Chapter 973: Generals
Chapter 973: Generals
The war declaration had already leaked into the network, but the Global Army was working overtime to suppress the news. However, the rumor was out there now, giving birth to countless gossip and leading to inescapable consequences.
A day had passed since the war declaration, and much had happened in that period. Many Generals expressed their disappointment, even exploding into public condemnations of Khan's actions. Those actions aimed to change Khan's mind, but his absence had forced them to proceed with the preparations.
The Global Army always tried to limit the in-fighting, and Khan's war declaration was no exception. A battle looked unavoidable, but the various Generals still wanted to contain the damage and casualties as much as possible.
Fighting in space was too expensive, and the losses on both sides would be unbearable, but Khan had already addressed the issue. Brigadier General Meadrey could pick the planet where the war would happen, but the other details were still uncertain.
Prince Thomas and Lieutenant Dyester were handling the negotiations, but Khan's absence prevented them from finalizing the agreements. For now, they mostly bought time, waiting for his return and hoping the break with Monica paved the way for more clear-headed decisions.
Khan didn't address the many inquiries from his phone. It was pointless to do that anyway. Ideally, he would also avoid the countless meeting requests, summoning them only after dealing with the Brigadier General's actions.
Still, Prince Thomas and Lieutenant Dyester needed Khan at this very moment, and delaying the war arrangements would only reflect poorly on the latter. Both Monica and Khan understood that, but he didn't let her stand up so easily.
As bitter and sad as the situation felt, Khan followed the Niqols' ways. Some emotions had no solutions, so suppressing them with stronger feelings was perfectly fine.
Monica lifted her head when she failed to escape the hug, but Khan's mouth was already there, kissing her forehead. She let that sensation wash over her, immersing herself in Khan's protective affection, and a giggle escaped her mouth when he abruptly jumped to his feet, lifting her in the process.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Monica laughed, hiding her face in Khan's neck and enjoying those remaining seconds together. She clung to him a little longer, even after he placed her on an intact piece of the interactive desk, but the kiss that landed on her lips succeeded in breaking the hug.
"I'll deal with everything," Khan whispered. "You can rest easy."
With Khan on the planet and the current crisis, Monica didn't have to do much. Everything was on halt until the General was dealt with anyway. Yet, she couldn't let Khan go without her usual warnings.
"Dear," Monica called, clinging to Khan's arm to restrain him. "Don't get hurt."
Khan lifted the trapped arm, caressing Monica's cheek. She finally released her grasp, but Khan still added something to reassure her.
"How?" Khan asked. "He's only a fifth-level warrior."
Monica's worries went deeper than Khan's physical state, but she didn't mention them. She simply smiled, letting Khan leave to handle the current mess.
Khan wasn't wearing much in the first place, so he only had to pick up his trousers and cape to leave the room. He also knew where he had left Prince Thomas and planned to join him, but he found a familiar figure in the corridor waiting for him.
Baoway had teleports on both the planet and space station above now, so anyone could get there while Khan was with Monica. Finding Brigadier General Seycomb in the corridor wasn't surprising, but Khan didn't know what to tell him.
"Prince Khan," Brigadier General Seycomb called, evident distress in his voice. "A word?"
Khan didn't reply nor nod, but the General took his silence for acknowledgment. He followed Khan through the corridor, walking at his side while explaining his issues.
"First, I'd like to apologize for Brigadier General Meadrey's actions," Brigadier General Seycomb announced. "He acted on his own without receiving orders or clearance. The Global Army isn't to blame for these events."
Khan remained silent. Brigadier General Seycomb's words were probably true but didn't cover for unofficial channels. Even if the Global Army gave no order, someone might have secretly pushed Brigadier General Meadrey to act.
"However," Brigadier General Seycomb continued. "The Empire's military planet is no small matter. We deserved to be informed, at the very least. We could have kept the information private instead of letting it blow up like this."
Brigadier General Seycomb's strategy was obvious. Accepting his share of the blame first allowed him to mention Khan's. Hiding an alien military planet also had far greater relevance, but the General decided not to highlight that.
"The Global Army understands your position," Brigadier General Seycomb exclaimed, "But an open war is too much. It will lead to civic unrest and create stark factions, and many won't be on your side."
"So," Khan finally spoke, "You can spill my blood, but I can't spill yours."
Brigadier General Seycomb gulped. Talking with Khan had never been an easy task, mainly due to his odd values. In Khan's perspective, starting a war over a single destroyed cargo ship was perfectly reasonable.
"I apologize," Brigadier General Seycomb said. "I never meant that, but the situation is quite serious."
"I know it's serious," Khan responded, intentionally misunderstanding the General's words. "Someone blew up my ship and killed my soldiers."
"Then," Brigadier General Seycomb played along, "Let us repay you and deal with Brigadier General Meadrey. Everything can be discussed afterward."
"No," Khan directly refused.
"Why?" Brigadier General Seycomb asked.
"Because someone thought it was fine to give the order to take down my ship," Khan explained. "Because someone else accepted pulling the trigger, knowing my crew's flag. If I had known my previous retribution wasn't enough, I would have done more earlier." "Prince Khan," Brigadier General Seycomb called, "As amazing as you are, you aren't exempt from our rules."
The General barely completed his sentence when his feet left the floor. Khan had suddenly stopped walking, grabbing the man's collar and lifting him with an arm.
"I am," Khan declared, pointing his bright eyes at the General. "Do you think your rules can protect you now?"
That wasn't Khan's first time threatening Brigadier General Seycomb, but the latter could clearly tell the difference. His first meeting with Khan had left him uncertain about the outcome of a potential battle, but that feeling had disappeared now. The General instinctively knew he was powerless against Khan. He could have killed him on the spot instead of lifting
him.
"I did warn you," Khan added. "I told you those events could happen again. This wasn't even a criminal organization. It came from your Generals."
Khan let go of Brigadier General Seycomb's collar, who quickly restored his balance but failed to resume walking with him. Something told him the discussion was over, so he could only watch as Khan dived deeper into the corridor.
"Feel grateful my Fiancée is a human," Khan stated without turning back nor stopping. "I'll limit the war to Brigadier General Meadrey's loyal troops. If the other Generals have a problem with that, they can die with him."
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