Chaos' Heir Chapter 980: Tribe

Chapter 980: Tribe

Khan left without bothering to add anything else. There was a limit to how much he could achieve with one conference, especially before ending things with Brigadier General Meadrey. Announcing his stance was enough for now.

The urge to fly away tried to capture Khan again, but he temporarily suppressed it. With the conference done, he had to handle aspects of the imminent war. Khan had to do something only he had the influence to accomplish.

Khan absent-mindedly approached the nearest elevator. He didn't care about insulting Brigadier General Seycomb but respected Mister Cirvags, and earning his enmity didn't feel good.

It didn't help that Khan had been sincere but couldn't prove that trait to Mister Cirvags. Khan had broken the rules but received the Thilku Lords' promise that the military planet had nothing to do with a preemptive attack. The problem was Mister Cirvags would never believe him.

Even if Khan eventually proved his honesty, the damage was done. Mister Cirvags' already injured trust was gone. The latter would always see Khan as someone capable of keeping a military planet a secret now.

Khan had once hinted at the scarlet eyes with Mister Cirvags, but the situation wasn't ripe enough to come clean. It would sound like an excuse anyway, and Mister Cirvags might not necessarily agree with his approach. Khan would have to continue fighting that secret war alone, even if the situation had worsened. He had to since no one else was available or could accomplish what he had.

That heavy mind almost made Khan miss a familiar detail in the symphony. Monica was standing before the elevator, clearly waiting for him. She looked tired, but a bright smile still blossomed on her face when she noticed him.

"How did it go?" Monica whispered after approaching Khan and placing a hand on his chest. "I came clean," Khan revealed. "Now it's all about showing that they can't mess with me."

Monica's smile wavered, but she forced herself to keep it on her face. The effort was pointless against Khan's senses, but she did it anyway. The time to talk would come, but Khan had bigger problems to talk about now.

Khan was of the opposite mind. He couldn't think of anything more important than Monica but was still confused and angry. Khan would love to clear the air right there but couldn't, so he kept silent.

Monica's hands slid across Khan's torso, stopping at his stomach. She applied some pressure before shooting a concerned look at him. The two hadn't exactly spent much time together since his return, but she could notice clues no one else would see.

"Did you eat anything since your landing?" Monica asked.

Khan had to think about the question. He diverted his gaze, wanting to give a positive answer, but no food memories appeared in his vision.

"I've been busy," Khan admitted. Now that he thought about it, he didn't eat much on the Leviathan, either. He would usually be starving, but hunger had yet to show up.

"This worries me more than sending you to war," Monica commented.

"It must be a side effect of the pool," Khan rea.s.sured. "You know, a superior body might have fewer needs."

"That didn't seem to be the case, dear," Monica teased, "And I've seen you eat enough for three Scalqa as a snack."

Both Khan and Monica knew the issue was probably connected to the former's mood, but neither mentioned it. Nevertheless, Monica didn't drop the matter. Her concerned gaze slowly turned into a glare that forced Khan to give in to her worries.

"I'll eat something on the road," Khan promised, "But I have to go to the encampment now."

"Master Carl is already there," Monica revealed, forgetting about Khan's stomach and

reaching for his face. "You can go tomorrow."

"They have just come back from a long war," Khan shook his head. "They need me to convince them to fight again."

"You've also come back from a long war," Monica scolded.

"I'll do this and rest," Khan swore, taking Monica's hand from his face to kiss it.

The gesture seemed to convince Monica. She stepped aside, opening the path for the elevator. Khan crossed her, but a question escaped her mouth before he could enter the lift.

"Will you come to bed tonight?" Monica questioned.

Khan would have normally had no problem answering such a simple question. It would have also always been positive, especially after the long separation. Besides, Monica had trouble sleeping without him, so being with her would allow her to rest, too.

However, Khan hesitated, and Monica had predicted that. She wouldn't have asked her question otherwise.

"I will be late," Khan said.

"Dear," Monica called. "Come to bed tonight."

The sudden switch from request to order made Khan smirk. He put his worries aside and nodded before entering the elevator. Those dark thoughts tried to a.s.sault him again once the lift's doors closed, but a stronger sense of duty prevented them from making noise.

Khan exited the building in the following minute. His steps made no noise, but his presence attracted many instinctive glances. Human soldiers performed military salutes left and right at his pa.s.sage, but he ignored everyone to dive into the encampment.

The encampment was a mess. The Scalqa couldn't be satisfied with a single day of celebrations. The festivities had continued that night, and many aliens had left their tents to gather in square-like areas to drink and eat with the returned soldiers.

Yet, Lieutenant Dyester's arrival into the encampment had interrupted that happy mood. Prince Thomas had dealt with the conference, so the Lieutenant had to prepare the troops. Five hundred was the lucky number, and it was up to him to pick among the Scalqa. Lieutenant Dyester was in one of the squares, surrounded by Scalqa. Rok-Go, Kru-Zi, and Ni- Kri were also there with other alien leaders. The crowd paid close attention to the Lieutenant's slow speech, but something eventually distracted them.

Cheers and shouts invaded the area as soon as Khan showed his presence. The encampment's wide streets were congested, but the Scalqa still moved away to create a path for Khan. Some even fell to their knees, but Khan only moved forward, soon reaching the square's center.

Even Lieutenant Dyester stood aside to give Khan the whole spotlight. The action was pointless due to the widespread faith in Khan, but he still nodded at the Lieutenant to acknowledge him before the army.

"[The enemy attacked us]," Khan announced, his calm voice reaching every corner of the square and leaking past it. "[Ka-Han will punish the enemy. What will Ka-Han tribe do]?"

The new wave of cries threatened to pierce Lieutenant Dyester's eardrums, but everything quickly quieted down, replaced by rhythmic stomps. Exhaustion, injuries, and loved ones didn't matter in Khan's presence. When he called, his tribe answered.