'How can Rodney be here?' Khan cursed in his mind. 'Shouldn't he be a normal guide?'
Khan smelled that something was off. It didn't make any sense for a prisoner to be allowed in such secretive areas. Rodney wasn't exactly in chains, but his presence on Milia 222 was supposed to be a punishment, and his access to the dock hinted at far different truths.
A headache tried to take control of Khan's mind. Memories from Nitis flowed in his vision and reminded him of awful moments, but he fended off most of them to focus on the few connected to his current issue.
'Sly, unpredictable,' Khan recalled what Professor Supyan said after Rodney went through the test in the lake. 'That might be the worst type of opponent in this environment.'
Rodney was smart, and he was bound to have deep connections on Milia 222. Entering the dock would have been impossible for him otherwise. The same went for dealing with Bise smugglers. Only a high-profile figure could get a similar job.
Khan would typically leave the matter alone unless his investigation pointed in that direction, but the situation wasn't so simple. Rodney had announced his enmity toward Khan, and he had to be aware of his presence on the dock. After all, Khan didn't exactly lay low.
'He must know about me,' Khan sighed as he stared at the portrait on the device. 'He is the type of person who would check bounties and temporary networks.'
Discovering that the Cobsend family had to have something to do with the theft had filled Khan with problems, and Rodney's presence only added issues to that pile. Khan felt his mind growing heavy, but some coldness straightened his thoughts and kept him focused on his goal.
The dock was dangerous, but Khan could see threats everywhere. He had to remain wary and ready to act, but that almost was his usual mindset.
However, the presence of an actual enemy pushed his mindset past that. Khan couldn't stick to remaining wary anymore. The dock had turned into an active battlefield, and he had to find ways to win or survive.
"[What is it]?" Jenna asked since she was the first to notice a change in Khan's mindset.
Khan didn't answer. Options flowed through his mind as he tried to find any possible connection or consequence to Rodney's presence. He even considered his potential involvement with the bounty, but that sounded like a stretch.
After going through the potential personal problems, Khan moved to the main issue. Rodney's presence in the dock was surprising and troublesome, but his connection to the Bise added deep layers to that situation.
'Rodney was important enough to get a spot on Nitis,' Khan thought. 'He might have the social connections necessary to get hired for the Cobsend family's dirty work.'
Luke didn't know everything. He might be aware of most procedures inside the factory, but there had to be a good deal of information that escaped his knowledge.
Khan felt almost sure that Luke was unaware of the matters in the dock. That was the whole purpose of the secretive location, and many crews involved with the smuggling also changed often. He couldn't know everything concerning the delivery and transport of the base material.
'Now that I think about it,' Khan realized. 'The smugglers and crews might change, but the Bise remain xenophobic. They can't trust every buyer.'
Khan was willing to reject that point, but he knew he was getting somewhere. There had to be a trusted figure between the arrival at the dock and the delivery to the factory. Something so secretive and valuable couldn't be left in the hands of random criminals that changed every month or less.
The problems started there. Khan couldn't confirm that Rodney was that trusted figure. It actually felt too coincidental that someone with whom he shared history had a part in his mission.
'Coincidence or not,' Khan thought, 'He is my only connection to the buyers. Even if he has nothing to do with the factory, he might know who does.'
Khan didn't like that option, but there didn't seem to be any alternative. He couldn't do much with the portraits of the buyers and stalking them one by one would create problems, especially since he would need to interrogate them eventually.
"[Khan]?" Jenna called again when she felt that Khan's internal struggle had ended.
"[I'm here, I'm here]," Khan reassured as he scrolled through the rest of the portraits. "[I just found something troublesome]."
"[It's nothing we can't fix if we are together]," Jenna warmly stated as she laid her head on Khan's shoulder.
"[I can't have you there]," Khan sighed before glancing at Jenna. "[I'll definitely make a mess if you are with me]."
"[You are always finding ways to remain alone lately]," Jenna pouted, but a cute giggle left her mouth when Khan wrapped his arm around her head.
Khan confirmed that Rodney was the only familiar face and reopened his portrait before handing the device to Maban and voicing a request. "[Can you keep an eye on this one? I need a chance to talk to him]."
"[Did you find what you were looking for]?" Maban asked while seizing the device.
"[Probably not]," Khan admitted. "[Can you continue keeping track of the buyers]?"
"[Surveilling one man won't affect our manpower]," Maban explained, "[But you know that we don't go unnoticed]."
Passing by the Bise's landing areas could remain a random event for the dock's citizens, but a group of Nele following a specific human would stand out. Khan quickly understood that the surveillance would probably expose him. It was better to handle the matter quickly.
"[Just tell me when I can approach him]," Khan changed his request. "[It doesn't need to be too safe]."
"[Why would our presence be a problem]?" Piran joined the conversation without hiding his coldness. "[Is he a potential enemy to our species]?"
"[I don't think so]," Khan replied. "[He simply knows how to make me angry]."
The matter was clearly personal, and the Nele around Khan understood that. No one probed any further, but Jenna made sure to snuggle closer to express her support.
"[I'll let you know if he goes somewhere safe]," Maban concluded the speech and left without adding anything else.
The happy atmosphere of the meal didn't return after Maban's departure. Khan was immersed in his thoughts, and Piran and Nessa didn't share Jenna's connection. Only she could remain in Khan's arms without becoming annoying.
Khan let the Nele leave without exchanging any formalities or friendly goodbyes. His mind was elsewhere. The entirety of his journey on Nitis occupied his thoughts and brought him to places that even Jenna couldn't reach.
Tragedies, love, friendship, and much more transformed into a movie that made Khan experience Nitis again. Almost two years had passed since those events, but they remained close. His right shoulder felt heavier as he recalled everything, and killing intent filled him as he accepted that the meeting with Rodney was inevitable.
"[How can I help]?" Jenna whispered once the couple remained alone on the street.
"[I'm fine]," Khan reassured. "[I just don't know what to expect]."
"[Maban will never admit it]," Jenna stated, "[But the Nele won't stay still if something happens to you]."
"[I'm not worried about my safety]," Khan explained. "[I'm not sure how much of a mess I'll do if he sets me off]."
"[I can prepare something to keep you calm]," Jenna suggested.
"[I am calm]," Khan responded. "[I'll remain calm, but that won't stop me]."
Jenna ended up laughing at that resolute declaration, and Khan couldn't help but show his frown to her. Jenna had gone back on his lap, and she looked at him from the comfort of his chest, but she only smiled.
"[I might start a war]," Khan pointed out, "[And everyone knows about my connection with the Nele]."
"[I don't care]," Jenna giggled, taking Khan's head in her hands. "[I like how you made up your mind]."
"[Shouldn't you talk some reason into me]?" Khan complained.
"[I'm not a human]," Jenna teased. "[If war is what you seek, start it without looking back]."
"[You are getting more unreasonable with each passing day]," Khan sighed.
"[Take responsibility for that]," Jenna voiced in a sensual tone as she drew her face closer to Khan's. Yet, a hand covered her mouth before she could kiss him, and a suppressed complaint came out of it.
.
.
.
Khan hoped that the Tors could complete his commission before the inevitable meeting, but the Nele's efficiency didn't give him the chance to attend his weekly delivery.
Only one day had to pass from the talk with Maban for a message to reach the district and spread among the high-profile Nele. It was late afternoon, so Khan was almost ready to make his trip to the Tors' area, but Piran intercepted him before he could cross the last purple lamp.
"[Maban sends words for you]," Piran announced once he reached Khan. "[Do you remember where the sixth quadrant is]?"
Khan looked past Piran to inspect the district. Maban's arrival would have definitely caused a commotion, but he didn't see anything similar. Yet, Piran pointed his finger upward to explain that the message had arrived through the synthetic mana.
"[How complicated can those messages be]?" Khan wondered.
"[He sent an image]," Piran explained. "[The image of a building in the sixth quadrant. It's a tall structure with a large square stretching from its back. You can't miss it, but I can send someone with you]."
"[Don't worry]," Khan replied. "[I should have an idea]."
"[Be safe]," Piran uttered.
"[I will]," Khan smiled, but his expression turned cold when he turned to leave. 'I can't say the same for the other.'
The meeting had given Khan a vague idea of the dock's layout. He didn't recall the exact spot where the sixth quadrant began, but he knew its general location, and that was enough.
The dock wasn't famous for its tall structures, so finding the intended spot couldn't be too difficult. Khan even confirmed that once he reached the sixth quadrant. He found a building that matched Piran's description quickly. Its outsides didn't reveal its purpose, but the line before its entrance marked it as a club.
Spies had followed Khan since his departure from the Nele's district, and he turned toward all of them before approaching the line. He couldn't see every group from his position, but looking in their approximate directions caused a reaction in the symphony, which satisfied him enough to move.
Relatively loud murmurs resounded as soon as Khan joined the line. Most Orlats knew about him, and even those unaware of his feats during the hunting season learnt about them during the wait.
The spreading of the rumors made the most fearful customers leave the line and depart from the area quickly. Khan had become a synonym for trouble, and his connection with the Nele only worsened his fame.
Khan ignored those events. His eyes remained fixed on the entrance, and he showed no reaction to the shortening line. Even the murmurs that reached his ears didn't affect his expression. His mind only had room for Rodney now, and he couldn't let himself be distracted.
The day after the meeting had given Khan the time to study his situation. Rodney was annoying to deal with, and Khan didn't exactly have complete freedom. He couldn't speak openly about the Cobsend family since the factory was a secret.
Not mentioning the factory wasn't a complete solution either since Rodney had seen Luke and the others on the first asteroid. Khan didn't know how much Rodney had investigated the matter, but he prepared to dodge eventual questions anyway.
Khan reviewed his strategy as the line shrunk, but he reached the same conclusions as the previous day. He had to adjust his questions and behavior to Rodney's reactions. He didn't have the upper hand there. He was actually exposing himself, but the task left him no other choice.
The guards in front of the club were human, and they only glared at Khan for a few seconds before letting him in as soon as he paid. A messy and loud environment unfolded in his vision right after he crossed the corridor that divided him from the main area, but he had grown used to clubs by then.
Deafening musing filled a large and crowded dancing area. Multicolored lights flashed on the mass of people and joined the bright accessories, dyes, and tattoos. Shouts and laughter fused with the chaos that was the symphony of mana, but Khan felt a bit at home in that mess.
His senses didn't share that feeling. Khan took careful steps around the dancing floor as he let his sensitivity get used to the chaos in the building. Countless waves of synthetic mana assaulted him, but he remained calm and let his mind do its work.
Meanwhile, Khan studied the general layout of the building. Its style heavily resembled the Orlats' clubs, but Khan couldn't find any secondary area past the dancing hall. He could only spot staircases leading to the upper floors.
After a quick inspection of the dancing hall, Khan decided to move to the upper floor. His sensitivity had yet to grow used to the mess, but he could still confirm that Rodney wasn't there.
The second floor was nothing more than a few streets with a clear line of sight with the dancing area. The building resembled the Orlats' clubs in that aspect, but Khan decided to climb a bit more after failing to find Rodney.
The chaotic illumination and general mess allowed Khan to go unnoticed. Most people in the club didn't even bother to inspect their surroundings. Yet, he still decided to send a vague request to the synthetic mana when he approached the passage toward the third floor.
"Hide me," Khan whispered while letting out a tiny whiff of mana.
The synthetic mana around Khan reacted to his request and enveloped him in a frail membrane that slightly darkened his surroundings. That energy even dampened the sounds created by his movements, but it didn't make him completely invisible. It only helped him go unnoticed.
The second-level warrior guarding the narrow staircase glared at Khan when he approached him. A ceiling separated the second and third floors. The upper areas appeared more secretive, but the man left the path open as soon as Khan completed the payment through his phone.
The expensive access to the third floor told Khan more about Rodney's financial situation. He was faring more than well on Milia 222, which spoke loudly for his importance in that environment.
The third floor was a vast hall filled with tables and comfortable armchairs. Human waiters walked calmly among them, and two desks occupied by bartenders stood next to walls on opposite sides of the room.
The area didn't match the dock's messy and often dirty environment. It actually carried some style, but nothing could surprise Khan after the dinner in the Kingsize.
Khan spotted a guarded staircase that led to the fourth floor, but he lost interest in it as soon as his senses warned him about the presence of a familiar aura. The music covered most of the voices echoing from the tables, but Khan didn't need them to spot his target. He only had to turn to find Rodney sitting at one of the tables.
'When did he become a second-level warrior?' Khan wondered as he walked among the tables without attracting anyone's attention. Even the waiters failed to focus on him due to the synthetic mana around him.
Almost two months had passed since the meeting on the first asteroid. Rodney had been a first-level warrior then, but he had also been close to advancing. Still, he looked a bit too strong for someone who had just improved, and Khan understood why once the table became close.
Rodney reeked of synthetic mana. Part of the energy inside him was messy and didn't follow the overall flow inside his body. Khan couldn't be sure, but that felt like the result of an injection Rodney had yet to absorb fully.
'Access to the dock, expensive clubs, injections of synthetic mana,' Khan thought. 'He is swimming in money.'
Rodney noticed Khan only when he reached his table, but no surprise appeared on his face. A knowing smile broadened on his calm expression as he brought his drink to his mouth and took short sips.
The table only had another chair. A first-level warrior, a beautiful woman, was sitting with Rodney, and she tried to turn when she noticed that the focus of his attention had shifted. However, a hand landed on her exposed right shoulder, and the chilling word that followed made her entire body freeze.
"Leave," Khan said while altering the synthetic mana around him to convey the seriousness of the situation.
The woman slowly turned her head, and her eyes widened when she noticed Khan. He wasn't looking at her, but she could feel watched. Something told her that she had to follow his order.
The woman shot a begging glance at Rodney, who limited himself to a simple nod. Khan let go of her at that point, and she jumped on her feet to hurry outside of the club. She even left her fancy drink behind.
Khan ignored the whole process and sat on the comfortable armchair as soon as it became empty. An interactive menu appeared on the table, and he took his time to study it before choosing an expensive drink.
Rodney remained silent, and his smile never left his face. The two seemed to have entered a diplomatic game that punished the first to speak. Still, Khan remained calm and brought his gaze back to Rodney only after completing his order.
The two fell into a silent stalemate. They simply looked at each other. Khan had a cold face, while Rodney appeared entertained by his arrival.
A waiter quickly reached the table to deliver Khan's drink, and he seized it without looking at the beautiful woman carrying it. He even took a sip from the glass while his eyes remained on Rodney.
"Nitis' customs would want our drinks to touch," Rodney eventually spoke in a tone that barely overcame the music's volume. "I thought you wouldn't forget."
"Are you sure you want to start this with an insult?" Khan asked.
"You ruined my plans for tonight," Rodney revealed. "I should be allowed to have some fun."
"Spending time with women," Khan commented. "I didn't expect that from you."
"I learnt from the hero of the Global Army," Rodney joked. "Though I'm still hesitant about aliens. Maybe you could convince me."
"I'd rather keep you among humans," Khan responded, "In far nastier places."
"You are no fun," Rodney chuckled as his smile grew mean. "Share some knowledge with your brother in arms. Should I go for the cold or warm species?"
A hammer landed on Khan's thoughts and tried to give birth to pure rage, but his face showed no reaction. Rodney had clearly hinted at the Niqols and Nele, and he had also revealed that he knew about Khan's current situation.
"You developed a twisted sense of humor," Khan uttered. "I liked how you were on Nitis."
"Loyal, brave?" Rodney guessed.
"In chains," Khan replied, and Rodney laughed.
"You truly became all-righteous," Rodney stated. "I wonder how you manage to convince yourself when you betray your species at every chance you get."
"The Niqols taught us a lot about feelings," Khan half-lied. "It's a pity you never listened."
"Feelings?" Rodney laughed. "You are truly heartless. Using your new girlfriend to corroborate lies. Maybe you don't love her like Liiza."
The interactive menus flickered, and a crack opened on the table's surface as soon as Khan placed his glass. He didn't put any strength in the gesture, but some mana had left him, and the synthetic energy had done the rest.
"Always so emotional," Rodney teased. "This club is owned by humans, important humans. I'm sure even you understand the value of keeping them on your good side."
"I'm sure you understand the importance of keeping your life," Khan retorted.
"Empty threats," Rodney snickered. "For what it's worth, your new girlfriend is definitely hotter. The Nele sure are a fine species."
Khan sighed before diverting his attention and inspecting the hall. The ceiling wasn't too tall, and an eventual fall from the third floor wouldn't be too hard to withstand. The resilient surfaces were a problem, but the chaos element could solve that.
"Pretending to be calm now?" Rodney asked. "Speak openly. What's the point of being old friends otherwise?"
"I was just checking the building," Khan explained. "I can kill you, blow a hole in the floor, and run away before getting into trouble."
"You wouldn't risk a political incident for a few jokes," Rodney calmly scorned.
"How can you be so sure?" Khan asked while bringing his cold eyes back on Rodney. "You know what I'm capable of."
Khan made the synthetic mana convey his killing intent. Rodney's sensitivity wasn't great, even by human standards, but a chill ran down his spine anyway. He hid any kind of reaction, but he knew that Khan wasn't joking.
"You are a mad dog on the Global Army's leash," Rodney changed the topic. "I guess humanity needs warriors like you."
"You must be really bitter at how things went down on Nitis," Khan insulted.
"I used to be," Rodney admitted. "Though they were an eye-opener. Tragedies have the strange habit of showing your true colors, and surviving them forge you in one way or another."
Khan hated to agree with Rodney, but both of them were clear examples of that statement. Rodney himself had gained a strange spark after Nitis' crisis.
Silence fell between the two. Their glasses became empty, and both of them ordered new ones. Khan felt happy that the crack didn't affect the functioning of the interactive menu, but his mood remained heavy due to the lack of progress in the conversation.
"I'm not going to say it," Rodney eventually announced.
"What do you mean?" Khan asked.
"You know what I mean," Rodney exclaimed. "You came all the way here to meet me, but that's none of my business. You'll have to expose yourself to claim my interest."
"Your words make no sense," Khan pretended ignorance.
"Please," Rodney scoffed. "Luke Cobsend, Bruce Eerly, Amanda Eerly, Monica Solodrey, Francis Alstair, Darrell Amend, Isaac Foreters, Claudia Palbeel, and Martha Weesso. There's also Ivor, the caretaker from the Cobsend family."
Khan fell silent. Rodney had listed the entire team for the mission, and Khan didn't know how to take that. It almost seemed that Rodney had more information than him.
"Don't overthink it," Rodney chuckled at Khan's reaction. "I could recognize them instantly. Those are important faces, except for the Weesso woman, but I know her for different reasons."
The silent implication was obvious, especially after the smirk that Rodney wore. Khan felt in a corner. He didn't know how to respond when his opponent knew so much.
"You didn't come here to follow your lovely girlfriend," Rodney continued after taking a sip from his new drink. "Choosing to meet me already exposed you, but that's it from my end. I want to hear what Lieutenant Khan has to say before moving on."
