Onp wanted to snap at that blatant disrespect. He would have before a different human, but Khan was an exception. Moreover, his mind had questions that made him desperate for answers.
Khan didn't bother checking Onp's reaction. His perception sensed it, but he didn't care. Onp's decision made no difference to him. In his mind, Cegnore had already fulfilled its role, and his presence there started to feel pointless.
Onp could understand part of Khan's feelings from his distracted behavior. Khan looked more focused on recovering his belongings than addressing the fourth-level warrior in the room. That had already happened in the past, but Onp added a new meaning to the gesture after seeing the corpse Khan brought back with him.
"[Did you kill him]?" Onp asked, even if more pressing questions should have had priority. His curiosity was too great. He wanted to know how much of a monster Khan truly was.
The question captivated Khan's attention. His stance grew firmer as he continued to retrieve his belongings, and his eyes fell on the Thilku as soon as he was done.
"[He was strong]," Khan revealed. "[I'm lucky he didn't have his mind]."
Onp would normally question such a claim, even if it came from Khan. He had seen how strong and remarkable that human was, but the difference between levels was simply too great to overcome. The corpse had also gone through mutations, further increasing its power.
However, Khan's face conveyed no lies. Actually, he looked a bit sad about that development, convincing Onp that he had truly defeated the fourth-level warrior. As impossible as it sounded, Khan had really overcome that steep gap.
"[He did this]," Khan added, waving his restrained right arm. "[Well, I played a part in this, too]."
Onp didn't reply. He had considered that eventuality while Khan recovered, but confirming it left him speechless anyway. He didn't know what to say, and different feelings fought inside his mind.
"[Was he the commander]?" Khan decided to ask since his curiosity was also intense. "[Lord Exr's friend]?"
"[He was]," Onp confirmed. "[Killing him was supposed to be my job]."
Khan stared at the Thilku. The old him would have offered a secret deal to let Onp steal that achievement. Yet, he couldn't settle for those political compromises anymore. The world needed to know he had done the impossible.
"[Serving the Empire was an honor]," Khan opted for a different truth. "[We have our differences, but I respect the Thilku]."
Onp opened his mouth but didn't immediately speak. Khan had done an incredible service to the Empire, but the issue remained. He had abandoned his team to pursue personal goals, which was unforgivable for such a loyal species.
Nevertheless, kicking Khan away wouldn't feel right, especially since he had more to share. His efforts had earned him some leeway, pushing Onp to find a compromise.
"[Come with me]," Onp ordered, suddenly turning to leave the room.
Khan followed suit, doing his best to keep up with Onp's long strides. His body didn't like that effort, but showing weakness wasn't an option, and that behavior soon rewarded him.
The isolated room was connected to a corridor that led into familiar areas. Khan and Onp quickly returned to the circular control room, and the Thilku managing each console interrupted their tasks to show their awe.
Speechless faces converged on Khan and conveyed multiple emotions when studying his body. He had more bandages than clothes, and his broken arm put him at his weakest. However, no alien dared to underestimate him. Rumors had already filled the building, labeling him as the greatest third-level warrior in existence.
Khan ignored that attention and focused solely on following Onp. The two entered the meeting room connected to the hall, and Onp walked toward the other side of the interactive table while the entrance closed.
"[Tell me what you have to say]," Onp announced, activating the interactive table to generate a holographic representation of the planet. "[I'll decide what to do with you afterward]."
Khan didn't mind that arrogant attitude. He didn't even care that Onp wanted to keep things private, so he approached the interactive table and inspected the new runes that had appeared before tracing some of their lines.
The commands altered the holograms, zooming in on the planet to focus on the building's quadrant. Khan tried to go even deeper, but the desk's security measures blocked him, and Onp also crossed his arms in annoyance.
"[The underground rivers are key]," Khan explained, his eyes fixed on the immovable holograms.
Onp felt conflicted, but a snort escaped his mouth as he lowered his arms and authorized Khan's commands. The latter could finally highlight the mapped underground rivers, and his eyes darted left and right as he tried to match those pictures with his last journey.
"[This is where the currents led me]," Khan revealed, pointing at a relatively unclear area the Thilku had yet to map completely. "[The natives called it a node. They used it as a control room]."
Onp's eyes lit up. His scientists had reached similar hypotheses after inspecting the waters, and Khan confirmed them. Moreover, the fact that he had met the natives was no small thing.
"[I destroyed this]," Khan continued. "[The quadrant should be clearer now]."
"[We noticed]," Onp stated. "[So? You were talking about conquering the planet]."
Khan hesitated. He knew what his suggestion would imply, and its weight felt heavier after talking with the natives. Yet, Khan could bear it. Succeeding would be mercy, even if he would still suffer.
"[Pollute it]," Khan eventually exclaimed.
"[What]?" Onp asked.
"[Poison the water]," Khan repeated, glancing at Onp. "[The rivers are connected. Poisoning one will clear a quadrant or more]."
Onp couldn't believe Khan was actually speaking such words. The Empire had already considered that suggestion but crossed it off due to the damage it would inflict on the planet. The Thilku would have to spend years cleaning Cegnore if they deployed that plan.
"[That's]," Onp began to speak, but Khan interrupted him.
"[That's the best course of action]," Khan stated. "[The natives use the waters to retain control over the beasts. Remove them, and they will die out]."
Khan didn't say it, but Onp understood. The monsters wouldn't be the sole casualties of that plan. Intelligent beings would also die without their primary source of sustain. Khan's suggestion was nothing short of genocide.
Of course, the Empire wouldn't think twice about deploying such harsh and ruthless plans. The Thilku would have already bombed the planet if it weren't for their mutated companions. That problem was still there, too, but Khan had probably started to solve it.
"[Ah]!" Onp cried. "[The planet hurt our pride, and we have yet to reclaim it]."
"[I killed the commander]," Khan sighed. "[I've reclaimed your pride, so stop wasting lives]."
"[Are you giving me orders]?" Onp snorted, slamming his huge hands on the desk. "[You betrayed the Empire's trust. Your service barely makes up for that]."
"[I never had your trust]," Khan sneered. "[I gave you the chance to use me, and you seized it]."
"[You can forget our capes then]," Onp responded. "[You don't deserve them]."
"[I do]," Khan confidently claimed, shaking his head. "[You do what you want with the planet. I'm done with it]."
Khan didn't wait for a reply and turned to approach the exit. His words expressed his true feelings. The planet didn't interest him anymore, so he wanted to leave.
"[I didn't authorize you to leave]!" Onp shouted.
Khan halted his steps and peeked past his shoulder. His bandaged face hid half his expression, but Onp could see the challenging mood in his eyes.
"[Stop me]," Khan dared, his eyes brimming with confidence. He wasn't even at half his peak form, but his urges were as intense as ever.
Onp couldn't believe Khan was choosing that course of action. Yet, respect exploded inside him anyway. That was a true warrior, and insulting him would go against the Empire's fundamental faith in strength.
"[We have our differences]," Onp announced, "[And I must send you back. However, the Thilku won't forget what you did on this planet]."
Khan's gaze almost faltered when Onp stepped back and grabbed the cape's edge to perform a traditional bow. His anger and annoyance toward the situation didn't make him forget his manners.
"[You are an exceptional shaman, Captain Khan]," Onp continued, briefly lowering his head in respect. "[Lord Exr will hear about your exploits]."
Khan's lack of interest vanished. He faced the Thilku and ignored the pain coming from his body to match his bow. That moment didn't have politics or differences among species. It was a show of mutual respect between powerful warriors, and Khan didn't hesitate to join it.
"[A vehicle is waiting for you outside]," Onp added, breaking his bow and straightening his back. "[Once you are ready, you can leave]."
"[I'm ready]," Khan said, lying about the state of his body. "[Thank you for allowing me to fight among your proud troops]."
Onp wanted to utter similar words but held back his gratitude due to the difficult situation. Moreover, he had one last pressing matter to address.
"[Once you return]," Onp began to speak, but Khan interrupted him once again. He had already understood what the alien wanted to say.
"[I won't share any intel with the humans]," Khan promised. "[The Global Army won't learn anything from me]."
Onp remained speechless. He recalled the spit. He remembered Khan's bold words from past meetings. He had doubts in the past, but the truth was clear now. Khan was no human.
Khan had nothing left to say, so he turned again, and Onp merely watched him approach the exit. The door opened and closed, hiding his figure for the foreseeable future.
"[Did you hear him, my Lord]?" Onp eventually said, his gaze fixed on the closed door.
"[I did]," Lord Exr's voice came from the interactive desk. "[You could have questioned him more]."
"[I'll stop him now]," Onp declared.
"[No need]," Lord Exr replied. "[You respected the blood he spilled for the Empire. That was the right call]."
"[What if he turns on us]?" Onp wondered. "[He knows our ways]."
"[He won't]," Lord Exr reassured. "[Captain Khan isn't that kind of human, and our relationship with him isn't over]."
"[My Lord]?" Onp called.
"[Do as he says]," Lord Exr ordered. "[Poison the water. Our debt of pride isn't with Cegnore anymore. A shaman seized it]."
