After two more weeks of being immersed in studies and training, Khan received a message from the Ambassador. The notification didn't only describe Lord Exr's approval to investigate a station that raised some red flags. It also contained more notes meant to prepare Khan for his new role.
One look at the number of notes was enough to make Khan curse. The inspection was set for the end of the week, barely giving him seven full days to learn everything he needed to know.
Khan found some reassurance in his preparation. He had already written reports for his companions with the stations in mind. Yet, he had to adjust them according to the new data, which could happen only after studying the Ambassador's notes.
Needless to say, Khan had to cut back on his social side even more, also opting for less training since his studies had the priority. That time wasn't pleasant, but ignoring his duties wasn't an option either. Getting everything ready for the mission by the weekend was his only consolation.
On the morning of the last day of the week, Khan, Ambassador Abores, and the rest of the political team left their temporary home to gather on the sidewalk. They had come out before the Thilku for once, but an explanation for that arrived soon.
Khan was the first to notice the unusual event, but only a few seconds had to pass for his companions to become aware of it too. Whooshing noises resounded as two ships reached the district and headed for the sidewalk. One vehicle was human, while the other belonged to the Thilku.
Ambassador Abores' mana began to echo some excitement that didn't affect his stern expression. Firmness spread through his figure as he slightly lifted his chin to appear prouder. He knew the meaning behind that uncommon event, and his invisible reaction confirmed Khan's guess.
'The meeting with Lord Exr's superior,' Khan thought as the two ships landed. 'So, it's happening today.'
The Ambassador didn't make any move, and the same went for his team. Everyone waited for the ships' ramps to come down so that additional orders could arrive, which didn't take long.
Two Thilku, one for each ship, reached the sidewalk before approaching the group. They both went for their respective targets, stopping in front of Khan and Ambassador Abores to perform traditional bows.
"Please, follow me," The Thilku said simultaneously, and Khan and Ambassador responded with similar bows before following the aliens.
The team was already briefed on some details. Adele and the others didn't know about the secret deal, but seeing Ambassador Abores heading for the Thilku ship told them that Khan was in charge now.
That knowledge made the team follow after Khan and end up in the human ship. Everyone settled inside the passengers' area, and the set-off began once its doors closed.
"Captain," Elvis called since the privacy of the room gave him confidence, "How come the Ambassador isn't with us today?"
"He has another assignment," Khan explained shortly.
"So, will you replace him?" Elvis continued, sparking the curiosity of his teammates.
"I'm only borrowing his authority," Khan revealed. "I'll still be on the field with all of you."
Khan shouldn't have revealed as much, but the Ambassador wasn't there to scold him. Moreover, he wanted to get some revenge for the sudden change in the deal.
"Isn't it bad to be on our own?" Another member of the team questioned. "Lacking a political representative can be dangerous."
"That's why you should keep this for yourselves," Khan warned. "Besides, the alien party is already briefed, and we trust it, am I right?"
"Yes, Captain, sir," Adele promptly exclaimed, and her companions echoed her statement, even if a few chuckles followed.
"Focus up now," Khan ordered. "If everything goes well, we can look forward to returning to the Harbor in the next weeks."
In theory, Khan shouldn't have said that either, but his vague explanations could start rumors, which might reach the general public. The Ambassador could notice that plan if he had a spy on the team, but Khan didn't care. He wasn't the one who had started playing dirty anyway.
The trip continued silently, and the lack of active scanners made it feel longer. Still, leaving the city's range allowed the pilot to ignore some regulations, so the flight barely lasted a few minutes.
The ship's comfort measures made the landing unnoticeable, but Khan felt a change in the engines from behind the metal walls. His eyes lit up before the official announcement, and his gaze ended on the cabin as soon as its door opened.
Two Thilku exited the cabin and opened the side doors to reveal a different environment. The ramp stretched downward as the team stood up and began to inspect the outside world. Heavy rain had arrived, but far louder noises engulfed it.
Khan led the way, following closely behind the Thilku, and his eyes couldn't help but wander as soon as he peeked outside the ship. He had landed at the center of an immense circular platform illuminated by many red beacons dug into the metal floor, but a far more interesting view stood past them.
Two-story-tall waves raged around the platform, crashing on its sides and filling the area with noise. The sea was angry, and the rain fueled its fury, but the station remained unaffected by its might.
Khan couldn't see much from his position but knew those tall waves couldn't reach the station's floor. It was simply too high for the sea. Moreover, the whole structure swayed, using the forces trying to submerge it to gather energy. Khan was standing on a technological masterpiece that stretched deep underwater.
The symphony alone couldn't give Khan that knowledge, but he remained aware of many details. Lord Exr and Ambassador Abores had made sure of that. He didn't feel surprised even when he gazed to his left and met serious faces he had long learned to recognize.
Amox and the rest of his team stood at some distance from the human ship, and the former broke his stern stance when he noticed Khan's gaze. The Thilku wore a smile, and Khan nodded at him to convey respect. Khan would usually opt for friendlier greetings, but the situation prevented that.
The two Thilku in charge of the ship had completed their role by then, so they returned inside the vehicle to shield themselves from the rain. Meanwhile, Amox led his team toward the humans, and Khan made sure to meet them halfway.
"[Khan]!" Amox exclaimed, holding back a laugh to perform a traditional bow. His companions created a line at his sides and imitated him, and Khan prompted his team to do the same.
That customary greeting was brief, and Amox didn't hesitate to explain the situation once he straightened his position. "[We'll split into the usual pairs and inspect different areas of the station]."
"[That's perfect]," Khan announced, translating the order for his companions. The humans and Thilku quickly split into pairs, and each team promptly headed for different areas of the platform.
The station's surface was immense. It was bigger than most of the Harbor's hangars. The area could fit more than twenty ships due to the absence of structures on its top, but that didn't make it empty.
Amox led Khan near the platform edge, where a beacon partially hid a rune. He crouched down to reach the symbol, and tracing some of its lines made whooshing noises come out of the floor.
A circular edge became visible around Khan and Amox, and the latter quickly straightened his position before performing a nod. Khan didn't need anything else, so he got closer to Amox and waited for the machine to move.
The edge belonged to a circular lift that began to descend in the next seconds. Khan and Amox dived into the station, and the other teams underwent a similar process. Each elevator led to a different area, but Khan knew that and didn't bother to question his companion.
Khan had a specific role, and his duties increased after the deal. However, the Thilku decided how to handle the investigations, and being paired with Amox prevented him from doing any leadership.
Khan's companions would have to rely on his reports to complete their tasks, but he didn't expect much from them. They were good at their job, but the station shared the factory's issues. Too long had passed since the criminal activities, and the Thilku would have already found something incriminating by then.
Moreover, Khan and Amox usually got the tricky parts due to their status. Khan welcomed the challenge since he was the most likely to find something, but that also put pressure on him. If he came back empty-handed, the investigation would probably fail.
Of course, that was a possibility Khan couldn't affect. He could only accept it and deal with the eventual consequences. In the worst-case scenario, he would have to spend far longer on Neuria or wherever the Ambassador decided to send him.
Khan didn't know how many underground floors the station had but was pretty sure he had crossed six of them by the time the elevator stopped. That was only a guess since the descent didn't show any opening, but the speed and symphony made him quite confident.
An opening appeared at the end of the descent. The elevator stopped before a narrow corridor covered in runes and small red lights that illuminated the area. The place was empty and stretched for a while.
Amox didn't hesitate to leave the elevator, and Khan had to wait for him to make some room before following along. The corridor was too narrow to allow walking side by side, but its cramped environment created a more friendly atmosphere.
"[I thought Lord Exr would greet us]," Khan mentioned as the two advanced.
"[I don't handle Lord's stuff]," Amox declared before adding something. "[Another task required his presence]."
Khan and Amox left the topic be. They probably both knew about Lord Exr's superior and the Ambassador's request, but discussing it wasn't proper. That wasn't even the place and time to delve into political matters.
"[How will this work]?" Khan questioned.
"[We already gave the order to gather the workers into the larger areas]," Amox explained. "[We'll go section by section, inspecting the accommodations first]."
"[Do you expect resistance]?" Khan asked.
"[No]," Amox firmly said.
"[Even if they are guilty]?" Khan pressed on, using the same words Amox had spoken in the past.
"[These stations aren't like the living districts]," Amox stated. "[There is nothing to gain from resisting]."
"[What about pride]?" Khan wondered.
"[They will hide it]," Amox declared. "[They will avoid a riot]."
Amox didn't convey the usual confidence in the Thilku, and Khan noticed that. Something worried him, but he wouldn't lie to Khan. Still, he would hide details, which seemed to be the issue in that situation.
Khan couldn't help but review what he knew. The stations were similar to the districts or factories in terms of workforce. That issue simply involved Neuria's population as a whole, with a few rare exceptions.
The stations tended to have a higher number of volunteers and a more reliable workforce, especially those dealing with valuable goods. Yet, that could cause a problem since eventual criminals would have gone unnoticed for far longer.
Nevertheless, the stations' locations prevented any retaliation. Reinforcements would take longer to arrive there, but escape routes didn't exist. Even if a riot happened, the criminals would have nowhere to go.
The workforce was another problem. The pride in the Empire would move many Thilku against eventual criminals. The latter wouldn't have the chance to cause a riot unless they had the numbers to back it up, which was unlikely.
That put a lot of pressure on the investigators on the scene since they would suffer from the same lack of escape paths. Yet, it was safe to assume that eventual criminals would try to behave to prevent the worse from happening. There was simply no victory to attain there.
Those thoughts matched Amox's explanation, but his mana remained an oddity Khan couldn't explain. Everything seemed to point toward a peaceful mission, but Amox remained worried, and Khan began to share his feelings.
The long corridor ended in a door with a big central rune that Amox promptly touched. A bit of tinkering opened it, expanding into a far larger room that sent multiple tremors to the symphony.
The station was built for Thilku, so Khan never felt too cramped inside the corridor. Still, Amox was big enough to cover the door, so Khan couldn't get a proper look at the room until he left the passage.
The symphony had prepared Khan for the scene, but seeing it with his own eyes remained surprising. The corridor led to a large cafeteria that had stashed its metal tables and stools in a corner to make room for an entire platoon of workers. Almost fifty Thilku had amassed near a wall, waiting for Khan and Amox to arrive.
The vibe was different from what Khan had seen in the living district. Even the factory didn't have that seriousness. Yet, something else reached his nostrils. He could smell a specific smell in the synthetic mana, which added value to Amox's worry.
"[The cabins are this way]," Amox muttered, glaring at the workers standing before the wall.
Khan imitated Amox but did his best to appear more relaxed. He was still a human in Thilku territory. Biases always accompanied his authority, and preventing a violent reaction was for the best. However, the smell intensified as the two crossed the cafeteria, and some curiosity had the best of Khan.
The specific smell belonged to a feeling Khan knew well. Tension filled the cafeteria, creating a suffocating atmosphere that seemed ready to explode. That reaction was nothing unnatural during an official investigation, but some details stood out and made Khan's eyes move accordingly.
The workers were mostly first-level warriors. Khan only counted a handful of second-level warriors in the platoon. In theory, such a weak group could produce those strong effects in the symphony only with a joint feeling, but that wasn't the case.
A few isolated Thilku conveyed intense tension fueled by a deep resolve. That was pure loyalty that didn't target the Empire. Amox's glare was enough to make it skyrocket, hinting at something far different.
'There are criminals here,' Khan immediately concluded, doing his best to identify the potential targets of the imminent interrogation. He looked at them on purpose, trying to send signals that would reveal more clues, and the reactions that came back confirmed his suspicions.
Of course, Khan didn't utter any word until Amox led him past the cafeteria and across another corridor to reach a long area filled with open rooms. Beds and personal belongings occupied each accommodation, and it was Khan's job to search for anything incriminating.
"[Amox]," Khan voiced once he made sure that the two were the only ones in the area.
"[What is it, Khan]?" Amox asked.
"[There might be criminals on the stations]," Khan uttered.
"[Are you sure]?" Amox questioned, interrupting his search to look for Khan's face.
"[No]," Khan admitted. "[I only know they have something to hide]."
Amox didn't need anything else to trust Khan. He had actually believed him on his first statement, but asking for confirmation was mandatory.
Once the matter was settled, Amox and Khan developed a plan to isolate the spotted criminals from the rest of the workforce. They set a keyword to make the suspects go into a different area at the end of each interrogation. It was a simple strategy that both scouts could pull off without preparing too much.
The new strategy didn't get in the way of the inspection. Khan and Amox went over all the beds and rooms to search for incriminating goods but returned empty-handed. That lack of findings was reassuring, but the atmosphere between them grew tense once they reapproached the cafeteria.
Amox obviously was in the lead, and the station's narrow corridors prevented Khan from getting a complete view of each area as long as he covered the entrance. Yet, something odd happened when Amox stepped into the cafeteria, and Khan couldn't help but push him forward to check the situation.
The orderly environment seen only half an hour before had disappeared. It wasn't chaos, but the situation came quite close to it, at least according to the symphony.
Khan was still in the corridor. He had merely peeked into the cafeteria from under Amox's arm since the Thilku had stopped walking. Yet, that was enough to grant him a complete view of the scene, which explained Amox's worries.
The number of workers had increased. Seventy of them were now in the cafeteria, but almost sixty were on their knees. Those still on their feet were wielding rifles that they pointed at their prisoners, and the presence of a few corpses stated the seriousness of the situation.
"[This station is under our control now]!" One of the rifle-wielding Thilku shouted at Amox. "[You'll hear our demands]!"
