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(A/N: For anyone reading, feel free to use the first names I give these characters in your own writings if you want. Heck, use the head-canons and backstories too if you like them. Or even any ideas in general. They're pretty open-source.)

Jochi Khasar

A privileged life had not been something Jochi Khasar had always had. He'd never known his father, to start. Rumours circulated around three or four different possibilities. Suffice to say mother had not had many options open to her when it came to work. Leave it at that. Not least among those three or four rumoured possibilities was a high-ranking Mongolian Chief by the name of Torgal who, as far as anyone knew, had only one legitimate son. Note the term legitimate.

Torgal had been aware of his existence of course, and also aware of the potential blood tie, but the man wasn't known for going much out of his way for his potentially illegitimate offspring. The man had regarded him with idle curiosity and from time to time had checked in on his wellbeing or left gifts of money with mother, but beyond that had done nothing for him. To be fair, though, Jochi had regarded Torgal with much the same sort of indifference. Curiosity and little more. To be fair again, he frequently read or watched reports about the Chief—along with every other one of his potential fathers—but had never gone out of his way to meet or speak to him. Or any of them really.

When the Torgal's legitimate son had been born, Jochi's curiosity had increased and transferred more to the child. He had poured over newspapers and reports about this potential half-brother just to keep tabs on him, and couldn't help but feel proud of how the boy was growing. A brilliant child, it was said, and good-mannered. Forever curious, giddy about the things he was passionate about—Torgal's pride and joy. He never resented the child. There was no reason to when he couldn't even be sure the Chief was his biological father, and even if there had been proof, he'd had no reason to hate the little one. The boy didn't give you anything to hate. He was in a word utterly adorable, and sometimes Jochi caught himself wondering, on bitter days, how such a sweet boy could be the son of someone so flighty and self-obsessed. Or so that was the impression he'd had about Paul Torgal when he was young. Over time that perspective had shifted a little. For instance, the man adored his son and did everything he could to give him a good life. The gifts of money to his illegitimate and potentially illegitimate children had never dried up either. There'd even been a report he donated some organ or other to one who'd gotten particularly ill. Not that the man hadn't had the money to have his donated organ replaced by cybernetic parts or organic ones—which was never clear—but that he'd been willing to give something like that up at all had won him a little respect from Jochi. Still, when Paul Torgal started to fixate or obsess on something, even his golden child tended to fall to the wayside, and those were the times Khasar looked down on him most because goodness knew a child so gifted needed the extra attention.

He never went out of his way to meet Torgal, nor did he try to contact him. It wasn't his place or his business, and there was no guarantee he was the man's son anyway. He would have liked to meet Bart though. Not even just because of the potential blood tie, but also because of genuine curiosity. He would have loved to pick the boy's brain and have a few deep discussions with him. They were similar in that it seemed, albeit Bart's mind was more geared toward the scientific and mathematic than the philosophic and artistic. Of course, he could have been wrong. He'd never had much of a chance to know the boy on a more personal level, after all. Not until one day when Torgal had had some business to deal with in the Mongolian settlement where Khasar lived with his mother…

Subnautica

Torgal's pending arrival was the talk of the settlement. Jochi wasn't sure how he felt about it. Mother wasn't either. She'd gone very quiet when she learned the man was coming and had stayed that way since. He hated that Torgal had something to do with her melancholy. He hated seeing his mother sad. She suffered more than enough as was. It was only recently that that began to change with his obtaining a decent-paying job and starting to drive off every lustful letch that suggested something of her. He'd told her she didn't need to anymore and that he would take care of them, but he suspected she still did what she felt she had to when he wasn't at home to stop it. She'd never wanted her son to be their provider. She'd felt such a heavy responsibility was too much for a teenager, and perhaps she'd been right, but he'd always been mature for his age and more driven than most.

He was right there along with many others to greet the Mogolian Chief as he came in. He doubted the man would even recognize him in the crowd. Sure enough, Torgal walked right by. His son followed behind him focused on a device and not really paying attention to where he was stepping. The boy cried out as he tripped and began to fall, causing the Chief to look quickly back. Jochi acted swiftly, darting forward and catching the boy as well as the device the child was holding. The boy blinked and looked quickly up at him, eyes wide. The welcoming crowds had gone silent because it was well-known not to touch the Chiefs or their families without permission. Jochi almost regretted taking this risk and looked toward his potential sire in some measure of nervousness. The man's eyes were locked on him. He straightened the boy up and gave him his device back before stepping away a little and bowing his head to the man.

He wasn't sure if Torgal recognized him or not, but the man kept watching for a long moment. "What is your name, youth?" the Chief finally asked.

"Jochi Khasar," he answered promptly, not meeting the man's eyes. Silence again, and if Torgal hadn't recognized him before, he knew who he was now.

"Have you room in your house for accommodations?" Torgal asked.

Jochi looked up at him quickly in full-blown shock. "There's a spare room and space enough in the main ones for two to sleep comfortably. I would give the boy my bed and stay in the living room, or otherwise sleep on the floor of my room and guard him," he replied.

Torgal pursed his lips, considering this. "And what would your mother say?" he asked.

Jochi bit back the urge to challenge him on how he knew he had just a mother. Embarrassing the Chief would win him no approval. "Sir, I don't know, but I can ask her. I don't see why or how she would or could refuse you."

"I'll ask her myself. Lead the way."

"My Chief, his mother is a prostitute. You can find more respectable lodging," one of the onlookers boldly said.

Jochi visibly winced. "What's a prostitute?" the little boy asked, looking up at him.

"She entertains people, little one. In special ways," Jochi replied. The boy seemed satisfied by this answer.

Torgal was glaring at the one who had spoken and looked less than impressed. "Prostitute or not, lodging is lodging and I would firmly suggest you not belittle the unfortunate woman or the lot she was given again." Jochi inwardly cheered the Chief. Torgal turned to him once more. "Lead the way."

Jochi nodded and began to make his way to his mother's house. Torgal came up alongside him silently. "Thank you," Jochi quietly said. Torgal harrumphed and patted his shoulder.

Subnautica

Mother was stunned when Torgal appeared at her door and made his request personally. She stammered over an agreement and stepped aside. The Chief entered with his son in hand and looked around. "This will be suitable," he said.

"There is a spare room you and the boy can share."

"The boy will distract me from my work. He can share a room with your son and we'll leave it at that." Torgal looked at Khasar. "I trust you'll behave appropriately. Also not get to blabbing too much with him. The boy needs to study his lessons after all." Khasar understood the vague warning. He wasn't to mention anything to Bart about any sort of potential blood tie and was to behave towards him as a babysitter, nothing more. The former he would do, there wasn't a guarantee of a tie anyway, but they'd see about the latter.

"Sir," he said nonetheless. Torgal nodded and went to settle himself leaving an anxious-looking Bart behind.

The boy looked up at Khasar, eyes wide and nervous. Khasar shook his head and looked down at him, putting on a warm smile. "Come along. I'll show you to my room. You can have the bed. I'll settle on the floor."

"But you'll be uncomfortable," the boy said.

"I'll be fine, don't you worry." He let the boy to his room.

Bart stepped inside and looked around in wonder. "I like this," the boy said, walking in and starting to explore. He didn't touch anything though. A respectful little thing, wasn't he? "You have so many books! Instruments too."

"I enjoy such pursuits," Khasar said. "You can read the books if you want, or see the instruments."

"Really?" the child asked, looking at him with eyes wide.

"But of course. I will even help you to read words you might struggle with."

The boy frowned. "But I'm a good reader."

"There's always more to learn."

The boy considered this. "My name is Bart Torgal. What's yours?"

"Jochi Khasar. A pleasure to meet you."

Bart nodded. "Everyone says that all of the time, but I think you actually mean it."

"Intuitive, aren't we?" he said, smiling.

"What does that mean?"

"That you have a very good sense for things, especially people and their motives."

"Oh. I like learning."

"Then feel free to browse the books to your heart's content."

Bart nodded. "Do you know my father?"

Jochi's jaw twitched a little. "No. I know who he is, but not who he is personally."

"He's a Mongolian Chief. He runs mines too," Bart chirped. The boy's smile became a bit of a frown. "I think he wants me to learn how as well, but I don't really want to. I want to study nature, not the things that destroy it!"

"If something is mined properly, it causes little disturbance to nature, but I agree with you that it certainly isn't good for the natural world either," Khasar said.

"Father doesn't understand that. He doesn't understand anything I say," the boy said a bit sadly.

"I think he does, but he has his own ideas and plans that he simply can't interrupt."

"I don't like that. I want him to listen to me more than his boring associates."

Khasar chuckled a bit. "Children are never taken seriously, are they? Not even me still."

"Are you a child?"

"In a sense."

"Then we should stick together," Bart said in as practical a tone as he could, nodding his head seriously.

"I would like that. Very much," Jochi murmured fondly.

Subnautica

They'd spend hours in his room pouring over books and playing various instruments the boy had never seen before. He'd even helped Bart with his lessons and then taken him outside to play because he didn't think it was good for a little boy to be stuck inside all the time doing nothing but studying. He took him for walks and down to a little stream nearby and all over the place. The child had loved it. He'd been sure not to go too far though, because he could sense Torgal's increasing leeriness of the situation. The man had started to watch them more closely now and seemed on the verge of telling them to come back in and forbidding them from leaving again, so he brought Bart back and then backed off for a little bit so Paul could spend time with his son.

For the next two weeks, the pattern continued. He would take Bart for as long as could possibly be gotten away with before returning him in time to pacify the Mongolian Chief. He wanted to spend as much time with the boy as possible, though, because when this was all over, even if he never saw Bart again, he wanted the child to remember him.

Bart had cried when it was time for them to leave. Khasar had been near to tears too, eyes shimmering a bit, but he kept composed because he couldn't let the Chief see how much he wanted to be part of this potential brother's life. If he did, he might really never get to see Bart again, assuming there was still a chance he would get to at all. Torgal had been annoyed at the boy's tears, and suspicious of them, but had soothed him nonetheless as best the man knew how. After they left, Jochi just went back to his room and stayed there for the rest of the day and night.

Subnautica

Life went on, the years crept by, and he kept rising in station and rank despite his less-than-ideal origins. He was well-spoken, intelligent, convincing, and diplomatic, which all lent to him obtaining a high-ranking political position all his own. He liked to think it would have been something his father—whoever that had been—would have been proud of if he'd bothered to stay. Mother died of some undiagnosed illness when he was twenty-one, and that had almost broken him, but he knew she would have been proud had she still been here. Notably, it had been Paul Torgal to pay for the funeral. The man had also gifted him a substantial sum of money on top of it. Not that money made him feel any better about losing his mother. In the wake of his mother's death, he'd begun contacting other potential illegitimate children of Torgal's just out of curiosity. It was strange to think there might still be family out there somewhere. Interestingly enough Torgal had stayed at least once with every one of them, Bart in tow. The Chief's motives became more and more mysterious.

The Torgals themselves he never saw in person again until shortly before the Degasi was scheduled to take flight. He'd been assigned to meet with Paul and discuss the situation and the plan. Bart would be there too. The boy probably wouldn't recognize him as an adult when last the youth had seen him he'd been a teenager, but it was what it was. Torgal certainly knew him though. He came to him in person and alone shortly before they were scheduled to meet. Jochi was still going over the questions he was to ask. Paul had apologized about his mother. He'd gone quiet but then thanked him genuinely and told him also that it meant more to him than Paul knew. Torgal had nodded. Bart had come in searching for his father. Both he and the Chief had looked over, and he saw the boy recognized him from somewhere, just couldn't place it. Torgal had gone to his son and ushered him away, though the boy stayed staring a moment longer before following, and Khasar let out a breath.

When they finally met, the discussion didn't go well. That was to say it started well, very much so, until it came up that Torgal intended to take Bart with him into the dead of space.

"I'm sorry, you're going to what?" Khasar asked, losing the plot briefly.

"The boy is coming with me," Paul said like he'd expected this confrontation to happen.

Khasar was quiet for a moment. "The boy is eighteen," he finally said.

"Going on nineteen. He's old enough."

"To go into the dead of space into uncharted territories with a patched crew on an untested ship?"

"I sense disapproval," Paul said.

"He's eighteen."

"We've been through this."

"You're going to get him killed," Jochi said flat out.

"We have the best protection money can buy, I assure you."

"You're going to get him killed," he repeated, tone lower.

There was silence briefly. Bart, sitting at his father's side, was now paying close attention, staring at Khasar. "That's none of your concern," Paul finally said.

"Of course it's my concern," he replied before the words had even left Torgal's mouth. Bart seemed to sense the growing tension.

Silence. "He's none of your concern," Torgal finally repeated.

"Until proven otherwise, yes. He is. Even if proven otherwise, it will still be my concern. I'm not inclined to dismiss the risk involved in this or the threat to his wellbeing."

"You're overstepping your boundaries."

"You're not taking him."

"Yes I am, and there's nothing you can do to stop that."

Khasar glanced at Bart, whose eyes were now a little wider. Perhaps the boy recognized him now. Perhaps the boy realized also why Khasar suddenly seemed so concerned for him. It wasn't as if Paul Torgal's questionable life choices would have been kept secret from a youth as intelligent as Bart for long. Khasar turned back to Paul. "Leave him home where he'll be safe."

"He needs to learn the ins and outs of the business. I've taken all necessary precautions to protect his safety, I assure you. Cerebral implants and advanced training included."

"This is madness."

"This is business."

Briefly, very briefly, he'd considered attacking the man. It wasn't something he was proud of, but the thought had crossed his mind, and there was no hiding from that. "You cannot leave. You cannot take him."

"I can and I will."

"You will regret this choice."

"Is that a threat?"

"Would a threat keep you here?"

Torgal was quiet for a moment. "A threat would get you arrested," he finally replied.

"Then it is a word of caution."

"He'll be safe. I'll make sure of it."

Khasar looked over to Bart once more, then sighed through the nose and turned attention to Paul again. "Then I wish you the best of luck. I hope you stay true to your promise and keep him protected."

"There is nothing more precious to a parent than their children."

"I never would have guessed."

Paul huffed and chose not to comment on that response. They finished their discussion a few minutes later and immediately after, Bart dragged his father rapidly away. Khasar could only assume the boy intended to confront the man and ask some difficult questions. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty about that. It was only moments after that Bart stormed out on the verge of frustrated tears. Khasar watched quietly and tiredly. The boy held his head in his hands, then shouted, kicking something on the ground. Bart seemed to sense he was being observed and turned quickly his way. He stayed put and said nothing. The boy approached and he contemplated walking away but decided against it. "What's your name?" Bart asked.

"Jochi Khasar. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bart."

"I remember you. From my childhood. You were the one that was so nice to me when we stayed with you."

"I recall it."

Bart seemed to consider asking something, then decided against it, shoulders slumping. "A pleasure to meet you again as well, Mr. Khasar."

Bart turned and began to leave. Jochi couldn't stay quiet. "I don't know!" he called after the boy. Bart paused. "You wanted to ask a question; I know you did. If it was the one I think, the answer is I don't know." Bart was still a moment longer before walking away. Khasar closed his eyes and hung his head. He never saw the boy again.

Subnautica

It was three years after the Torgals' disappearance that he became an Emissary of the Mongolian Independent States. He made it his personal mission to find out what happened to them, but it required overcoming more than a few hurdles in the way. It was years before he could convince the Trans Gov it would be worth it to launch a proper investigation. That was when Aurora came into the picture. He knew it was his best chance to find answers and so put forth the proposal as soon as he could. Fortunately, he was excellent at making a case. They agreed to his plan, as did Alterra, and the Aurora's secondary objective was put into place. Now here he was, years down the line and on the search for answers that might be found too late but would at least give him, and any other possible illegitimate children of Torgal's, some closure. That was something at least.