C566 Negotiations
The development had taken Khan by surprise. He couldn't have predicted something similar even in his wildest dreams. Yet, here he was, receiving an offer that anyone else in his position would kill to obtain.
Humankind was no stranger to those political maneuvers. The Harbor had taught Khan that they were the norm in certain fields, and he had also played similar roles in the past.
However, Neuria was no Nitis or Milia 222. Khan wasn't a random soldier with no responsibilities or relevance. He was playing a key role in a small team, making his actions valuable on multiple levels.
Khan couldn't do as he wished, and keeping his actions a secret wasn't an option either. Playing both sides with Amox would have been possible in a different situation, but Lord Exr's direct involvement added too much political pressure.
'This stuff could get me discharged,' Khan thought. 'What is he even thinking?'
"Think about what I said, Captain Khan," Lord Exr continued, resuming his casual stroll among the room. "You can give your answer to Amox when you are ready."
"How long do I have, sir?" Khan asked.
"Not long," Lord Exr replied, approaching the other exit to face Khan again. "Farewell for now, Captain Khan."
Lord Exr slightly lowered his head, and Khan promptly performed a traditional Thilku bow. The alien seemed to like that reaction but didn't add anything as he left the room.
Khan lifted his head only when the door closed. He had remained alone in the room, but his eyes barely recorded that. His thoughts had grown wild, preventing him from considering anything outside his mind.
'What the fuck just happened?!' Khan cursed as the urge to break something showed itself.
Khan almost glared at one of the metal boxes before shaking his head. He instinctively reached for his pocket only to recall that he had left his phone in the political building. He was alone in that decision, and the entirety of his experience and studies barely helped.
Something moved behind Khan, distracting him from the chaos inside his mind. Amox returned to the room, and Khan welcomed him with a pissed expression.
"[What was that]?" Khan didn't hesitate to ask.
"[Lord Exr expressed his desire to meet you]," Amox explained. "[Orders are orders]."
Khan was slightly angry at Amox for putting him in that situation, but his reasonable side realized he wasn't to blame. Khan would have done the same if Ambassador Abores had given the order. After all, they were both soldiers doing their superiors' bidding.
"[Do you know what we talked about]?" Khan asked, rubbing the corners of his eyes to calm himself down.
"[I don't like that political stuff]," Amox proudly claimed. "[It's better to stay away from it]."
"[I agree]," Khan sighed, pointing a finger at Amox. "[You owe me a drink]."
Amox laughed, finally reaching Khan to pat his shoulders. The Thilku appeared relieved by that development and resumed his friendly behavior while pushing Khan outside the room.
"[We have time for a feast today]," Amox revealed as the two returned to the factory's open areas.
"[I need to handle this problem today]," Khan shook his head. "[Let's do it another time]."
"[A feast can clear your mind]," Amox pointed out.
"[My mind was far from clear the last time]," Khan chuckled, and Amox wore a proud expression while resuming harassing his shoulder.
The chitchat with Amox distracted Khan, but part of his mind remained on the problem. The factory's imposing beauty and runes crossed his vision without triggering any emotion. Khan could pretend to be calm, but his thoughts remained a mess.
The individual tour lasted a while, but a reunion eventually happened, bringing both teams back together. The group explored more of the factory afterward but left the building once lunchtime approached.
Formal goodbyes unfolded before the human team returned to their ship. The Thilku in the cabin set off as soon as everyone had taken their place, marking the end of that political task.
During the flight, Khan wore his poker face, but his attention split toward two main tasks. Much of his mind remained on Lord Exr's offer while his senses tried to identify the faintest details in Ambassador Abores' mana.
The Ambassador had lost his initial tension but remained focused on topics only he was aware of. The tour had left him partially satisfied, but Khan could see that nothing major had happened.
That silent stalemate ruled the entirety of the flight, and the landing didn't break it. The team had to enter the political building before Ambassador Abores decided to break the silence.
"Good job today," Ambassador Abores announced, crossing the building's main hall to head for one of the elevators. "I'll summon you later. Enjoy lunch now."
"Thank you, sir," Khan and the others exclaimed, donning military salutes and waiting for the Ambassador to enter an elevator before moving again.
The Ambassador's departure created a far friendlier atmosphere. Sighs resounded left and right, and an invitation didn't take long to arrive.
"Captain, will you eat with us?" Elvis asked, making seven gazes fall on Khan.
"I have something to handle today," Khan smiled, politely rejecting the offer. "I'll see you all at dinner."
"Good luck, sir," Elvis stated, and his companions echoed those words. They also wore military salutes again, and Khan nodded at them before heading for an elevator.
Khan leaned on the elevator's wall as soon as its doors closed. He bumped his head a few times on that metal surface without pressing any key. He didn't know where to go, so he used that temporary privacy to think.
Usually, Khan would take the side of the aliens. It wasn't on purpose. He simply didn't like humankind very much compared to other species.
However, the Thilku didn't match Khan's inclinations. They were similar to the Global Army, and the current political situation was completely different from what Khan had experienced in the past.
A political maneuver aimed at dethroning Ambassador Abores had a high chance of working with Lord Exr's support. Khan could skip years of ordinary jobs and move his career to the next level. Yet, that approach involved multiple risks.
The political environment heavily relied on fame and the value of one's word. Khan had taken part in partial betrayals, but overruling Ambassador Abores would set a serious precedent that would stain his profile forever.
Cooperating with fellow experts would become a problem if Khan decided to press forward with Lord Exr's plan. He had the connections to suppress eventual rumors, but the Ambassador probably did too. Khan would create a distrustful aura around himself, and every higher-up would know why.
The actual job was another considerable risk. Khan was good but lacked the qualifications and knowledge to replace Ambassador Abores. He might risk messing things up with the Thilku, creating another troublesome precedent that would take years to clean.
The other side of the issue also had problems. Lord Exr had personally approached Khan. That was no small matter, and an eventual refusal would require careful words and actions.
Truth be told, Khan didn't know how to approach that option without endangering his current position and relationships with the Thilku. The offer had put him in a lose-lose situation that he had no idea how to handle.
Khan had retrieved his phone from the hall's main desk, but that device was useless on Neuria. In a different situation, he would have contacted the Headmistress or Monica. Even Lucian and the other descendants would have been decent counselors, but that path wasn't an option now.
'This might be too much for Monica even,' Khan realized. 'I'd have to ask her parents to understand what to do.'
Khan was in a pickle, but the situation wasn't completely hopeless. Neuria had one figure who might know the best path forward. Picking him was the same as making a decision, but Khan didn't see other alternatives.
A gesture accompanied Khan's decision. He finally pressed a key, and the elevator rose, bringing him to the intended floor. The building's vast corridor welcomed him, but he barely inspected his surroundings while heading to an office he knew quite well.
Khan held back a sigh when the waiting message disappeared. The metal door opened, showing Ambassador Abores with his head lowered on the interactive desk. The group had just returned from the factory, but the man was already deep in his work.
"What is it, Captain?" Ambassador Abores questioned, keeping his eyes on the desk. "I'm busy right now."
"It's urgent, sir," Khan explained, remaining on the entrance's edge.
Ambassador Abores realized something was off, so he disregarded his reports to inspect Khan. The latter's face didn't reveal anything, but the Ambassador still welcomed him. "Come in."
Khan advanced, letting the entrance close while approaching the office's desk. He skipped the military salute to take his place before the Ambassador, and some hesitation arrived.
"I thought it was urgent, Captain," Ambassador Abores pressed.
"I met Lord Exr during today's tour," Khan went straight to the point. "He offered to support me as the new leader of the political team."
"What are you saying, Captain?" Ambassador Abores asked.
"Lord Exr wants me to replace you, sir," Khan explained.
Ambassador Abores fell silent as his green eyes tried to dig through Khan's skull to inspect his thoughts. His attempt failed, but his experience compensated for the lack of understanding of Khan's intentions.
"I see," Ambassador Abores whispered, leaning backward to get more comfortable in his chair.
The silence returned, and Khan didn't dare to break it. He and the Ambassador looked at each other, almost waiting for someone to make the first move.
"Why are you telling me this?" Ambassador Abores eventually questioned. "This was your chance to get my chair."
"I don't like to be a pawn in someone else's ploy," Khan revealed. "And I'm not sure I can handle your chair right now."
"Wasn't it worth the risk?" Ambassador Abores asked. "Ambassadors are rare to come by, and you could probably do decently at your first attempt."
"You said it yourself, sir," Khan reminded. "I set the bar too high. I must aim for perfection because a single failure might destroy me."
"How frail fame can be," Ambassador Abores scoffed. "To think that a single problem could humble you down so quickly."
Ambassador Abores' attempt to mock Khan didn't cause any reaction. Khan's expression didn't even twitch while those words echoed through the office.
"This was a careless move," Ambassador Abores continued. "Relying on me gives me full power over the situation. I might very well send you back to the Harbor to secure my position here."
"You won't, sir," Khan finally spoke.
"Why is that?" Ambassador Abores asked. "Are you giving me orders now?"
"Even if we don't consider the Thilku," Khan explained, "I'm not someone you can screw over."
Khan didn't need to add anything else. The entire network knew he had the Solodrey family's support and many wealthy descendants as allies. The involvement in Rick's marriage was only the cherry on top of his political figure.
"Captain," Ambassador Abores called, sounding irritated as he stood up. "Your arrogance is misplaced. You are alone here."
Ambassador Abores was a fourth-level warrior with a remarkable political position. Any ordinary soldier would shrink down before his cold approach. However, Khan had dealt with far scarier figures, and power alone couldn't worry him.
Khan's calm slightly surprised Ambassador Abores. It was in line with Khan's profile, but seeing it first-hand left a deep impression. Words and veiled threats didn't work with Khan.
"I knew you would have caused problems," Ambassador Abores sighed, returning to his seat.
"I didn't do much, sir," Khan admitted.
"Apparently, you did," Ambassador Abores commented. "I guess we can use this to our advantage."
Some warmth returned to Khan's face after those words, and Ambassador Abores didn't hesitate to comment. "What? Did you think getting me on the same side would have been harder?"
"You are the proud type," Khan voiced. "Sir."
"Lord Exr's offer might not have anything to do with you," Ambassador Abores snorted. "I might have poked the correct spots and asked the right questions."
"Anything you say, sir," Khan stated.
"You are enjoying this, aren't you?" Ambassador Abores asked.
"I can't hold back from teasing stiff characters," Khan claimed, using his most serious tone.
Ambassador Abores opened his mouth to speak but promptly closed it and shook his head. That wasn't the time to deal with Khan's idiocy. The situation was actually quite serious.
"Tell me exactly what Lord Exr said," Ambassador Abores requested.
"He wanted to deal with a soldier," Khan explained shortly, "Not an Ambassador. At least that's what he claimed."
"I expected as much," Ambassador Abores nodded. "That's quite perfect too."
"How so?" Khan didn't hold back his curiosity.
Ambassador Abores was tempted to keep Khan in the dark. Yet, that opportunity existed because Khan had chosen to be open. The reasons behind that decision weren't exactly pure, but Ambassador Abores felt that he owed Khan some honesty.
"Lord Exr has a Lord above him," Ambassador Abores revealed. "I'd be willing to leave things to you as long as I can establish a connection with his superior."
'Oh,' Khan understood. Ambassador Abores wanted to get something out of that political maneuver, and his career would only benefit from success.
"I'll poke harder," Ambassador Abores continued, "Before presenting my counter-offer. I'll only request an introduction to increase our chances."
"Sounds reasonable, sir," Khan exclaimed. "Then, I'll wait for your recommendation letter before filling in for your absence."
Ambassador Abores had begun to lose himself in his thoughts, but Khan's words pulled him back to reality. The two fell into a challenge of stares that forced the Ambassador to speak again.
"Are you negotiating now?" Ambassador Abores asked.
"I also want a detailed report about how you intend to proceed," Khan added. "With your guidance, I'll be able to take over your job properly."
"And blame me if you fail," Ambassador Abores pointed out.
"I don't want to fail, sir," Khan said. "It's in my interest to perform well in your absence."
The stalemate returned, but both sides understood each other now. Ambassador Abores wanted to benefit from that unexpected development, and Khan was willing to help, but that came at a price.
To be continued