Chapter 424 Harbor
Khan didn't sleep. He simply couldn't. His body was full of energy, and getting used to his new state took time. His sensitivity made the world too loud, and the inherited fear grew stronger whenever he closed his eyes.
Nevertheless, Monica's sleeping face brought peace, and her snores always made Khan smile. That small bed was a safe place where he could ignore the outside world, and the problems inside it felt almost reassuring.
Khan knew that things wouldn't be easy with Monica. The two of them had actually briefly discussed the issue already. Her status prevented them from having a normal relationship, and much of their future remained unclear.
Monica couldn't ignore her family, and Khan was problematic on his own. On the surface, their relationship was doomed to fail, but that added value to their situation. The fact that two people from such opposite worlds could end up together was incredible, almost special.
Of course, many could point out that Khan had already experienced something similar. Liiza had come from an actual different world, but the situation had been different there. Khan and Liiza shared a lot in terms of character and background, while Monica only had faint traits that touched that realm.
Comparing Monica to Cora also felt natural, but Khan knew the truth. Cora was perfect, which was a problem. To quote Jenna, Monica had toxic sides that matched Khan or at least made him laugh.
Also, as troublesome as that relationship could be, Khan couldn't find the strength to worry too much. He had faced disasters and worse. The problems coming from a wealthy family felt laughable in comparison.
Those and more topics ran through Khan's mind while he was on the bed. He couldn't help but immerse himself in his thoughts in that situation. Strangely enough, the future didn't look too grim.
A disaster had unfolded, but Khan had survived. A Nak had given him power, but he had also found clues that might eventually lead to answers. Moreover, his stance had never been firmer. For once, he wanted to advance without compromising on what he truly desired.
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Khan spent hours in that condition, but Monica's awakening made the wait worth it. The two spoke for a bit, exchanged intimate moments, and conversed again before accepting that Khan couldn't remain inside the tent until Monica's injuries healed.
"No nasty business with the Nele," Monica warned.
"I will be a good boy and wait until I can bring the nasty business to you," Khan casually teased.
"You better!" Monica continued. "It's about time I had some monopoly over you."
"When am I going to get some monopoly?" Khan teased while leaning on the bed to bend over Monica.
"Scoundrel," Monica pouted while wrapping her arms around Khan's neck. "You already have that."
"You know what I'm talking about," Khan joked as he traced Monica's curves and reached for her waist without touching the bandages.
"Idiot," Monica scolded. "Can't you wait until I get better?"
"I could barely wait the first time I kissed you," Khan responded.
Monica's expression broke into a smile. She adored being at the center of Khan's attention and finding ways to refuse him turned out to be difficult. After all, she didn't exactly dislike what they did under the sheets.
"How did I let myself be captured by such a scoundrel?" Monica mocked herself before diverting her gaze. "I get so worked up even when I know you are joking."
"And how would you know that?" Khan pressed on.
"Khan," Monica called while bringing her gaze back to Khan. Her shyness appeared, but she forced herself to finish the line. "You could have pushed me many times. I know you are waiting for me to be ready."
Khan smirked, but his eyes caught something strange. Monica's stare deepened and gained a specific meaning that left Khan speechless. Her expression hinted at the fact that she was ready.
"You have to be grateful for your injury," Khan joked.
"Get out of my tent," Monica giggled while pulling Khan down to deliver a quick kiss, "But don't be away for too long."
"I'll check up on you often," Khan promised.
"And don't exhaust yourself," Monica warned. "You must take care of me, remember?"
"How could I forget my spoiled, wealthy woman?" Khan wondered.
"That's right," Monica exclaimed. "And I expect the spoiling to increase."
"So needy," Khan pretended to complain before leaving another kiss on Monica's lips. The two slowly separated at that point, and they avoided adding more words to the intimate interaction.
A different scenery welcomed Khan when he exited the tent. He had kept track of the changes in his surroundings, but seeing everything with his own eyes sent a completely different vibe, especially since the symphony had joined his vision.
Khan had spent more than half a day inside the tent. The medical bay had long since taken form, and the clearing operations had begun.
New ships equipped with big metal arms or tractor beams had descended into the intermediate floor to take care of the largest boulders. Meanwhile, various teams scoured the debris to search for survivors or valuable goods.
Khan already had a plan. He briefly inspected the area before heading toward familiar traces of mana. The walk brought him to a group of Nele led by Piran, and the team didn't hesitate to make him part of the operation.
The Nele had sharp sensitivity, so they had an easier time looking for survivors. Khan's arrival only quickened the searching operations, and a grim scene eventually unfolded in his eyes.
Khan and the others had done their best during the fall, but everything had been a mess. Saving everyone had been impossible, and the corpse dug out of the rubble proved that.
Tinges of mana leaked out of the dead Nele. The latter had only been a first-level warrior, but his condition didn't reveal anything else. The boulders had smashed his face and limbs, leaving only a shadow of what he had once been.
Piran nodded at his companions while Khan stared at the corpse. The Nele hurried toward their dead friend and stripped him naked to salvage what they could. A ship even arrived afterward to take him away.
The Nele's behavior seemed heartless, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Their species didn't have a home, so salvaging resources was a priority, especially after the disaster. Clothes couldn't do much, but they were better than nothing.
"[Give me that]," Piran requested before the team could disperse to store the goods.
The Nele addressed by Piran reached him to hand out the loose jumper in her hands. Piran briefly studied it before lifting it toward Khan. The latter had yet to wear anything on his torso, so the gift was fitting.
Khan wanted to refuse. He didn't lack clothes. He only had to ask one of the doctors to get something, but the gesture meant a lot, so he snapped out of his stare and seized the jumper. An exchange of nods with Piran followed before Khan wiped his face and wore his new clothes.
The salvaging operation resumed immediately after. Khan worked with Piran, Jenna, Maban, Caja, and many other Nele to save as many people as possible. Some turned out to be alive under the rubble, but the corpses remained more numerous.
Khan was relentless in the excavation. He pursued any trail of mana he sensed and moved away boulders that weighed as much as him on his own. His stamina seemed bottomless, and he made full use of it.
Eventually, an entire day went by, and then another. Khan took breaks only when someone delivered food or during his visits to Monica, but he kept digging otherwise. Soon, the Nele's salvaging operation ended, so Khan moved to another species.
"[You know I can cut your hair in the meantime]," Jenna joked while Khan made his way toward a group of Fuveall and humans working together to clear a quadrant.
"[I promised Monica she could handle it]," Khan revealed. "[She is getting more possessive than you]."
"[And you like it]," Jenna teased.
"[She is recovering faster than I expected]," Khan changed the topic. "[It won't be long before she can leave the tent]."
"[I need to make my move quickly then]," Jenna giggled while grabbing Khan's arm.
"[You made plenty of moves]," Khan rebuked. "[I'm too busy helping anyway]."
Jenna didn't answer and reached for Khan's chest. She checked on him only to discover that he was fine. He had worked non-stop for almost two days but could still keep going. That stamina was not human.
"[Don't push yourself too hard]," Jenna sighed when she retracted her arm. "[This death isn't your fault]."
"[I only want to help]," Khan reassured. "[I'll rest properly once the situation is stable]."
Jenna could argue that the fourth asteroid had already started to recover. The dock and most of the lower floors were still a mess, but the operation had picked up the pace. Everything was working smoothly now that the forces from the central pillar had the time to sort things out, but she knew that her words wouldn't stop Khan.
"[I'll call Monica if you keep being so stubborn]," Jenna scoffed.
"[Since when do you need her help]?" Khan laughed.
"[I don't]," Jenna cheerfully exclaimed while tightening her hug on Khan's arm. "[I'm simply working toward that shared night]."
"[Women are going to be my doom]," Khan commented.
"[They already are]," Jenna mocked.
Khan smiled while focusing on Jenna. She appeared emotionally stable, but her affection toward him didn't disappear. It was actually stronger than ever, but she seemed to have gotten a handle on it.
"[How are you instead]?" Khan decided to ask.
"[I still want to put you down and force you to take me]," Jenna announced.
"[Straight to the naughty topics]," Khan voiced.
"[You were thinking about them]," Jenna snickered before reaching for Khan's ear to whisper tempting words. "[I know how you react whenever you feel my chest]."
"[I'm not making it out of Milia 222 alive]," Khan cursed.
"[You could convince Monica to have that shared night]," Jenna temped again. "[Anyway, our moment gave me perspective. I'm far stabler now]."
Khan could sense the unspoken truth in Jenna's influence over the synthetic mana. The kiss had brought some fulfillment to Jenna's urges. Her emotions were still crazy intense, but she could point them in a constructive direction now.
"[You are the best]," Khan couldn't refrain from expressing his gratitude.
"[No, I'm impossible]," Jenna corrected, and the two ended up sharing a laugh.
Khan didn't know any of the humans, but Ta-ei was among the Fuveall's teams, so fitting in wasn't an issue. Those groups were using scanners and ships to inspect the debris, but Khan and Jenna's senses quickened the clearing operation and led to a few successful rescues.
The atmosphere among those teams was tenser compared to what Khan had experienced with the Nele. Many had witnessed his feats against the Nak's hand, and his azure hair didn't let anyone forget them. Somehow, he felt more alien than anyone else.
Khan couldn't blame those teams. He would also be scared of himself. Part of him already was, but the issue had no solution, so he ignored it to focus on rescuing people.
"[The forces on Merth 290 won't care about Milia 222's events]," Ta-ei whispered when she and Khan found themselves moving away rubble in a relatively isolated spot.
"[I thought the streets had ears]," Khan joked.
"[The streets are tiles and shards now]," Ta-ei pointed out.
Khan glanced at Ta-ei. Her line could have multiple meanings, but Khan's stance wouldn't change anyway, so his answer remained the same.
"[I just want to help]," Khan explained before diving back into the rubble.
Milia 222's population showed its resilience during the clearing operations. The fourth asteroid took the shape of a giant beast working for the sole purpose of restoring normality.
The differences and hostilities among factions vanished to leave room for cooperation. Crews banded together under the leadership of various crime lords or emissaries from the central pillar. Everyone had the same orders. The fourth asteroid had to resume its functions as soon as possible.
As much as the leaders wanted to fix the dock, other aspects of the asteroid came first. Rescuing people was obvious, but the looting often dethroned that task.
The intermediate floor was a secret area even for most criminal organizations, and the goods hidden inside it were worth stealing. Paths opened in the crumbled passages and rooms once enough rubble disappeared, and many teams didn't hesitate to explore them to retrieve anything valuable.
Khan didn't care about the riches hidden underneath the debris, but he had to face the issue once he tried to help the Orlats. They were the most distrustful bunch, and Awiza didn't take long to make Khan aware of their stance.
A small team of Orlats led by Awiza approached Khan while he was busy moving piles of metal tiles. He could feel the mass of mana hidden under him, and the scene in his sensitivity didn't look good. He would probably find another corpse, but he continued to dig anyway.
"This quadrant is under our jurisdiction," Awiza announced once her team reached Khan.
"[I'm only trying to help]," Khan responded in the Orlats' language without stopping digging.
"You must leave," Awiza threatened.
Khan felt forced to stop at those words and turning to look at the alien team made their stance clear. Awiza had three second-level warriors behind her and a few first-level warriors. She was ready to remove Khan by force if needed.
The Orlats were among the most heartless factions during the clearing operation, but Khan could see how Awiza's stance went beyond the desire to monopolize the looting.
Things had been rough with the Orlats after Luke decided to deploy the team. He might have paid everyone back, but that didn't change what he had done, and Awiza had probably gotten the short end of the stick due to her involvement.
"[Look]," Khan opted for a diplomatic approach, "[I'll hand over anything valuable I find. I just want to rescue as many people as possible]."
"[You can't be trusted]," Awiza stated, finally accepting that the conversation would happen in her language. "[Leave now]."
The Orlats behind Awiza reached for their weapons after her words. The negotiations were over, and no one would blame Khan if he decided to leave. Still, he had other plans.
A tinge of anger rose inside Khan. He had never liked the limits of politics in the first place, but Awiza was actively trying to stop him from saving lives.
Khan knew the disaster wasn't his fault, but he still wanted to make things right. His desire came from his knowledge of the suffering Milia 222's population was enduring. He wanted to spare them from that pain and was willing to fight for that.
The Orlats began to lift their weapons when Khan straightened his position, but their stance and mana reeked of fear. Only Awiza could retain her calm, but she couldn't hide her worry, which spoke loudly to someone like Khan.
The news of Khan's fight against the third-level warrior had spread through the dock, and he could guess that the video had reached many channels controlled by Orlats. Awiza and her team probably knew about his battle prowess, and the events with the Nak's hand were bound to have deepened his fame.
Khan moved his eyes among the Orlats, and a tremor ran through them whenever they experienced his pressure. Awiza wore a straight face, but her worry intensified during that stalemate. She didn't expect Khan to be so stubborn about the matter, but there he was.
Fighting to get the chance to rescue people sounded contradictory. Khan had even decided to spare Rodney. He didn't want to force his way through that blockade, but leaving wasn't an option either.
Khan lifted his arm slowly to avoid abrupt reactions from the Orlats. The aliens studied his movements and eventually followed the direction pointed by his fingers. A small hill appeared in their vision, but the place didn't explain the reason behind Khan's gesture.
"[What]?" Awiza asked since Khan didn't bother to speak.
"[There is a big mass of mana under that rubble]," Khan revealed. "[It probably is a ship's tank. I believe you'd be interested in seizing it]."
Awiza kept her cold eyes on Khan, but the Orlats around her exchanged glances, revealing their interest. Containers of synthetic mana were pretty valuable right now, and the possibility of finding an entire ship was tempting.
Khan and Awiza remained locked in a stare until she nodded at one of the second-level warriors in her team. The latter showed a confused expression that Awiza's short order cleared. "[Check it]."
The second-level warrior hurried toward the hill and began to move away the debris under Khan and the team's watchful gazes. The process was slow and messy, but an engine eventually came to light and made Awiza send the rest of her companions to the location.
Soon, a broken ship came out of the hill of debris. The vehicle was useless in its current state, but many of its pieces were salvageable. Moreover, its tank had strangely survived the disaster, keeping the synthetic mana in its insides safe.
Awiza glared at Khan before reaching for the ship to inspect it. The finding was precious, but that wasn't the point. The Orlats would have retrieved the broken ship anyway. Khan had simply made sure that Awiza's team got it.
The Orlats' internal issues and fights were no secret to Milia 222. Khan could see Awiza rethinking her initial stance now that a better opportunity had appeared. She showed a cold face when she turned to look at Khan, but her emotions had already reassured him.
Awiza left the wrecked ship to return to Khan, and an offer left her mouth when she got close enough. "[I want something valuable every hour]."
"[I'll point out anything valuable around the traces of survivors]," Khan stated. "[That's the deal]."
"[You don't set the terms]," Awiza responded.
"[I can always find an Orlats who accepts them]," Khan voiced before gazing at the rubble in the distance. "[It won't be hard until I explain how much it's hidden under all of this]."
Awiza didn't like Khan's stance. She preferred his fake flattery over that conceited character. Yet, his offer remained good, and he was right. Someone else would benefit from Khan's senses if she refused him.
Two more days went by without anything significant happening. No one tried to obstruct Khan's efforts anymore, so he focused on saving people and helping out wherever possible.
Of course, as time passed, the number of survivors diminished. Khan spent hours digging out maimed corpses, and the few still alive were in terrible shapes that didn't promise anything good.
The depressing scene was nothing new to Khan. He actually felt glad that he could finally do something valuable during a disaster. The deaths far outnumbered the survivors, but he had helped a lot, and that was enough.
The almost four days of relentless work finally made Khan discover his new limits. He would typically ignore them, but Jenna and Monica never left him off the hook for too long, so a sleeping session ended in his schedule sooner than expected.
Khan finished digging out another corpse before accepting that his time had come. He would have his first night of sleep after the transformation, and he couldn't avoid choosing Monica's tent as the location of his rest.
'It should be fine,' Khan thought as he headed toward Monica's tent. He would have preferred to sleep in an isolated area since his nightmares could have become dangerous, but refusing Monica and Jenna when they worked together was impossible.
"Lieutenant Khan!" Someone called when Monica's tent entered Khan's vision.
Khan turned to see a man hurrying in his direction. The latter was quite young, only a few years older than him, but he was still a first-level warrior. Also, his uniform put him among the central pillar's forces.
"Yes?" Khan asked since he didn't recognize the man.
"We found something during the excavation," The man explained when he stopped before Khan. "Mister Cobsend told us to give it to you."
The man put his backpack down to pull out a metal folder, and Khan guessed what it was even before seizing it. Pressing a button made the narrow lid slide open, and the scent that invaded the synthetic mana confirmed Khan's hunch.
Khan glanced at the intact layer of the reinforced fabric inside the folder before closing the lid. Raymond had been true to his word. Khan only had to contact Luke now.
"Tell me more," Khan requested while picking up his phone. He had completely ignored it in the past days and seeing the many missed calls and messages didn't surprise him.
"We found it among a series of collapsed buildings," The soldier explained. "Mister Cobsend thinks it was a lab."
"And Mister Cobsend is rarely wrong," Khan casually commented while browsing his messages.
"Sir?" The man questioned since Khan didn't seem to take the matter seriously.
"Good job out there," Khan eventually exclaimed while storing his phone. "Can you contact Luke Cobsend for me? I'm ready to see him."
Khan could handle the task by himself, but leaving it to a random soldier would give him more time alone. Still, he soon realized to have underestimated Raymond's planning. A new ship had descended through the hole, and Luke's presence shone clearly in its insides.
"Mister Cobsend-," The man tried to explain the situation.
"I know," Khan interrupted the soldier before glancing at the incoming ship. "Get some rest now."
"Yes, sir!" The man exclaimed before performing a military salute and leaving the area.
Khan suddenly felt tired. Learning about the imminent meeting drained him of his remaining strength and made him sit on the floor. Meanwhile, the ship continued to descend until it landed on an empty spot nearby.
Luke wasn't the only familiar face inside the ship. When its doors opened, Khan saw Master Ivor, Bruce, Francis, and Martha. Half of the team had flown down to check the situation, and their stunned expressions said enough.
Luke and the others had been on the first floor until now. They had only heard reports about the disaster, but seeing the messy medical bay, the giant hole, and the various ships busy with the debris made them understand how tragic everything had been.
Khan saw Luke exchanging a few words with his companions before heading in his direction on his own. The messy scene managed to claim his attention for most of the walk, but that changed once he noticed Khan's new hair.
"What happened to you?" Luke asked once he reached Khan.
"Let me guess," Khan joked. "Your uncle told you to come down here."
"It was a soldier, actually," Luke revealed. "Still, are you okay?"
Luke wasn't only speaking about Khan's hair. The four days of work had made him sweaty, dirty, and had given him dark eye bags. Khan seemed on the verge of collapsing, but he still had the strength to talk business.
"I'm fine," Khan reassured while handing the metal folder. "This is for you."
Luke didn't really accept Khan's reply, but opening the folder moved his attention to different topics. The stolen reinforced fabric was finally in his hands. That could be enough to please his father.
"The connection to the network has gone on and off these days," Luke revealed while closing the folder and crossing his arms to hold it tightly, "Receiving updates from the second asteroid has been a pain, but we did find what we were looking for. There actually was a hidden tunnel."
"The soldier who gave me that confirmed the presence of a lab here," Khan added, making sure to keep everything vague. "I guess you have everything you need."
"I do," Luke exclaimed without hiding his excitement and disbelief. "I need to confirm a few things, but the mission is over."
Khan revealed a faint smile before placing his hands on the floor and lifting his face. The cracked ceiling, the hole, and the streets past them filled his vision, but he could barely see them. Luke's words had officially put an end to the past months of struggle. Khan had done it but felt too tired to appreciate the accomplishment.
Master Ivor and the others reached Luke while Khan remained immersed in his feelings. His hair caught the group's attention, and questions flew in his direction, but he ignored them for now. He wanted to enjoy the moment a bit longer and memorize that unique scenery.
"Before we make everything official," Luke exclaimed. "Khan, have you thought about after Milia 222? Do you have anything in mind?"
Khan felt forced to exit his pensive state at that question. He knew what Luke wanted to say, but he didn't have a precise answer now, especially with Francis on the scene.
"I just want to rest now," Khan stated as he stood up and searched for the Nele. They would take care of him since he couldn't go to Monica's tent anymore.
"Wait, Khan," Luke continued. "You are too valuable to get caught in random jobs. Let me help. I can promise higher pay and the best support."
Luke wanted to secure Khan before he could study different options, but he was too tired even to consider that topic now. Also, a familiar presence entered the area and made him ignore Luke altogether.
Khan turned to his right, and his sharp gesture made the entire group look in the same direction. Surprisingly enough, Monica had left her tent and was on her way to reach Luke and the others.
"You should be in bed," Khan scolded once Monica got close enough.
"Lieutenant Khan, as much as I appreciate the concern, you are not a doctor," Monica politely responded.
"What did the doctor say?" Khan wondered.
"She cleared me for this walk," Monica revealed. "Besides, I couldn't miss this reunion."
"What happened to you?" Francis questioned. Monica was wearing clean clothes, but the talk about the doctor and her slightly uneasy steps revealed her injured state.
"Everyone suffered injuries, Francis," Monica cut the topic short. "So, what were you talking about?"
Martha could read the vibe since she knew more than her companions, and she didn't hesitate to say something that might help Monica and Khan. "Luke was offering Khan another job."
"You don't waste time," Monica giggled while covering her mouth. "Well, I can't blame you. Lieutenant Khan is a valuable asset."
"The asset is going to sleep," Khan commented before voicing short goodbyes. "Luke, Miss Solodrey."
"Though I should say you are late," Monica continued, ignoring Khan's goodbyes.
"What do you mean?" Luke asked.
"I already found an agreement with Lieutenant Khan," Monica exclaimed, and Khan felt forced to interrupt his departure. "He will join me on the Harbor once the mission ends."
"The Harbor?" Luke repeated, glancing at Khan to find answers on his face. Khan was as confused as him, but he pretended to be completely aware of the situation.
"The embassy there needed trainees," Monica explained. "Lieutenant Khan was the obvious choice."
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