The specialists continued discussing the issue, relying on Marcus and Kirk whenever someone mentioned possible flaws. Still, as the stalemate persisted, everyone slowly began to side with Khan's idea.
Of course, the specialists had different individual reasons for that decision. Amy appeared elated to have a critical role on Khan's side, and Celeste accepted the compromise due to its more peaceful nature.
Instead, Randall's intentions seemed more convoluted. He didn't want to oppose Khan, but his aura also leaked some curiosity. Besides, embracing Khan's idea would avoid internal conflicts while lowering his responsibilities in case of failure. It was a win-win situation for him.
That behavior was to be expected from a team leader, and the odds were also in his favor. Khan's history with aliens made him the safest bet. Trusting and relying on him wasn't really a gamble.
Although those were only hunches gathered from listening to the symphony, Khan found them quite reliable, especially when he added the specialists' characters to the equation. They weren't even acquaintances, but their stances felt clear, helping Khan reach those conclusions.
Once everyone realized the trend, the decision became official. The political envoy would develop a schedule around Khan's plan and add the last details afterward. When that was over, the mission would start.
When the meeting ended, a round of basic pleasantries followed, and Khan returned to the living room after everyone left. Monica was still inside the sealed corridor, but he didn't call for her. He returned to his couch, aware that another important conversation was coming.
The sealed door opened while Khan began filling two clean glasses. He didn't turn to welcome his fiancée, and the annoyance she radiated didn't surprise him either. That reaction was unavoidable, but Khan's hands were tied.
"You know there was no other option," Khan announced, picking up a glass and lifting it to his side.
Monica snorted, walking around the couch to sit beside Khan. She snapped the glass from his hand, but her movements grew docile when she lay on him. Still, her mana continued to radiate irritation.
"I don't like her," Monica complained. "She is always begging for your attention."
"She did have a point about your boots," Khan commented, sliding his hand on Monica's leg before lifting her jumper dress to expose her boots.
"Of course she did," Monica scoffed before gasping and shooting a worried look at Khan. "What if she pulls a skirt on you?"
"Are skirts my weakness or something now?" Khan chuckled.
"Yes!" Monica exclaimed. "I fed that weakness for two years! I should know."
"Skirts work because you are the one wearing them," Khan explained, the exposed skin between Monica's boots and dress claiming his attention. "This dress is working, too."
"Come on," Monica whined. "She looks like a princess and can join you on the battlefield. She is basically perfect for you. I can already picture you two doing nasty things in the woods."
"We won't do any nasty things in the woods," Khan reassured, knowing what would follow.
"What about the ship?" Monica questioned. "What about lakes and waterfalls? You have a thing for water."
"I do not," Khan laughed, pulling Monica on him. The two were so used to those interactions that neither of their drinks spilled.
"When was the last time you let me bathe alone?" Monica asked.
"You like it when I join you in the bathtub," Khan pointed out.
"That wasn't the question," Monica said, crossing her arms.
Khan placed his head on Monica's shoulder and gazed at the wall, scouring his memories. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had let Monica be alone in the bathtub. He had taken showers on his own, but that mostly was due to his odd sleeping schedule.
Khan's history with his meaningful women also had multiple instances of water during intimate times. The lake with Jenna and the waterfall with Liiza were fond memories he couldn't ignore.
"You might have a point," Khan admitted.
"Of course I do," Monica declared. "I'm your future wife. I know you better than yourself."
"You are growing comfortable with the wife thing," Khan teased, pushing a button he knew would trigger Monica's shyness.
Like clockwork, Monica lowered her head and slid forward so that her nape was at the center of Khan's chest. She couldn't reach any foothold and risked falling out of the couch, but Khan promptly wrapped an arm around her.
"You know I don't care for perfect princesses," Khan reassured Monica, placing his lips on her head. "I like mine whiny, foul-
mouthed, and crazy."
"You forgot hot, sexy, intelligent, loyal, patient, beautiful," Monica said, "And many other nice adjectives."
"Were three of them about your appearance?" Khan wondered.
"If the women of the Global Army knew how tiring it is to live with you," Monica sighed. "Maybe we should share more of our private life. They'd be running away in no time."
"Am I tiring now?" Khan asked.
"You have no idea," Monica giggled, pulling herself up and half-
turning to face Khan while remaining on his lap. "You are tiring in the best possible way, but only I can have that."
Monica leaned forward for a kiss, and Khan welcomed her with a smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and Khan's hands inevitably slid under her dress. Still, she retracted her lips before their mood became unstoppable.
"No nasty stuff," Monica ordered, holding Khan's face in her hands, "And avoid water."
"I need it to live," Khan snickered, leaning forward to place his forehead on Monica's. "So, what do you think?"
Khan had bugged the living hall to let Monica witness the meeting from the comfort of one of their bedrooms. That was highly illegal even for someone in such a lofty position, but Khan couldn't care about regulations when bigger powers were involved.
"Amy is odd," Monica said, her pouting tone slowly turning serious. "She didn't even flinch when I threatened her."
"Maybe it's experience," Khan guessed. "Maybe she reads the news and gets how you are."
"That's even worse," Monica uttered before heaving a sigh. "Still, I admit her interest seemed only work-related. Maybe she is just very good at her job."
"Her social skills are crazy," Khan agreed. "She would probably be better than me if I didn't have my heightened senses."
"The two engineers are fine," Monica changed the target. "I didn't notice anything strange. Marcus was even too respectful."
"Randall and Celeste?" Khan asked.
"Everything they said was right," Monica revealed. "They didn't go out of character nor ignore their values. If they are acting, they are better than me at it."
Monica had received an insane social education, and Khan had developed his lying skills in the Slums. They were pretty much at the top of the field, and the Global Army would struggle to find someone better than them, let alone five.
That would usually reassure Khan, but his paranoia continued to scream. Everything was going well, and that was the issue.
"They are too perfect," Khan stated. "Too perfect for the mission, too perfect as teammates, too perfect as my teammates."
Monica wanted to disagree and reassure Khan, but he was right. Getting such a prepared and elite team would be a blessing in any other situation, but Raymond's warning made everything look suspicious.
Moreover, Khan's presence was superfluous except for the connection with the Empire. Celeste, Amy, and Randall filled the roles he was supposed to fulfill. Theoretically, he was the only figure out of place in the team.
"You warned the Rassec family," Monica reminded. "You informed my parents, and Hyper-Privacy is ready. They aren't even sending me back to Neuria, so I can manage things from here. There's nothing else we can do."
Those were the only words Monica could say. She hated her powerlessness, but lying was worse. She didn't want Khan's mind to be full of worries during the mission. Ideally, Monica would love for him to enjoy himself in the environment he liked so much. Yet, empty comfort was more dangerous than paranoia.
"I'll see on Baoway," Khan sighed, giving up. "I hope I can establish a good relationship with the Scalqa. It's been a while since I dealt with a new species."
"I wouldn't worry about that," Monica snorted. "You'll do way too well in that regard. Focus on your relationship with me now."
Monica changed her position, spreading her legs before returning to Khan's lap. She angrily grabbed his hand and forcefully placed it on her butt. It was her time to receive attention now, and Khan gave up once again.
The following days featured the same lessons and preparations. Khan couldn't always be in the hangar, but everything remained under his attentive control. He even performed solo inspections deep into the night to make sure the inventory was reliable.
Meanwhile, the team did its best to prepare for the new plan, asking for multiple authorizations and rehearsing their respective roles. Khan was among them, studying the ship's functions, the Scalqa, and Baoway. His role involved more specializations, but he never complained.
After two weeks, the announcement came. The lessons abruptly ended, and the scientists dealt with multiple interviews before departing from the Harbor. Everyone praised Khan, pushing the reporters toward his flat in the second district. However, he never answered since he was busy piloting a ship into the vast universe.
