Chapter 742 Problem
Randall and the others couldn't help but shoot occasional peeks at Khan, and his silence provided the answers they expected. He was as confused as them, leading to a prolonged thinking session where every eye in the main deck stared at the report.
Of course, the thoughts and conclusions differed from teammate to teammate. There were many similarities, but the more profound details involved personal and private considerations, especially in Khan's case.
A second team could help with the mission, mainly if the involved ship delivered additional provisions and equipment. It could also decide to focus on a different area, increasing the scope of the Global Army's influence on that alien planet.
However, Khan found many issues during his first read, and the following ones enhanced that feeling. The lack of clear directives was a big red flag due to the magnitude of what the envoy had reported. Moreover, the new team's composition filled his mind with questions.
According to the report, the second team would be smaller and have a predominance of soldiers. The Global Army justified that choice with the presence of Randall and the others. After all, sending additional specialists would be superfluous and could create in-fighting.
The idea of additional manpower and supplies sounded nice, but Khan instantly spotted a flaw in that justification. The political envoy had reported that he was more than enough to keep all the Scalqa at bay. Khan was virtually unmatched in the quadrant. Yet, the Global Army had still decided to send soldiers.
That detail was somewhat reasonable. Khan couldn't always be everywhere, so reinforcing core aspects of the political mission was wise. However, sending a fifth-level warrior was beyond overkill. Also, it would fill part of Khan's role on the planet, which didn't make much sense.
On top of all of that, Khan still had his paranoia to deal with. Warning signals screamed in his mind when he read the report. He had just begun accepting his teammates, only for the Global Army to send a new team of soldiers. Khan couldn't take the matter lightly, and his hunches inevitably connected it to his current problematic situation.
'Are they trying to reduce my influence on the planet?' Khan wondered. That would be reasonable, but Khan also saw it as the best possibility, which rarely turned out to be true.
Besides, nothing would stop Khan and his team from moving to a different area and repeating the process. They could also ask the newcomers the same. Something deeper was at play there, and Khan's thoughts inevitably explored dark fields.
'Secret orders?' Khan considered.
The shuttle's channel wasn't completely safe. The Empire could intercept the encrypted communications, so the Global Army probably wanted to avoid any potential and official blame. The new team might carry orders too dangerous to forward directly to the ship, but that practice had issues, too.
The report left Khan's team in charge of the operation. The fifth-level warrior might have new orders but no way of confirming their authenticity. In-fighting would be bound to occur in that instance, and Khan wasn't the type to bend the knee before a stronger soldier.
'No,' Khan mentally shook his head. 'They'll probably hide letters with official orders in that case. What a mess.'
Khan had it worse than his companions due to his unique position. The Empire trusted him to report any relevant information, and theoretically, his current time on the planet was the only advantage he could give the Global Army.
Yet, the sudden departure of a second team would lead to questions Khan would have to answer. Even in the best-case scenario, the Global Army's actions remained suspicious, potentially undermining his position among the Thilku. Lord Rsi already disliked him, and the eventual truth might not be enough to satisfy him.
Of course, Khan's problems stretched deeper than his position among the Thilku, but he was virtually powerless. Even unifying the Scalqa under a single tribe wouldn't give him much of an advantage. He could only wait and see what the new team was actually about.
"Send a copy to my console," Khan eventually exclaimed before approaching Zu-Gru. Amy immediately followed him, but Randall couldn't help but have questions.
"Wait," Randall called. "What's the plan here?"
"We won't know anything until they land," Khan calmly explained. "Overthinking it now won't lead anywhere."
"But-," Randall said, but Khan didn't give him the chance to continue.
"Besides," Khan interrupted. "The responsibility will always fall on me. That's our agreement, isn't it?"
Khan and Randall didn't actually discuss it, but they were smart enough to know that both sides realized the implications of their relationships. Randall was also aware of Khan's unique position, so he had no arguments against the statement.
Khan didn't wait for Randall's nod and headed outside, followed by Amy and Zu-Gru. His appearance in the open startled the Scalqa audience, who inspected his every move and spread whispers. Still, no one tried to approach him, and he walked around the crowd to head to the Bone Tribe's settlement.
Zu-Gru mostly cared about the fellow Scalqa, but Amy sneaked peeks at Khan since she understood his position. Anyone would feel the pressure of the unclear situation, but Khan appeared as calm as ever.
Of course, that was partly a façade. Khan accepted the situation's helplessness, but it felt far from good, and his mind never stopped churning out thoughts and simulations. They simply couldn't go anywhere until he actually saw the new team.
That mindset allowed Khan to stick to his routine. Things continued to go well with the Bone Tribe and inside their settlement, and his night trips increased the size of the crowd outside the ship. Everything went smoothly, but the team's atmosphere grew tenser by the day.
There was no avoiding that development. The new team could disrupt the frail balance on the quadrant and ruin the initial mission, which Randall and the others couldn't allow for personal reasons. Many careers were at stake, and soldiers had the habit of not caring about others.
By the third week after the report's arrival, Randall and the others began to point the ship's scanners and their eyes at the sky. The message didn't have a precise ETA, but the envoy could easily calculate the trip's length, and its math turned out to be on point.
Khan had just departed for the Bone Tribe's settlement when his senses picked something up. He lifted his eyes, which pierced the crowns to inspect the symphony. A huge shift was happening high in the sky, and confirmation arrived when he smelled the distinct stench of synthetic mana.
"[Go back]," Khan said in the Scalqa language right before his figure disappeared, leaving behind Amy and Zu-Gru. The latter looked confused, but Amy promptly added directives to make him return to the ship with her.
A vehicle soon became visible among Baoway's clear sky. A triangular ship with stretched wings rapidly descended toward the planet's surface, leaving a white trail behind.
The ship didn't care about hiding its presence but avoided flashy landings. It descended at high speed before slowing down when the shallow cliff became visible. The two vehicles quickly exchanged information before the landing could continue.
The new ship relied on standard landing maneuvers to gracefully approach the ground and stop right outside the turret's perimeter. The two vehicles now stood side by side by the cliff, and the newcomer's doors quickly opened.
A metal ramp descended on the barren ground, and four figures promptly crossed it to step on the alien planet. All of them wore military uniforms, but one had a white medical coat on her shoulders, revealing her status as a scientist.
The other three were men who warily inspected their surroundings, paying particular attention to the forest. The sudden landing had scared some Scalqa away, but few had remained by the trees' edge, and the soldiers seemed able to see them.
Nevertheless, the other ship opened its doors, attracting the newcomers' attention. Randall, Celeste, and Marcus left the vehicle to greet the new team, which mostly showed smiles. The only exception was one soldier who quickly disregarded the envoy to return his green eyes to the trees.
The soldier's eyes didn't stop at the trunks. They rose and stopped only when they reached the crown's edge. They seemed fixed on something specific, and the latter instantly realized that.
'Nice senses,' Khan thought from the top of the crowns while the soldier stared at him. The ship's scanners could have caused that outcome, but Khan's hunches went against that theory. After all, the man was quite remarkable.
Needless to say, the soldier who had spotted Khan was a fifth-level warrior. The man was built like a mountain, standing two meters tall and creating a huge shadow with his broad shoulders. His short golden hair fluttered in the soft gale, and his eyes radiated pure vitality.
Of course, Khan's inspection barely lingered on those superficial features. His attention was on the man's mana, which told a complete story. The fifth-level warrior was no pushover, and Khan could say the same about the other teammates.
'They have all seen battle,' Khan realized. 'Still, getting reinforcements in just three weeks is a bit odd.'
Khan jumped from the mass of leaves and let himself free-fall toward the ground. He didn't use any technique to slow down his descent, but the impact with the surface didn't release any sound. His landing didn't have much of an impact in the first place. His feet had gracefully adhered to the terrain as if his body was immune to gravity.
The two soldiers and scientist tried their best to hide their reactions, but their mana conveyed their surprise. Khan's landing left a deep impact in their minds, but the fifth-level warrior was a different beast. His aura didn't even flinch at Khan's arrival, and a polite smile slowly broadened on his stern face.
"Major Khan," The fifth-level warrior called. "It's a pleasure."
"Major Veril," Khan responded, stepping forward to enter the man's reach. "I read much about you."
"There's far more to read about you," Major Veril announced, stretching an arm forward. "It's Fergus for you."
"Fergus, then," Khan exclaimed, shaking the Major's hand. "You must understand our surprise. Did the Global Army keep you ready for deployment?"
"It indeed did," Fergus confirmed. "We have been on standby since your departure."
"With additional orders," Khan uttered, "I suppose."
"The main mission must remain a priority," Fergus stated.
"What about the other mission?" Khan asked, his eyes moving to the scientist behind the Major.
The two teams could hear the conversation, and neither missed Fergus and Khan's yet-to-release handshake. They felt like they were in the middle of a strength contest, which wasn't far from the truth.
Khan and Fergus weren't applying any strength to their grips but studied each other in different ways. Still, both were trying to gauge their respective intentions, and it soon became clear that the area was too crowded for that.
It didn't help that Amy and Zu-Gru returned just to witness that stalemate. Fergus's attention was inevitably attracted by the presence of a Scalqa. He looked slightly interested and surprised, but the blue light that shone on his face quickly distracted him.
"They are bigger than I thought," Fergus admitted, finally releasing the handshake.
Khan didn't answer, and his eyes darkened as he continued staring at the fifth-level warrior. Something about the man annoyed him, even if he couldn't point out what. His mana gave birth to a childish urge, inevitably leading to a precise question.
'Can I beat him?' Khan wondered.
Regular power levels didn't apply to Khan, but Fergus remained a fifth-level warrior. That was the peak before the evolution, and it didn't belong to a clueless descendant. The man seemed to have his fair share of skills, and Khan itched to test himself against them.
"Why don't you show me the quadrant, Major?" Fergus requested. "While our teams get accustomed to each other."
"Khan is fine," Khan announced, turning toward the forest. "This way."
Khan didn't wait for replies and sprinted toward the forest, and Fergus promptly followed along. The two disappeared among the trees before anyone could say anything, leaving both teams in an awkward atmosphere.
Khan didn't unleash his full speed but still ran quickly enough to leave most fourth-level warriors behind. He even ricocheted among the trunks to avoid losing momentum, but Fergus kept up with him without breaking a sweat.
That much was to be expected from a fifth-level warrior, but his stable footing and confidence in an unknown environment spoke for his experience. Khan could confirm once again he wasn't in the presence of a newbie.
"Quite the crowd you have there," Fergus commented, approaching Khan's side while the two continued to run. "Is it friendly?"
"It's complicated," Khan responded. "Friendly, definitely. It almost borders worshipping."
"In you?" Fergus asked.
"Yes," Khan replied.
"Deserved?" Fergus questioned.
"Obviously," Khan declared.
The two went silent, but Khan soon halted his steps, stopping in a semi-empty area of the forest. He was nowhere near settlements or tribes, making it the perfect place for a private conversation.
Fergus instantly stopped, showing his reflexes. Khan didn't give any warning, but the man had still perfectly imitated his movements.
"Are we outside the scanners' range?" Fergus asked, inspecting his surroundings.
"Do you want to?" Khan asked.
"Are we going to have a problem?" Fergus questioned, bringing his gaze back to Khan.
"What are your orders?" Khan asked, crossing his arms as he faced the fifth-level warrior. "What's your purpose here?"
"The information your team conveyed demanded additional manpower," Fergus explained. "I'm sure you understand that."
"To what end?" Khan questioned. "Do you have a lab hidden in that small ship?"
"What if we do?" Fergus wondered.
"It will become dusty," Khan declared.
"Khan," Fergus called, wearing a complicated smile. "This planet belongs to the Global Army and Thilku Empire. We are just middlemen with orders."
"What are yours?" Khan asked.
"The Scalqa must be studied with more than your eyes," Fergus revealed. "You do realize that, don't you?"
"There are new corpses every night," Khan announced. "Is that satisfactory?"
"It's important to witness the growth of the flesh you described," Fergus pointed out.
Khan understood that reasoning. He had actually feared and expected it. The Global Army had to study how the Scalqa generated and accumulated mana to replicate the process.
Still, live guinea pigs were necessary for that, and Khan didn't know how he felt about it. He didn't really care about the Scalqa, but continuing to live on Baoway with ongoing experiments sounded unbearable. He knew what it meant to be studied and tested, so he didn't want others to experience it.
"I'm sure you have additional orders," Khan eventually exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" Fergus wondered, showing some confusion.
"In case I decided to side with the Empire," Khan continued. "The Global Army didn't negotiate permission to experiment on the Scalqa."
"Would you?" Fergus asked. "Would you side with the Thilku over a primitive species? You must know the potential benefits for humankind better than most."
Khan didn't reply and stared at the tall man without showing any emotion. He was only explaining a potential outcome. Truth be told, even he wasn't sure about what he would do. Still, Fergus' response tickled him in the wrong way.
"So," Fergus sneered, "We're going to have a problem."