Chaos' Heir

Long separations were always harsh on Monica. Khan also suffered without her, but she had it worse. Khan was the center of her life, her only source of happiness, and she had grown reliant on his presence.

Nevertheless, Monica knew she couldn't monopolize every second of Khan's life. Both of them had duties to attend to, especially him. Khan needed to excel in many fields to eliminate the curse that afflicted him at night, and Monica wouldn't let her affection hinder him. She would rather suffer alone than prolong Khan's pain.

Ideally, Monica would help with Khan's quest, but her options were limited. Her parents had already disclosed most of what they knew about the topic, leaving only financial and political support at their disposal. That was still huge for Khan, but Monica wanted to do more.

The engagement and promotion had secured Khan's political situation, and he didn't lack money either. The Harbor provided him with everything he needed, and the Solodrey family could fill eventual gaps in technology and resources.

Realistically, Monica couldn't give Khan anything else in those fields. She could host interviews to improve his public figure and keep his name relevant on the network, but that was it.

However, Khan had also shouldered the responsibility of lifting Monica to the seat of Matriarch. He had even already developed a fix for her troublesome element. Despite his problems, he still spent his valuable time on her.

Monica loved that part of Khan. It made her feel protected and safe beyond reason. She knew he would do anything for her, no matter the price. His love was extreme and selfless to the point of pissing Monica off. He would risk killing himself for her, and she couldn't let it happen.

To limit Khan's efforts, Monica had to fix all the aspects of her life that could worry him. Some things were outside her reach, but others weren't. She had to grow stronger, more knowledgeable, independent, and influential. Monica had to become a pillar Khan could rely on rather than an additional weight.

That was exactly what Monica did while Khan was away. She immersed herself in her studies, trained diligently, and attended social and political events to keep herself and her relationship relevant. Monica even flew to Neuria to maximize the business side of her life, albeit the trip ended up being short.

All of that kept Monica busy for almost three months. Her resolve didn't budge even after spending her birthday mixed up with social events hosted by her family. Yet, time continued to pass, and Khan's absence steadily grew more oppressive.

Monica knew the mission was bound to be long. Khan was incredible in those fields, but Baoway required patience and care just to overcome the initial hurdles. A few months couldn't be enough to handle everything, but that understanding didn't stop Monica from worrying.

The complete lack of communication worsened Monica's situation. She knew she couldn't call Khan, but having no official reports made her anxious to no end. She was in the dark and couldn't even blame anyone for her situation. That simply was how the mission was supposed to go.

However, as more months passed, Monica became unable to keep her anxiety in check. She still dealt with her duties to improve her situation, but sleep stopped coming to her, leaving her wandering in a flat that felt unbearably lonely.

After multiple sleepless nights, Monica began making trips to the Harbor's embassy. She didn't have clearance for Khan's office, but no one dared to stop her, and her presence in those environments soon became a common occurrence.

Monica didn't go there only to feel closer to Khan. Being in his workplace occasionally put her anxiety to rest, allowing her to sleep on the office chair. Yet, the place's main desk was the primary reason behind her trips. News and reports would arrive there first, and Monica didn't want to miss them.

Still, much to Monica's dismay, the silence persisted. The entire Global Army seemed ignorant about anything connected to Baoway, and questioning the other soldiers in the embassy didn't lead anywhere. Monica could only wait, and eventually, her separation from Khan crossed the six-month mark.

Needless to say, Monica grew more restless and anxious during that period. She lost weight, began to drink more, and started wearing makeup to hide any trace of her exhaustion in public. She kept working on her routine to prepare for Khan's return but let herself go during her free time.

The eight-month mark passed without bringing any change, but Monica's mood worsened as important dates drew near. It was almost time for Khan's birthday and their third anniversary, but she was still in the dark. Monica began to hate Baoway so much that she started devising plans to invade the planet, but something finally happened, ending part of her madness.

One night after returning from the embassy, Monica found a rectangular device outside her flat's elevator. At that odd sight, her hand snapped on the wall's menus, but the security systems didn't report anything strange. That was theoretically impossible, but her eyes weren't lying to her.

Monica wasn't in the best state of mind, but her education remained perfect. Countless thoughts ran through her brain, eliminating explanations to reach the most plausible answers. Luckily, there weren't many parties in the Global Army who could deliver items directly to her flat without alerting or leaving traces in the security systems.

After brainstorming, Monica concluded that the device could be a trap or a carrier of sensitive information. It could actually be both, but she was desperate enough to face the risk. She jumped to the floor, sat down, and picked out the item, which turned on at her touch.

Words appeared on the device, erasing themselves as the message scrolled down on its own. Monica was too concentrated to miss anything, but the item's behavior told something worth considering. Still, her attention was on the communication's contents now.

Initially, Monica didn't understand the message. The device listed the results of experiments on plants and corpses without sharing sources or similar details. Even without specialized education, Monica could acknowledge the importance of that information. However, she didn't care about any of it.

Yet, things changed when the message reached its last line. Monica's eyes widened as she burned that image in her memory. The device quickly deleted itself, and smoke began flowing out of it. The item was self-destructing itself, but Monica kept it in her hands, immersed in that key detail.

'Additional test subjects from Baoway required,' Monica repeated the message's last line in her mind, and dots began to connect. That was a scientific report, meaning the Global Army had established a channel with Baoway.

Monica's political mind surpassed Khan's. Her family had trained her whole life to handle and understand the dangers of that field, allowing her to realize all the issues with the recent event. The Global Army was keeping reports away from the official office tasked with the mission, meaning something was up.

Monica let go of the fuming device, which fell on the floor and split into multiple pieces. Her hand immediately went to her pocket, retrieving her phone. The hour was late, but she didn't even check it as she started a call.

The phone rang in Monica's ear, but she stood perfectly still, almost holding her breath as she waited for a reply. An entire minute had to pass, but a voice eventually came from the device.

"Monica, dear," Anastasia exclaimed. "It's improper to call anyone this late, even your own mother."

"I've received a lab report about experiments on Baoway's subjects," Monica went straight to the point, choosing precise words. "Someone left it in the flat without triggering or being recorded by security."

Those short lines told a far bigger story, and Anastasia fell silent as she reviewed all the hidden details. Her political mind was even greater than Monica's, leading to a question that could open less troublesome suggestions.

"Did it self-destruct?" Anastasia asked.

"Yes," Monica confirmed. "And yes, the results were relevant."

"How relevant?" Anastasia questioned.

"I'll tell you if you investigate the issue," Monica negotiated.

"This might be Major Khan's doing," Anastasia suggested. "Tricking the Empire might involve avoiding official channels."

"Khan would have signed himself," Monica explained. "He would have reassured me."

Anastasia fell silent again. She avoided useless questions since she knew her daughter's value. She also agreed with her about Khan. Those two were too in love to miss the chance to talk to each other after months of separation.

"I'll make some calls," Anastasia eventually announced, hanging up.

Monica didn't stand up. She lowered her phone to her lap, staring at the clear screen. Her eyes barely blinked as she waited for her mother, and she remained in that position even after her legs became sore.

After what seemed like an endless wait, the phone finally rang, and Monica immediately brought it to her ear. Sadly, things turned out to be as bad as she expected.

"Something is up," Anastasia declared. "Ships have returned from Baoway, but Khan wasn't among them. There are rumors about another missing Major, too."

"Mother," Monica called, her pleading tone betraying her politeness, "What does this mean?"

"The absence of official announcements hints at a ploy," Anastasia explained. "He might be MIA, dead, or worse."

"We must send a rescue party to Baoway," Monica almost ordered, the bottled-up anxiety exploding at the realization of those possibilities.

"Dear," Anastasia sighed, pained by her daughter's mental state. "You know we can't. The Global Army would need new deals with the Thilku Empire, and we can't push for them based on a report that doesn't exist anymore."

"He is my fiancé!" Monica shouted, holding back the tears. "He is almost a Solodrey! Does that mean anything at all?"

"If they can keep things hidden from us," Anastasia stated, "Our name means nothing."

A fit of anger invaded Monica, who threw her phone into the living room without bothering to end the call. She knew her mother was right but also hated her powerlessness. Khan was probably in danger, and she couldn't do anything to help.

Monica dug her hands into her hair, holding her head as countless ideas darted through her mind. There had to be something she could do. She had money, influence, and fame, but a simple interview couldn't work. Monica needed proof and wouldn't find it in her flat.

Monica stormed outside without even retrieving her phone. She called a cab through the interactive desk on the first floor and headed directly for the embassy. Her brain barely recorded the trip. Her thoughts resumed working when she settled in Khan's office, and her hands began tapping on the interactive desk like crazy.

Truth be told, some information was locked behind Khan's genetic signature, but Monica had access to his private network, which basically updated her on anything relevant. Finding a way to reach Khan became her sole mission, and days passed without her ever stepping outside the office.

That behavior was concerning, especially since Monica had completely isolated herself. She didn't even have a phone, so her mother could only forward messages to the office's interactive desk. Monica barely read those, warning Anastasia that she was up to something crazy.

Nevertheless, even with all the madness going around, Monica could only find reckless and unreliable options. Powers that even her family couldn't breach were against her, so going rogue with a team of mercenaries ended up being her best bet.

Monica tried to find alternatives but couldn't come up with anything in her week of pondering and research. Going public would only force her family or Khan's enemies to act, so things had to remain a secret. Still, as reckless as the idea sounded, she had every intention of pursuing it.

However, another notification reached the interactive desk while Monica had begun researching mercenaries and ships. She initially hoped for more reports from the secret source, but the news turned out to be about something completely different. It was about one of Khan's old tasks. Apparently, the Global Army had found his father.

Monica halted her research. Khan had shared everything he knew about his father with her, and she had also been present in the significant revelations. Bret had been an important figure in the past but had lost all political power now.

'Should I warn him?' Monica wondered. 'It's still his only son.'

Monica had other, pettier reasons behind that idea. Khan had been in her family's mansions, met her parents, and even interacted with different factions. Instead, Monica had only heard about his family from connected parties or himself. That was her chance to talk with his father, and she couldn't help but blush thinking about it.

As if forgetting the current situation, Monica began replying to the notification, requesting a secure communication channel. The soldiers in charge of the task had temporarily seized Bret for questioning, so the idea was feasible.

The answer arrived almost immediately. The soldiers agreed with the request and started a call. Monica nearly jumped from her seat when she saw the notification, and her timid fingers slowly tapped on the hologram.

"Who is this?" Bret's annoyed voice immediately resounded in the isolated office. "Can't you idiots from the Global Army leave me alone?!"

Monica felt a bit stunned. Khan had warned her about his father's character. Still, facing it for the first time temporarily left her speechless.

"Sir," Monica cleared her throat, wearing her politest tone. "I'm Monica Solodrey. It's a pleasure to talk to you."

"A Solodrey?" Bret questioned, slightly calming down. "Wait, you sound young. Is this about Khan?"

"It is, sir," Monica confirmed, embarrassment rising through her mind. "I'm your son's fiancée."

"Fiancée?" Bret repeated before exploding into a laugh. "That cunning brat didn't only get engaged. He even scored a Solodrey! I raised him well."

Monica would usually be angry about having her value come from her family. Yet, that was about Khan and his father. She was willing to close an eye for now.

"Tell me, tell me," Bret continued, clear happiness in his voice. "How's Khan doing? Am I about to become a grandfather?"

"We-!" Monica began to raise her voice as her embarrassment skyrocketed but quickly calmed down. "We won't have children until the marriage, sir. We are both busy with our careers, and Khan just recently became a Major."

"A Major," Bret snickered. "Would you look at that. It's good that I told him about condoms. I bet girls would kill to get a piece of him."

"No girl is killing anyone!" Monica snapped. "Khan is only mine, and the entire Global Army knows about it!"

Monica quickly realized her mistake and added something to try to salvage her face. "I apologize, sir. It's a troubling period."

"I see you have quite the character, Solodrey kid," Bret chuckled. "Don't apologize for it. If my son chose to marry you, you must make him happy, and I'm grateful for that."

Monica didn't expect that sudden change in tone. Her blush intensified at Bret's open praise, which had a deeper impact than she had initially imagined.

"Solodrey ki-," Bret continued in a more serious tone. "No, wait. What's your name again?"

"Monica, sir," Monica replied. "Monica Solodrey."

"Monica is a good name," Bret commented. "I can guess why Khan doesn't want to talk to me, but the fact that you called means he is in trouble. Am I right?"

"Is-," Monica gulped, hesitating. "Is it safe to talk here?"

"I'm a ghost of a bygone era," Bret reassured. "You'd be in more trouble sharing secrets with a wall."

"Khan is missing," Monica revealed. "He went on a mission to make first contact with a new species. Reports and ships from the planet have come back, but he isn't among them."

"What's the planet?" Bret asked.

"Baoway," Monica responded as sobs began to break her voice. "I learned about the reports by chance, and the Global Army isn't saying anything. Even my family won't help. I just don't know what to do."

"Even the Solodrey family won't help," Bret muttered. "I see. You've done enough, Monica. I'll handle the rest."

"Sir?" Monica sniffed.

"Don't worry," Bret uttered. "I'll send my kid back to you in no time. In exchange, let me see a couple of grandchildren before I die."

Monica wanted to reply, but the call ended before she could say anything.

****

Author's notes: To give you a better idea of the timeline, the last chapter takes place during Khan's fourth and a half month on Baoway.

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