Chaos' Heir
Chapter 800: Knowledge

When the conversation moved to the main topic, Khan truly believed Rebecca couldn't appeal to his interest. The quadrant was doing fine, his faction was already supporting him, and everything was more than perfect on Monica's end. Rebecca wasn't supposed to have any leverage on Khan.

However, a topic that almost made Khan's eyes shine had escaped Rebecca's mouth. That wasn't supposed to happen. Humankind shouldn't be able to bring anything new to the table when it came to the Nak, but Rebecca was confident, and Khan believed her.

The atmosphere grew colder as Khan focused on the topic. Talking about the Nak always brought out his bottomless desperation, and his aura was too intense to suppress its effects. The air seemed to freeze, but Rebecca remained unaffected.

"Such a serious face," Rebecca commented. "My nephew is so scary."

Rebecca turned, tapping the floor to bring out menus. Her directives made a piece of the wall slide open to reveal a drawer with a few bottles.

"I knew the Solodrey family had it," Rebecca exclaimed, smiling at Khan. "I'm good, but you can get a refill."

Khan didn't like how easily Rebecca was taking charge of the conversation, but his throat felt dry, and the topic intensified his thirst. He half-thought about ignoring that desire for a power play but eventually went along with it.

"By the way," Rebecca said, watching Khan approach the drawer. "This isn't a negotiation. I just want you to promise you'll do your best to spare him."

Khan poured himself a drink before looking at Rebecca. Her aura didn't show anything unusual, but he couldn't understand her. It almost sounded like she was already going back on her words.

"Don't give me that face," Rebecca admonished, her tone retaining warmth. "I know how our world works. You might not have a choice."

Khan took a long sip while studying Rebecca. There was no conflict in her aura, but two sides of her character were clashing. She acknowledged and accepted the intricacies of the political environment, but her familiar affection was still alive.

"I threw his son into space," Khan pointed out.

"Richard is so spoiled," Rebecca sighed.

"That's not what I meant," Khan commented.

"I know," Rebecca said. "Well, he isn't dead."

Khan was at a loss for words. His uncle had never wanted him in charge, and he had worsened the situation by insulting his son. The problem couldn't get more unsolvable.

Moreover, Thomas was no pushover. According to the rumors, he wielded massive political and financial influence, so his mere existence put the faction under the constant threat of in-fighting. Khan didn't have the means to negotiate with him on an even ground, seemingly leaving only one solution.

"How would I make it work?" Khan genuinely asked.

"You could gain his support," Rebecca explained. "He could announce it to the entire Global Army."

Khan felt the urge to sneer. Anyone could see that the ship had sailed, and Khan was long past holding back. That option simply didn't exist.

"It could happen," Rebecca reassured, understanding the thoughts behind Khan's cold face.

"How?" Khan wondered while his mind ran simulations. Proud leaders wouldn't bend the knee easily, and Khan could only fight his uncle in a field where he was outclassed.

"If he thinks having you in charge will benefit the faction the most," Rebecca explained, "He will support you. That's the kind of man my brother is."

Khan didn't expect that answer. He was ready to disregard it, but something told him Rebecca was trustworthy. She wouldn't say things to deceive him. She was only trying to achieve the intended goal without losing her brother.

That trust made Khan consider the possibility, but problems quickly popped up. He was unbelievably strong, especially for his level, and his connections encompassed many wealthy families. Khan could genuinely become the center and main focus of the new generation, but that didn't eliminate his flaws.

Khan was unstable, at best. Many believed him to be straight-up mental. Also, his allegiances were unclear. His deep relationships with alien species raised suspicion among humankind, and the recent events only worsened that point. Even his abilities and appearance had constantly strayed away from humanity.

In short, Khan was as unreliable as they came. His power, achievements, and status forced the Global Army to make concessions, but few would truly trust him. No one would willingly put him in charge of vast and influential organizations.

Those issues were so blatant Khan started questioning Rebecca and Alexander's trust in him. He understood his mother had much to do with the development, but Rebecca had just shown him her political awareness. Khan didn't believe such a figure could have so much faith out of mere blood ties.

"Why me?" Khan honestly asked.

Rebecca wore a bitter smile. She understood the purpose of Khan's question, and his mental sharpness made her proud. Yet, he was only twenty-two and didn't receive any political education. That flexible and deep mindset had a huge price tag attached to it.

"How regretful," Rebecca sighed. "I missed the chance of spoiling my cute nephew."

Rebecca briefly lost herself in her thoughts before focusing on Khan. The bitterness disappeared from her face, replaced by some seriousness.

"The noble families have grown complacent," Rebecca revealed. "They are afflicted by in-fighting, hidden to retain the illusion of control."

Khan absorbed the information but didn't give it much weight. The larger the organization, the greater the in-fighting. That was how reality worked, and Khan didn't care enough to worry. After all, he had his way of dealing with problems.

"The Nognes family is no different," Rebecca continued. "It might actually be the best example of the problem. Everything that happened with Elizabeth maimed us. We are on the brink of a faction war, and the other nobles are waiting for it to explode."

That was a world most people couldn't gain access to, let alone learn about its existence. The nobles were so distant from the rest of the Global Army that humankind often forgot they had problems. Entire wars could happen in secret at those levels, and no one would hear about them.

"We need unity," Rebecca declared. "We need a strong leader, someone untainted by our ways but with the right to claim them. We need someone not scared to wage an open war on the Global Army to remind it who's in charge."

Khan drank while his mind absorbed Rebecca's words. He knew he was special, but that didn't mean he should accept random obligations. Saving the Nognes family wasn't his duty.

'[A true leader is chosen by others],' Khan thought, recalling Jenna's words.

"What makes you think I'll care about the faction's interests?" Khan questioned. "What makes you think I won't use its power for my goals?"

"You are many things, Khan," Rebecca exclaimed, "But evil isn't one of them. You might trick the others, but your lovely Aunt sees right through you. All your actions reek of care."

Rebecca stepped forward, reaching Khan and leaning toward his ear to whisper something. "And I'd also set fire to the world if I had nightmares in my brain."

Rebecca straightened her back, showing her calm face to Khan. She didn't try to appear sly or anything. She had only exposed her cards to show where her confidence came from.

"My father?" Khan asked.

"Bret would never say anything," Rebecca scoffed, "Even to me. As annoying as it is, that man's loyalty is unbreakable."

Khan knew Rebecca was speaking the truth, so her recent revelation made him consider other options. Theoretically, only a few scientists and the connected higher-ups were aware of the Nak's visions, and Rebecca didn't belong to either field.

"I'll tell you everything," Rebecca reassured, understanding Khan's thoughts. "I had a hard time accepting Elizabeth's death. I used my power to look into the Nak, uncovering as much information as possible. I even seized a few prizes."

"Prizes?" Khan repeated.

"I have an almost intact corpse," Rebecca explained, "And sparse body parts in different conditions. They are yours."

Events from Milia 222 inevitably popped into Khan's mind. The power wielded by a single hand had been immense, but Khan had also gotten stronger since then. Moreover, interacting with that body part triggered his transformation.

Thoughts raced through Khan's mind. He had the green substance, which seemed able to unlock the information hidden inside his genes. Pushing his mutations forward might reveal more about the scarlet eyes and other relevant issues. Khan didn't know if he could replicate the process that happened on Milia 222, but Rebecca had just given him the chance to try.

"It's not only that," Rebecca declared. "I know you have looked for the Nak. I did the same seventeen years ago. I haven't located them, but I'm not sure I can."

Rebecca knew Khan would understand her, which he did. She sounded like an expert in the field who had reached the same conclusions as Khan. Actually, her wealth and position had probably given her better results.

"All of this is yours," Rebecca added. "I only hope it's enough to make you consider avoiding war with Thomas. Also, I suppose having me will stop you from dealing with Raymond Cobsend."