In the white ship, Khan hurried to the bridge to deactivate the autopilot. The sudden encounter had only given him ti to program simple commands, and they couldn't suffice for too long in those unregulated parts of the universe.
Also, Khan needed to escape the pirate ship's range while keeping it within his scanners' reach to confirm it didn't try anything funny. He believed those criminals were too scared even to think about defying his orders, but people could be unpredictable.
Tense minutes passed while Khan levitated before the control desk, steering the ship and checking the red holographic screens. Liiza was in the cargo room, concocting more potions to prepare for anything, but the worst seed to have passed.
Actually, Khan noticed how the criminal's ship didn't reactivate its scanners even after a whole hour had passed. It simply remained in its position, being extra safe about not angering anything that could keep tabs on its behavior.
That was enough for Khan, so he pushed the ship forward, leaving the area while calculating a new route. The vehicle had gone slightly off-course due to the previous face-off, but bringing it back on track would only take a few minutes.
The flight route was hardly Khan's main concern. He had other options at his disposal, but none would solve the underlying issue. The ship would gradually enter more populated areas, aning those encounters would happen more often.
That issue had no solution. As much as the universe virtually offered endless flight routes, Khan had a specific destination. He was already starting to converge toward rth 290, and there was no hiding his ship until he got there.
Liiza's expertise had sufficed that ti, but Khan didn't know how many more tis that would be enough. If he encountered a proper fleet, a few ships were bound to try to run away, almost surely forcing him to destroy them.
That good-boy act was already showing its limits, and Khan didn't find it feasible during his worst ntal simulations. He could continue relying on Liiza for the ti being, but the two would be cornered into deploying harsher asures later.
Killing was the safest option, but Khan considered his alternatives. He could abandon his ship, trading it for one of the unlucky crews that ended up on his path.
However, the idea wasn't so simple to implent. Khan needed whatever the Fuveall on rth 290 had done to his control desk, and taking it with him wasn't a matter of just ripping it off.
Also, Khan and Liiza were monsters. Random spaceships from criminals couldn't possibly contain them. Fuel and more added problems to the idea, forcing Khan to scrap it entirely.
'Should I just fly at full speed to rth 290?' Khan considered. 'No one can catch up with this ship anyway, and by the ti the big dogs make their move, we'll be far gone.'
That second idea sounded more feasible. The Fuveall on rth 290 were the only variable. Khan didn't know how long it would take to complete the transaction and regain access to his finances and the network.
That could give anyone alerted by Khan's unique ship enough ti to catch up with him, forcing him into the worst-case scenario. He truly didn't want to jump into a war of his own creation, but that option sounded easy and imdiate. It would even put an end to the problem altogether.
"Remind why I can't act all evil and warmongering," Khan sighed, knowing soone had entered the bridge.
"Because that's not you," Liiza sweetly replied, reaching Khan to hug him from behind and peek past his shoulder. "Because you need everyone's willing strength, not masses of scared slaves."
Liiza kissed Khan's cheek, leaving a green spot there before continuing. "Because if they corner us, they'll force us into a war you don't want to fight but will definitely win."
Khan heaved a helpless sigh. The forces looking for him would probably never understand how much he was doing to avoid defeating them, but that was fine. They didn't need to know. They only had to remain strong until the Scarlet Eyes inevitably reached that side of the universe.
"I've also grown to like the idea of spending a peaceful honeymoon as space pirates," Khan added, and Liiza could help but tilt his head to give him a more passionate kiss.
"How long will the restrictions last?" Khan asked once the two managed to take a break.
"Three months," Liiza guessed, climbing on Khan's floating lap. "Four, maybe. I'll prepare more specific and lasting ones to be ready, but there's a limit to how many details I can add."
Liiza didn't limit her explanation to that because more details could help Khan's planning. "I can isolate specific topics like us and the ship, maybe even my species. However, I can't add things I've never seen without knowledge or materials from there."
"Zalpa would be proud," Khan casually said while pondering the issue.
"The old hag would never admit sothing like that," Liiza snorted. "Her expertise is broader, but she knows I've surpassed her in so fields."
The more Khan thought, the more he realized how pointless that practice was. There was a limit to how much he could plan and prepare. Everything else was luck and improvisation.
"Let's stick to the potions," Khan nodded. "Even if you can't add more details, we can probably scare anyone enough to send them toward Coravis or Blue Moon colony. My lead scientist will know what to do at that point."
"I can add specific codewords," Liiza revealed. "And if you can replicate your scientists' mana, I can add that requirent, too. It would beco a restriction with conditions."
"Let's do that," Khan agreed. "And once the encounters beco too frequent, we'll just fly at full speed toward rth 290 and hope for the best."
That was the best compromise Khan could think of. It had high chances of succeeding, and if the universe truly hated him and made those looking for him find him, he would simply accept the inevitability of war.
"We should also test that cloaking technique," Khan suggested. "It's better to be pre-."
A foreign sensation hit Khan's brain, interrupting his line and lifting his gaze. Liiza was blushing, showing a aningful expression that only had a tinge of coyness.
"[Enough ti has passed]," Liiza reminded Khan about the previous drinks and the marital obligations they were ant to aid.
Khan lost himself in that beautiful face, but didn't forget to move. His body straightened, but his feet still didn't touch the floor as he flew past the bridge to head toward the reinforced room in a hurry.
The couple had placed a makeshift bed there since that was the only place in the ship that could sowhat endure them, and Khan knew ti was short since Liiza had already clung to him, letting her passion run freely.
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