C575 Home
The environment inside the political building grew cold and tense in the following days.
Ambassador Abores and Khan would typically hold private meetings to discuss mission-related matters. Still, their relationship had taken a step back after their last interaction, leading to no conversations at all.
That stalemate didn't go unnoticed. Elvis and the others eventually returned to the political building only to end up in an aimless environment. No orders or reports reached them, enforcing a confusing waiting period that helped their recovery.
Khan knew he was ignoring part of his duties, but meeting other people wasn't ideal with his current mindset. He was still too intense and cold for the public, so he spent all his time studying or training.
That peaceful period didn't last long. With the mission officially over, Lord Exr found no reason to keep the political team on Neuria. It only gave it a week to recover before orders to leave the building arrived.
Strangely enough, no feast happened before the announcement, but Khan could guess why. The Thilku weren't the type to just kick out their allies. The Ambassador had probably opted for a private meeting with Lord Exr, using the injured soldiers as an excuse, and Khan could only go along with that.
On the morning of the first day of the week, the political team gathered in the building's main hall before heading outside. It was raining, and the human ship was already waiting on the sidewalk.
The time to drive had yet to arrive since the Thilku in the cabin didn't step out, so Khan and the others gathered in the passengers' area. The situation felt pretty tense, but no one dared address it.
The ship flew the team to the same landing platform seen after the arrival on Neuria. The four platoons and the gazebo had returned, and Lord Exr stood under it to oversee that political event.
The presence of the Thilku political team on the platform was the only difference from the arrival. Amox and his companions stood on the landing area with umbrellas and welcomed the humans according to their previous teams.
Of course, the Thilku didn't leave the Ambassador alone. The political team had two additional aliens that took care of covering him with their umbrellas.
Khan exchanged a smile with Amox when he stepped under his umbrella, and the two waited for the rest of their companions to be ready to perform a traditional bow. That gesture was obviously directed at Lord Exr, which made it last slightly longer than usual.
Still, the teams eventually broke the bows and exchanged simple salutes before returning to the ship. Ambassador Abores was the first to reenter the vehicle, and Khan soon remained the only human outside.
"[Are you going back to your family after this]?" Khan asked, stretching his hand.
"[If Lord Exr deems it appropriate]," Amox revealed, shaking Khan's hand. "[We still have to deal with that mess at sea]."
"[Maybe they'll send me back here soon]," Khan guessed. "[The next feast is on me if you happen to be here]."
"[You almost make me want to stay]," Amox laughed.
"[I don't want to end up on your wife's bad side]," Khan chuckled, and Amox laughed louder at the joke.
"Captain!" Elvis called from the ship's side doors while a Thilku walked down the ramp. Everything was ready for the departure, meaning that Khan couldn't waste time with Amox anymore.
"[I must go]," Khan sighed. "[It was nice meeting you]."
"[Likewise]," Amox said, letting go of Khan's hand. "[And marry your girlfriend. Don't be a coward]."
"[I'll do my best]," Khan promised, and the two nodded at each other before separating. Amox joined his companions on the platform while Khan climbed the ramp to enter the ship.
Khan ignored the gazes from the passengers' area and entered the now-empty cabin to take his place behind the steering wheel. The directives from the Thilku had already arrived, so he could immediately prepare the ship for the take-off.
"Captain," Ambassador Abores called, entering the cabin and closing the door behind him. An entire week had passed since the last time they talked, and things were clearly still tense between them.
"Is the route for the station clear?" Ambassador Abores continued.
"Affirmative," Khan confirmed, bringing up a series of holograms that showed a space station and the route to reach it. That structure had waited near Neuria during the mission and was now ready to receive the team.
"Fly slowly," Ambassador Abores ordered, leaving a rectangular device on the control desk. "You must memorize this by the time we reach the teleport."
Khan reached for the device, which his genetic signature unlocked. Its screen lit up, showing a long letter that Khan only skimmed through in those seconds. It was a summary of Neuria's events, which involved the praise Khan had requested.
"Stick to the story," Ambassador Abores added before leaving the cabin and sealing it again. Khan remained alone, but the device kept him entertained during the slow set-off.
After a few minutes of flight, Khan landed the ship inside the space station, and soldiers welcomed the team to lead them inside the teleport area. The machine activated, and the environment changed once again.
Everything happened so fast that Khan almost failed to realize how quickly things changed. Still, seeing the familiar environment of the Harbor gave him a reality check. He wasn't in an alien world anymore. He had returned to a place he could almost call home.
The reality check didn't rekindle Khan's anger or other negative emotions. He simply felt exhausted and for good reason. He had almost spent two months on Neuria, and his return to the Harbor was giving him a chance to relax.
Soldiers welcomed the political team with military salutes, but Khan ignored that and limited himself to following the Ambassador. The group left the teleport area and reached a hangar with cars waiting for them, and orders didn't hesitate to arrive.
"The mission is over, but more might follow," Ambassador Abores announced once the team stopped in the hangar. "You can take the week off, but I expect to see you in the office in the next one."
"Yes, sir!" Elvis and the others shouted, and Khan echoed that cry.
"At ease," Ambassador Abores continued. "Go back to your lodging and rest. You earned it."
Smiles and cheerful exchanges of gazes happened before the team performed military salutes and headed for the cars. The time for a break seemed to have arrived, but the Ambassador made sure to speak once again.
"Except you, Captain," Ambassador Abores added. "You have to accompany me to the Headmistress."
"With pleasure, sir," Khan stated, exchanging an empty gaze with the Ambassador. Their tension was still there, but they were both professional enough to ignore it.
The rest of the team didn't know how to react to the tension, but Khan and the Ambassador made it easy for them. The two headed directly for one of the cars, which set off, removing the problem from the area.
Remaining alone with Ambassador Abores wasn't ideal, but Khan had much to think about. Regaining access to the network had made many messages reach his phone, and that trip on the car's seats was the perfect chance to go over them.
Two months weren't a long period, especially when nothing exciting happened. Khan mostly found weekly updates from Jenny, who listed his income, expenses, and more. A few messages even involved Andrew and Francis, but nothing too relevant.
After going through Jenny's messages, Khan checked the network to see if anything relevant had happened. He found news about Monica, who had closed a deal the article didn't explain clearly. Still, he couldn't find anything else, so his thoughts went elsewhere.
'She probably knows that I'm back,' Khan thought as his fingers began to type a message. 'It's better to warn her anyway.'
After sending the message, Khan found himself with nothing else to do, so he closed his eyes and slipped into a meditative state. The Ambassador was busy with his phone anyway and barely noticed the event.
The car landed near the top of the embassy, and Khan and the Ambassador stepped out only to be escorted inside the Headmistress' office. Khan soon saw her behind her desk, immersed in long reports, but his attention mostly went on her mana, which was surprisingly calm.
'I guess the issue with the station wasn't a big problem,' Khan thought, holding back a sigh. He still felt the urge to be punished for how the investigation had ended, and that emotion was bound to stay for a while.
"So," The Headmistress exclaimed, lifting her head from the desk as soon as the door closed. "Is everything you reported accurate?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ambassador Abores declared, straightening his military salute.
"Captain," Headmistress Holwen called. "How exactly did you attract Lord Exr's interest?"
"I happened to save a Thilku during one of the missions, ma'am," Khan shortly explained, sticking to the story that Ambassador Abores had prepared.
"So I've read," Headmistress Holwen muttered, "But how did it go from there to you replacing Ambassador Abores?"
"It was under Lord Exr's request, ma'am," Khan said. "The Ambassador and I thought it would be a good chance to build connections with his superior, so we accepted."
"And how is that connected with the Thilku blowing up their own station?" Headmistress Holwen asked.
"That's on me, ma'am," Ambassador Abores interrupted, to Khan's surprise. "I miscalculated how much the Thilku hated criminals. It was lucky Captain Khan was there to listen to the confession."
"What about the Solodrey family, Captain?" Headmistress Holwen questioned.
"I hope you didn't expect me to ignore that chance, ma'am," Khan exclaimed.
Headmistress Holwen felt the urge to scold Khan, but Ambassador Abores' presence made her let the matter slide.
"It's fine, Captain," Headmistress Holwen sighed. "The Global Army will have some agency on those trades anyway, so I'll consider it a win."
"Do we have a new mission already?" Ambassador Abores asked, changing the topic.
"That would be impossible," Headmistress Holwen scoffed. "First, we must see what this cooperation involves. We should also push on the new contact you obtained, so I have nothing for you now."
"What should I tell the team?" Ambassador Abores wondered.
"Prepare for everything," Headmistress Holwen ordered, leaning on the back of her seat. "Our interactions with the Thilku are far from over."
"Yes, ma'am," Ambassador Abores exclaimed.
"You are dismissed," Headmistress Holwen said. "Captain Khan, if I could have a minute of your time."
"Of course, ma'am," Khan responded, exchanging a meaningful glance with the Ambassador, who simply nodded at him before heading for the door.
The Headmistress pretended to focus on her interactive desk again but paid close attention to the sounds in her office. She heard Ambassador Abores leaving but kept her head on the reports for a few more seconds before throwing a piercing gaze at Khan.
"Did something happen between you and the Ambassador?" Headmistress Holwen asked.
"Yes," Khan openly admitted. He wasn't in the mood for pointless lies, and the Headmistress noticed it. That was the very reason behind her question.
"Is there something I should know?" Headmistress Holwen questioned.
"Not really," Khan replied. He had the letter, and Ambassador Abores had publicly praised him. The deal was fulfilled as far as he was concerned.
"I see," Headmistress Holwen uttered. She could see the truth on Khan's cold face but decided not to pursue it.
"Get out now," Headmistress Holwen continued, diving back into her reports. "Rest if you can. You never know when things might get busy again."
"Thank you, ma'am," Khan said, performing a military salute and leaving the office.
The Ambassador didn't wait for Khan. He had already departed with the car parked on the roof, but another was already coming. It didn't take long before Khan could hop inside and head for the second district.
Seeing that casual reaction to the destruction of the station didn't improve Khan's mood, but he couldn't claim to be surprised. It would have been bad if the Global Army lost its connections with the Empire, but no one cared since that didn't happen.
'Why would they care?' Khan thought, lying on the comfortable seats while his hand moved under them to find the drawer with the bottles. 'Only Thilku died, and the bomb was an excuse anyway.'
The cruelty and sheer coldness of politics left Khan disgusted, and knowing he was a key part of them intensified that feeling. He knew his job was important to achieve his goals, but doubts appeared.
'If I continue on this path,' Khan wondered, 'How much of me will remain by the time I reach my goals?'
Of course, Khan had already pondered those issues. He was just letting his thoughts roam freely since the situation allowed it, and a drink soon kept him company.
The trip didn't take long since the second district was close to the embassy. Khan jumped out of the car and landed on the familiar empty sidewalk that he had learned to call home. Being back felt odd after everything that had happened, but his flat had booze, and that was enough.
'This is odd,' Khan thought when he realized that Monica had yet to reply to his message. 'She would usually call me on the spot.'
Khan drew his phone while strolling toward his building, but the arrival of a second cab distracted him. Looking at the actual vehicle also made him frown. That was a luxury ride with clearance to fly in the Harbor, which had to mean something.
The luxury ride approached the sidewalk's edge, but its passenger's door opened before the landing was complete. Letting the symphony interact with the car's insides told Khan everything he needed to know, and his eyes lit up as he changed direction.
An enchanting figure hurried out of the car. Monica appeared on the sidewalk, donning high heels and a pink halter dress. Her hair also looked bright and soft. She seemed to have just come out of an exclusive party, but only Khan existed in her eyes.
Khan and Monica basically ran toward each other until they ended up in their respective arms. Monica wrapped herself around Khan's neck, hugging it as tightly as possible to convey her feelings. Khan did the same with her waist, almost squeezing her due to how much he had missed her.
"I tried to contact you," Monica cried, "But you were still away. A call arrived when I was flying toward you, so-. So-!"
"It's fine," Khan whispered, kissing Monica's neck. "You are here, so it's fine."
"I missed you," Monica complained.
"I missed you too," Khan admitted, "But everything is fine now."
It was hard to describe how beneficial Monica's presence was to Khan's mood. Simply holding her in his arms dispersed the negative thoughts that had afflicted him in the past week. Khan felt at peace for a second, but something quickly disturbed him.
Monica wasn't the only one who had stepped out of the luxury ride. A third-level warrior had also entered the sidewalk, and leaving Monica's neck allowed Khan to recognize her.
Master Amelia crossed the sidewalk but stopped at some distance from the couple to show respect. Monica understood what was happening when Khan left her neck, so she let go of him to stand at his side. Of course, his right arm fell prey to her grip during that gesture.
"Master Amelia," Khan announced. "It's been a while."
"Almost one year, Captain Khan," Master Amelia replied, politely lowering her head. "Allow me to use this chance to apologize. I haven't shown the proper respect during our first meeting."
"I don't mind," Khan reassured. "Did you accompany Monica here? Is Madam Solodrey involved?"
"Indeed," Master Amelia confirmed. "Madam Anastasia is eager to talk with you. However, she understands that today might not be the right time."
"It isn't," Khan said, feeling pleased when a tremor ran through Monica's grip.
"I understand," Master Amelia nodded. "Still, we have a mandatory schedule to attend to. The Solodrey family wishes you to advertise your reunion."
"Advertise how?" Khan asked.
"I have a list of activities that could work," Master Amelia revealed, pulling out her phone. "I suggest the shopping district-."
"No," Khan interrupted. "We aren't doing that today."
"C-Captain," Master Amelia stuttered in surprise.
"I don't care what you tell them," Khan continued. "If you need a flat, mention my name to the Headmistress. We'll take our leave now."
Master Amelia wanted to say something, but Khan had already turned. Monica imitated him and showed a complicit smile when he reached for her hand. The two entered the building like that, and Master Amelia couldn't do anything to stop them.
Khan and Monica crossed the building's hall hand in hand and didn't separate even after entering the elevator. Actually, the new privacy made them drop their pretenses, and Monica couldn't refrain from falling on Khan's chest.
Seeing Monica's peaceful face almost quieted down Khan's darkest sides. He caressed her curls, enjoying how happy she was to have returned to him. She looked ready to fall asleep on the spot, and that drowsiness tried to spread to him.
'She must be tired,' Khan sensed, but recalling Master Amelia brought everything back. The politics were still there, and the Solodrey family had actively joined them now.
The elevator eventually opened, forcing Monica to open her eyes. She left Khan's chest and showed her beautiful smile before taking his hand and pulling him into the flat.
"Let's go home, dear," Monica giggled. She was the embodiment of happiness, but confusion arrived when Khan pulled her back.
The elevator closed in time for Monica's back to hit its door. Khan had pulled and turned her in an instant, almost forcing his lips into hers.
Monica didn't expect that sudden move, but getting a taste of Khan's lips calmed her down and changed her mood. Her hands rose to his hair, and she grabbed it to match his passion.
Nevertheless, Khan was rougher than usual. Each kiss replaced his negative emotions with Monica, and he wanted more. She was never enough, and the passion made her run out of air.
"Khan!" Monica gasped, interrupting the kisses and lowering her head to catch her breath. Still, Khan's hand didn't hesitate to reach for her chin, lifting her face to show his desperate eyes.
"Indulge me today," Khan almost begged, his gaze lost in recent memories.
Monica didn't know anything about the mission on Neuria, but glancing at Khan's face told her everything. She could read his expression and knew that rejecting him was impossible. After all, it was her role to support him in those moments.
Monica let go of Khan's hair and grabbed the hand on her chin. She lifted it, leaving a kiss on its back before reaching for her collar. It only took a pull to slide it past her head, and releasing it made the entire dress fall on the floor.
To be continued