The Mech Touch

Marcella stayed for half a day as she and Ves discussed all kinds of issues.

As a well-connected Bentheimer, Ves got to learn all kinds of news that wasn't publicly known.

The mech broker and marketer freely divulged all kinds of details that gave Ves a greater understanding of Bentheim.

"Bentheimers know that their planet and star system will attract countless sandmen." She explained. "Maintaining public confidence is crucial in keeping its existing economy and production functioning. If panic ever spreads, then everything will stop working in Bentheim. If Bentheim stops working, the rest of the Bright Republic will quickly fall apart!"

"Our state is too dependent on Bentheim." Ves concluded.

"Exactly. That has always been a problem, but a manageable one. Now that an enemy like the sandman race has emerged, the faults of concentrating so much economic and industrial weight in a single star system has become painfully clear. The politicians have already resolved to reduce their dependence on Bentheim. As long as the Bright Republic manages to survive and annex the territories of the former Coman Federation, everything will be fine in the end."

"How do you think the local Bentheimers will react to the deal the central government has struck with the BLM?"

"They'll be pleased, of course. Even though not everyone agrees with their cause, they're still considered folk heroes by many locals. The working classes who benefit the least from all of the economic activity will be particularly enthusiastic about the concessions. They will probably expect that all of the revenue that was ordinarily sent to other star systems to be spent on improving their living standards."

Ves studied Marcella's sardonic smile carefully. "You don't believe that will happen."

"Of course not. Those in power always occupy most of the wealth. That won't change whether Rittersberg or the former rebels are in charge. The people at the top will always prioritize their own interests first before considering anything else. Once the former leaders of the BLM transition into politicians and administrators, they'll be faced with enormous temptations. Who can keep their fingers off the vast amount of money that is circulating on Bentheim?"

Human nature was always like this. Even if the former rebels fought on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged locals, once they came into power, it was hard to remember their original mission.

At least Marcella thought so. Her words conveyed a cynical prediction of the future.

"Is that what the central government is after, Marcella? They readily agreed to pardon the members of the BLM and even gave in to their demands to grant Bentheim greater autonomy so that the BLM would be on the hook for everything that followed?"

Marcella's grin grew wider. "Exactly. It's easy for the separatists to boast that Bentheim will do better under their rule, but now that their wish has come true, will they be able to back up their boasts? The government doesn't think so. The BLM is good at stirring up trouble, but they don't have any experience in solving actual problems."

"I take it that separating the armed wing from the political wing is a crucial part of defanging the BLM."

She nodded. "The upper echelon maintains a solid grip on their cells. That's not acceptable to the government. Forcing the upper echelon to give up direct control and letting the cells go their own way will reduce the leverage that the former rebel leaders hold. While they can still unite again if the government fails to keep their word, as long as everything abides by the agreement, nothing of the sort will happen."

"By separating the armed wing from the political wing, the former cells will slowly drift from the control of the upper echelon. They will also veer away from the central ideals of the BLM. Once the former military wing of the BLM becomes divided, the BLM will cease to pose a threat against the Bright Republic."

"This is especially the case if the leaders-turned-politicians become divided as well, right?"

"Correct. With so much power and money at their fingertips, it's impossible for any single leader, faction or ideology to remain in power. The higher-ups will quickly begin to squabble and fall out with each other. New factions will emerge that each promote a different their own ideas on how Bentheim ought to be run."

Ves had to hand it to Senator Tovar and his band of schemers. They sure laid out a wonderful plan to transform a former threat into a bunch of harmless interest groups.

However, if Marcella could spot the problem, so should the BLM.

"Will the BLM seriously fall for this trap?"

"It's an open conspiracy, Ves. Even if the rank and file of the BLM are clueless to the political and societal implications of the deal, the higher ups and the senior cadre aren't stupid. They know that once the BLM has accepted this deal, their unity will soon be a thing of the past."

"Then why…"

"Do you think it's glamorous to be a fugitive? To live a life where you are being hunted every second of the day? Now that the central government is amenable to the idea of issuing blank pardons to the separatists, why should they refuse? The pressure from the sandmen along with getting almost everything on their wish list is enough to push them into a corner. If the separatists won't agree to such an attractive deal, the BLM will probably fracture!"

"What about the upper ranks?"

"They'll all become future commanders, politicians and administrators. That sounds quite cozy to me. It's better than living a life on the edge. Vincent Ricklin is senior enough to become one of the beneficiaries of this transition. That's why it's important to earn his support. As long as he plays along, he won't be using his substantial voice to agitate against the deal."

Ves grimaced at that. This was one more reason why he should do his best to fulfill the commission.

"Let's not talk about this stuff anymore. All of this statesmanship sounds way over my head." He said tiredly. "Tell me about the commission. What kind of mech am I supposed to design?"

"Vincent will come to Cloudy Curtain in person to convey his demands. However, I can already tell you that the BLM and the central government has both invested a substantial amount of money for this publicity stunt."

"What's my budget?"

"530 million bright credits."

"What?! Is the BLM that rich?!"

That sum amounted to around 400 million pre-inflation bright credits, which was still a hefty sum for a single mech!

"As I've already mentioned, the government is footing at least half of the bill. Vincent insists on piloting a powerful mech to inspire his fellow comrades in battle. He's not getting it for free, of course. Not only will he set a heroic example for the former separatists who have now been drafted into a war against the sandmen, he'll also put his full support behind the deal."

"And that's worth half a billion bright credits?"

"I think we got off rather cheap. While Vincent doesn't have that much sway among the higher ups, he's definitely capable of swaying the opinions of the lower ranks. He's simply that popular."

Ves wanted to palm his face. How could a sleazy kinslayer like Vincent ever become a role model for so many rebels and Bentheimers?

"What else does Vincent want?"

"He wants a mech that is similar to the Caesar Augustus and Marc Antony Mark I and Mark II's. So that means a hybrid mech equipped with several diverse weapon systems. Of course, all of them have to be adapted for the Sand War, so you can leave out the laser weapons."

Hearing those names made Ves reminisce about the past. Back then, the System awarded him with the license for the Caesar Augustus. With his paltry finances, he had no choice but to work with this complex, lastgen mech design.

In hindsight, Ves believed that it wasn't a coincidence the System dumped the troublesome Caesar Augustus license in his lap. The white elephant forced him to innovate a lot in order to solve the mountain of issues associated with the premium mech design.

Ves had definitely learned a lot from the experience. So much so that he did not blame the System for foisting a problematic mech design on him. He wouldn't have improved so fast and attracted Master Olson's attention if he took it easy during that critical period.

"Anything else?"

"That's all I know, Ves. If you want to know more, you'll have to hear it from Vincent himself."

"I can't entertain this commission immediately. I still have my hands full with designing the Militant Soldier and Peaceful Soldier."

"How soon will you be able to finish their designs?"

Ves made a quick estimate. "Three weeks. Gloriana and I are halfway into completing their designs."

"I'll pass that on to the relevant authorities. We don't want you to delay the release of those two variants. They're sorely needed right now."

"Sounds good." Ves sighed in relief. "Aside from repaying favors, can I expect anything else in return for playing along with this scheme?"

"I'm sure you can gain enough leverage to demand some small favors. For example, isn't your Larkinson Family trying to gain approval to start an advanced mech academy on Cloudy Curtain? You can easily speed this process up and block rivals from gaining approval."

"That benefits the Larkinsons, not me…"

Seeing that Ves remained unswayed by vague promises and minor favors, Marcella leaned in. "I'll let you in on a secret, then. I've heard some big plans from some of my contacts. Certain factions in the government believe that it would do them a lot of good if they assist you in propagating your Desolate Soldiers and other highly-promising mech models."

Ves narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that the LMC won't have to promote your products on your own. You'll have the entire Bright Republic standing behind you and your mech designs. While your mechs have plenty of detractors, it's undeniable that they are very useful in the right situations."

"That sounds very iffy, Marcella."

"The government already owns 21 percent of the LMC. It's in their best interests to see your company flourish."

"And gain greater influence and control over the LMC as a result."

"No one loses out, Ves. To be honest, these kinds of arrangements aren't unusual. The government usually extends this kind of support to companies run by Seniors, though. It's virtually unheard of that a young Journeyman like you gains the support of the state. That makes this move all the more remarkable! The Bright Republic is essentially willing to declare that your mech designs have so much promise that they'll be able to sell in many different mech markets!"

While Ves could see the immediate upside of government support, Ves never depended on it in the first place. The entire reason why Ves played along with Flashlight's games during the war was because he wanted to get rid of the tentacles of the odious Ministry of Economic Development.

Wouldn't it be rather backwards if he suddenly turned around and embraced government intervention?

"The LMC doesn't need any government support. As long as the authorities stay out of the LMC's way, I'm confident the company will grow regardless of any assistance. My mechs are just that good."

He made his stance loud and clear, which did not entirely sit well with Marcella.

"I'm not sure you're making the right decision, Ves." She slowly responded. "Perhaps we should explore this idea further with the board of directors. You're not the only person who has a say in the company. The Larkinson Estate and the government own a fair chunk of the company. If my vote is added to the mix, then you've lost your majority."

"Hahaha!" Ves burst out. "I'm not the naive little Novice Mech Designer of before, old friend. That trick won't work on me. Regardless of how many shares I own, I'm the lead designer of this mech company! If I'm no longer around, the LMC will soon become worthless!"

He brazenly pointed his thumb at himself!

"Like it or not, I am the LMC!"