Chaos' Heir

Chapter 1480: Bonuses

Roya had been correct, but not in the way she and her partners had hoped for. Khan indeed listened to his heart over his mind, but that only made his stance unmovable and deadly.

Mentioning Yeza removed the Orlats’ last hopes of finding reason in that bright-eyed leader. Khan’s priorities lay elsewhere, preventing the compromises those evolved warriors were trying to reach.

The available options were now laid bare. The Orlats could choose to die, which never really crossed their minds, lie to Khan’s face to escape that immediate danger, or accept joining him under relatively fair terms.

Truth be told, the Orlats wanted nothing to do with a universal war, especially one that didn’t look to be in the allied front’s favor. Raiding and looting known and unprotected locations was far safer than betting on an eventual victory and the rewards it might award them.

Therefore, the second option sounded the most reasonable. The Orlats could pretend to accept Khan’s terms, accepting the eventual loss of what they had stolen in their last raids, only to resume pillaging once they escaped that monster’s clutches.

Yet, that practice demanded unity, which the Orlats lacked, and Khan was an appealing ally. He wielded massive influence over the greatest alliance that side of the universe had ever witnessed. Joining him was the opportunity of a lifetime, especially for clans that hadn’t fared well compared to their peers.

Khan knew that far too well, so he waited silently, resuming sipping from his cup. He had stated how he didn’t need all the Orlats already. The hook was now in place, hanging above the stage, waiting for someone ambitious or scared enough to grab it.

"[Prince Khan, out of curiosity]," Zaman from the clan with no fixed home called. "[You spoke about wanting us because we are irreplaceable, but which services are you exactly interested in]?"

Khan’s eyes would brighten if they didn’t shine already. That was the public flaw he needed to steer the meeting in his favor. Zaman had done his best to sound vague, but his apparent interest had ruined any chance the Orlats had to rely on their joint leverage.

The ball was in Khan’s court now, and he had to make it count. Reiterating the threats wouldn’t suffice anymore. He had to throw an appealing bait, which he had already thought of.

"[Scouting, surveillance, and transport]," Khan explained. "[I don’t want to waste your talents on the battlefield. You just continue doing what you are best at, but in the service of my allied front]."

Of course, not being on a battlefield wouldn’t exempt the Orlats from danger. The True Chaos’ forces had already proven themselves able to appear anywhere at any time, and getting too close to them would mean death due to the current mana-reliant equipment. Investigating them was far from safe.

So, Khan didn’t let the Orlats point that out. Doing so would give them the initiative in the meeting, and he couldn’t lose it so easily.

"[You and your clans will obviously receive suitable compensation]," Khan declared. "[Just name a price you think is fair]."

"[Prince Khan, this is a universal war]," Afsana stated, emphasizing the threat’s severity. "[There has never anything like this. The fair price can only be exorbitant]."

"[Does any of you think I wouldn’t be able to afford it]?" Khan wondered. "[Really]?"

The evolved Orlats couldn’t reply, but not for lack of a correct answer. They knew exactly who Khan’s supporters were and his influence over his allied front. He had just given a whole planet to the Nele, too. Money and assets were the last of his problems.

"[I also believe I shouldn’t stop at that]," Khan announced. "[Wars have many variables, so a fixed payment doesn’t sound nearly enough]."

The previous statement had already caught the Orlats’ interest, but they fell prey to Khan’s power now. They hung from his lips, impatient to hear what more he could offer.

"[What do]-" Zaman began to ask, only to correct his words mid-way. "[What would you propose, Prince Khan]?"

"[Bonuses]," Khan exclaimed, "[For clans or specific teams alike, depending on the value of the information you gather and your general performance]."

That offer acted as a final blow. On the surface, it looked like the cherry on top of an already fair deal, but it gained a different meaning when it came to the divided Orlats.

Greed became a factor. Theoretically, there couldn’t be a limit to what the Orlats could earn if they joined Khan’s side. They just had to outdo any other clan that decided to work for him.

Of course, that could lead to infighting and worse performances overall. Yet, it would also ensure that the Orlats would at least try to do a good job, removing the possibility of scams. Some might still want to try to rip Khan off, but having other teams abide by that agreement would prevent that.

That was the best Khan could come up with to make such an uncooperative species play ball. The benefits far outweighed the risks, especially if he played the next step properly.

The fixed payment had to be high, but Khan had to make the bonuses far more appealing to create a reward structure that would force the Orlats to play ball.

As for the possibility of refusal, that was now gone forever. No one could shy away from the offer and risk death as long as one of the clan leaders accepted it. Even playing tricks wouldn’t work since they would become enemies of an organization with Orlats assets at their disposal.

The Orlats could only refuse in unison or join Khan in a similar fashion, and the former wasn’t possible anymore since a few evolved warriors had already made up their minds.

"[What about the ...]," Zaman muttered, "[Items we happened to find during our travels here]?"

"[I’m sure their rightful owners deserve to get them back]," Khan declared. "[But the universe is a dangerous place, especially in current times. Things get lost easily, and everyone will understand that if you aren’t too greedy]."

Zaman smirked at that understanding, and the same went for a few of his peers. Prince Khan stayed true to his fame, immediately getting where the Orlats were coming from, even agreeing with their usual behavior.

"[Oh, but I do have another small request to add]," Khan announced, pretending to have just recalled that point. "[You must come to Earth this very night and join my forces’ party. You know how politics are]."