Captain Godman let Khan go after that short interrogation, but the other recruits didn't have it so easy. The soldiers had to record everything in the official tapes of the army, and the process ended up taking almost an hour.
The soldiers then led the entire group into a waiting room and provided some food while preparing everything for the return on Earth. It turned out that the space station had a teleport in its insides, but the Global Army preferred to avoid using it due to issues connected to the synthetic mana.
Many structures, machines, and vehicles inside the space station used synthetic mana as fuel, so the army preferred to avoid depleting its stashes. The teleports even consumed a lot of energy, so using those on the planets prevented eventual issues caused by a shortage of power.
Still, the situation was atypical due to the chaos on Istrone, and the army didn't want to send the recruits back on the planet after everything they had experienced. Using the stashes of synthetic mana in the space station was the least they could do to improve the kids' return.
Captain Godman didn't reappear. A simple soldier took care of leading the recruits across the intricate corridors of the space station until they reached a familiar circular area that contained an oval structure at its center.
Khan had grown used to that scene already. All the teleports looked the same. The only differences were in the materials that surrounded the actual structures.
The same dark-grey metal floor of the space station surrounded the teleport, and white consoles filled the edges of the circular hall. Many soldiers wearing white medical coats worked on those spots and tinkered with the holograms to ensure that everything worked perfectly.
The teleport still scared some of the recruits, but they didn't show any hesitation at that time. The soldier divided them according to their training camp, and each group jumped on the white platform as soon as they heard the order ringing in their ears.
Khan, Cora, George, Luke, and Dorian used that chance to say goodbye. That separation would make it impossible for them to meet for many years due to the training in their respective camps. They could contact themselves through their phones, but they all knew that their packed schedules wouldn't leave time for that.
"I guess we'll see each other around," Dorian announced while wearing a sad smile. "The Aiyti family isn't too wealthy, but you'll always have a friend there."
"The same goes for me," Cora continued while shooting shy glances toward Khan. "Make sure to give me a call if you ever end up near Reebfell. Also, who knows? We might find ourselves in the same platoon one day."
"I doubt any of us wants to be on the battlefield again," Luke laughed. "Though, I won't forget that you saved me. Make sure to contact me if you ever need something."
"We'll still belong to the same organization," George explained. "I think we'll definitely meet each other again."
"It's very likely as long as we chase similar goals," Khan added. "Take care of yourselves. I can't always be there to save your asses."
Khan's mental barrier was still in place, but he didn't want to ignore that moment completely. Taking good care of social relationships was necessary for his goal, and those recruits had even shared tragic moments with him. The group had grown close through pain.
"I don't think I like arrogant-Khan," Dorian laughed.
"He has every reason to be like that," Luke replied. "I bet our entire training camp will start to worship him once we return."
Khan couldn't help but show a complicated smile at those words. The Kred had managed to kill many recruits during the attack. There weren't many first years left to worship him.
That reaction reminded Luke of the tragic situation. He was still struggling to accept that new normality. Going back to Ylaco wouldn't solve anything since most of his friends were now inside coffins. Even the special class didn't have many survivors.
Luke's mistake was understandable. Every recruit was trying to get back to normality, and the most common approach was to pretend that nothing had happened.
However, it was impossible to ignore that their entire world had turned upside-down. Their very minds carried memories that had changed them completely.
Some recruits had matured during the rebellion. Others had discovered their true nature and talents after their struggles. Many more had fallen apart, and it would take them years of therapy and time among loved ones to recover.
Khan could see those changes in his friends. Luke had grown distracted after experiencing the near-death experience. Cora and Dorian had found their confidence and courage. George had gained a broader knowledge of the many talents inside the army, and he had also accumulated battle experience that allowed him to deploy his abilities correctly.
Khan had also changed, but he couldn't study his transformation as long as his emotions remained bottled in his mind.
Those bottled emotions would trigger changes that Khan couldn't predict, and the time to lower his mental barrier even drew near as the soldier continued to send recruits to the teleport. It was almost time to experience those raging feelings, and Khan didn't look forward to that.
"Flurris!" The soldier eventually shouted, and Dorian showed an honest smile before walking toward the teleport.
A skinny girl with a pale complexion who had remained alone for the entire time also moved and joined Dorian on the teleport. She also was from Flurris' training camp, but it was clear that her mental condition was far from optimal after the events on Istrone.
The teleport lit up, and the two recruits vanished. The soldier quickly called another city, and the recruits belonging to that training camp walked toward the structure while the technicians changed the coordinates.
Cora's time eventually arrived. The girl wanted to say many things, but it was impossible to talk with Khan alone in that situation, and she didn't really know how to face him after the kiss.
The girl limited herself to exchange polite words with Luke and George before jumping forward to hug Khan. The latter could avoid that gesture, but he didn't.
"I won't forget," Khan swore when he saw the girl leaving his arms and trying to say something.
Cora revealed a broad smile before walking happily back to the teleport. No one else in the group of recruits moved since she was the only survivor from Reebfell.
George and Luke shot curious gazes toward Khan, but none of them said anything. It was complicated to discuss Cora's matters when Martha was in a coma. Both boys knew that teasing him wasn't the right thing to do.
"Thank you for everything," George announced when it was his time to reach the teleport.
The boy didn't say anything else and hurried to the teleport. A few recruits joined him, and the structure soon made them vanish.
Luke and Khan's time arrived right after George. They were the only ones from Ylaco who could return on Earth right away since the other survivors were too injured to endure the teleportation. Bruce and Martha were somewhere inside the space station, and they would need a bit more to recover.
The scene felt lonely when Khan inspected the almost empty platform. The first year of Ylaco's training camp had less than one hundred and fifty recruits before the semestral mission, but only a dozen of them had survived the rebellion.
The army had yet to find traces of many lost kids, but everyone knew that the chances of finding survivors diminished as time passed.
The Kred's rebellion might have failed in the end, but the aliens had succeeded in their goal. The Global Army had lost more than ninety percent of its six-month-old recruits. The damage suffered in those short weeks was immense.
Synthetic mana surrounded Khan and Luke before their vision went dark. The two reopened their eyes in a familiar circular hall. Some discomfort spread from their bodies, but that feeling didn't manage to suppress the slight relief that they experienced when gazing at the room seen before their trip to Onia.
"Welcome back!" An elderly man with long white hair and a grey goatee announced while fixing his eyes on Luke.
"It's nice to see you too, Master Ivor," Luke exclaimed while jumping off the teleport.
Khan connected that elderly but lively figure to Luke's hired Master. The two even appeared quite close since they exchanged a hug once Luke left the platform.
Khan also jumped off the platform and limited himself to perform a quick inspection before fixing his eyes on the corridor that led to the exit. Lieutenant Dyester wasn't there, but he didn't feel bad about it since he knew about his history.
The soldiers in the building made the duo go through the usual scanners and inspections before letting them off the hook. A few surprised gasps resounded when the technicians read the machines' results, but Khan limited himself to take note of that event before hurrying outside the structure.
"Do you need anything?" Luke asked when his Master began to walk toward the boy's dormitory.
"I'm fine," Khan replied while wearing a fake smile. "I only want to see my bed again."
"I'm the same!" Luke laughed. "My dad wants me to do a complete check-up with better scanners, but I think I'll ignore him until I get a proper night of sleep."
"See you soon then," Khan said while waving his hand and going on his way.
Luke didn't have the time to say much due to Khan's sudden departure, but he let go of the matter after heaving a helpless sigh. His friend had every reason to act as he wanted after Istrone's events.
Khan's smile vanished when he felt sure that Luke couldn't see his face anymore. It wouldn't take him much to return to his room, but he wanted to go somewhere else before dealing with his emotions.
His phone had started to work again after the soldiers on Istrone provided charges. Khan could read on the screen that it was almost time for lunch, but he didn't feel hungry at all. He only wanted to talk with someone who could understand him.
Comments