Chaos' Heir

Khan, Liiza, and Tamara watched everything unfold from the control desk.

As much as Jenna trusted Khan, actually landing on the promised planet hit differently. Nothing could have prepared her for that event, and part of her was still busy realizing it.

The Nele built natural habitats inside their colonies, but a proper planet was fundamentally different. Even that relatively small and barren landmass was leagues above anything that species had ever hoped to obtain in their lifetimes.

Jenna only had to take a few steps into that land and breathe some of that natural air before giving in to her emotions. Her legs couldn't support her anymore, sending her to her knees, and tears flooded her eyes as her brain slowly accepted the truth.

The Nele's homelessness was no more. After an untold amount of time spent hiding and being wary of their dangerous neighbors, they had finally gained access to a planet.

Jenna's reaction spoke so loudly that the other Nele stopped hesitating. Metal ramps descended from all the ships in the alien escort, and their crews timidly crossed them, joining Jenna and Ilman on the artificial ground.

More emotional reactions unfolded. Some Nele also fell to their knees. Others inspected their surroundings, still unable to believe that world belonged to them now. A few spilled tears and even dug their hands into the yellow-brown surface, appreciating the ground with their fingers.

Khan had no idea how the Nele must be feeling. He couldn't relate to that monumental event but knew he didn't belong in it. Those meaningful moments were for the Nele to appreciate, and they only lacked one piece.

"Tamara," Khan called, caressing the little alien's hair. "Why don't you join the Nele?"

"What about Uncle Khan?" Tamara wondered, pointing her cute purple eyes at Khan and occasionally glancing at Liiza to search for answers.

"We'll come down soon enough," Khan reassured. "Enjoy this moment with your species for now."

"Can you get down on your own?" Liiza wondered, joining Khan in the caresses of the little Nele.

Tamara nodded, crawling down Khan and Liiza's laps before scurrying away. The couple followed her departure with their glowing eyes before resuming watching the development from the bridge's screens.

The little Nele eventually joined the scene on the screens. The other aliens welcomed her before she also fell prey to the scenery. That species had innately heightened senses, so even Tamara couldn't escape the revolutionary immersion in that natural environment.

Ilman was the only out-of-place figure among that gathering of aliens, but the Niqols knew how to keep himself busy. He couldn't disturb Jenna's emotional moment, but the sky had something that could capture his entire attention.

Liiza actually shared that sentiment, and not voicing it didn't stop Khan from understanding it. Both she and Ilman had only seen the sunlight once throughout their lives, and the event had been tragic rather than breathtaking.

"[Give them a few minutes]," Khan said, the scene on the screens evoking strange emotions. "[I'll take you down to see Coravis' daylight soon enough]."

Liiza diverted her attention from the screen for a second but didn't say anything. She just adjusted herself on Khan's lap, slightly lifting her arms to send another silent message.

Khan didn't hesitate to place his hands on Liiza's slightly bloated waist, and she held them before resuming her inspection of the screens. The two then let time flow, enjoying the moment while letting the Nele accustom themselves to the new environment.

The Nele gradually pulled themselves together, but Khan was in no hurry to end that moment. He had even left orders for his forces, so Jenna and the others had all the time in the world.

Still, the alien group eventually got to work. Jenna stood up and wiped her tears before consulting the other aliens and sending them to address a few key issues.

The landmass could work as it was, but the Nele could vastly improve it, too. Also, they had to tailor it to their specific needs, which required cooperation with Khan's forces.

Khan saw that development as the signal he was waiting for. Liiza felt his intentions through the mental connection, so the two stood up and left the bridge, approaching the ship's metal ramp.

Coravis' sunlight shone on the couple as soon as they took a few steps on the metal ramp, and Liiza couldn't help but look up while squeezing Khan's hand. Her amazement and daze were evident, and Khan lost himself in her expression while leading her down.

Khan and Liiza's arrival didn't go unnoticed. Ilman and the remaining Nele in the area followed the couple's descent, and Jenna shot toward them as soon as their feet landed on the yellow-brown ground.

Liiza grew wary of Jenna's sprint, conflicted about what she could allow on that meaningful day. However, her worries vanished when she spotted Jenna's new tears.

Meanwhile, Khan only planned to smile, but Jenna reached for his hand as soon as she stopped in front of him. Jenna also fell to her knees again, bringing his palm to her lowered forehead while sniffing profusely.

"[Thank you]," Jenna cried, defaulting to her native language. "[Khan, thank you so much]."

That emotional gratitude stunned Khan for a second, but Liiza came to his aid. She let go of his hand to approach Jenna and caress her head, startling her.

Jenna's head snapped up with a gasp, but she jumped at Liiza as soon as she noticed her. Jenna hugged her tightly, crying on her shoulder, and the Niqols couldn't help but pat her back after some brief confusion.

Someone else also joined the scene. Ilman had followed Jenna at a slower pace and had stopped a few meters behind her, crossing his arms. The Niqols half-smirked proudly when he looked at the married couple, but his smile grew more affectionate when it fell on the crying Jenna.

A tremor ran through Jenna as soon as that scarlet glow illuminated her back. She let go of Liiza and turned, smiling happily when she noticed Ilman. Jenna rushed toward him, too, but even he couldn't expect what she would do next.

Ilman kept his arms crossed, but Jenna didn't care. She clung to his neck, delivering a sudden kiss to his lips. Ilman's eyes widened in surprise, but the wet trails on Jenna's cheeks made him give in to the passionate gesture.

"Ilman," Jenna half-sniffed when the kiss ended. "I want to get married here."

"Married?!" Ilman cried, panicking for the wrong reasons. "Do you have a partner?"

Jenna couldn't care about Ilman's quirkiness that day. She leaned forward again, trapping the loud Niqols into another kiss.