729 Sky people
Silence invaded the settlement as Khan descended toward Rok-Go. The invading Scalqa waited past the rocky barrier, unsure what to do. Meanwhile, the defending tribe inspected Khan, still incredulous about his recent feats.
Amy was the only exception to the trend, but her emotions shared the aliens' intensity. She read about Khan and had spent the long trip beside him. Yet, seeing him in action was a completely different matter.
Humans could get used to seeing flight. That ability was rare but known. However, Khan had done much more than that in such a short time. He had killed a crisis that could have set back the political mission by weeks in mere minutes.
Khan's display of power was also mystical, almost god-like. Amy could partially understand what had happened since she had read the lessons' reports, but that awareness couldn't quiet down her emotions, and things were bound to be worse for the Scalqa.
Amy followed Khan's descent before inspecting the tribe. Faces that exuded shock and veneration filled her view. The Scalqa had finally realized what they had welcomed in their settlement, and any desire to complain vanished. A monster had appeared among them, and Amy knew that wasn't the full extent of his power.
The spiritual loneliness of the past period expanded in Khan's mind during the descent. He could feel everything, and the scene was far from unfamiliar. The Scalqa's expressions told him how different he was, reminding him of his unique place in the universe.
The feeling gained more power due to the recent mental trip. The sole idea that Khan might be a key aspect in defending mana intensified his internal loneliness. He was already living in a world only he could see, but a fate only he was aware of had joined the equation.
'How can I explain this to Monica?' Khan wondered as he got close enough to the ground to toss down the Scalqa leader.
The big alien fell before Rok-Go, who had stood up in the meantime. Khan landed next to the fainted Scalqa right afterward, and his eyes ran over the tribe. Still, his mind continued to wander on problems only he could understand.
Theoretically, Khan had already broken the mission's protocol. He didn't only cause a massive problem in the targeted tribe. He had also interfered with the Scalqa's political relationships. The envoy might have to relocate or wait for things to cool down before resuming pursuing its objectives.
Nevertheless, Amy knew something entirely different could happen. She could read it on the Scalqa's faces. Khan's status had grown so much the tribe couldn't kick him out. The aliens wouldn't even dare to try.
The settlement's Scalqa left four teams near the rocky barrier, but some of their members flowed toward Rok-Go to inspect the situation. The tribe's leader was among them, and looking at the fainted alien who shared his defensive attire filled his face with seriousness.
Of course, every available eye soon fell on Khan, but he ignored the stares and attended to his open uniform. In his mind, he and the tribe were now even, and interfering further would directly challenge their authority.
Sadly, the language barrier prevented the Scalqa from probing Khan's intentions, and many failed to pick up on his detached behavior. Most aliens didn't understand his stance even after he finished buttoning his uniform and crossed his arms, but the leader and Rok-Go were exceptions.
The alien leader approached Rok-Go's side before standing still. Meanwhile, the old Scalqa poked the fainted alien with his cane before turning him up. Everyone could get a good look at the bone armor now, and some gasps resounded among the gathered crowd.
Khan feigned indifference at the second round of stares and peeked past his shoulder to nod at Amy. The latter understood his silent order and advanced to reach his side. He didn't forget how she had guarded him during the mental trip, and that behavior deserved rewards.
Amy's arrival didn't change the humans' stance. Both she and Khan remained still, leaving the decision to the aliens. Neither knew what would happen, but their involvement was assured now that the Scalqa didn't have the guts to boss them around.
Rok-Go continued to poke the fainted Scalqa before crouching toward him. He put a hand on his forehead to murmur a few words, and Khan noticed faint mana escaping his palm. That energy entered the alien's brain, sending a tremor that snapped him awake.
The enemy leader loudly gasped, abruptly lifting his back to sit down. Meanwhile, the allied leader pulled back Rok-Go and stepped forward. The two Scalqa stared at each other, but one showed far more interest than the other.
The Scalqa on the ground felt confused about his new location and began inspecting his surroundings, but everything returned once he spotted Khan. His big eyes widened in terror, and his palms pushed on the ground to make him hurry back. Yet, the other leader stepped forward again, blocking the escape route with a leg.
The enemy Scalqa had no choice but to face the situation now. However, his attention never returned to his fellow aliens. Only one figure existed in his mind, and his terror slowly waned as the inspection continued.
Khan saw that the waning was only apparent as those big eyes remained fixed on him. The enemy Scalqa was calming down, but the terror survived inside his mind. Still, he was a leader and would behave like one.
The Scalqa slowly blinked while his face remained stern. He lifted his hands to fling his long, braided black hair behind his shoulders before adjusting his position. He got to his knees, and his arms rose again.
Khan and Amy didn't only look at the Scalqa on the ground. They also studied the tribe's reactions and noticed that no one appeared bothered by the alien's movements. The settlement had understood something the humans had yet to get, but that confusion was short-lived.
The kneeling alien lifted both palms and looked at Khan one last time before lowering his head. The same gesture performed toward the old shaman was now happening to him.
'Is he pleading mercy?' Khan wondered, his arms still crossed. 'Servitude? Worship?'
The first instance of the gesture had been inconclusive, and Khan couldn't rely too much on his senses there. He could recognize the emotions in the symphony, but they could have different purposes and meanings among the Scalqa. Even the simple act of yielding to the enemy could open multiple paths.
Khan tried to read his surroundings to plan his next move, but the allied leader understood his confusion and intervened. The alien stood before the kneeling Scalqa and ran two fingers over his lifted palms. The crowd welcomed the gesture with cheers, and the cries continued even after the leader stepped back.
The kneeling alien fell back to his butt but mostly kept his head lowered. He sneaked peeks at Khan, but those gestures were rare and short. Shame had enveloped the sitting alien, and those outside the rocky barrier who saw the scene shared that feeling.
Things didn't end there. The realization of the leader's defeat sent a few aliens outside the settlement into a frenzy. Panic invaded those Scalqa's minds, and cries escaped their mouths as they turned to run into the forest.
However, their companions promptly lifted their weapons and chased after the runners, shouting even harder than them. Fights unfolded, spears flew, and rocks were thrown, and all three sides culminated in the same scene.
The three enemy teams gathered before the bone barrier again, wielding the bloodied bodies of their escaping companions. Some were still alive but had spears stabbed into their torsos and waists. Human medicine could save them, but Khan doubted the Scalqa planned to let them live.
None of the settlement's aliens looked surprised, and both Khan and Amy noticed that detail. It seemed that was another customary event rooted in the Scalqa's traditions. Still, neither could understand the goal behind it.
The allied leader didn't give the two humans time to study the event. After dealing with the prisoner, the Scalqa began shouting at the tribe, probably conveying orders his companions didn't hesitate to follow. The crowd quickly dispersed, and someone even dragged the sitting Scalqa away.
Soon, only Khan, Amy, the allied leader, and Rok-Go remained in the area, but a couple of Scalqa returned to deliver a few items. The latter dropped bone cups to the ground, showing their clear contents. They seemed to contain water, but Rok-Go promptly tampered with it.
Rok-Go walked toward the tilted cauldron and dipped the tip of his cane inside it. Then, he returned to the group to point the stick at every cup.
The alien only hovered the cane above the cups for a few seconds, enough to let a single drop of the dark green liquid fall in each. The water inside them immediately changed color, but Khan could feel its effects wouldn't even come close to the previous experience.
'It must be their version of booze,' Khan considered before recalling the central tent. 'Maybe it has a different meaning. It could be holy even.'
Rok-Go and the Scalqa leader sat down before two cups, and Khan and Amy imitated them. The four created a circle on the ground, and the two humans let the aliens take charge.
Only the Scalqa leader spoke, gesturing and repeating the same sets of words. His intentions looked good, but the language barrier appeared impossible to cross. Still, the alien showed great patience, and Khan eventually felt to have figured something out.
"Ghi-gu," Khan said, pointing at himself.
"[Ghi-gu]," The Scalqa leader repeated, performing what looked like a nod.
"Ghi-gu," Khan uttered, pointing at the Scalqa leader.
"[Ghi-gu]," The Scalqa leader nodded again.
"Ghi-gu," Khan said for the third time, indicating Amy.
"[Ghi-gu]," The Scalqa confirmed.
"Zu," Khan continued, pointing at the clear, bluish sky.
"[Zu]!" The Scalqa leader cried, confirming Khan's idea but correcting his accent.
Khan then ran his hand before Amy and himself, indicating both before asking for confirmation for one last thing. "Zu Ghi-gu."
"[Zu Ghi-gu]," Rok-Go repeated, also nodding.
"No wonder," Khan chuckled.
"Am I following this correctly?" Amy questioned.
"I hope so," Khan stated, glancing at Amy and doing his best interpretation of the Scalqa's accent. "[Zu Ghi-gu]."
"Sky people," Amy responded. "Or sky tribe."
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