The Mech Touch

The Larkinson Family and the Larkinson Clan went along fine for now. Though the two branches of Larkinsons had plenty of disagreements, their upcoming separation led them to cherish their remaining time together.

There was a very big possibility that they would never be able to physically meet again.

Certainly, there were a lot of voices from both sides that called for merging the clan and family back together. Yet those suggestions never made it past the objections from their own ranks.

No matter what, the schism had already happened and the differences cut too deep to even consider the option of reconciliation.

They only converged on Cinach VI in order to resupply and prepare for their journeys ahead.

While Ves was swamped with responsibilities, he made sure to reserve some time every day to talk with the members of the Larkinson Family.

He met Ark a lot more often during this time than the last ten years!

"You were almost always on deployment. It was rare for me to see you outside of family visits during the holidays." Ves remarked as they met in a private room at a restaurant in downton Torze. "At least now you can set your own schedule."

Ark smiled at him in a generous manner. "The burden of leadership doesn't allow me to take any breaks."

"You haven't even married. At least my dad has got that one over you. Grandpa should have been exorcirating you instead of me for lacking a girlfriend!"

The expert pilot's smile turned melancholic. "We expert pilots are different. In many cases, we are consumed by our professions. We are wedded to our calling. It's very hard for us to turn our 'off' switch and go back to normal."

"Plenty of people have made that excuse. Doctors, mech designers, managers… all of them state that they have to sacrifice everything for their careers. And to their credit, I think these kind of people have managed to make it further than if they devoted more time to their personal lives."

"It sounds like you don't agree, Ves."

"What is the meaning of life? Are we solely put into this reality to function as a cog in a machine? I happen to make machines for a living, and I think that there is more to life than just their obvious functions. We are living, sentient existences. We exist to survive, yes, but we are also entitled to our own pleasures."

His uncle sighed. "I don't disagree with you, Ves, but maintaining a healthy work-life balance when the survival of my family is at stake is very difficult, to say the least."

Expert pilots were not infallible. Ves knew that very well. While it wasn't strictly his business to poke into Ark's non-existent love life, Ves felt as if he needed to subject others to the same treatment that he endured!

Ves had Gloriana, so Ark should suffer just as much!

"Grandfather won't be able to hang on forever." Ves whispered, his eyes glinting with calculation. "He looks fine if a bit frail for now, but you and I both know that former mech pilots deteriorate remarkably faster in their waning years. How long can he maintain his lucidity? How long can his cognitive functions remain normal? In five or seven years, it would be too late to delight him. You should look into finding someone to share your life with, not just to ensure the continuity of your line, but also make grandpa happy one more time."

Though Ark knew he was being manipulated by his cheeky nephew, he couldn't quite refute this argument.

While his workload hadn't changed since his days in the Mech Corps, he had much more control over his agenda.

If he truly wanted to date someone, he could definitely find a way to fit it into his schedule.

"I'll think about it. Your grandfather is indeed about to enter a stage of accelerated deterioration. The long years of piloting and the brain damage he endured when he suffered defeat has always plagued him over the years."

This was the fate suffered by many veterans. The Larkinson Family was no stranger to the lingering trauma that wounded veterans brought back from the war.

As they continued to partake in a Sentinel specialty that consisted of some blue potatoes and some exobeast meat, they continued to chat about various topics.

"What are your plans for the immediate future?" Ves asked.

"The Larkinson Family needs a new home. It's vitally important for us to choose the right one. We aren't as averse to serving as your clan, so our greatest priority is to find a new patron who will treat us fairly."

"That is very hard to do. Most powers who are interested in accepting the services of a group like the Larkinson Family are those who are looking out for themselves. It's far too easy to get exploited by them if you put your trust in the wrong person."

"We know, Ves. We're being very careful about our selection this time. Don't think we are clueless or without resources. We are slowly going over possible options in the Yeina Star Cluster. While I have no doubt that there are more attractive opportunities elsewhere, long-distance travel is too risky and dangerous for us. Unlike you, I have no intentions to form an expeditionary fleet."

A fleet that was capable of traversing the galaxy was entirely different from a fleet that was mostly expected to remain in a single star sector!

Due to various reasons, a true interstellar fleet had to possess robust FTL drives that could overcome a higher degree of gravitic disturbance. The FTL drives installed on most affordable third-class ships were actually the knock-off versions of proper models that were much more capable of enduring the rigors of inter-sector travel and higher-energy space!

Right now, neither the Larkinson Clan nor Larkinson Family possessed a fleet that was completely capable of traveling to the more exciting parts of human space.

Certainly, if Ves really wanted to cross over to another star sector, he could travel aboard one of his second-class ships such as his Scarlet Rose or the Barracuda.

However, that also meant he would have to leave the rest of his clan behind! All of those cheap light carriers and transport ships were only built for intra-sector space travel!

To make them suitable for longer distances, Ves needed to find a couple of shipyards that could replace their cheaper FTL drives with better-performing ones!

Right now, the clan was merely exploring the option. Ves did not expect to hear any easy or affordable solutions. There was a very good reason why most third-rate states eschewed the more premium FTL drive models. Many of them actually cost more than the ships they were supposed to be installed!

Of course, Ves had also heard of engineers who were capable of allowing FTL drives to propel starships to places where they had no right to be. A skilled chief engineer with a high degree of proficiency in FTL theory could draw out a lot more potential from an FTL drive.

The only issue was that FTL drives operated within a range of performance parameters that guaranteed a high degree of safety and reliability. Anytime anyone exceeded those parameters, they incurred a risk the FTL transition might go wrong or that they might not end up at the destination they envisioned!

This was why good engineers were priceless. They took calculated risks and often succeeded in what they set out to do because of their high degree of understanding.

In any case, hiring skilled engineers was something the Larkinson Clan was already in the process of doing. While most of their ships didn't have the right FTL drives yet, it was never too early to prepare the appropriate crew!

"How are the finances of the Larkinson Family?"

"We're making do." Ark mildly replied. "We don't need your charity. The 1 percent stake in the LMC is already sufficient for us to make ends meet. We have our own pride, Ves. We'll earn our keep one way or another. For now, we plan to look for reasonable employment opportunities in the Sentinel Kingdom. There is a lot of demand for mercenaries to defend important assets against pirate raids these days. This kind of low-level conflict is suitable for us to get our bearings."

"I'm sure that many employers would pay a fortune for an expert pilot bodyguard." Ves smiled.

"I am aware. I don't relish working too closely with the local aristocracy. The nobles from this state reminds me too much of the nobles from the Vesia Kingdom."

Both of them shared the impression. No matter how well-behaved the nobles appeared in public, every Larkinson knew that there was a darker side to them! If the old family wished to maintain its spotless reputation, then it needed to steer clear of the swamp!

After revealing some of their future plans, it was almost time for them to return to work.

Before they left, Ves realized that he might be able to ask a question that had been nagging him for some time. He didn't dare to voice this question through the galactic net.

"Ark.. about my father.. do you know how he met my mother?"

His uncle suddenly frowned. "What an odd question to ask."

"I don't know that much about my mother." Ves truthfully said. "My childhood memories of her are rather sparse considering that she died too early."

"That.. was a very unfortunate tragedy." Ark conveyed his empathy in his tone. "I think we were all fortunate that your father held up remarkably well after her passing. Ryncol could have shut down from depression and neglected your upbringing, but in fact he did the opposite. It was as if your mother's passing hardly affected his mood."

Ves was lucky to be raised by an attentive and caring dad. "I know. What I want to know is what my mother was truly like when she was alive. While I have my early memories to go on, I'd like to hear what you thought of her. What was it about her that made my father fall in love with her, and what kind of person was she like?"

Ark began to smile. "I'm not too sure, actually. Your grandpa should know a bit more. You have to be aware of the circumstances of the previous generation. More than twenty years ago, the Bright-Vesia War was exceptionally bloody. Unlike the last time where an early peace treaty concluded the hostilities early, the one that baptized your father and I in blood and fury lasted for years. Pretty much every Larkinson who survived this war returned damaged, some more so than others."

"I always heard that my father had become affected with what he had experienced."

"That's true. Unlike me, your father.. came back a lot more damaged. He took an extended leave after the war in order to process what he had been through. He was rather odd at the time. He traveled a lot. At some point, he returned with your mother by his side. By then, they were very close to marrying."

Ves blinked. It sounded as if his mother worked very quickly!

"What about after they married?" He asked.

"They settled down in Cloudy Curtain. It's close enough to your father's assigned unit that he would be able to return frequently, but remote enough to give him the peace and quiet he always desired after he returned from the war. While your father resumed a portion of his service, your mother took care of you for most of your early years."

"What was my mother like to you?"

Ark hummed for a while. "I don't have the strongest impression of her, to be honest. I didn't get to see her that often. As far as I can recall, Cynthia was a loving mother and a gentle woman."

"Was she a Brighter?"

"Of course." Ark looked confused. "There's no doubt. Her accent and mannerisms are all unmistakably Brighter. You can look up her record if you want, though I'm not sure if they are all intact after the fall of Bentheim."

Ves didn't know what to make of this answer. The mother who raised him might be different from the ghost who had been haunting him from time to time. It could also be that his mother was very good at disguising her true self.

"She was an artist when she was alive, right?"

"Yes." Ark nodded. "In fact, I always appreciated her art. While I'm not well-versed in the art industry, I always thought she had the talent to break into Bentheim's art scene. She never did, though. Aside from raising you, she mostly performed smaller jobs such as recording weddings or taking school pictures."

"Do you have any artwork of hers?"

"Don't you?"

Ves shook his head. "No. I think my father got rid of her stuff or stored it somewhere else. I don't know."

"Well.. I think your grandfather possesses some gifts and mementos."

"That's great!"