There was no mistaking it. That was nothing short of a threat, but no one stepped in to stop Khan. Captain Chaunac, Mister Wulfo, and the four scientists with him were third-level warriors, but Khan's sole presence froze them all.
That reaction wasn't rational. Captain Chaunac and the others experienced fear on an instinctive level, preventing them from even thinking about intervening. Khan was too scary for reasons their brains couldn't understand.
Khan's expression was plain. He wore no smirk or threatening features, but his eyes were too intense. Mister Wulfo couldn't even believe they belonged to a human. Pure chaos seemed to shine inside them, but no light came out.
Moreover, Khan's chilling voice resounded in Mister Wulfo's ears even after it vanished from the area. That simple question seeped into his brain, filling it by pushing away his other thoughts and leading to an obvious answer.
'No.'
The issue wasn't even in question. Mister Wulfo didn't feel in charge at all before those intense eyes. He could feel strength abandoning his legs and sweat accumulating on his back after mere seconds locked in that stalemate, and things were bound to worsen.
Luckily for Mister Wulfo, Khan sensed his silent victory and showed mercy, diverting his gaze to look at the two scientists to his right.
"You two," Khan said. "My bandages."
The two scientists searched for solidarity and help in their companions' eyes but found cowardice. No one wanted to get in Khan's way or incur his anger. Captain Chaunac was the only one who managed to muster a nod when those two pairs of eyes fell on him.
Mister Wulfo instinctively stepped back when the addressed scientists left to comply with the order, and thoughts finally resumed flowing in his mind. He almost couldn't believe he was the Khan from a month ago. Too much had changed even to consider him the same person.
Forceful orders had replaced the political wits shown in the past, but the latter didn't disappear. Mister Wulfo knew nothing inside Khan's brain had changed. Khan was simply opting for more direct methods to get what he wanted, and they were working.
The sudden change couldn't be random, but Mister Wulfo didn't have the time to explain the event. Khan had already shown the willingness to hint at their secret deal, and Mister Wulfo had to take precautions before the rumors gained more proof.
"This is no place to perform medical procedures," Mister Wulfo uttered, clearing his throat to hide his awkwardness. "Follow me."
Mister Wulfo looked at his two remaining companions and shook his head to send them away. The latter understood the silent message and departed, giving their superior some privacy with the two Captains.
Khan didn't complain and followed Mister Wulfo as soon as he started walking. Captain Chaunac was with them, and the three went in the same direction as the first two scientists, reaching an area outside the soldiers' side of the building.
Mister Wulfo approached a metal door, but Khan stopped before him. That gesture confused the scientist, but the entrance suddenly opened, revealing the two companions who had retrieved the medical gear.
The two scientists didn't know what was happening, but the stunned look on Mister Wulfo and Captain Chaunac's faces said a lot. The two men couldn't even begin to explain the recent event. They knew Khan's senses were abnormal, but that reaction belonged to a completely different realm.
Nevertheless, Mister Wulfo quickly recovered and turned to nod at the place's insides. The scientists didn't need additional orders to know they had to retreat, and the five soon entered a relatively small lab filled with medical equipment.
Khan strode forward as soon as Mister Wulfo sealed the door and reached the center of the lab. He behaved like he was in charge of the place, and the scientists' reaction confirmed that since they hurried to his sides to handle the bandages.
Captain Chaunac and Mister Wulfo could only watch as the scientists ripped the old bandages apart and uncovered Khan's injured body. One was a woman, but neither hesitated to completely undress Khan to fix him up.
The Thilku had cleaned Khan before patching him up, but the remains of their ointments and liquids released by his injuries left him dirty. Still, that didn't hide his state, and Captain Chaunac and Mister Wulfo ended up studying him from head to toe.
Both men knew that behavior was impolite, and Mister Wulfo had already seen Khan naked, but the new injuries left him as speechless as Captain Chaunac.
Khan wasn't only filled with scars. His skin was still broken in many spots, burns covered him, and his right arm made odd noises when he let it fall. His face was no exception. Its right side was a mess. It was actually lucky he didn't lose an eye.
The two men couldn't even begin to imagine what had happened in the Thilku's trenches or why Khan returned in that condition. Usually, allies would let him heal before sending him back, but those injuries were clearly new.
The scientists began the medical procedures without asking any questions. They applied specific ointments to each injury before wrapping tight bandages around them. They also scanned Khan's right arm and retrieved a metal brace once the results arrived.
The place also had tracksuits, which the scientists didn't hesitate to offer to Khan. They even tried to help him wear one, but he refused and dressed up on his own.
"Leave now," Mister Wulfo ordered as soon as the scientists finished patching Khan up. "We must confer about private matters."
The scientists complied, but their behavior told Khan gossip would spread. Mister Wulfo's authority wasn't heavy enough to stop that, but Khan didn't care. In his mind, he was already out of Cegnore.
"Captain Khan!" Mister Wulfo shouted as soon as the scientists left the lab. "Do you mind explaining what is happening? Your behavior is also unacceptable!"
Captain Chaunac wanted to be on Khan's side, but Winston was right. The scientists were in charge there, and Khan had completely disrespected the chain of command.
"I made my intentions clear," Khan uttered, inspecting the lab and sniffing the air to search for something specific.
"Returning to the Harbor?!" Winston asked. "That's impossible right now. Do you know how many authorizations we must ask to allow that transfer?"
"Tonight," Khan stated, ignoring the scientist while crouching toward a drawer. Opening it revealed a bottle he didn't hesitate to seize and sniff.
For a second, Mister Wulfo believed Khan was joking. That request didn't make sense, and Khan had to know that. After all, he had been briefed about those procedures before reaching the planet.
However, the scientist didn't know how much that knowledge mattered now. Khan looked unrestrained, childish even as he opened the bottle and began drinking from it.
"That's impossible," Mister Wulfo repeated.
"Do you prefer me to steal a ship and bring it out?" Khan questioned, partially calmer due to the booze in his hands.
Mister Wulfo couldn't even begin to count how many laws Khan would break with that approach. Normally, he would see that claim as a bluff. Yet, nothing in Khan's behavior hinted at a joke, and the intensity of his eyes gave birth to far scarier thoughts.
That reasoning sounded impossible. Breaking minor rules and sealing secret deals was the norm on outposts on alien planets, but Khan's eyes carried wilder ideas. He looked ready to pay any price to leave, even if it meant forcing his way into the hangars.
Mister Wulfo shook when he thought about that possibility. The building had security measures for treason and terrorism, but he wasn't sure that would work against Khan. He had already proven himself to be the strongest warrior there, and the weeks among the Thilku seemed to have deepened that.
'Who could stop him?' Winston wondered before a conclusion hit him. Even if the security measures could somehow contain Khan, the damage inflicted on the building would be too great.
"Captain," Caspar called, stepping forward since he realized Mister Wulfo was out of ideas. "I wish to comply, but we must justify that decision to our superiors. We didn't get a single report since your departure to the Thilku."
Khan had a good impression of Captain Chaunac. He was a good man who had treated him with respect, politeness, and friendliness. Even Khan's urges agreed to make it easier for him.
"This quadrant is no more," Khan explained, diverting his gaze while sipping from the bottle. "This settlement will become useless, and the Thilku will never authorize us to relocate. The Global Army will leave Cegnore soon."
The news was shocking, unbelievable even, but Khan's words carried pure confidence. Captain Chaunac and Mister Wulfo instantly trusted him, but their curiosity wasn't easy to quell.
"Why?" Mister Wulfo asked, showing his professional side. "Did anything happen? What changed?"
"I'll give my report to Mister Cirvags," Khan declared. "You'll learn what the Thilku wish to share."
"Which means?" Mister Wulfo pressed on.
"I'd start to pack up," Khan sighed, annoyed by those complications. Caspar's presence had softened his approach, but his patience was wearing thin.
Winston wanted to ask more questions, but Caspar realized what was happening and grabbed his shoulder to stop him.
"Mister Wulfo, you should start contacting our superiors," Caspar suggested, politely smiling at the scientist. "I'm sure we'll receive updates soon enough."
Mister Wulfo didn't want to give up, but another look at Khan triggered his survival instincts. Khan wasn't doing anything special. He was merely peeking at the scientist while drinking from the bottle, but that was enough to make him experience his natural pressure.
"Very well," Mister Wulfo cleared his throat, recovering his composure and hurrying outside the lab, leaving Caspar and Khan alone.
"Captain," Caspar exclaimed with as much calm as possible. "Can I do something else for you? I know you are in a hurry to leave, but resting might be a good option before the teleports."
"I'd like to remain alone," Khan revealed, fixing his gaze on the wall before him. His mood was still awful, but drinking helped.
"As you wish," Caspar stated before adding another word. "Sir."
Khan and Caspar were actually past those pleasantries. Still, those words confirmed Khan's superior authority, and he didn't feel the need to reject them. He had something else to tell the Captain.
"Caspar," Khan called while the Captain approached the lab's exit. "You made my stay here very pleasant. If the Chaunac family asks, I'll mention you."
"That's-," Caspar exclaimed, turning, "I'm honored. Thank you, Captain Khan."
"Remain a good man," Khan said. "Now, I'd like to rest."
"Of course, sir," Caspar stated. "It was an honor sharing the trenches with you."
Khan slightly lifted the bottle to pretend to toast but resumed drinking immediately. Caspar could only leave at that gesture, and Khan didn't move his eyes even after the metal door closed. His thoughts were too loud now, and he wanted to be alone with them.
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