Chapter 825 Plan
'The Empire's domain?' Khan repeated in his mind, confused about that development.
The situation was quite odd. The three ships clearly had noble support. They wouldn't have been able to find Khan otherwise. Yet, killing him didn't seem to be their goal.
That didn't make any sense. The unknown enemy party had invested a lot in that ploy, meaning it expected significant results. Instead, pushing Khan into the Thilku's domain wasn't much of an achievement. There had to be more to it.
Khan reviewed his situation, considering the potential problems that could arise. Much of his authority and leverage came from the Empire. Ruining that relationship would greatly damage him, but the matter was easier said than done.
The Thilku were straightforward people, and Khan had even earned their cape. His relationship with the Empire wouldn't crumble over misunderstandings or minor incidents. Only something big could make that happen.
'Though,' Khan realized, 'An incident might create the chance for the Global Army to step in. Many higher-ups would jump at the opportunity.'
Khan was only considering the worst-case scenario. Truth be told, his position had greatly improved after he colonized Baoway. He had also involved the other noble families through trade agreements and buildings, creating a big organization around his name.
'Am I overthinking it?' Khan wondered. 'Maybe they are just waiting for us to cross the border to hit their missiles.'
There were benefits to that. Killing Khan inside the Thilku's domain would make eventual investigations harder. It would also be easier to cover the assassination's tracks in that distant place, which was the same reasoning behind the betrayal in Baoway.
Khan inspected the pilot's console. Warnings flashed in his eyes, but no communications tried to reach the ship. The pursuers were limiting themselves to firing at him without voicing demands or similar requests.
The pursuers' purpose remained unclear, but Khan was sure of one thing. He couldn't let that chase continue. He needed to react, but normal plans wouldn't work.
The four ships seemed to have equal speed and agility. Moreover, the pursuers were keeping their distance. No reckless or abrupt evasive maneuver would shake them off or give Khan's vehicle the chance to retaliate.
'If the ship is useless …' Khan thought as a vague plan formed in his mind.
"Slow down," Khan ordered, "And stop with the evasive maneuvers."
"But, My Prince," The pilot tried to complain, but bright blue light suddenly shone on his face, cutting his line short.
"From now on," Khan muttered, leaning toward the pilot while his blinding eyes threatened to pierce his skull. "You'll follow every order without speaking anymore."
The pilot didn't know where to look. His experience told him to keep his eyes on the controls, but something far scarier was breathing on his neck. The man opened his mouth before recalling Khan's words and closing it. He could only gulp while stepping off the pedal and putting the ship on a straight course.
Khan studied the screens, waiting for the pursuers' reaction. The latter slowed down, matching the ship's speed while holding back on their ammo. It seemed they wouldn't fire as long as the vehicle headed in the right direction.
"Stop the ship," Khan ordered. "Completely."
The pilot had many complaints and doubts, but they remained in his mind while he complied with Khan's orders. The ship came to a stop, hovering in the middle of complete darkness, and the pursuers imitated it.
Silent seconds passed as Khan and the crew waited for the pursuers to do something. Usually, the attackers would try to board the ship or destroy it, but nothing similar happened.
Eventually, one of the pursuers fired at Khan's ship. The bullet slammed on its upper part, but the mana barrier held strong. The vehicle suffered no damage, even if tremors spread through its insides.
The pilot couldn't help but glance at Khan, but the latter only had eyes for the screens. They were sitting ducks. The pursuers could have easily damaged the engines or pierced the mana barrier. Still, they had limited themselves to a light poke.
A second bullet soon arrived, somehow missing the ship's vital equipment. The mana barrier also handled the hit, preventing damage to the hull.
'Do they want us to go forward?' Khan wondered, inspecting the screens. 'We can take four more of these bullets before the shield goes down.'
Calculations happened in Khan's mind. He tapped on the screens, bringing up seemingly useless information. He knew what to do, but things could quickly go poorly. Even if Khan succeeded, there was a chance he would die anyway.
"Once I open the side doors," Khan announced, "Redirect a quarter of the tank into the shield. The ship must survive at all costs."
Khan disregarded the crew, heading toward the cargo area. His bright eyes kept the pilot and soldiers away, but their confusion was palpable. Their internal questions were so loud Khan felt forced to address them.
"Their scanners won't see our doors opening," Khan shouted, stopping before the sealed side doors. "Just be ready."
Even from a room away, Khan's presence remained suffocating. The pilot gulped again, preparing the ship for the imminent plan. Doors closed, isolating the cargo area from the rest of the vehicle, and the command Khan had requested popped out on the man's console.
'I can cross it,' Khan thought, seemingly trying to convince himself. 'Eight strands should be enough. Ten would be perfect, but the risk of misfire is high. I might even go past the ships.'
The idea of ending up stranded in space crossed Khan's mind, but he quickly killed it. He needed complete concentration to execute his plan. He closed his eyes, reviewing the scanners' pictures, his mana, and training, eliminating any useless thoughts. His focus grew so firm that he didn't notice the tremors caused by the pursuers' third bullet.
Khan slowly reopened his eyes, which still shone with blue light. They illuminated the doors and their manual handle, which Khan reached for. He was ready to open them, but another action had to come first.
The atmosphere in the ship suddenly changed. Everything froze but also fell into a frenzy. The air was simultaneously cold and ready to explode, and faint purple-red strands materialized in random areas.
The sudden change alerted the soldiers, almost prompting them to move. However, Khan's directives had been clear. Moreover, only he could cause such a drastic transformation, and his intentions soon became evident.
The ship's menus began to flicker. The screens seemed unable to provide clear images, and the artificial light went on and off, randomly flashing. Only the main commands remained unaffected by Khan's influence, but those issues weren't limited to his ride.
The vehicle right behind Khan's ship didn't suffer from such harsh instabilities, but its scanners also began to flicker. Their images grew blurry and imprecise, forcing the crew inside to attend to the issue.
Part of the crew tried to fix the scanners, while others looked past the transparent at the end of the bridge. They had to eyeball the position of Khan's ship while their equipment was down, but something shocking ended up filling their vision.
The event barely lasted a full second. A red light materialized next to Khan's ship before chaos unfolded. Alarms rang, gales spread, and metal bent, adding noises to the environment.
The ship's mana barrier soon fixed itself, restoring the artificial atmosphere and allowing the crew to study the situation. Yet, everyone froze when looking at the bridge's center. A foreign red figure had joined them, leaving a trail of destruction behind.
Khan proudly stood on the pursuers' ship, his mana barrier still enveloping him. He held his breath, saving the air stored in the defensive membrane, but his senses and shining eyes instantly recorded every detail.
The ship's canopy had gained a hole, and all the equipment between that cavity and Khan had suffered from the same fate. He had barged into the vehicle at full speed, destroying everything in his path.
The stunned crew had survived the reckless action, but their fate didn't change. One look at Khan told them everything they needed to know. They were already dead, waiting for him to strike.
Khan had initially planned to kill everyone as soon as his feet touched the metal floor, but a strange detail made him hesitate. The crew was human, featuring at mixture of second and third-level warriors. However, one Thilku stood among them.
The alien was leaning on a wall near the bridge's end, his small eyes wide open while pointing at Khan. The Thilku couldn't believe what had just happened, but something else filled his mind. He could almost sense it in Khan's aura. The latter had taken an interest in him.
The Thilku's first instinct was to run, even though the ship had no escape route. That reaction was far from rational. Yet, the alien didn't even get the chance to straighten his back since the red figure materialized before him.
"[You will talk]," Khan declared as a sea of purple-red needles filled the bridge, surrounding the crew.