There wasn't much to study about the factory. The Thilku had shared the building's basic planimetry and production output without diving too deeply into the types of weapons it made. It was useful information for the Global Army, but Khan's team didn't know what to do with it.
Still, everyone studied and prepared before the morning arrived, forcing them to gather outside the building. A Thilku flew the human ship there to pick them up, bringing them in the air.
The ship left the city and headed to the countryside. Khan and the others couldn't activate the vehicle's scanners, but their reports contained the factory's location, giving them details about their destination.
Minutes went by as the team sat in the passengers' area. No one was tense about the imminent mission. It was quite understood that the visit to the factory was just a political formality, so worrying about it was impossible.
Only Ambassador Abores appeared a bit lost in his thoughts. He wasn't distracted, but something had captured his attention and kept him locked on that topic.
'He probably has directives from the specialists to keep in mind,' Khan understood with a single glance but didn't say anything about it. Letting the Ambassador concentrate was the best he could do.
The ship eventually landed, and its side doors opened to show familiar faces. The Thilku political team had come to greet Khan and the others and welcome them to that new area.
Ambassador Abores was the first to jump out of the ship, and his team followed to create an orderly line and greet the Thilku properly. Amox and his companions performed their bows before opening the way to the building in the distance.
Khan didn't hesitate to breathe in the new environment as soon as the greeting ended. He was in a vast, open space, with the factory seen in the reports before him. Metal streets covered the ground and didn't leave a single spot exposed, but everything felt quite empty.
Adele and the others also noticed that last part. Except for the factory, the area was empty. They couldn't see vehicles, soldiers, or other buildings. The ship seemed to have landed in the middle of nowhere, but the truth was far different.
The area before the factory had many street lamps that radiated the Thilku's iconic red color. However, Khan looked past them, inspecting shades only he could see. The symphony stank of artificial mana and the lights were only a small part of that.
'The factory alone can't create this,' Khan thought, his gaze diving deeper into Neuria's eternal night. 'There must be jammers and holograms all around this area.'
That realization wasn't surprising. The place was a military area, and the Thilku had only authorized the human team to see the factory. Everything else was probably classified and needed to remain hidden from that alien force.
Ambassador Abores cut the inspection short, heading toward the Thilku team and forcing his companions to follow. Amox and the others promptly acted as escorts, leading the humans toward the factory. The group had to walk for a few minutes to reach the building, but its immense door eventually filled their view.
The door slid open, slowly revealing the factory's insides. The group could see heavy machinery, containers, staircases, upper floors, and more, but their attention focused on the two Thilku waiting for them before the entrance.
"We welcome you to the factory," One of the Thilku announced in an oddly good human accent before performing a bow with his cape.
"The tour can begin immediately if that's what you wish," The second Thilku added, imitating her companion.
Ambassador Abores performed a similar bow before lifting his head and speaking polite words. "If you'd be so kind, we can begin immediately."
The two Thilku smiled before turning to lead the way and throwing a series of expositions. The entrance closed while they pointed at the machines in their surroundings and explained their purpose in great detail.
Khan wanted to pretend to be interested, but all that technology-related talk quickly bored him. The runes on the equipment, walls, and other tools soon captured his attention, and he inspected them while attempting to understand their purpose and functioning.
Of course, Khan's preparation didn't allow him to understand those runes. The symbols in the factory didn't only belong to a field he knew nothing about. They were also far more intricate than those he had started studying with.
At times, Khan managed to recognize one or two lines in a few runes, but his luck ended there. He was simply out of his depth, but that didn't stop him from trying to apply his short studies to the environment.
The two Thilku led the group deeper into the factory, climbing on the upper floors and crossing multiple sections that handled different parts of the assembly line.
The factory was almost entirely automated, requiring only a few workers for each section. Some were directly empty, limiting their workforce to scientists that overviewed the situation.
As expected, Khan couldn't sense anything odd. The weapons in the open made him slightly curious, and he even spotted a bomb identical to the one seen on Honides. However, his senses didn't pick up on anything, which wasn't a surprise.
"We can switch up the pace now," One of the Thilku leading the group announced, stopping before the Ambassador. "We have been authorized to give individual tours if that's acceptable."
The Thilku didn't have to add anything for the Ambassador to understand the meaning behind his words. Separating him from the group would create the opportunity to share classified information which his companions probably couldn't hear.
"It's acceptable," Ambassador Abores agreed, turning to glare at his companions. "We'll match this courtesy with our best conduct."
"Yes, sir!" Khan exclaimed, performing a military salute and making his companions imitate him.
Ambassador Abores inspected Khan briefly before facing the Thilku again and nodding at them. The two aliens started to lead the way, splitting the Ambassador from the group to show him more of the factory.
The Ambassador wasn't the only one to get that treatment. The Thilku political team also split, reaching for one human each to handle individual tours. The pairs matched the arrangements of the first day on Neuria, and Khan didn't need to rely on his senses to understand what was about to happen.
The muscles on Khan's left shoulder instinctively grew firmer before a huge hand landed on them. Amox's usual laugh reached Khan's ears as he went over that friendly approach, and the two soon exchanged a knowing smile as they left the group.
"[How did you find the factory]?" Amox questioned as soon as he and Khan put some distance from the group. "[This is peak Thilku technology]!"
"[It does look imposing]," Khan praised, his gaze wandering across the heavy machinery in his surroundings.
"[It does]," Amox proudly agreed. "[Our war industry makes the entire Empire proud]."
"[Are you war-oriented]?" Khan asked.
"[Don't start with that now]," Amox scoffed, claiming Khan's shoulder again. "[Let's enjoy the tour before getting something to eat]."
"[Do you think we'll have free time later]?" Khan wondered, sensing that something was off in Amox's mana.
"[Maybe]," Amox remained vague before pointing at a door in the distance. "[This way]."
The vague reply deepened Khan's confusion and made him slightly wary. There was more at play there, but Amox's mana couldn't give him specific answers. Moreover, Khan was alone in a Thilku factory now. He couldn't avoid what was coming for him.
The wariness intensified when the two crossed the door and ended up in an almost-empty storage area. Only a few metal boxes occupied the big room's corners, clearly showing how there was nothing to see there.
Khan's face grew cold when the door closed behind him. He almost reached for his knife only to suppress that urge. Showing hostility would do him no good there, and one look at Amox told him that the situation didn't involve danger.
Amox shook his head as soon as Khan looked at him, but the opening of another door distracted them. Khan's eyes widened even before a huge figure could cross that entrance. The symphony told him what was happening, and he struggled to believe it.
Khan hastily bowed according to the Thilku's customs, and Amox did the same to welcome Lord Exr's arrival. The latter stepped into the room and let the door behind him close before nodding at Amox.
"[I'll take my leave]," Amox announced, avoiding looking at Khan while crossing the entrance to leave him alone with Lord Exr.
Khan didn't know what was happening but remained in his bow for safety reasons. That situation felt surreal, and his thoughts tried to find an explanation or motive. Still, they came back empty-handed every time.
"Lift your head, Captain Khan," Lord Exr ordered in a slightly hoarse human accent.
"[I understand your language, my Lord]," Khan stated, straightening his stance to inspect Lord Exr. He had never been so close to him, and his huge frame appeared even taller at that distance.
"You are a guest," Lord Exr said. "Using your language is basic courtesy."
"I appreciate that, sir," Khan tried to sound as polite as possible. "To what do I owe the honor?"
"Personal interest, I suppose," Lord Exr revealed. "Amox is a good soldier. I wanted to see the human he learned to respect."
"I consider Amox a friend, sir," Khan declared.
"And he does the same with you," Lord Exr replied, slowly approaching Khan. "It's odd, isn't it? A human and a Thilku bonding so quickly."
Initially, Khan believed that Lord Exr was accusing Amox of something. However, his mana had no barriers or cloaking techniques. Khan could sense the lack of ill intentions in Lord Exr's presence.
"Are you checking me, Captain Khan?" Lord Exr wondered, almost amused by the idea. "Amox told me you were a [shaman]. I never thought the Global Army could produce one."
Lord Exr was walking slowly, but his long legs made him reach Khan quickly. Soon, he stood before him, showing the sheer pressure generated by his impressive size.
"I'm no [shaman], sir," Khan corrected. "I told Amox the same thing."
"And yet," Lord Exr responded, "You checked me."
Khan didn't answer. He didn't know what to say in that situation, and his senses weren't a secret either. It was pointless to lie or try to justify his behavior.
"Do not worry, Captain Khan," Lord Exr reassured. "I have benevolent intentions."
"I'm not sure what you might want from me, sir," Khan admitted.
"Just honesty," Lord Exr stated. "Soldier to soldier."
"Honesty about what, sir?" Khan asked.
"Nothing specific," Lord Exr said, turning to wander into the empty room. "I appreciated how you protected my citizens. I didn't expect that from a human."
"My companions would have done the same, sir," Khan announced.
"Maybe," Lord Exr sighed. "Though, they wouldn't have gotten accepted so quickly."
"Sir?" Khan called.
"I'll be blunt, Captain Khan," Lord Exr exclaimed, interrupting his aimless wandering to look at Khan. "I loathe politics. I would have died a soldier if my Lord didn't order me to rule these sectors."
Khan remained silent. That comment reminded him of something Jenna had said in the past, but the memory quickly vanished. Khan was too focused on Lord Exr to let his thoughts distract him.
"Ambassador Abores is a qualified human," Lord Exr continued. "However, he is no soldier. We struggle to see, how was that human saying, eye to eye."
"Ambassador Abores is a good leader," Khan complimented. "I'm sure it's only a matter of time before you understand each other, sir."
"See," Lord Exr voiced. "I'd rather have someone who already sees eye to eye with me. It would make future cooperation easier."
'What is he even implying?' Khan cursed in his mind.
"Captain Khan," Lord Exr called. "I'm not trying to insult your superior. I'm just saying that you and I might be a better match. I'm sure the Global Army won't mind a shift in authority as long as the investigation runs smoothly."
Khan had understood Lord Exr's intentions, but explaining them was far harder. He didn't believe Lord Exr only wanted him for his perspective. There had to be more to the matter.
'Does he want a less experienced Ambassador?' Khan considered. 'Someone he can trick as he wishes?'
"I hope I didn't offend anyone," Lord Exr added. "Our cultural differences can be hard to keep in mind."
"You didn't, sir," Khan smiled. "I'm flattered you considered me as a replacement, but I'm afraid I'm not qualified."
"And who decides that?" Lord Exr wondered. "I don't think the Global Army would hesitate to put you in charge were I to make an explicit request."
Khan knew that Lord Exr was right. The Thilku held all the authority in their territory, and the Global Army would do anything to please them.
"That would help your career, right?" Lord Exr asked. "I seem to remember that's how things work in the Global Army."
"If I may, sir," Khan exclaimed. "In exchange for what?"
"As I said," Lord Exr stated, "Honesty. I feel our cooperation would be smoother because of our similar perspective."
