that Monica had initially chosen to do the same with Khan. However, her last statement made her sound ready for marriage.
"I might have spoken too much," Monica realized.
"You just told the truth," Anita giggled. "It was adorable."
"I might have also meant that as a warning," Monica also laughed. "Khan naturally attracts women for some reason. It feels necessary to say that he is mine."
"Is this Monica Solodrey's jealous side?" Zoe joked, not realizing how serious Monica's words were.
"It is," Monica stated. "I know you wouldn't dare to do anything that might hurt my relationship. Still, a reminder sounds mandatory. Don't you think so, Zoe?"
Zoe's smile froze. She was one of the few who had openly tried to flirt with Khan, and it was clear that Monica didn't forget it.
"Of course," Zoe voiced an awkward laugh. "You said it yourself. We could directly treat Khan as your husband."
"I'd appreciate that," Monica agreed, and her elegant smile began to leak some coldness. Somehow, her kind words sounded like a threat.
"We need another round!" Anita announced since she knew where that situation was going. "And I think it's time to move to the spicy details."
.
Khan had a slightly different version of Monica's social gathering. Mark had booked a room in Pandora's main building to host the event, and only a handful of the advanced classes' male population had been allowed to join it.
Moreover, the conversations had never focused too heavily on the relationship with Monica. Actually, that topic had yet to come up even after multiple rounds of drinks.
"Can you see this number here?" Mark questioned while pointing at a number on the top-right corner of the holograms in front of the couch.
"Two million assets," Khan confirmed before adjusting his position on the couch, "And the number next to that is their value in Credits."
"Correct," Mark exclaimed, placing a hand on Khan's shoulder. "Now, look at what happens."
Mark opened a series of menus featuring graphs and many values before hitting a key marked "sell". The number of assets immediately went to zero, but the Credits in Mark's wallet increased for the corresponding amount.
"What should I see?" Khan wondered. He was no expert on those sales, but there was nothing strange in Mark's procedure.
"Here," Mark called, opening a different menu. "The price of that material plummeted since I filled the market with it. There is no demand anymore, so how should I spend the Credits I just obtained?"
"Do you save them?" Khan guessed.
"I could," Mark laughed, "But that's money to throw away, not save. I filled this account to see how long I could play with it before running out of Credits."
'Money to throw away, he says,' Khan thought, hiding his disbelief. Mark's account had more than fifty million Credits. That amount would set anyone for life, but Mark was ready to waste it to kill time.
"Ideally," Mark explained, "You should buy another resource that has fulfilled its demand some time ago. Its production would have restarted by now, so you can try to monopolize it and wait until its price skyrockets."
"Do you mean altering its rarity?" Khan asked.
"Something like that," Mark nodded. "Of course, you need an understanding of many socio-political events to predict whether the demand for your assets will return."
"It sounds like gambling," Khan commented.
"It's not gambling in the hands of an expert," Mark proudly claimed.
"Mark often forgets to explain how his family owns many of the factories involved with the production," Lucian said from the other side of the room. "It's easier to win bets when you are a few steps ahead of everyone else."
"Lucian is right," Mark showed a shameless smile. "The game is rigged in my hands, but that's the beauty of being rich."
"I can think of a few other benefits," John announced while smoking a smelly cigarette on another couch.
"That guy spends a fortune in a certain brothel," Mark joked.
"Only the finest women in the universe," John shouted, blowing grey smoke out of his mouth. "Maybe that's why my parents have yet to find me a fiancée."
"Why would you want it?" George scoffed from the other edge of Khan's couch. "It becomes too troublesome to get lovers once you are engaged."
"Mister Ildoo is so wise," John groaned. "How did you convince Anita to go out with you with your reputation?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," George feigned ignorance, focusing on his drink.
"I think you set some record in descendants dated in a month," John explained.
"It's not my fault if my charm makes women crazy," George sighed.
"Did you steal that line from me?" Khan frowned.
"If you used it first," George announced, "It's because I inspired it."
"I preferred when Havaa hit you," Khan joked.
"She did throw nice punches," George laughed. "You don't find those women among humans."
"Lucian, they are speaking in code again," Mark complained.
"They have a special connection," Lucian uttered. "Who are we to break it?"
"That's right!" John added, lifting his arms to the ceiling. "They might reveal the secrets of the universe!"
"What is he saying?" Khan asked.
"John, are you high?" Mark questioned.
"What do you expect?" John laughed, throwing his cigarette into an empty corner of the room. "They sold me this as the best product on Abora, but it's quite bad."
"You should always use a trustworthy dealer," Mark sighed. "Speaking of Abora, I heard you had it pretty rough there, Captain."
"Plants aren't as harmless as they look," Khan nodded. "Though, I've mostly recovered already."
"I heard the strange guy, Wayne, talking about Induna," John announced. "Did the Global Army assign you a mission there?"
"Yes," Khan confirmed. "Yet, I can't tell you the details."
"I don't care about the details," John shrugged his shoulders. "I just don't understand why you do it."
"I need merits and Credits," Khan summarized.
"I think John is saying those missions are beneath you now," Mark translated. "Isn't that right, guys?"
"Captain Khan has always been too qualified for them," Lucian commented. "Still, if he says that he needs them, then he needs them."
"Am I missing something?" Khan remained confused.
"Khan, the Solodrey family acknowledged you," Mark stated. "You could book space stations freely if you know your way with words."
Khan didn't hide his confusion. He knew how wealthy the Solodrey family was, but a space station remained too big. It went far beyond the money Mark had in that account.
"Oh, wow," John gasped while leaning on the couch's arm. "He really doesn't know."
"Mark is a perfect example," Lucian intervened. "He received a space station for his thirteenth birthday."
"An entire space station?" Khan asked.
"It wasn't as straightforward as Lucian made it sound," Mark said. "A small family gifted it to improve their chances of marrying into us. They initially aimed for me, but my father directly refused."
"So," Khan tried to understand, "You got a space station without giving anything in return."
"We did take their most promising descendant," Mark explained. "We married it off to a small branch of my family. Still, the space station was quite old and poor, so my father gave it to me as a personal project."
"Did everyone in the other family change their name?" Khan chuckled, still incredulous before those big political moves.
"No, we only took the descendant," Mark revealed. "The family crumbled afterward, and other organizations absorbed anything worth saving."
Mark wasn't showing any arrogance. He wasn't even trying to brag about his wealth. He had described the death of a small family as a common occurrence that didn't deserve any second thought.
Khan struggled to adjust his perspective. He liked Mark, but that side of him belonged to a world he couldn't judge. Also, according to the conversation, Khan had just joined that side.
"Do you really own a space station?" Khan changed the topic to mask his internal conflict.
"Yes," Mark nodded, tinkering with the holograms to make a small space station appear. The image also had multiple branches that explained the various functions of the structure, the people in charge of them, and how expensive they were.
"It's nothing great, really," Mark continued. "I'm barely meeting expenses since there isn't much on it. Still, we can visit it one of these months. Its hospitality is one of its best aspects."
Mark's casual tone highlighted once again how distant Khan was from that world. The student wasn't even twenty-five but owned such an incredible structure.
"That's why I asked," John commented. "People will lend you more than space stations if you wave the Solodrey name around."
"But I don't own much," Khan pointed out. "Monica and I aren't even engaged yet."
"It doesn't matter," Mark stated. "Actually, it might grant better offers."
"You are between the touchable and untouchable right now," Lucian continued. "Since you have the Solodrey family's approval, many organizations will fight each other to earn favors from you."
"And here I was worried about making a good impression on Monica's parents," Khan mocked himself.
"Did you?" George asked.
"Oh, yeah," Khan scoffed. "I'm like a son for Madam Solodrey."
"You can't blame her for having her reservations," Lucian declared. "I believe you understand why now."
"I always understood her," Khan sighed. "I might prefer that even. Since she acknowledged me, she knows I can be good for her daughter."
"This guy got the daughter and defeated the mother," John voiced his disbelief. "You are built different, my man."
"I am part Nak," Khan joked, pulling a strand of hair to show its azure color.
"It is truly commendable," Mark praised. "Everyone expected Monica to end up with Lucian or someone at the level of your friend Luke Cobsend. No offense, but you weren't even on the list."
"There was a poll too," John revealed. "You made everyone lose their money."
"I bet some girls got it right," Lucian guessed.
"I know they did," George confirmed.
"How did you two even get together?" John asked. "I thought you were into aliens."
"John!" Mark scolded.
"It wasn't an insult," John lifted his hands to convey innocence. "I've seen pictures of the Nele when the rumors about you pointed in that direction. I'd never look at another woman again if I had a chance with them."
"Looks sure help," Khan laughed.
"As if you ever had an ugly woman," George snorted.
"I was saying," Khan cleared his throat. "I wasn't planning on getting into another relationship. Only Monica could make me change my mind."
"I heard the craziest stuff," John stated. "Did she pay you to get you into dates?"
"What? No," Khan shook his head. "Monica would never resort to that. It was a gradual process that eventually led us to the current situation."
"Wasn't the Alstair guy also there?" John wondered, looking at his companions to confirm that information. "How did you find the time with that dog clung to her legs?"
"John, Francis is our friend," Mark scolded.
"Whatever," John sighed. "That guy is weirder than Wayne."
"John," Khan called, and John's bloodshot eyes fixed themselves on him before widening in fear. The room's temperature had suddenly grown cold, and palpable killing intent had fallen on him.
"Y-yes?" John felt forced to ask as clarity spread in his mind.
"No one clings to Monica's legs but me," Khan said, showing a smile that radiated far different emotions.
"Of course," John coughed. "I was just saying-."
"Don't," Khan interrupted. "I won't speak badly of Mister Alstair. He simply has nothing to do with Monica or me."
"Alright," John stated. "Still, since we are on the topic, how is life with Monica Solodrey?"
"Don't take it the wrong way," Mark added. "We have known Monica for years. We are just curious about her character outside social events."
"And you will remain curious," Khan laughed as the mood grew more cheerful. "I want those sides of her to be only mine."
"Why does he look cool when he says that?" John wondered.
"Don't let him fool you," George warned. "He goes full husband material. That's why he is so secretive."
"We are already seeing surprising scenes in public," Lucian chuckled. "I believe we'll have fun for the rest of the semester."
"You should plan more private parties," Mark suggested. "They might give us a chance to know each other."
"That's a good idea," Lucian agreed. "I only wish Khan wasn't so busy."
"Didn't you change your mind yet?" Mark questioned. "You don't need to kill yourself for status anymore."
"It's not that," Khan uttered, deciding to reveal something to sow seeds that could bloom in the future. "The wealthy life sounds fun, but I want to find the Nak, which means exploring the universe and learning from aliens."
"The Nak?" Mark asked while everyone showed confusion. Only George shot a knowing glance before focusing on his drink.
"It's something I must do," Khan remained vague. "You do what you want with this information."
Khan paid attention to the symphony, but nothing strange appeared. He sensed curiosity, detachment, and interest, but none was as intense as he wished.
"It's understandable," Mark stated, even if he didn't pinpoint the reason behind Khan's goal. "I guess you'll visit Induna on the weekend."
"That I will," Khan nodded.
"You know," Mark continued. "Induna has interesting shells under its ice. If you found some-."
"Hey, hey," Lucian interrupted. "Khan already has a deal with me."
"And Lucian comes first again!" John exclaimed before lying down.
"We'll stick to parties then," Mark shrugged his shoulders. "Cover yourself on Induna. I don't want you to use a cold to ignore our invitations."
"I'm good with cold," Khan declared. "Also, we won't hide from social life anymore. Appearing in public as a couple is part of the gig."
To be continued