Khan had walked into the club knowing that the situation wouldn't have been in his favor, but Rodney had only needed a line to show how bad everything was.
Monica had already educated Khan on that topic, so he found it easier to accept the situation. Rodney came from a wealthy family. He had received social and political training since birth. He was probably below Khan in terms of adaptability and cunning, but those types of conversations were his reign.
Khan felt cornered for obvious reasons. He didn't have any leverage, and Rodney knew basically everything. The specifics of Khan's mission might escape his knowledge, but they weren't important now.
Silent seconds went by as Khan tried to find a way to turn the conversation in his favor, but Rodney's stance had no flaws. Khan couldn't defeat him there, and only one move could create a crack in an otherwise helpless situation.
"I didn't think they made injections of synthetic mana on Milia 222," Khan changed the topic. "Isn't that dangerous? I would find it hard to trust the quality check."
"What a disappointing response," Rodney sighed. "Do you think you are the only one with talent? I was on Nitis, just like you."
"Ignorance sure gives a false sense of safety," Khan commented. "Your lies have no value when you reek of synthetic mana. Bold of you to be in the open without fully absorbing it."
Rodney couldn't help but freeze for an instant. He brought his drink to his mouth to hide part of his expression, but his gaze had lost its mocking confidence.
Khan could practically read the thoughts running through Rodney's mind. He knew he was reviewing everything learnt on Nitis to understand how something like that could happen. The coldness spreading inside Rodney even affected the synthetic mana and gave a clearer representation of that reaction.
"You should have really paid attention to the Niqols' teachings," Khan continued. "I can see the mana inside your body escaping your control. I'd say you have a twenty percent chance of failing to use it properly."
Rodney's surprise only intensified before that accurate evaluation. He was naked in front of Khan's gaze, but that wasn't enough to make him lose his cool.
"Alien tricks," Rodney finally spoke, but his smile didn't return. "Sure, I've received injections, but so what? Why would that matter in this conversation?"
"You claim that your presence here is a punishment," Khan announced, "But you have enough money to purchase injections and spend nights in expensive clubs. You also have access to the dock. Knowing your character, I'm pretty sure you are part of a shady business."
"Again, what's the point of this?" Rodney scoffed. "I might be the king of Milia 222. It still wouldn't matter in this conversation."
Rodney was right, and Khan knew that. His change of topic had been a diversion, but it had served its purpose. As long as Rodney lost some confidence, Khan could find the chance to come out on top.
"You said that you recognized the others immediately," Khan exclaimed. "You know, I'm still quite ignorant, and I only have my upbringing to blame, but you aren't. My companions must be truly important to leave such a deep impression."
"What are you trying to achieve?" Rodney chuckled. "Do you want to hide behind your companions' names?"
"Yes," Khan shamelessly stated. "I didn't want to mention them, but you did it for me. I should actually thank you for that."
"Fine, I want to hear this," Rodney responded. "You have important companions. So what?"
"Your family is important, but not too important," Khan declared. "I bet exposing your role here won't be a problem, especially when someone more important than you backs up those claims."
"Is that even a threat?" Rodney laughed. "This is Milia 222. Merely denying claims against me would work as a defense."
"You don't have the power or influence to be your own boss," Khan attacked from a different angle. "I don't want to imagine what would happen to you if you hindered your business. Well, maybe I'd like to see that."
"You'd go after your brother's wallet just to get what you want," Rodney sighed. "Truly a heartless man."
"You are right," Khan uttered, and a chilling sensation that even Rodney could feel enveloped the table. "I am heartless, so I suggest you stop with these jokes."
Fear inevitably spread in Rodney's mind. That reaction was a direct consequence of Khan's influence over the synthetic mana, and Rodney couldn't shield himself from it.
Nevertheless, Rodney found the strength to show his smirk and remain calm. He wanted to see if Khan had more to say, but it seemed that he was done, so the time to go over his words had arrived.
Khan's threat was quite empty. Luke and the others could definitely create problems for Rodney, but the process would take some time, enough for him to leave or deploy countermeasures.
Moreover, in Rodney's opinion, Luke wouldn't ruin his relationship with a fellow wealthy family for no reason. Khan would have to ask that as a personal favor, and Rodney felt that he wanted to avoid that option.
In short, Khan had a clunky weapon that he didn't want to use, and Rodney knew that. Yet, that threat existed, and Rodney didn't want to leave it unchecked in the hands of someone as crazy as Khan.
"You never told me what you want from me," Rodney decided to move the conversation to the main topic.
Khan revealed a meaningful smile, but Rodney showed no reaction to that gesture. Khan had forced Rodney to ask the reason behind his presence there. The event was a small victory, and both of them knew that.
'What now?' Khan thought as he brought his drink to his mouth.
Rodney was exactly where Khan wanted him, and the time for an offer had come. Khan had to choose his words carefully, and his thinking from the previous day helped in the matter. He only had to adjust a few things to match what he had learnt during the conversation.
"What are you doing in the dock?" Khan started with a vague question.
"That's my business," Rodney sneered.
"It must be something pretty specific," Khan continued, ignoring Rodney's contempt. "Building trust with the Bise can't be easy."
"That's what you are after," Rodney exclaimed. "You want the Bise."
"I couldn't care less about them," Khan calmly lied. "They just prove my point. You have hands in something important."
"For the third time, so what?" Rodney mocked. "Get to the point already."
"I want to know what you are doing here," Khan gave another vague answer.
"Why?" Rodney asked. "Why would you care?"
"That's my business," Khan replied.
Rodney scoffed and spread his arms. "I guess we have reached an impasse, but I'm not the one who needs something."
Rodney didn't make any mistake. He knew where he stood, and he never forgot to remind Khan. Exploiting flaws simply wasn't possible in that situation. Khan had to give out something.
"I want in," Khan stated. "I want to join your operation."
"Where did that come from?" Rodney laughed.
"You'll never reveal the nature of your business," Khan explained. "I wouldn't even trust you if you did. Getting on the field myself is my only option."
"Well said," Rodney exclaimed. "Your only option. I don't see how I fit in this plan of yours."
"You can vouch for me," Khan suggested.
"And why would I do that?" Rodney asked. "I'm doing quite well on my own. I have no reason to put my position at risk."
"This is the point when you name a price," Khan declared.
"What if I didn't want to?" Rodney wondered. "Trouble follows you. No price can cover for the damage you might do to my position."
Khan knew the lie that was about to come out of his mouth. Those words were the only price that could make Rodney bend, but he hesitated to say them. Part of him didn't want to give him that chance, and his killing intent made him aware of a far deeper truth.
"You don't want to remain in this shithole," Khan announced. "You want to get back on Earth and retrieve your privileges. I can give you that and more."
An official statement from Khan could free Rodney of every punishment, and Luke could help him climb the political ladder. Rodney had only to gain from an alliance with Khan and his companions. Most importantly, he could profit in fields that truly mattered to him.
Khan didn't want to see a redemption arc for Rodney. In his mind, he had already decided that the man had to die. That was the whole point behind his hesitation. Khan had lied, knowing that he would try to kill Rodney before the end of his mission.
"Lieutenant Khan!" Rodney voiced a surprised gasp. "I didn't expect this from you. Can you really ignore your anger and make such a deal?"
"You labeled me as emotional," Khan stated. "You might have failed to understand my true character."
"Maybe I did," Rodney replied before that complete lack of emotions.
Silence fell once again. Rodney studied Khan in an attempt to uncover his true intentions, but the latter was a wall. Khan's poker face was perfect. It was actually Rodney who showed his real desires during that exchange of firm stares.
The offer pleased Rodney, and Khan could see it. The few honest reactions on his face and the influence of his mental state on the synthetic mana created a picture that Khan could read far too well.
"You clear my name," Rodney eventually declared.
"That's a given," Khan replied.
"And you introduce me to your friends," Rodney continued. "I hope you know the kind of introduction I mean."
"Of course," Khan uttered. "They will see you as a friend by the time I'm done with them."
"I don't mind that heartless side of yours so much now," Rodney laughed as he went back to his drink.
"What about my side of things?" Khan asked. "When can I start?"
"Calm down," Rodney sneered. "Your promises are empty as of right now. I won't give you anything before confirming that you are willing to fulfill your end of the deal."
"Do you expect me to clear your name from Milia 222?" Khan wondered.
"Don't be stupid," Rodney retorted. "I want a handwritten and signed letter from you right away. That will show your goodwill."
The request made sense, but Khan needed to point out an issue. "I can't really write."
"What do you mean?" Rodney asked.
"I never truly learnt," Khan admitted, "And everything was interactive in the training camps, so...."
"You are hopeless," Rodney sighed. "Forget the letter. I'll write something, and you'll leave your genetic signature on it. Is that acceptable?"
Khan hesitated again. Leaving something like that in Rodney's hands wasn't ideal, but refusing would only cancel the deal. It was also impossible to change the terms now.
"It's acceptable," Khan agreed. "So, how will this work?"
"You've seen me deal with the Bise," Rodney exclaimed. "Go there next week, early in the morning. You'll sign the letter, and I'll introduce you to the crew."
'One week,' Khan thought. 'Plenty of time to prepare. Plenty of time for both of us to prepare.'
"I'll see you in one week then," Khan declared before emptying his drink and standing up. Rodney's gaze remained fixed on him while he left the third floor, but he didn't say anything about his missing payment.
Khan left the club in a hurry. He felt dirty. He had sealed another annoying deal, and he didn't know what he hated more about it. Rodney seemed able to come out on top easily, but Khan didn't like his killing intentions either.
The killing part wasn't an issue. Khan simply didn't like to have that hidden ploy in mind. He would rather be straightforward about the matter. Instead, he would have to cooperate with Rodney while searching for ways to dispose of him now.
'I'll be a fucking incredible ambassador,' Khan mocked himself. 'I'm already setting up political assassinations on my own. This should go on my profile.'
The spies joined the symphony as soon as Khan left the club, but he completely ignored them as he hurried through the dock's streets. He had one more place to visit before going back to Jenna's embrace.
Khan barely looked at the path ahead, but he reached his destination anyway. The synthetic mana grew oilier as he entered the Tors' district and sat at the center of a hidden street. He had done the same during his previous deliveries, so he knew he only had to wait now.
Presences soon entered the range of Khan's senses, and one of them peeked past the guardrails to inspect him. A hooded figure and a forked tongue pointed toward him, and the words he hoped to hear finally came out of it.
"Come, chaos wielder," The Tors said before jumping over the guardrails to land on the street.
Khan didn't hesitate to stand up and follow the Tors. That development was different from the previous deliveries. The Tors usually brought a container to him without leading him inside the district, and that change could only mean one thing.
As Khan had predicted, the Tors led him in front of the small house where he had sealed the deal. The alien left, and Khan entered the structure without showing any formality. He was sure the Tors wouldn't care about them.
The entrance opened on its own, and Khan found an unlocked trapdoor waiting for him once he entered the house. Jumping into it brought him to the lab, and the Tors hanging from the wall didn't even bother to turn at his arrival.
The lab had barely changed during those two weeks. Different junk occupied the floor, and the array of tubes had a new layout, but nothing major.
Only one bright detail created something that slightly changed the familiar environment. A purple-red glow tainted the azure illumination, and Khan found the source of that radiance at the center of the array of tubes.
"It's not the same," The Tors commented while keeping its glowing eyes on the item among the tubes.
A needle-like weapon floated among the array of tubes. Its purple-red halo was quite dim compared to the mana in the machine, and its overall power was also unremarkable. It barely resembled a spell worthy of a first-level mage, let alone Khan, but he could feel the chaos element inside it.
"Let me see it," Khan ordered, and the Tors used its reptilian head to push the array of tubes toward him.
Khan studied the needle from different angles, and his sensitivity revealed its secrets. The weapon retained some vague resemblance to the chaos spear, but the amount of mana inside it was simply too low.
"Something is missing," The Tors explained. "It's not the same."
"Don't worry about that," Khan reassured. "Open this up. I want to hold it."
"It will become unstable," The Tors warned.
"That's how chaos is," Khan whispered as he watched the Tors moving a few tubes and creating an opening.
A tremor ran through the needle's surface, but Khan inserted his hand without showing any fear. He didn't share any connection with the weapon, but the mana inside it was too weak to resist him.
A sizzling noise resounded when Khan touched the needle. The weapon tried to tear through his skin but doing that exposed it to Khan's influence. Needless to say, he took control of that mana before suffering any injury.
An urge whispered to Khan's ears. He felt the need to add mana to that weak spell. He wanted to make it reach its full potential, but that process was for another time.
Khan closed his eyes and focused on studying the spell. The Tors had created a balance that he would have never reached on his own. That structure and concentration of mana were a blueprint that carried valuable information. Khan only needed to translate them into images and emotions.
'A short burst of power before suppression,' Khan thought. 'A sharp pain that doesn't disappear. I know what to do.'
The needle dispersed when Khan opened his eyes. The inspection had destabilized it too much, but that didn't matter. He had obtained what he wanted.
"Give chaos," The Tors didn't hesitate to remind when it noticed that Khan was done.
"I believe you don't have spells of my element in store," Khan guessed.
"We won't show more of our arts," The Tors announced.
"I know," Khan sighed. "You are free to come up with something on your own then."
The Tors tilted its head and showed its tongue. It didn't speak, but Khan felt able to imagine its confusion.
"Invent a new spell for me," Khan explained. "It doesn't matter if I won't be able to use it."
"Twice a week," The Tors reminded.
"Of course," Khan agreed. "Our collaboration will continue."
