The hall disappeared as the third-level warrior inspected Khan and Monica. The Orlats was clearly angry, and its stare carried a pressure that forced Khan to disregard his surroundings to focus on that potential threat.
The third-level warrior's slightly larger waist and bigger chest revealed its gender. The leader of that alien group was a woman, and her appearance was in line with her companions.
The Orlats were wearing elegant black suits, with black shirts and ties. Jeweled earrings and piercings hung from their eyebrows, but only the third-level warriors wore them on her ears and nose too.
"Khan! Monica!" Luke exclaimed to introduce the two. "I'm afraid you have returned at a bad time."
"That's an understatement!" The third-level warrior snorted while turning toward Luke. "You have caused trouble in my activities for days already. My customers don't like having people prying around while trying to have fun."
The nature of the argument became evident right away. Monica and Khan could understand that someone in Luke's group had caused problems in one of the Orlats' activities. Sher was also pretending not to know Khan, so he excluded himself from the possible troublemakers.
"Our interests simply happen to clash," Luke announced. "Also, I know that my companions have done their best to preserve Milia 222's peace. Don't blame them if your activities are losing money."
Luke wasn't backing down in front of the presence of a third-level warrior, and even Khan felt surprised to see such calm. Luke was facing the issue as a prominent member of a wealthy family, so he couldn't show weakness, especially to other species.
"We are back at it again," The third-level warrior cursed. "I have proof that your men have disturbed my activities."
"What proof?" Luke asked.
"My word," The third-level warrior claimed.
"You won't rip me off so easily," Luke chuckled. "I don't know you. How can your word have any value?"
"I'm Awiza!" The third-level warrior angrily shouted. "Only a foreigner wouldn't know my name."
"Learning your name doesn't change anything," Luke stated. "You can't prove that my companions affected your activities."
It felt surprising for Khan to see Luke acting so disrespectfully. The latter usually showed nothing but politeness. Yet, the situation seemed different now that the Orlats were involved.
'Is this xenophobia?' Khan wondered before disregarding that idea.
Luke was a proud member of the human species, but Khan had never seen him show signs of xenophobia. Istrone's events could have given birth to something similar, but Khan believed they had the opposite effects.
Luke wouldn't underestimate someone due to their species. His current behavior definitely had a different source and meaning. Khan guessed that his family's pride couldn't let him lose ground in front of mere gangsters.
"I know your faces now," Awiza continued in a far colder tone. "I only need to spread a rumor to ban all of you from the Orlats' activities. I also have many friends among the other species. A mere word from me can close every door on Milia 222."
"Are you threatening me?" Luke asked in the same cold tone.
"I am," Awiza declared. "You are looking for something here. I bet you can't do that with the entire underground world against you."
Luke wore a cold face, but he didn't give an immediate answer. The truth was more than obvious. He would lack the connections to act freely on Milia 222 if the Orlats started spreading nasty rumors about his team.
Hesitating wouldn't lead anywhere. Actually, delaying the answer would only reinforce Awiza's position. Political skills and similar abilities had no place in an argument that had already reached its conclusion.
Khan felt able to see helplessness filling Luke's eyes. The latter was about to acknowledge Awiza's statement and start to find an agreement, but an idea suddenly appeared in Khan's mind and made him step forward.
Everyone was standing still, so Khan's movement made many gazes fall on his figure. The gesture also surprised him since he had yet to come up with a complete plan. He had only felt the urge to butt in and see if he could influence the situation. Luckily for him, he knew enough about pretenses to improvise.
"[Sher]!" Khan exclaimed in the best accent he could muster. "[You should have told me that you were coming. I would have welcomed you properly]."
The Orlats and Luke's group couldn't help but turn toward the alien eyed by Khan. Sher didn't know what was happening, and surprise took over him for an instant. Yet, his leader's cold gaze soon forced him to calm down.
"[Do you know this human]?" Awiza asked.
"[Of course he knows me]!" Khan laughed. "[We shared a cell for a few hours. I actually owe him one]. Luke, can you ask the servant to bring food and drinks?"
Sher felt the urge to kill Khan right away. His expression remained cold, but something told Khan that he was pretty angry. That revealed a few details that Khan could exploit. He only needed Luke to play along.
Luke was the most reliable soldier when it came to social interactions. Also, he trusted Khan deeply, so he didn't hesitate to wear a bright smile and pick up his phone to send a series of orders.
Meanwhile, Khan inspected the interactions among the group of Orlats. They limited themselves to silent glances, but they revealed a lot and added information to the picture in Khan's mind.
'Awiza doesn't know everything about the prison,' Khan concluded. 'I guess Sher kept his mouth shut, at least partially.'
"[Please, sit]," Khan said in a cheerful tone despite the calculations happening in his mind. "[Let's talk after eating something]."
"We are not hungry," Awiza replied in her cold tone before glaring at her companions, who nodded to confirm that statement.
"[A drink then]," Khan continued. "[I'm sure we can find bottles to your liking. You look like the type of refined people who wouldn't say no to good booze]."
The faint compliment eased the general coldness in the group of Orlats, and even Awiza couldn't help but glance at the seemingly comfortable couches pointed by Khan. The building was incredible, so the main hall appeared cozy and appealing.
"[Please]," Khan repeated. "[I want to pay Sher back for his help. Offering you nice drinks is the least I can do]."
"[Paying Sher back]," Awiza repeated while shooting another cold glance at Sher. "[Sure, let's have a drink. I want to hear how Sher earnt this favor]."
Khan kept a bright smile on his face as he led the Orlats toward the couches. Waiters soon arrived, and Luke ordered them around to add furniture to the hall and allow everyone to sit around the same table.
Soon, the six Orlats occupied two couches on one side of the table. Luke and Master Ivor sat on one of the short sides while Bruce and Francis went in front of them.
As for Khan and Monica, the two sat on the other long side, right in front of the Orlats. Everyone had fallen silent while the waiters filled the table with bottles and glasses, but Monica still found ways to talk privately with Khan.
"Khan," Monica whispered while suppressing a cute laugh and showing her phone to him.
Khan understood what Monica wanted when he looked at the screen. She had written a text for him to read.
'What are you doing? Luke can settle this with Credits,' Khan read on Monica's phone.
'That might be hard to explain,' Khan thought as he wore a fake smirk to pretend that Monica had shown him a joke.
Truth be told, Khan had acted impulsively and without a clear plan. He didn't even have Luke's interest in mind when he had stepped forward to join that discussion.
The urge that had driven Khan's action had a simple nature. He had moved out of curiosity. He wanted to see if his knowledge and ability could pacify that conflict. It was a challenge that only Milia 222 could offer under such favorable conditions.
Khan waited for everyone to fill their glasses and take short sips before moving his plan forward. Awiza's slightly satisfied face told him that it was time to speak.
"[By the way, what happened here]?" Khan asked.
"[Why don't you talk first]?" Awiza questioned before switching languages. "Also, let's use the human language. I know that most foreigners don't bother to learn ours."
The coldness had returned, but Khan didn't let it worry him as he voiced a lie. "There is nothing much to say. Sher and I had a misunderstanding, but we solved it quickly. He even helped me out afterward."
"What misunderstanding?" Awiza asked.
"I came to [The Loophole] to ask a few things," Khan half-lied. "It turned out that you had already helped us in the past, so I agreed not to cause any problem."
"Did you threaten us?" Awiza asked.
"I just pretended to," Khan laughed. "It was totally my bad. Sher saw through me in an instant and prevented any mess. I have to say I have come to respect your species a lot more after that meeting."
"You sure know how to talk," Awiza snorted.
"I'm not lying," Khan promised. "Anyway, what's up with this mess? What happened?"
"It happened that your friends came to my activities and started interrogating customers," Awiza declared while pointing at Francis. "Privacy is one of Milia 222's golden rules, especially in those places."
"I-!" Francis tried to speak, but Bruce placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He even shook his head to force his friend to stay silent.
"My companions know how to conduct themselves," Luke responded. "I can vouch for them since I handpicked this team."
"It's your responsibility to pay for their mistakes then," Awiza didn't hesitate to go straight to the point.
"Why don't we relax a bit?" Khan jumped in before the situation could degenerate any further. "We have just begun to drink. Let's not try to kill each other already."
"Why would I choose to spend my time here instead of getting what I deserve?" Awiza wondered.
"Because I know that the Orlats understand when they are in front of something good," Khan lied. "I'm sure you can taste the quality of this booze."
The Orlats smirked, but Awiza did her best to remain cold and angry. However, her expression began to relax when she took another sip from her cup. She had to admit that Luke was treating her properly.
"It is my understanding that my friends didn't cause any significant problem," Khan said at that point.
"That's not for you to decide," Awiza complained.
"I wouldn't dare," Khan immediately responded. "Yet, I'm sure an influent species like yours would have already kicked us out of Milia 222 if we had caused real problems."
The third compliment hit even harder than the previous. The good booze only helped, but it would take a while to make it influence a third-level warrior. Still, Awiza didn't seem to mind where that conversation was going.
"What do you mean?" Awiza asked as she drank from her cup again.
"I think you came here to scare us before we cause real problems for your activities," Khan revealed. "I know you don't need our Credits, so you can already call your mission a success."
Khan had to drink with Awiza to bring the two groups closer, but his time was short. He couldn't keep his cool for too long in that condition. The dinner had already brought him close to his limits, so he had to mention the main topic right away to make sure that the conversation would reach its conclusion quickly.
"You sure know how to talk," Awiza repeated. "I've met humans who could talk like you, but they always tried to trick me during meetings. I'd rather prevent eventual problems."
"How?" Khan asked. "Let's say that you get some money now. What would stop us from creating problems tomorrow?"
"Are you threatening me?" Awiza coldly questioned. "Are you threatening my species?"
"I'm only stating the obvious," Khan sighed as he emptied his cup. "If money can settle everything, we can't be scared or worried. Isn't it better to find an agreement?"
"You wouldn't talk like this if you realized how influential the Orlats are," Awiza uttered.
"I know that you could probably topple Milia 222's government overnight," Khan voiced a fourth compliment, "But you can't cut us off from the underground world. Our connections are too good."
"The humans excel in many things," Awiza stated. "Finding secrets isn't one of them. Instead, the Orlats know how to hide things pretty well."
"We wouldn't rely only on humans," Khan replied.
"Which species would even help you?" Awiza scoffed. "You are foreigners. You need months or years to build trust here."
"Come on," Khan chuckled. "I know that you know."
Awiza's face froze for an instant, but she quickly hid that reaction by emptying her cup. Khan didn't hesitate to refill her drink before doing the same for his glass, and the two never stopped staring at each other.
"A human and a Nele walking side by side through Milia 222's streets is a rare sight," Awiza pointed out.
Khan showed his smirk without adding anything. He didn't want to involve the Nele in that conversation. It was enough for Awiza to think that he had an agreement with them. That wasn't even a complete lie in the end.
"How did you earn the Nele's trust?" Awiza asked.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Khan calmly replied as he grabbed his drink.
"What kind of agreement do you have with them?" Awiza continued.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Khan repeated.
"Will they help you if we try to stop you?" Awiza questioned.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Khan said again.
Silence fell in the main hall. Khan and Awiza continued to stare at each other under their companions' intense gazes. Seeing Khan in action was a rare sight, and the scene ended up captivating his companions.
The silence continued for a few minutes. The group drank without adding much. A few murmurs and words of appreciation for the booze resounded from time to time, but that was it.
The situation grew awkward since the two groups weren't interacting anymore. The conversation had yet to reach a conclusion. It had stopped at a threat, and Awiza felt no need to add anything else.
"Right," Khan eventually exclaimed while glancing at Sher. "I didn't tell you how things ended in the prison. A soldier tried to steal my knife."
Awiza and the other Orlats turned toward Sher, and the latter felt the need to say something now that he had ended at the center of the attention. "You can't expect a soldier to give up on the chance to seize something good."
"I can see that," Khan sighed before exploding into a laugh. "Sorry. I just recalled his face. I think he won't steal anything else for the rest of his life."
"A soldier tried to rob you?" Awiza voiced her curiosity.
"Indeed," Khan revealed while pointing at the knife at his side. "He wanted to steal this beauty, but I made him understand that he had messed with the wrong person. I think he cried."
Khan exploded into another laugh that surprised his companions. They didn't expect him to take joy in that scene, but Luke and Monica noticed something odd. After all, they had been part of the audience when the beating happened.
The Orlats couldn't help but snicker when they heard that. Some even decided to drink more now that the atmosphere had turned cheerful. Those reactions told Khan that he was on the right path, and Awiza gave him a perfect chance to continue.
"Wait, aren't you sure?" Awiza asked through her smirk. "How can you only think if someone is crying?"
"His face was full of blood," Khan laughed. "I couldn't even see his eyes clearly. Though he sobbed a lot."
The story made the Orlats laugh, and some even voiced their approval. They liked how Khan had acted, and they enjoyed how he described what had happened.
"I had to stop beating him at some point," Khan eventually sighed. "I was afraid he would have pissed himself on the spot."
More laughs resounded. The Orlats had stopped containing themselves and gulped down drink after drink. They had finally relaxed, and Awiza even followed with a story of her own.
It didn't take long before all the Orlats decided to share one or two stories. They always involved beatings or pitiful aftermaths of a battle, but the aliens never mentioned names or similar.
Luke and Monica knew that Khan had lied, and the result of his approach told them why. The Orlats seemed to love those pitiful stories. They rejoiced to hear how other people had suffered.
That blatant cruelty felt sickening, but the humans kept their smiles as bright as possible to avoid getting in the way of Khan's plan. Everything was going well, so they didn't dare to ruin the situation.
"You are a funny human," Awiza announced once the bottles on the table had become empty. "Come on. Give me a decent offer."
"What are you talking about?" Khan laughed, pretending not to understand what Awiza meant.
"I can't leave empty-handed," Awiza stated. "You must offer something else if you don't want the initial agreement."
"There has never been an agreement in the first place," Khan chuckled before clearing his throat. "Look, I'm almost certain you have nothing to do with what we need. Why don't you smooth things out for us? It would be far easier for us to get where we want with your help."
"I thought you were going to give something to me," Awiza sneered, "Not the other way around."
"Wait, hear me out," Khan continued. "You don't want problems, but you know that we might cause them, so you are asking for advance payment. Why don't we pay you for something more specific?"
"Like?" Awiza asked.
"You have great connections throughout Milia 222," Khan pointed out. "Use them to put us inside some activity. We can't cause problems for you if we are busy with something else."
"I have a reputation to preserve," Awiza snorted. "I can't vouch for untrustworthy people. Everyone will take it on me if you cause problems."
"Just blame someone else," Khan laughed. "I mean, you Orlats are natural tricksters. I know you can find a way to make that work."
The compliment hit in the right spot and made Awiza fall silent. The offer was far from bad. It could actually set the foundation for decent cooperation.
Of course, Awiza didn't speak for all the Orlats on Milia 222, but that made the offer more interesting. Establishing cooperation with Luke's group now would give her priority over future deals, which could bring a lot of money.
"What activities are we talking about?" Awiza asked, basically revealing how she was ready to accept that deal.
"You should talk with Luke for the details," Khan stated while raising an arm to point at Luke. "I think it's too late to discuss money right now too. Why don't we plan a meeting for another day when we have less booze inside us?"
Awiza played with the piercing hanging from her nose while her dark eyes darted between Khan and Luke. She seemed pensive, but Khan knew that she was only stalling to create some tension.
"A meeting sounds nice," Awiza exclaimed while standing up. "We'll take our leave then."
"It was a pleasure," Khan stated as he left the couch. The rest of the groups soon imitated the two, and a series of short salutations unfolded before the Orlats left the building.
Khan's expression changed once the metal doors closed behind the Orlats. His cheerful face turned cold and detached, and his eyes half-closed now that his concentration wavered.
"That was spectacular, Lieutenant Khan," Master Ivor declared during that peaceful moment. "You'll become a great ambassador one day."
"Thank you," Khan sighed while rubbing his eyes. "Luke, can I leave that stuff to you?"
"Of course!" Luke claimed. "You have given us a great chance. The investigation can really begin now."
"I'll hit the bed then," Khan weakly said before walking toward the elevator past the main hall.
"I'll also take my leave," Monica stated. "It's been a long night."
"Sure," Luke uttered. "I hope you enjoyed your dinner."
"It was great," Monica showed her elegant smile as she began to follow Khan. "The Kingsize doesn't disappoint. You should go there one of these days."
"Monica, do you want to hang out a bit longer?" Francis questioned.
"I'm sorry," Monica chuckled while covering her mouth. "I'll take this chance to share one last talk with Khan if you don't mind."
Francis couldn't say anything to that. Luke and Bruce shook their heads and smiled as they went back on the couch, while Master Ivor remained still as Khan and Monica disappeared behind a metal door.
The world in Khan's vision spun and blurred. His senses were off, and the same went for his balance. He basically slammed his back on the elevator's surface after crossing its entrance.
Monica dealt with the commands before reaching Khan's side. She took his right arm and put it around her shoulders while he was busy looking at a random spot on the machine.
Khan had never been so drunk. He had relied on the mental barrier and his sheer determination to remain in control of his body, but everything had fallen once he had relaxed.
Monica could limit herself to a single drink, but Khan had to be part of the meeting, which had required him to go beyond his limits. He was wasted, and his thoughts were a mess that he couldn't hear properly.
"When did you get there?" Khan asked when he noticed Monica under his right arm.
"Let me help," Monica said as she wrapped her arm behind Khan's back to prepare him for the arrival at the designed floor.
"You must like touching me," Khan snickered before heaving a helpless sigh. "George would have a good laugh if he saw me in this state."
"George?" Monica repeated.
"That was awful," Khan ignored the question. "I feel so dirty. Fucking Orlats and their bad tastes."
"You have been great back there," Monica said as the elevator opened and the two walked inside the corridor.
"Yeah, great," Khan scoffed. "So great. A lie after a lie after a lie just to get some money."
Monica didn't say anything there. She didn't have a real answer, and she guessed that Khan wouldn't even hear her out.
"Is that what an ambassador does?" Khan wondered in a complaining tone. "That's so sad."
"You can always choose another path," Monica said as she continued to support Khan throughout the corridor. "Nothing is out of your reach."
"I need to become an ambassador," Khan weakly replied. "I need to."
"Why?" Monica asked.
"I need to," Khan sighed. "That's the price I have to pay."
"Khan, is everything okay?" Monica questioned as she inspected Khan's unfocused expression.
"Nothing is okay," Khan cursed. "Nothing is ever okay. That's my room."
Khan pointed at a door a few steps from his position, but Monica didn't immediately walk him there. She hesitated for a bit before her drunken state took over her shyness and made her ask a question. "Are you sure you want to go back to Jenna in this state?"
"Yes, I want Jenna," Khan stated.
"But," Monica began to complain before interrupting her line and lowering her eyes.
Khan's confused gaze fell on Monica when the two reached the door. He was trying to take his phone, but he ended up focusing on Monica's face. Her beauty was undeniable, but there seemed to be something else in her expression.
"What?" Khan asked. "Were you trying to get me in your room?"
"You are in no condition to tease me," Monica pouted.
"You aren't sober either," Khan laughed.
"Still better than you," Monica scolded. "Now, go back to Jenna."
"Are you jealous?" Khan tried to use his teasing tone, but his drunk state gave strange accents to his words. Still, he laid his free arm on the wall, leaving Monica stuck between his limbs.
"What are you doing?" Monica giggled as she let the arm on her shoulders slide down until it reached her waist.
"This is what you want, right?" Khan asked as he grabbed Monica's waist and slowly pushed her onto the wall.
"Khan, you are drunk," Monica stated in a cheerful tone as she took Khan's face in her hands.
Khan had slept with Jenna in the last days. It was safe to say that his lust had reached unhealthy levels, especially since he couldn't vent it. However, he was drunk now, and Monica was right in front of him. Khan could feel her soft skin. Her captivating figure was within his reach.
Monica's hands were on Khan's cheeks, but she didn't put any strength in them. They even slid past his head and reached his neck as he lowered his face toward her.
Monica initially smiled, but her expression turned serious once Khan got too close. She almost couldn't believe what was happening, and she didn't know how to take the event.
"Khan, not like this," Monica pleaded, but she soon found Khan's mouth on her lips.
A whimper escaped Monica's mouth during the kiss. She wanted to reject it, but she soon lost herself inside it. Her hands dug into Khan's hair as she let him do as he wished.
Monica snapped back to reality once their waists touched. She pulled Khan's head back and looked at him in disbelief. That kiss had really happened.
"What?" Khan asked. "Didn't you like it?"
A wave of anger ran through Monica and made her slap Khan. The gesture carried no real strength, but it was enough to startle Khan and partially awaken him.
However, Monica didn't stop there. She pulled Khan toward her again to leave another deep kiss.
"We are even now," Monica pouted as soon as their lips separated.
Khan was at a loss for words. He could only watch as Monica freed herself from the arm on her waist and left the wall to walk toward the elevator. Khan followed her with his eyes, so he saw the exact moment when she turned.
"Don't you dare to pretend that this didn't happen!" Monica shouted before turning again and jumping inside the elevator.
A single slap couldn't remove all the booze running inside Khan's body. His senses dulled as soon as the elevator closed and forced him to give up on thinking about the situation.
Khan opened the door and entered his room only to find Jenna waiting for him under the sheets. She was still awake, and a knowing smile filled her expression.
"[Did you have fun with Monica]?" Jenna teased.
"[Not now]," Khan pleaded before kicking away his shoes and jumping on the bed to take his place under the sheets. He didn't even feel surprised to see Jenna's naked body waiting for him.
"[Won't you take off your clothes]?" Jenna joked as she ran her fingers over Khan's shoulder.
"[Let me be]," Khan requested as he wrapped his arms around Jenna's waist and laid his head on her chest. "[I'll sleep like this tonight]."
"[What did you even do outside the room]?" Jenna asked as she hugged Khan's head and started caressing him.
"[I probably made a mess]," Khan admitted.
"[That's so exciting]," Jenna giggled.
