The fact that Sen-nu had gotten his hands on the video was quite surprising. Khan wasn't a high-profile figure in the dock, and Piran had even reassured him on that field.
Moreover, Sen-nu didn't have the appearance or bearing of a leader. His behavior could be a pretense, but the alternative explanation that formed in Khan's mind made more sense. Factions among the Fuveall had probably stepped in to purchase the video and reach out to Khan.
Khan could understand all of that very well, but he remained confused. He didn't see any real value in his figure. Threatening him with something relatively valuable made no sense in his mind unless Sen-nu and the Fuveall wanted to use his connection to the Nele.
Of course, the realization that the Nele were the only possible explanation for that event made Khan's thoughts even colder, but he refrained from violent outbursts. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, and the situation was far from terrible.
Khan had listened to the symphony during the entirety of his walk. His mind had been full of messy thoughts, but his attention had never wavered. The dock was keeping track of his movements, but he didn't sense anything too out of the ordinary.
Hunters could be waiting, and the Fuveall probably had technology that could defy impressive sensitivity to mana, but no one knew Khan's prowess in that field. It wouldn't make sense for those aliens to use advanced methods to counter something they weren't aware of.
In short, the symphony reassured Khan. He felt pretty sure that no trap was waiting for him. As for Sen-nu, the video was a threat but a weak one. He could spread it, but the interested factions had probably already purchased it.
"[What orders]?" Khan said in his best version of the Fuveall's language. He had no reason to use it, but he wanted to improve since he was at it.
"[Truly a resourceful customer]!" Sen-nu laughed while also switching to the Fuveall's language.
Sen-nu closed the video and bent toward the backpack to store the device, but Khan suddenly grabbed his left wrist, right at the end of the metal plate. Sen-nu turned and pulled his arm, but Khan stepped forward and forced his struggle to an end.
Khan was shorter than Sen-nu, and the Fuveall generally had stronger bodies. Their implants could even grant additional physical strength. In theory, Sen-nu had no reason to interrupt his gesture.
However, Khan wasn't restraining Sen-nu through brute strength. His right hand was on his wrist, but his left was on the knife's eccentric handle. He only had to draw it to reach Sen-nu's unprotected abdomen.
The tone of the conversation immediately changed. Sen-nu had tried to retain some friendliness, while Khan had held back his coldness. Yet, everything had grown tense and serious after Khan seized the initiative.
"[Come on now]," Sen-nu chuckled, but some nervousness fused with his attempted chill tone. "[Sen-nu came as a friend]."
"[What orders]?" Khan repeated, adjusting his accent according to what he was hearing.
The tense situation attracted some attention. Khan heard changes in the symphony while his gaze remained fixed on Sen-nu's golden eyes. Sharper tremors expanded through the synthetic mana due to the commotion that unfolded, but nothing came in his direction.
"[Sen-nu only needs to bring you somewhere]," Sen-nu explained as his tone grew calmer.
"[Where and why]?" Khan pressed on.
"[Sen-nu can't say]," Sen-nu replied.
"[Why would I follow you then]?" Khan asked.
"[Because we are friends]," Sen-nu joked.
The concern for the situation had disappeared from Sen-nu's tone at that point, and Khan couldn't understand why. Nothing had changed, but the alien had lost his anxiety.
Khan couldn't have missed a shift in Sen-nu's mana. Everything had remained still inside the alien, but the change in his behavior had happened anyway, and the lack of explanations forced Khan's hand.
"[What are you hiding]?" Khan threatened as strands of mana came out from the back of his right palm.
"[Nothing]," Sen-nu responded.
"[Why are you so calm then]?" Khan uttered while pulling Sen-nu closer to make the knife's handle touch his abdomen.
"[You don't want to kill Sen-nu]," Sen-nu explained as a smile broadened on his face. "[You want answers]."
Khan had spoken similar words to Maban that same day, but they sounded like insults when they came out of Sen-nu's mouth. Sen-nu didn't really mean any of that. Still, Khan couldn't let someone underestimate him so blatantly.
‘Does he think that I won't kill him?' Khan wondered as his mindset made the synthetic mana around him reek of killing intent.
Khan had already concluded that Sen-nu and the Fuveall were after his connection to the Nele. He didn't know how accurate that guess was, but it sounded far more reasonable than any other explanation.
A similar connection would often create a halo of mystery and respect around Khan. He would basically inherit those features from the species backing him up. However, Sen-nu had approached him fearlessly, which had deeper implications.
Political maneuvers would typically involve proper members of the involved species, but Sen-nu had come to Khan. The gesture almost proved that the Fuveall saw him as the weak link in that faction, and he couldn't let that stand.
The Fuveall had a scientific approach to mana. They were different from the Tors, Guko, and humans, but they still belonged to that field. Sen-nu didn't have the means to notice the changes in the synthetic mana, but his vast experience with countless customers warned him.
Something was different on Khan's face. A cold determination had descended on his expression and had filled his eyes. Any trace of pretense or emotion left his gaze as he set his mind on sending a message that the entire dock would have to listen to.
"[Wait, wait]!" Sen-nu abruptly shouted as panic returned to his tone. "[Sen-nu meant no harm or offense]!"
The sharp change in Sen-nu's behavior dispersed part of the killing intent that had almost taken over Khan's actions. The latter had been ready to draw his knife to prove that no one could approach him so lightly, but the new development revealed a less bloody path.
"[Start speaking then]," Khan ordered.
"[Someone from my species wants to have a conversation]," Sen-nu explained. "[It's nothing dangerous. Sen-nu swears]!"
"[And why would I follow you]?" Khan continued. "[That video has already reached the dock. It poses no threat to me]."
"[Sen-nu wanted to show his connections]," Sen-nu revealed. "[And that we know about your value]."
‘Did I misinterpret it?' Khan wondered.
Khan had done his research on Earth, but books and reports always failed to depict certain details, especially when it came to other species. The humans often missed some traditions and typical behaviors. Sen-nu might have really used the video as a simple greeting.
"[You still didn't tell me why I should follow you]," Khan pressed on, hiding the doubts that had spread in his mind.
"[Sen-nu thought you'd like to meet more Fuveall]," Sen-nu stated.
A careful person would immediately reject that offer and walk away, but Khan was weak when it came to different species. He might never get another chance to get closer to the Fuveall, and they were even an essential aspect of his original mission. Duty and curiosity blended in his mind until what he wanted became obvious.
"[I hope the streets there won't have ears]," Khan uttered before letting Sen-nu go.
"[We'll let you choose them]!" Sen-nu laughed as he picked up his backpack. He exchanged a meaningful glance with Khan before turning and leading the way.
The two crossed streets that Khan didn't recognize, but he remained aware of his general position in the dock. Checkpoints crossed his vision as spies followed along. It seemed impossible to get rid of them, but Sen-nu proved him wrong.
The sounds that Khan had connected to the spies retreated when Sen-nu led him toward a platform that worked as an elevator. The machine went only downward, into a series of narrow streets connected to multiple landing areas, and many Fuveall were visible from that position.
"[Wait]," Khan called before he could step on the elevator. "[Not down there]."
Khan was obviously curious about the Fuveall's landing areas, but his recklessness had limits. He couldn't follow Sen-nu in such isolated places before confirming his intentions.
"[Of course, of course]," Sen-nu laughed before putting his backpack on the floor. Khan took a step back when the alien drew something from the item, but he relaxed when he saw a device similar to his phone.
Sen-nu tapped on the device before grunting and slapping it a few times. Incomprehensible curses followed as he waved the item and lifted it as if he was searching for something, but a happy laugh eventually concluded the process.
"[Communicating in the dock is always a problem]," Sen-nu explained as he put the device back into the backpack. "[Even the Fuveall can only make the accuracy go up to seventy percent]."
"[Seventy doesn't sound bad]," Khan admitted.
"[It works only with other Fuveall's technology]," Sen-nu pointed out. "[Sen-nu might push it to seventy-five, or even eighty, but that would undermine its secrecy]."
Khan could only nod. Intercepting communications was a field too distant from his expertise, so he accepted Sen-nu's explanation without voicing any doubt.
Sen-nu stepped out of the platform, and the elevator went down. The symphony warned Khan about the arrival of a few Fuveall, and they only took a few seconds to appear in his vision.
‘No third-level warriors,' Khan thought while he watched the four aliens stepping on the platform and activating the machine to reach the main floor.
The group only featured one first-level warrior. The others were as strong as Khan and Sen-nu, but that didn't reassure the former. Backpacks hung from their back, and one of them even carried a mechanical structure that featured six tall poles.
Khan inevitably took a few more steps back. Fighting the Fuveall and their implants was one thing, but he couldn't risk getting caught by one of their items.
The gesture told a lot about Khan's stance, and the Fuveall could only play along. The alien carrying the mechanical structure nodded at her companions, who promptly dropped their backpacks on the elevator and sent it down.
"We only want to isolate the area," The Fuveall with the machine announced while seizing one of the poles and placing it on the floor.
The pole's base expanded as soon as it touched the floor to create a stable foundation. Fissures even slid open at its sides, and a dark fabric came out of it.
The fabric didn't have anything special on the outside, but Khan's senses revealed its functions. That material partially hindered his sensitivity to mana. That quality would probably improve after adding the other poles.
Khan nodded while taking another step back to leave enough room for the machine. The Fuveall didn't appear too happy about his evident suspicion, but they still moved to complete their preparations.
The team placed the six poles on the floor and united the fabric coming out of them to create a hexagonal tent-like structure. The same isolating material got out of the item's top at that point and allowed the aliens to build a roof.
"Let's talk inside," The same Fuveall from before said while pointing at the tent's entrance.
Khan nodded at the other Fuveall before bringing his eyes on the speaker, and the latter understood what he meant. She pointed at the tent, and her companions went inside. She even glared at Sen-nu when he showed hesitation toward leaving his backpack behind, but he eventually accepted those terms.
"Is this enough?" The female Fuveall asked once her companions were inside.
Khan's paranoia would normally see him pick the Nele's district for those meetings. After all, the Fuveall weren't as distrustful and isolated as the Tors. Yet, compromises were necessary, and part of him preferred to leave the Nele out of eventual problems.
"[Let's go]," Khan exclaimed in the Fuveall's language while approaching the tent.
Khan remained wary since the tent hid its insides, but he relaxed a bit when he saw that the Fuveall weren't doing anything strange. Sen-nu and the others were standing in the back of the structure, and they showed faint smiles once their companion joined them.
Khan had the time to inspect the entire group during the building of the tent. There were two women and three men, but their bionic implants appeared quite plain. Sen-nu was the most peculiar among them due to his missing nose.
"You are a guest," The Fuveall who had handled the conversation until now said. "You don't need to use our language to please us."
"[I'm just trying to improve in it]," Khan honestly explained. "[I have no other reason for that]."
The answer sounded so dumb that the Fuveall didn't know how to react to it. That was a quasi-official negotiation. Risking misunderstanding something should be the main priority, but Khan didn't care.
"[Sen-nu told you that he was a tough customer]," Sen-nu laughed in the Fuveall's language.
"[For what it's worth]," The female Fuveall sighed while also switching language, "[Sen-nu takes his job very seriously. He told us about you because he had no other choice]."
"[About that]," Khan intervened. "[I still don't know what you want from me. I don't see how I can be worthy of so much]."
"[Let's start with the greetings]," The female Fuveall smiled. "[I'm Ta-ei, and I handle part of the landing areas below]."
Khan searched through his pockets before pulling out the silver card that generated random IDs. A name flickered on its surface, and he calmly voiced it. "Noah Balvan."
Sen-nu snickered, but the glares from his companions forced him to shut up. Meanwhile- Ta-ei retained her smile and tried to establish a conversation once again. "[We truly have friendly intentions]."
"[Tell me why I am here then]," Khan stated.
"[We]," Ta-ei began to speak before stopping for a second to sort out her thoughts. "[The Fuveall are concerned about the hunting season]."
Those words didn't surprise Khan. The most reasonable guess had turned out to be accurate, but Khan's paranoia pushed his thoughts toward dark areas.
"[Why]?" Khan coldly asked. "[Did you do something against the Nele]?"
"[Not at all]!" Ta-ei exclaimed. "[We have no business with them]."
"[Why are you worried then]?" Khan wondered. "[There is no reason for all of this if you are innocent]."
Ta-ei turned to exchange glances with her companions. Hesitation spread among the group, but Khan couldn't explain it. He couldn't be too scary for them.
"[We don't understand them]," Sen-nu eventually announced.
"[They might be jealous of our implants]," Ta-ei added.
"[And our technology as a whole]," Another Fuveall followed.
"[You can never know what they are thinking]," A fourth Fuveall said.
"[Who knows what their plants tell them]?" The last Fuveall stated.
The tension and faint killing intent that had risen in Khan's mind instantly dispersed at the sight of those honest nods. The Fuveall appeared genuinely concerned, but that wasn't the point. Their fear came from a fundamental lack of understanding toward a species directly opposite to them.
"[Why would their plants tell them to attack you]?" Khan couldn't help but ask.
"[Envy, obviously]," Ta-ei proudly announced.
"[Technology is the future]," Sen-nu continued, "[And the plants might not want that]."
"[Nature is flawed but resilient]," A third Fuveall announced. "[Wood and metal are bound to clash]."
"[Here he goes with his conspiracy theories]," Sen-nu laughed.
"[I'm telling you]!" The third Fuveall declared. "[A war is coming]."
"[Between plants and metal]?" Sen-nu snickered before turning toward Ta-ei. "[Why did you even bring him here]?"
"[His rank is pretty high]," Ta-ei revealed. "[You should check his new implant on the lower back. It's quite the work of art]."
"[Ooh]?" Sen-nu exclaimed before crouching behind the third Fuveall and lifting his T-shirt.
"[It can affect organs without touching them]," The third Fuveall proudly explained. "[I've achieved a two-point reduction in the organic matter turned into waste]."
"[Such efficiency]!" Sen-nu praised, "[And you even have room to replace the organs now]."
"[Indeed, indeed]," The third Fuveall laughed, and his companions murmured while also checking his exposed back.
Khan didn't know how to behave in that situation. His face was expressionless. The Fuveall were acting like a bunch of children in front of a new toy. Still, something in the scene made a chuckle rise through his throat.
Usually, Khan would have never let a similar reaction disrupt his cold face, but the previous conversation had completely dispersed any tension. The meeting barely felt like a negotiation anymore. Even his mind refused to take it seriously.
The Fuveall continued to check the implant, but Ta-ei didn't miss the chuckle. She brought her focus back on Khan, and words promptly left her mouth. "[We didn't forget why we are here]."
Khan glanced at the murmuring group before moving his eyes back to Ta-ei. She was the only one paying attention to him, but he didn't mind that. He actually preferred that type of laid-back and friendly negotiation.
"[You are quite dumb]," Khan declared as a laugh fused with his words.
"[What]?" Sen-nu shouted while peeking from behind his companion's back, and the rest of the group also moved their attention to Khan.
"[I meant no offense]," Khan laughed. "[I'm dumb too. I just have other interests]."
"[I really don't understand the nature-loving people]," Sen-nu whispered.
"[It's a war]," The third Fuveall also whispered, but one of his companions slapped the back of his head to make him shut up.
"[Did we prove our good intentions]?" Ta-ei asked since she understood the change in the atmosphere.
"[I guess you'll find out my name anyway]," Khan sighed while moving his eyes among the group. "[I'll give you the answers you want, but I need something in return]."
"[We expected that]," Ta-ei uttered.
"[I have questions about your technology]," Khan revealed, "[Many questions and some will involve illegal fields]."
