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C598 Core

Vaasa had already lost count of how many times she had been at a loss for words, but the last was the worst. Khan's suggestion was preposterous and nigh impossible, but she couldn't help but consider it.

Leverage was the main issue. As soon as the superiors got involved, the Global Army would gain the upper hand in eventual negotiations. Humankind was the injured party in that situation. There was no denying that.

Moreover, Khan's theory was interesting. The Thilku knew more about Cegnore, but the planet still hid many mysteries. If Khan's presence could cause valuable changes, the Thilku would want a piece of that, if not a monopoly.

Nevertheless, Vaasa didn't have the authority to authorize that move. Inviting Khan to the Thilku's trenches was problematic on many levels, which prevented her from answering without conferring with her team.

Khan could almost hear what was happening in Vaasa's mind, and her partially hidden confusion solidified his confidence. He had successfully thrown the bait. Now, he could only hope the Thilku took it.

Truth be told, Khan had no intention of involving his superiors. In that case, things on Cegnore would become too political, limiting his movements. Keeping everything among soldiers granted him more freedom, which he needed to pursue his goals.

Silence fell on the table, and Khan let it brew for a while. The longer Vaasa avoided speaking, the more confident he became about his bait. Yet, he eventually decided to add a finishing blow.

"[I know how hasty this sounds]," Khan sighed, pretending to back off from his offer. "[Maybe, I could propose the idea to Lord Exr. Of course, as long as you allow me to contact him]."

Most soldiers wouldn't dare to utter similar words. Even some Ambassadors would refrain from making such requests. However, Khan was an exception, and Vaasa knew that.

The sole fact that Khan felt entitled to ask to speak with Lord Exr described his unique status and planted an idea in Vaasa's mind. Humans couldn't go to the Thilku's trenches. Still, Khan would be one of the few allowed inside if they could.

"[I'd avoid bothering Lord Exr until we have proof]," Vaasa eventually replied. "[However, I will share your theory to our scientists]."

"[Feel free to do so]," Khan said. "[Though I'm compelled to do the same with tonight's events]."

"[Of course]," Vaasa voiced. "[We would never ask you to falsify reports]."

"[I'm glad we understand each other]," Khan smiled. "[I guess we can only wait for now]."

"[Indeed]," Vaasa agreed. "[Yet, we will still point more scanners in your direction. That much I can promise]."

"[It's not as reassuring as reinforcements]," Khan stated, "[But I understand you also have protocols to follow]."

That conversation ended with those words. Ordinary soldiers would think that Khan and Vaasa were leaving the decision to their superiors, but the reality was different. A waiting game had just started, and Khan had the power to bring the odds in his favor.

After dropping the topic, Khan and Vaasa went back to the basic pleasantries, which continued until the feast ended. Khan and Caspar escorted the Thilku out at that point before splitting to return to their lodgings.

A wave of exhaustion assaulted Khan as soon as he reached the privacy of his habitation. He didn't bother undressing as he crossed the office and threw himself into bed. His knife was still at his side, and he held its handle while sleepy thoughts crossed his mind.

'I'll wait a week,' Khan thought. 'I'll call the monsters again if the Thilku don't make their move.'

The Global Army and the Empire could write off that night as a random event, avoiding searching for solutions or new deals. Khan was ready to force their hands, but playing the slow game increased his chances of keeping politics away.

'They must invite me to the Thilku's trenches,' Khan trusted. 'After that, I'll see whether to go MIA.'

Khan let go of the knife's handle and drew his phone. Monica had asked him to return before his birthday, but things were moving slowly on Cegnore, and he couldn't accelerate them.

'I'll make it up to her,' Khan sighed, leaving his phone on the mattress. 'We also have to celebrate our anniversary twice.'

Thinking about Monica brought the peace required to trigger Khan's drowsiness. He fell asleep, and the darkness lingered for only a second before the nightmare started.

Hours passed in which Khan slept deeply. Sweat accumulated on his body as the morning arrived, and occasional tremors threatened to wake him. Luckily, Winston's bandages were tight, which prevented Khan from twisting his injured limb.

Khan's body was as impressive as always. It took him only five hours to completely recover from a week of training, but waking up revealed that fixing his injuries would take more than a day.

A slight discomfort spread from Khan's back as he rolled on himself to point his face at the ceiling. He lifted his right arm and tried to make a fist, but the process still hurt. It was easier than before, but not by much.

'This hand is useless for now,' Khan thought, glancing at the phone at his side to check the time.

Theoretically, the injured arm didn't prevent Khan from training since he was focusing on the Niqols' arts. It was also the right time to leave the building since the night was far away, but Khan considered taking a day off to meditate and quicken the healing process.

The idea sounded wise, so Khan jumped out of bed and undressed. He threw his drenched clothes on the floor and the sheath on the bed before walking into the office wearing only underwear. The sweat didn't affect the bandages, so he didn't think too much about them.

The past week had given Khan the chance to add vital items to his habitation. His drawers now had booze, which he retrieved before heading for the interactive desk. He had decided to focus on meditating, but that break also gave him time to study the Thilku runes.

However, before Khan could activate the interactive desk, he noticed something was off. A rectangular screen had appeared under his entrance. Someone had slipped it inside from the door's drawer.

Khan left the booze on the interactive desk and retrieved the device, which lit up without requiring his genetic signature. He immediately thought about Winston, and the screen's contents confirmed that idea.

The first device from Winston had countless labels and info. Instead, the second only showed a handful of tags connected to videos. Khan hurried behind his interactive desk as soon as he started one, and his eyes lit up at the sight of a familiar figure.

The video showed the humanoid wolf standing straight and bound to a series of restrictions. The creature had its limbs, joints, neck, torso, and abdomen chained to a metal structure enveloped by protective glass that isolated it from the outside world.

A half-spherical machine also stood on the wolf's head, partially covering it. Wires spread from that item and stretched into the metal structure, sending data that the video showed in the corner of the screen.

The monster was awake but in a daze. Its face showed no aggression, but Khan couldn't see confidence either. He couldn't sense the wolf, and the data on the screen were beyond his expertise, but Winston had left a few notes that helped him comprehend the scene.

"Test, test," Winston's voice came from the device as the video continued. "This is the third recording on unique specimen B22. Winston Wulfo is in charge of the study."

Khan couldn't help but scoff, leaving the device on the desk while reaching for the booze. He didn't get cups, so he drank directly from the bottle while his eyes remained on the video.

"Previous tests confirmed the different anatomy," Winston said. "Specimen B22's mutations are seamless compared to Cegnore's basic fauna. It's unclear why the infection gave better results, but a blood sample excluded any connection with the Thilku."

The screen showed a graph that compared the Thilku's and wolf's genetics. Even Khan could see the two species had nothing in common.

"Is it possible that the natives have these features?" Winston wondered. "Any study is inconclusive due to lack of proof, but the Thilku scientists don't support that theory, and I agree."

Khan was with Winston, or at least hoped he was right. He wanted Cegnore's natives to be more than intelligent animals since he probably needed them to get answers.

"The scanners confirmed that specimen B22 has cognitive abilities," Winston continued. "The concussion suffered during its capture might have lowered them, but I still managed to confirm some data our Thilku allies shared with us."

More notes appeared on the screen. Winston had basically confirmed that the humanoid wolf used the words described by Khan and the Thilku's reports. The scientist didn't find anything new, but Khan could still consider that a win since he had been the one to capture the specimen.

"I also tested theories about potential hive-mind or external control," Winston added. "Even when exposed to Cegnore's atmosphere, specimen B22 doesn't receive any information."

'No external input,' Khan thought. 'Well, I would have sensed it otherwise.'

"It's still unclear how these creatures demand order," Winston said. "I'll perform more experiments in the presence of other specimens. For now, I can only conclude the behavior is instinctive. The illness grants them drives that guide their attacks and eventual retreats home."

The video ended, but Khan didn't immediately start another. Winston had been up to something with the last statement. It was very likely that the orders and plans didn't exist in the atmosphere. They probably came from inside the monsters.

'Can this act as a guide?' Khan wondered, letting go of the bottle to grab his nape. 'Can my core guide me toward the natives?'

To be continued