Chaos' Heir

Khan heard Liiza's words loud and clear. He even understood what she meant, but couldn't address her now. He had made a mess that he had no intention of fixing, leaving him with a single option.

The political situation was clear, as were the repercussions of Khan's actions. His task was to attend a marriage between two species while representing a third, but he had ended up kidnapping the bride. Everyone would be looking for him, and he didn't want to wage an all-out war, especially against the Niqols.

So, disappearing was the only real option. The Nognes family could deny any implication like that and continue working on creating a safe path toward the array of asteroids. Meanwhile, the Kros, the Niqols, and the Global Army would be busy looking for him, buying him enough time to plan his next step.

'Please, tell me that you still work,' Khan begged in his mind while connecting his phone to the control desk and calling a contact he had received from Ta-ei on Milia 222.

Ringing noises resounded in the silence of the bridge. Liiza feigned ignorance, but her senses and eyes often fell to the man sitting to her left. She couldn't help but study Khan, noticing details she couldn't spot before.

Khan was completely in his own environment, treating the ship as an extension of his body. Each of his gestures had a precise purpose, and they all reeked of reassuring confidence.

Liiza had known Khan when he was clueless about basically everything, but that surprising change was more than welcome. She liked how dependable Khan had become and found that trait attractive.

The surprises didn't end there since someone eventually answered the call, responding in an alien language Liiza couldn't understand. She initially thought problems would arise, but her eyes widened and turned toward Khan completely when she heard Khan respond in an identical accent.

"[Ta-ei from Milia 222 gave me this contact]," Khan explained in the Fuveall's language. "[I need the service Ghost and Decoy]."

The control desk fell silent, and Khan stared intensely at it until an alien voice resounded from the speakers again. "[Name]."

"[Prince Khan] …," Khan began to say, hesitating for only a second before continuing. "[Nognes]."

"[Princes need to pay extra]," The alien on the other side of the call said.

"[I have the Credits]," Khan reassured, and multiple menus soon popped up on the control desk, alongside warning messages.

The illegal process demanded multiple manual authorizations since it broke the ship's safety protocols, but Khan enabled them all, even paying in advance for the whole service. Then, silent minutes went by until the blue menus turned red.

"[We'll finish the transaction once you get to us, Prince Khan Nognes]," The Fuveall said. "[I left a message with our location]."

"[See you soon]," Khan stated, closing the call and performing a few check-ups. His ship had truly become invisible to the network, and a decoy was already in place.

Khan finally relaxed, heaving a deep sigh while bringing a hand to his eyes. He rubbed their corners, confused about what to think or how to feel. He was only glad he had prepared that countermeasure years ago, even if it had been to run away from the Global Army.

As for Liiza, she was a mess of curiosity, admiration, surprise, and enticement. She still recalled how long Khan had taken to learn her language, but there he was, speaking another. He had always shown some talent in that field, but hearing his confident, firm tone had a greater effect than she expected.

Nevertheless, Liiza understood that the worst was behind them, even if the two didn't exchange words. Whatever Khan had done, they should be safe enough to relax now. The chaos of the previous mess was still vivid in Liiza's mind, but that temporary peace made her focus on something else.

Liiza stood up, approaching Khan's seat until he looked at her. He didn't know what to say, so he remained silent, laying his arms on the armrests and waiting for her judgment.

Liiza had no interest in judging Khan or blaming him for anything. Her mind was elsewhere, studying him from head to toe while bathing in his existence. Her left hand eventually reached forward, timidly approaching Khan's.

A scorching sensation spread from Liiza's fingers as soon as they touched the back of Khan's hand. The event was so sudden and unexpected that Liiza snapped her arm back, afraid she would get burned. However, something far more pleasant invaded her, a sensation she didn't think she could experience anymore.

Liiza steeled her resolve and reached for Khan's hand again. Initially, she only touched it with her fingers before gradually placing her whole palm over it. The scorching sensation quickly revealed its real nature, turning into the same cozy feeling she had experienced in the past, and that no amount of warm clothes could replace.

Khan simply watched, mesmerized, and in a daze. Liiza seemed to replicate the gestures from their first meeting, sliding her fingers over his arm before bringing them to his forehead. She seemed to notice something at that point, and her hand slid down, reaching for his chest.

Liiza didn't ask for permission or look up while unbuttoning Khan's uniform. She exposed his chest and scar before planting her palm at its center. His heartbeat resounded through her whole arm, but her senses searched for something else and, upon finding it, summoned more tears in her eyes.

"[It's really you]," Liiza sniffed, unable to speak anything but her language in that emotional moment.

Khan's eyes widened since his brain shared Liiza's realization, but she didn't stop there. She couldn't anymore. Before Khan could even think about doing anything, Liiza ended up on his lap, curled on his torso while her hand instinctively dove inside his uniform, clinging to his side.

The unshakable hotness Khan had felt before vanished. Liiza was cold, colder than he recalled, but also perfect for him. Her sole presence fulfilled that addicting longing that had resurfaced, giving sense and meaning to his suffering, struggles, and entire life.

Liiza was in a similar condition. A tremor ran through her back before she immersed herself deeper on Khan's torso. She seemed to be struggling with her own body temperature and couldn't handle it alone.

"[Khan, hold me]," Liiza begged. "[I've been cold for ten years]."

Gods could rise, and ancient devils could show their terrifying faces. The universe itself could come to life and set unbreakable laws, but Khan knew nothing in the world could ever stop him from fulfilling that request. His arms closed on the trembling body curled on him, hugging it with all the love he could muster.