Chaos' Heir

790 Allies

Dealing with Khan was easy. He was one man with a small force and even smaller territory. Besides, Khan spoke

openly without ploys or tricks. The Empire could seal and apply deals in hours with him, with no paperwork or time- consuming procedures.

Instead, the Global Army was massive and comprised countless individual parties. Dealing with it often involved days of research and even longer periods of negotiations. Each closed agreement usually stretched for years for those exact reasons, and changing its terms would always lead to heavy losses for one side.

Khan's presence on Baoway gave the Empire sleverage, and the planet's resources added another advantage to the equation. The Thilku could hope for something beneficial if they negotiated with the Global Army, but the matter wasn't without problems.

Closing a deal with the Global Army would probably lead to immediate mobilization. Unlike Khan, the Global Army had the resources to occupy the pland claim all the available quadrants. That wouldn't only hinder Khan's growth but would also give the Global Army the means to control the market.

The Empire could push back on that mobilization, but the Global Army could afford the price. The final agreement would kill any hope of ripping off humankind and would damage Khan's force. It almost was a lose-lose situation.

Of course, the Empire didn't necessarily care about that. Seizing immediate benefits and leaving Khan alone against the Global Army was a straightforward possibility. It would remove the Thilku from the equation, freeing them of eventual problems.

Yet, the Empire wasn't known for wise expansions. It lacked the manpower to occupy Baoway, but leaving complete ground control to the Global Army wasn't an option either. Also, doing Khan dirty wasn't its style. It would go against the Thilku's pride.

"[Are you planning an expansion]?" Lord Exr wondered.

"[It will start slow]," Khan nodded, "[Before picking up the pace. I need to secure a few things first]."

"[Then]," Lord Exr exclaimed, "[The Empire can expect stable growth]."

"[It can]," Khan confirmed.

"[But the Global Army also is the Empire's ally]," Lord Exr pointed out. "[Keeping it out of the plwon't be fair, easy, or cheap]."

"[You have the perfect excuse]," Khan said. "[I'll give it to you free of charge]"

"[Excuse]?" Lord Exr questioned.

"[The Global Army plotted to killhere]," Khan explained, "[While I was acting as the Empire's representative. It was insulting]."

"[You said you dealt with the traitors]," Lord Exr commented.

"[But who knows how far those ploys stretch]," Khan stated. "[The Global Army is too fragmented even for my resources. It doesn't sound too trustworthy in this period]."

Lord Exr smirked, showing his canines. He wasn't clueless about politics, but that ploy surpassed his expectations. The Empire could use the assassination attempt against Khan as a sign of unstable leadership, turning it into an excuse to delay eventual deals with the Global Army.

Of course, the claim was a stretch but had the right foundation. Criminal activities had nothing to do with the interspecies treaties, but Khan had been the target, involving the Empire. It also perfectly matched the Thilku's harsh discipline. Temporary refusing the Global Army wouldn't be seen as a favor to Khan.

"[You've grown, Blue Shaman]," Lord Exr praised. "[It's a pity you weren't born Thilku]."

"[Who knows]?" Khan uttered. "[I might join the Empire one day],"

Khan's words said one thing, but his stance stated something different. The authority Khan radiated couldn't match a subservient role anymore. He couldn't go back to being a simple soldier.

"[Focus on your force, Blue Shaman]," Lord Exr chuckled. "[It's too early to claim the stars]."

Khan didn't reply and turned away to return to the

settlement. Lord Exr followed him, and the two remained

silent while various ideas invaded their brains. Much had been decided in that short conversation, making the future interesting.

"[Stay here as long as you want]," Khan announced once the two returned to the imaginary table. "[My wife-to-be will hear your every request]."

Khan nodded at Monica and patted Amox's shoulder while approaching the standing Scalqa. He exchanged a few strange words with them before uttering orders. The Scalqa dispersed, and Khan began to address his other companions.

"Start the communication device," Khan ordered at

Gordon, "And retrieve my belongings. Have the others help you."

Gordon didn't get the chance to ask since a few Scalqa soon brought out the crew Khan had imprisoned during the rescue operation. Those soldiers weren't hurt but looked slightly starved.

"Monica, stay with the Thilku," Khan ordered. "Finalize the agreements and report back to the Global Army. We'll also need our allies to start moving."

Monica nodded, picking up her phone to check her notes. She and Khan had already planned the following steps, so she knew who to contact.

"I'll be back soon," Khan eventually announced, rising into the air before disappearing altogether.

Khan's sudden departure arched a few eyebrows and opened smouths. Everyone knew he could fly, but that speed surprised those who hadn't seen him in a while. Amox had even fought alongside him mere years ago, but his brain told him the two belonged to different worlds now.

The settlement becalive, with each faction handling their respective duties. The Thilku ship left to join the human vehicle on the cliff, but its crew quickly returned to the encampment, enjoying the hospitality and studying that new world.

Gordon also made trips to the cliff, retrieving equipment and activating the communication device. He didn't have messages to convey but established the channel nonetheless.

Monica stayed with the Thilku group, following it to the cliff and back to the settlement. She and Lord Exr discussed the agreement's details, going over numbers with the help of the other Thilku. Her experience in Neuria made everything smooth, creating a friendly atmosphere that only awaited official approvals.

As for Lieutenant Dyester, Khan didn't give him orders, so he roamed through the settlement, his tired eyes lost in mysterious thoughts. The change from his previous situation had been sudden, so his brain was still adjusting to his new reality.

Khan eventually returned, and his reappearance brought new life to the settlement. Many Scalqa shouted excited cries when they spotted his figure in the sky, but their happy mood had nothing to do with him. The aliens mostly cared about the huge creature on his back.

The settlement had gotten too big and populated for the forest. Khan had united tribes left and right, creating a food issue. The quadrant didn't have enough resources for all those hungry mouths, so Khan had to refill the supplies with his own hands from tto time.

Khan dropped the huge, dead creature into one of the pits before landing at the center of the settlement. His cold eyes ran over the area, checking all its aspects. Not much had worsened in his absence, but a few things required his attention.

"That thing won't satisfy them for long," Lieutenant Dyester announced, calmly approaching Khan. "You'd need ten of them to hope to last a few days."

"I know," Khan responded. "The hunting teams are doing their best, but the settlement can't keep up without me. Things are also about to worsen."

"Planning on recruiting more aliens?" Lieutenant Dyester asked.

"That," Khan nodded before looking at the Scalqa doing push-ups and other training exercises, "And something else."

Lieutenant Dyester followed Khan's gaze, and a frown soon filled his expression. The Scalqa looked quite odd while performing a human workout. It simply wasn't made for them and their bodies.

"Aren't sof them stronger than me?" Lieutenant Dyester questioned. "What do you hope to achieve with a basic training regimen?"

"Their stamina and mana are connected," Khan shortly explained. "I think it's having seffect, but it's too slow."

"You used cans of food to count your days," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "Now you are trying to empower a whole species."

"Right now," Khan stated, "They are nothing more than meat shields. I need them to evolve."

Khan's face didn't say it, but his mind had gone past his surroundings. Many conflicts loomed above his head, even without including the scarlet eyes, and the Scalqa weren't up to standard. Khan didn't want to use them as cannon fodder, either, putting him in a pickle.

"And the incoming humans aren't yours," Lieutenant Dyester commented. "Don't you have other allies?"

Khan actually did. Humans and Thilku weren't his only possibilities. He had made many alien friends throughout his years in the Global Army, and involving them would add many layers of security to his quadrant. Yet, things weren't so simple.

The Global Army was in friendly relationships with the Ef'i, and Khan had also proven his worth on Onia. He could establish small, quick deals with them to obtain a few soldiers, but that was it.

The Kred obviously were out of the question, and the swent for the Orlats. There was too much bad blood with the former, and Khan would force Lieutenant Dyester to live among them. As for the Orlats, they were simply untrustworthy.

The Bise were too xenophobic for that mixed bag of species, but Khan could include them later on once trade routes had fully formed. As for the Tors, their practices would ruin the planet.

The Fuveall were a good option, but Khan had to wait. He could hire them to build and deliver technology outside the Global Army's control, but doing it now would only build distrust with the Empire.

Then, Khan considered the most obvious option, the species that had been in his mind ever since claiming the quadrant. Baoway had plenty of vegetation and the right weather. It could be perfect for the Nele, but Khan hesitated nonetheless.

"Anyone I bring here," Khan said, "I put in danger. I can't ensure their safety, not yet."

Most of Khan's reasoning had only happened inside his mind, but Lieutenant Dyester accepted the short explanation anyway. At that point, he knew best. His role was to ensure he didn't lose his way too much.