Chaos' Heir

In the following days, the expansion proceeded as intended. Completing the cities and wearing the new attire smoothed the conquest. A new issue popped up, but Khan easily handled it.

The various tribes couldn't help but shake at Khan's appearance. His war paint, shining eyes, bone crown, and general aura allowed him to cross language and species barriers, earning servitude at the first show of force.

Yet, that servitude needed fuel, forcing Khan to make more public appearances in the city. He also had to appoint some of his closest Scalqa to management positions to absorb the newcomers properly, and feasts became necessary to reinforce his authority.

The process was expensive, but the Nognes family's funds seemed bottomless. Besides, Khan knew the turning point was behind the corner. He only had one concern about the matter.

Khan's eyes often went to the sky after each conquest. Mark's space station had arrived, and its size made it visible from many areas of the planet. Of course, Khan didn't care about the structure. His thoughts were on the ally inside.

Abraham's tests showed promising results, but Khan still felt some pressure when his friends were involved. He knew Lieutenant Dyester had offered himself to serve a greater purpose, but the matter remained annoying. Compartmentalizing and sending his allies to the frontlines were the worst aspects of leadership for Khan.

The pressure didn't get any easier to handle in the following period, but the expansion kept Khan busy enough to distract him from those heavy thoughts. Fulfilling the deals with the descendants and starting their businesses on Baoway was the priority, and he worked day and night to make it happen as quickly as possible.

Nevertheless, a significant event interrupted the expansion, forcing Khan to return to the main city earlier than scheduled. A big, circular ship had landed on one of the tall platforms, and Khan had to welcome it. His position required it.

Monica had handled the preparations perfectly. The Thilku liked open spaces, so she arranged a long, short table on one of the available terraces. Pillows surrounded it, acting as seats, and food and drinks already occupied specific spots.

Khan was behind the table when Monica led the guests to the terrace. He had yet to sit, so the aliens could appreciate his attire. Khan had donned the Thilku cape, but his bone armor, crown, pelts, and war paint were still in place. He kept his eyes dark, but that didn't diminish their intensity.

The Thilku couldn't help but feel surprised. Many guests had seen Khan in different instances, but that look gave him a different vibe. Moreover, the new atmosphere suited him since it matched his aura.

Still, one Thilku among the guests recovered quickly, and the bone crown inevitably captured his attention. Lord Exr had teased Khan about earning a crown but didn't expect him to get one.

"[Lord Exr]," Khan announced before looking at the other guests. "[Friends]."

"[Blue Shaman]," Lord Exr called, advancing with the rest of the group. The Thilku sat on the opposite side of the table while Monica took a seat next to Khan.

Khan was the last to sit but the first to act. He had a screen behind his pillow, which he promptly handed to Lord Exr. The latter turned it on and hid his surprise when Thilku runes shone in his eyes.

The courtesy of delivering data directly in the alien language didn't go unnoticed, but Lord Exr spotted more details. The writing lacked specific words and complicated grammar. It was correct but simple, which hinted at something.

"[Did you write this]?" Lord Exr wondered, peeking at the crowned human.

"[There's a proper version below]," Khan explained. "[I wanted to test my writing first]."

Lord Exr lowered his eyes, skimming through the device until he reached the official report. He knew Khan had learned the Thilku runes, but the actual writing was one level above that. Still, he couldn't spot glaring mistakes or anything similar.

"[Quite well put]," Lord Exr praised. "[What about the content itself]?"

"[It is as it states]," Khan exclaimed. "[Baoway produced a resource the Global Army will hold dear]."

Lord Exr couldn't help but focus on the device again. Khan didn't say it, but the explanations hinted at something past humankind. The supplement's properties could theoretically work on the Thilku, and the data was promising.

"[The Empire is interested]," Lord Exr announced, generating some surprise. The Thilku always tried to have a superior position in every negotiation, and admitting interest made them lose that power.

It was also incredible how a single planet could have produced something capable of attracting the attention of a whole species. The matter could even lead to an unfathomable event. The Empire could be forced to accept bad deals to secure the new resource.

"[I'm ready to deliver samples and the current specifics behind every procedure]," Khan revealed. "[Many aspects can be perfected, but it's a start]."

The offer was appealing, but Lord Exr had dealt with humans long enough to ask a mandatory question. "[And what does the Blue Shaman ask in return]?"

Khan and Lord Exr had already negotiated deals, but the supplement was valuable enough to reopen that option. Khan's influence on the planet had also vastly increased, involving many human parties in his domain. The attempt wouldn't be honorable, but Khan could try to ask for higher prices. That wouldn't be Lord Exr's first time dealing with similar situations.

"[Nothing]," Khan said, surprising the alien. "[I'll hand over everything for free]."

The statement was so surprising the other aliens partially failed to hide their reactions. The Thilku were happy about those terms, but Lord Exr still struggled to believe Khan.

"[What's the human words]?" Lord Exr muttered before switching language. "Where's the catch?"

"No catch," Khan replied. "It's a show of good faith toward precious allies."

Lord Exr still smelled something, but a smile began to broaden on his face. He knew Khan's authority was greatly benefiting from the Empire's involvement. Actually, Khan could claim so much freedom solely due to the Empire's sanctioning, which justified eventual gifts. Yet, leaders rarely acted out of goodwill inside the political field.

"[That sounds acceptable]," Lord Exr eventually exclaimed, reinstating his superiority. "[We should also discuss the distribution and find an agreement on the numbers]."

Lord Exr wanted to talk money since he and Khan had yet to get specific on that topic. The conversation would also involve quantities and other details. The initial agreements had to evolve to the next level, starting with the strategy planned out during the initial meeting.

"[Is our initial agreement still satisfactory]?" Khan questioned.

"[Ah]!" Lord Exr scoffed. "[The Thilku don't go back on their word]."

"[Only specifics, then]," Khan stated. "[I expect the numbers will be easy enough to decide. As for distribution, Baoway is more than ready to handle it]."

"[Do you wish to funnel the entire market through here]?" Lord Exr asked.

"[That was Baoway's initial and intended purpose]," Khan reminded. "[Also, it would save the Empire manpower and cut down expenses. I can even handle the trade route in its entirety]."

Khan didn't tell a single lie. Having Baoway as the sole destination would save the Empire the hassle of sending out multiple ships toward each buyer.

Moreover, Baoway already had ships going back and forth to the Empire's domain, and that trend was bound to spike as the expansion continued. The new quadrants would have refineries and other structures specifically targeted for the Empire's market. They would produce equipment the planet was meant to deliver to the Thilku.

Theoretically, the Empire wouldn't have to lift a single finger. Ships would fly from Baoway, delivering equipment, only to return with cargo areas full of resources meant for the human market. It was the cheapest and most efficient option, but Lord Exr understood where Khan's benefits lay.

Handling the entirety of the trade route would increase Khan's relevance, making his figure more than necessary to both species. He would also become the sole available representative to the human buyers, which could create opportunities for betrayal. Yet, as long as the Empire got the right cut, Lord Exr wasn't sure he cared.

"[The Empire doesn't want a role in the Global Army's politics]," Lord Exr warned.

"[There won't be preferential treatment among customers]," Khan reassured. "[That will only come from my personal stash]."

"[And I believe you want to handle that part, too]," Lord Exr commented.

"[The Empire is knowledgeable in the Global Army]," Khan exclaimed, "[But my allies' expertise is unmatched. They'll spot any potential problem and formulate the best strategies]."

"[And the Empire can blame you directly if something goes wrong]," Lord Exr added.

"[If something goes wrong]," Khan responded, "[That problem will cease to exist]."

"[We are in agreement, Blue Shaman]," Lord Exr smiled, showing his canines.

"[Shall we]?" Khan asked, pointing at the table before glancing at the other guests. "[Let's feast]."

After everyone filled their bellies, more negotiations followed. Abraham's lab's production output was far from massive, so reaching agreements on specific numbers turned out to be troublesome. Nevertheless, Khan and Lord Exr shared enough trust to satisfy both parties while keeping variables vague.

Lord Exr also agreed to deliver more assets to the planet. He wouldn't help with the expansion since that would defeat Baoway's purpose, but showing the Empire's presence in the city sounded necessary, and Khan obviously accepted.

Yet, another crucial matter arrived once the feast ended. The Thilku had retreated to quarters prepared specifically for them, leaving only Khan and Monica at the table on the terrace. They had yet to talk about the recent events, but Monica knew what the next step was.

"How do you want to handle it, dear?" Monica asked, glancing at the pensive Khan focused on his drink.

"Have my Cousins fly down here," Khan ordered. "I need them to summon the ten noble families' representatives."