Chaos' Heir

The teleport was a massive addition to Baoway. Refilling supplies and other items wouldn't be a problem anymore once the machine went online. Khan also didn't mind the gift but still found a problem with Lucian's statement.

"Don't warn the Nognes family before me," Khan ordered. "You are dealing with me."

Lucian could sense the difference in Khan's vibe. He had been threatened by him once, but the current warning hit with greater weight. It seemed Khan could kill him with a single thought and wouldn't hesitate to do so.

"My apologies," Lucian said, performing a simple bow. "Prince Khan."

"Did your father want to score points with the nobles?" Khan asked, inspecting the teleports.

"Precisely," Lucian confirmed.

"Tell him I'll cut every connection with the Hencus family if this happens again," Khan stated, turning to face the forest.

"What if I were to deal directly with you?" Lucian suggested.

"It's too early for these ploys," Khan rejected. "Ask me again once my quadrant is stable."

Lucian accepted the vague answer and followed Khan into the settlement with his soldiers. Baoway's hospitality had improved by many levels after the recent shipments, and that trend wouldn't stop anytime soon.

Monica's calls didn't stop at Lucian. The Solodrey family obviously delivered the biggest piece of equipment, a trade station placed on the nearby sea. Yet, Khan's former classmates, Mark and John, also imitated Lucian, although with only soldiers and supplies.

The various arrivals in such a short period created the chance for an odd meeting. Monica, Lucian, John, and Mark gathered in Khan's tent, sitting on the ground while sharing some newly arrived booze. The atmosphere was friendly, but Monica saw through those political faces.

"It's a good piece of land," Mark commented.

"Khan won't turn it into a farming facility," Monica stated. "Drop it, Mark."

"His mind is always on the numbers," John groaned, leaning down and supporting himself on his elbow. "He can't help himself."

"You should do some numbers, too," Mark commented. "Your trips get more expensive by the week."

"And how would you know that?" John asked.

"You spent a month in my holiday mansion," Mark reminded. "I know the bill."

"Right," John chuckled. "You are such a good friend."

"And you are almost hopeless," Mark sighed.

"He was the first to support Khan openly," Lucian pointed out.

"And he is a Prince now," John laughed, lifting his bone cup. "My family won't annoy me for the next decade."

"You all supported us," Monica said. "We won't forget your help."

"Where is he, by the way?" John wondered. "I haven't seen him all day."

"He-," Monica began to say before a familiar sensation hit her skin. The Scalqa outside soon began to shout, too, warning everyone about the event.

"He's here," Monica smiled, seizing one of the available bottles to prepare a cup.

"Did you develop heightened senses?" Lucian wondered. He didn't miss how Monica seemed to have felt Khan's arrival before the Scalqa, and the same went for Mark and John.

"The air gets sharper when he is around," Monica explained. "I've learned to notice it."

"This guy doesn't even need to talk to announce himself," John shook his head. "To think he was only a student a few years ago."

"I was a soldier before being a student," Khan reminded, crossing the pelt entrance.

"Prince Khan!" Lucian and Mark said simultaneously, standing up to perform polite bows. John was slightly startled but eventually imitated his companions.

"You don't need to do this every time," Khan stated, crossing the three men to reach Monica. She uttered a soft "welcome back" when he leaned down to kiss her, and a cup ended in his hands when he sat at her side.

"Is everything okay?" Monica asked.

"Something minor with the lab," Khan explained. "The Thilku might have training regimens more suitable for the Scalqa."

"Will it work?" Monica wondered.

"We'll see," Khan replied. "What did I miss?"

"John is being John," Monica uttered. "Lucian is trying to understand how to get closer to you, and Mark is doing the numbers."

Shameless smiles unfolded in Khan's vision. Monica had hit the mark, and no one tried to deny it. Besides, Khan wouldn't be tricked by words at that point.

"Mark," Khan called. "What do you think?"

"Honest opinion?" Mark questioned.

"Honest opinion," Khan confirmed.

"This quadrant is a financial black hole," Mark revealed. "I don't know the specifics of your deal with the Empire, but it's probably symbolic rather than monetary. Instead, everything else is just eating Credits every day."

"The quadrant can establish trade routes now," Khan pointed out.

"And trade what?" Mark wondered. "No offense, but the only valuable resources are connected to your labs. You won't see any income until they devise products you can sell."

"Finances aren't a problem anymore," Khan commented.

"True," Mark agreed. "However, I suppose you are striving for independence. Constantly earning debts isn't the way for that."

Khan was already aware of the issue, but no solutions were in sight. Baoway was rich in resources, but they were cheap, and selling them wouldn't balance the daily expenses. Khan didn't want to limit his expansion, either, so the problem was bound to grow.

"What do you suggest?" Khan asked.

"Without damaging the environment?" Mark wondered. "You could sell water. That's always an evergreen on the market. Some plants might have decent uses, so finding them would help."

"Would that outweigh my expenses?" Khan questioned.

"Not really," Mark admitted. "You have too many soldiers and no real source of income. Many wouldn't even consider investing in the quadrant if it weren't for your family."

Khan's face didn't flinch, but his mind reviewed the issue multiple times. The Nognes family's money wouldn't run out any time soon, but Khan couldn't keep relying on it. Baoway had to be his own force, not something sanctioned and permitted by bigger forces.

"Do I have to save the day again?" John asked.

"You shouldn't talk about that here," Mark warned. "It's safer for Khan if none of us knows."

"What do you mean?" Khan questioned.

"Drugs, obviously," John announced. "Hot items, smuggling, anything illegal, really."

"You do have a good location and the perfect authority," Lucian pointed out. "You could easily justify some trades even if the Global Army tries to incriminate you."

Khan glanced at Monica, who nodded. "It is common among wealthy families. Of course, big organizations have ways to mask their connections to those businesses."

Monica didn't say it, but her point was evident. Wealthy families could easily create different organizations to deal with the illegal sides of their businesses. Instead, Khan only had Baoway, so pinpointing the eventual culprit wouldn't take a genius.

Moreover, the number of untrustworthy people in the quadrant increased with each shipment. Khan knew most new soldiers weren't loyal to him. They were too scared to go against him, but that wouldn't stop them from sending information to other parties.

The issue was unavoidable. Every organization had those problems, and even Khan couldn't avoid them. The bigger his force grew, the wider the flaws.

"There are other options," Lucian eventually announced. "You could see them as a middle ground."

"Public perception would be the problem there," Mark commented.

"Talk," Khan ordered.

"The Global Army's domain has regulations," Lucian explained, "But this quadrant is sort of a grey area. You could establish businesses that aren't strictly legal with no repercussions."

"You are friends with Lord Vegner," John exclaimed. "A couple of brothels wouldn't hurt, especially with all the soldiers you are hiring."

"Some substances are dangerous to make," Mark added. "You could put factories where you wouldn't mind a few explosions."

"The same goes for dangerous equipment," Lucian said. "It would require a new trade route and some defense systems, but it's doable."

Lucian and the others were basically suggesting turning the quadrant into a criminal heaven, a lawless zone. Khan had the authority and power to demand control, and his public perception had long plummeted. The Empire would be the only problem there.

The Thilku didn't take criminals lightly, and turning the quadrant into a lawless zone could push the Empire back into the hands of the Global Army. Khan still had time, and the initial periods always led to financial losses. However, results had to arrive sooner or later.

"We'll talk more tomorrow," Khan announced. "I want to spend some time with my fiancée now."

"Of course," Lucian responded, standing up. Mark and John imitated him, and a round of polite salutes preceded their departure.

"Vultures," Monica snorted as soon as privacy arrived. "They can't wait to bind themselves to your quadrant."

"But they are right," Khan admitted. "I'm spending someone else's money to keep this environment alive."

"It's your money," Monica stated, placing a hand on Khan's thigh to claim his attention. "It's your faction now, so your money."

"There's still my uncle," Khan reminded. "I need to involve the Empire more."

"You know that will take time," Monica said. "You can't expect to be able to supply an entire species in a few weeks."

"I need a breakthrough in some field," Khan sighed. "Either with the labs or my ability to create magic weapons."

"Khan," Monica called, sitting on Khan's lap to take his face between his hands. "You can't control everything. You are already stretching yourself too thin. Give things the time they need."

Khan stared deep into Monica's eyes before heaving a helpless sigh. He lowered his head to her chest, and she held it, doing her best to convey her support.

"These aren't problems you can solve with strength," Monica reassured. "You'll get there, but it will take time. At some point, people will beg you to accept their Credits."

"I could put a knife through my uncle," Khan said.

"His businesses would only lose more trust in you if you do," Monica warned. "You are doing fine. Everything is going well. Just keep doing what you are doing."

"Waiting, huh," Khan commented.

"Don't worry," Monica teased, pushing on Khan's shoulders to make him lay on the ground. "Your fiancée will make the wait more than bearable."

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