<h4>Chapter 720 Meeting</h4>
Khan''s arrogant behavior could leave a bad taste in hispanions'' mouths, which it did in the previous instances. However, thest statement carried something different that hit the audience in their deepest instincts.
The idea that a single man could subdue an entire tribe with his mere presence was simply unreal, especially from a human perspective. Humans didn''t think through their senses, so even considering that oue bordered madness.
Nevertheless, Khan was unique in ways the audience couldn''t help but acknowledge. His steps were graceful and light, almost non-existent, but Celeste and the others heard them in their chests. His attention often wandered to the ship''s attractions, but his intense gaze seemed always wary of them.
Moreover, a strange vibe apanied Khan, surrounding his figure and expanding whenever it suited him. It was as if he owned a different kind of energy, something very real in the audience''s eyes but also invisible.
That vibe triggered something inside the audience. A primordial instinct awakened, warning Celeste and the others about a shocking truth. The idea was unreal and impossible, but Khan could be the exception to the rule.
The stuporsted a few seconds, but the audience found nothing to say when they recovered. Khan had merely voiced his opinion, but the actual n had yet to take form. The specialists would have to discuss it together, and it was too early for that.
Khan didn''t show any interest in continuing to argue with Celeste either. He didn''t seem to mind her open challenges as he calmly resumed studying Randall''s improvised schedule. He had said his piece and his interest had moved elsewhere now.
That stance felt like an authorization to resume the different duties, and the specialists did precisely that, albeit with some initial hesitation. Marcus rejoined Kirk, Celeste continued reviewing her software, Amy upied one of the consoles, and Randall checked various functions in different parts of the ship.
As for Khan, he inspected Randall''s open schedule for a while before upying the pilot''s seat. The mission was still in its initial stages, and he had to use that free time to acquaint himself with the ship''smands. Group activities would follow once everything was ready, and he couldn''t afford to miss them.
The loading processsted multiple days. The Global Army wanted the ship to be packed and obtained exactly that. Afterward, the team gathered to inventory every item, and their sheer quantity shocked those who had been partially absent due to different duties.
Khan was one of them. His lessons were still ongoing, so he couldn''t always be in the hangar. Yet, the thorough inventory filled every gap and forced him to take notes to remember its results.
The issue was more than just a matter of quantity. The items'' variety was also shocking. They could go from provisions to weapons, scanners to spare parts, software to hardware. The ship had everything the team might ever need and more, which could help in eventual trades with the Scalqa.
The inventory wasn''t thest step before the mission, but it came close. Each teammate, including Khan, still had a lot to set up, but reaching that point in the preparations made another task mandatory.
The n for Baoway had yet to take shape, and now was the time to devise it. Depending on the strategy, the team might need additional and specific equipment, and that decision had to arrive before it was toote for the Global Army to act.
The ideal ce for such an important meeting would usually be the embassy or the hangar with the ship itself after kicking out random soldiers. As much as the Global Army had enforced a strict policy, taking precautions didn''t hurt. It was better to keep certain matters private, so political buildings were preferred.
Yet, the Harbor was Khan''s home. The mission involved the embassy''s offices, but the Headmistress'' authority still held some value. Khan had also earned many points with his lessons, so his request went through.
The idea didn''te from Khan. He didn''t want to mix his job with his private life, especially with the danger it could bring. Still, he needed a second opinion, and Monica was his most trusted confidant.
When the weekend started and the lessons ended, Khan and the rest of the political envoy gathered in the second district and headed into his building. The elevator was spacious enough, and a familiar, elegant expression weed them once the doors opened.
''That''s a rare sight nowadays,'' Khan thought, seeing Monica dolled up and donning her public persona.
Monica performed an elegant bow, lifting the corners of her pink jumper dress and revealing the heeled ck boots that reached her knees. Although it was a rtively casual outfit, Monica made it appear far from ordinary.
Khan was the first to leave the elevator. He stepped forward, reaching Monica''s side before turning toward his guests. He avoided the polite greetings, but one announcement remained mandatory.
"I believe you have all heard about my fiancée," Khan announced, cing a hand on Monica''s lower back. "Monica, these are my teammates."
"Pleasure to meet you," Monica followed. "Thank you foring. It''s reassuring to meet you all before Khan''s departure."
"The pleasure is ours," Randall said, taking the lead and leaving the elevator. The others followed him, forming a line before the couple.
"We didn''t expect this invitation, Miss Solodrey," Celeste added. "Do we have you to thank for taming the Major?"
"Oh, he tamed me," Monica giggled. "Although, he does spoil me. Inviting you here is part of that."
"How caring," Celestemented, amused by the look Khan gave at Monica. Some sweetness had tainted his usually stern and intense expression, showing a different side of him.
"I have already arranged the living room," Khan uttered, half-turning to open the path past the elevator room. "Please."
Randall was once again the first to move, and hispanions followed. The group walked past the couple toward the spacious couches and interactive desks. Yet, Monica''s hand snapped forward when Amy was within her reach.
The gesture was smooth and quick, but everyone noticed it. Monica had grabbed Amy''s elbow, and the group stopped to inspect the scene. Some questioning nces fell on Khan, but he ignored them. He would usually roll his eyes orugh, but the situation didn''t allow him.
"Miss Padridge," Monica called, a bright smile stered on her face. "I hope your interest in my fiancé is purely professional. Families have disappeared for far less."
Monica''s elegant fa?ade never faltered, but everyone understood the threating from her lips. They didn''t expect such an elegant and charming figure to utter those chilling words, but their ears didn''t lie.
Truth be told, Randall and the others could understand where Monica wasing from. Amy''s behavior had never crossed the line, but her interest in Khan was evident. Her teammates had simply turned a blind eye to it. After all, affairs weremon during long and distant missions, and ignoring them was the best way to preserve cooperation.
Amy and Khan were also quite suitable for each other. They had simr specializations and worked in the same field. Their good looks would even make them an enviable couple. No one had said anything, but mental bets had already happened inside the teammates'' brains.
The general attention fell on Amy. She had proven herself capable of handling social issues, but Monica was a different beast. She had nothing to do with the mission, and her family wielded true power inside the Global Army.
"It is," Amy swore, leaning forward to whisper something everyone could hear. "By the way, I love your boots."
Slight surprise invaded Monica''s expression, but she promptly killed it. Amy had remained calm under that tant threat, vouching for her guts, and herment had also hit one of Monica''s weak spots.
Monica snorted but let go of Amy''s elbow, and thetter lowered her head in respect before resuming moving. The rest of the team didn''t hinder her way and also flowed into the living room to begin the meeting, leaving the couple behind.
"Don''t tell me you like her now," Khan teased once privacy arrived.
"Never," Monica snorted again, lifting her right foot to show one boot, "But they are nice, aren''t they?"
"They are," Khan reassured, leaning to his side to leave a kiss on Monica''s head. "I''ll join the others now."
"Hey," Monica said, grabbing Khan''s arm before it could leave her back. "My mother called. She wants more details."
Khan didn''t just study the ship''s functions in the past days. He had also contacted his three allies, alerting them about his possible need for help. Still, unlike Rick and Hyper-Privacy, Anastasia felt entitled to ask more questions.
"There aren''t any," Khan sighed. "Can I leave her to you?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Only if you make it up to me," Monica yfully bargained.
"Behave," Khan chuckled before reaching for Monica''s lips. "I''ll see you in a bit."
"I can''t wait to spy on you," Monica giggled. "That''s every girlfriend''s dream."
Khan shook his head, but a smile remained on his face. He would usually flirt with Monica a bit longer, but his guests had already taken their seats. Monica also understood his duties, so the two separated and entered the living room.
"I''ll take my leave now," Monica announced, approaching one of the t''s corridors. "Enjoy your stay."
Randall and the others stood up out of respect and returned to the couches once the corridor''s door closed. At that point, only the political envoy remained, and the meeting began as soon as Khan provided everyone with booze.
The group didn''t toast or mention the topic. The matter at hand was too serious to waste time earning Khan''s favor, so the specialists went straight to the point.
The specialists used Randall''s basic schedule as a guideline and threw different opinions, highlighting advantages and waiting for theirpanions to underline eventual problems. Luckily, the individual ideologies never showed their presence, allowing the team to focus solely on increasing the mission''s chances of sess.
Khan kept his opinions to himself, limiting himself to pointing out each suggestion''s advantages and disadvantages. Amy remained silent, as her voice was superfluous in Khan''s presence. As for Kirk and Marcus, they added their input only to confirm or deny the feasibility of the various ns.
After a while, the team remained divided into two opposite approaches. Randall wanted to prioritize a show of force, while Celeste believed following the historical examples would lead to better rtionships.
Both sides had meaningful advantages and ws, so the group never moved toward either. The risks were unavoidable, so everything came down to preference.
"Major," Randall said once it became clear the stalemate was unsolvable. "Do you have more proactive suggestions? I believe everyone would appreciate your input."
Everyone''s attention inevitably fell on Khan. Although all the specialists had real-life experience in the field, Khan''s feats remained superior in relevance, so he was the only one who could break the stalemate.
"I do," Khan admitted. "However, I wouldn''t opt for either n."
"Do you have a third option?" Celeste didn''t miss the chance to ask.
"It''s more convoluted," Khan revealed, "But still leans in Mister Perelli''s idea. I''d simply limit the risks."
"How?" Randall questioned.
Khan stretched his hand toward the holograms above the interactive desk. The device showed a simple map to simte thending on Baoway, and Khan moved icons to help exin his idea.
"The main ship cannd farther away," Khan exined, "Outside eventual domains. We can burn more fuel to make sure the Scalqa notice us anyway."
A few pairs of eyes moved toward Kirk, who was lost in his thoughts. Calctions were happening in his mind, and a nod arrived once they ended.
"We have enough fuel," Kirk confirmed.
"Afterward," Khan continued, "We can send one of the shuttles closer and apply a version of the original n."
"We have a small team, Major," Randall reminded. "Splitting ourselves into ever smaller teams isn''t wise."
"At worst," Khan said, "We''ll lose one shuttle, though that''s unlikely."
"The shuttles don''t have defensive capabilities," Kirkmented when eyes fell on him again.
"I''d be there," Khan calmly stated, his eyes still on the holograms. "The defenses are unnecessary."
"Do you n on going to the frontlines by yourself?" Celeste asked. "My apologies, but it''s too dangerous. I have faith you''d be fine, but the same can''t be said about the integrity of the mission."
Celeste''s worries were multyered. She didn''t trust Khan''s intentions, and that was only the first problem. Since Khan wasn''t an all-rounder, eventual technical issues could be catastrophic, and the team needed Marcus and Kirk to remain in the backlines.
"Miss Padridge would be with me," Khan reassured. "She would take care of the equipment andmunication, other than sharing relevant information."
No one questioned that detail. Amy was the team''s scout, so her ce was on the frontlines. Actually, she and Khan would make a powerful pair among the Scalqa.
Theplete idea had many advantages and limited the ws as much as possible. It wouldn''t put the main equipment at risk, and a single shuttle was easier to ept than an entire ship. The team would have its show of force while lowering the chances of triggering unwanted reactions from the Scalqa.
The only real disadvantage would be on Khan''s and Amy''s shoulders. The n would leave them without immediate support, which wasn''t ideal for either.
Amy''s ce was on the frontlines, but her scouting missions required careful nning and knowledge of the environment. Discovering and sharing new information was her job, but blindly throwing her into the enemy territory wasn''t wise.
Khan had an even bigger role. He needed to help Celeste and Amy in their roles, and the Global Army hoped his talent with alien species would secure stable rtionships with the Scalqa. Moreover, the interspecies treaties required his presence since the Empire was using him as its Ambassador.
Substituting one scout was annoying but doable. Yet, Khan was irreceable. The mission couldn''t happen without him, and the Global Army wanted to maintain its priority over the.
The issues and advantages silenced the specialists. As always, the best option didn''t exist. It was only a matter of choosing which risks to face.
Nevertheless, Khan''s idea was safe in most areas, and its greatest w had a huge lifeline. As much as Khan''s safety was paramount, no one could protect it better than himself. He was the best solution to the problem, almost eliminating the issue altogether.
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Author''s notes: New volume, new cover. I hope you like it.