The Mech Touch

After a lengthy talk, Master Dervidian finally stood up and floated above the deck.

"We have spent enough time talking and speculating about your transcendence glow. Before we go into detail about our action plan, I must insist you demonstrate your invention to us first. We would have a much better understanding of what we are dealing with if we can see how the topic of our discussion works in a controlled environment."

Ves frowned. "The thing about the transcendence glow is that it works best in less-controlled environments. I doubt that it can succeed at inducing breakthroughs on mech pilots that are just sparring against each other."

"That should not be a concern. We have already made the right preparations to conduct a number of illuminating experiments. Even failed attempts to induce breakthroughs can provide us with useful information. Let us proceed to the first testing area."

Ves stood up and followed the floating MTA Master to the exit.

They instantly entered a lab compartment after passing through a secure hatch. Ves was befuddled for a moment because he was pretty certain that they should have entered a corridor instead.

It was that dratted seamless teleportation tech at work again!

The lab was already prepped to conduct a small-scale experiment under the highest security protocols. The place was already secure by default, but the people in charge had dismissed most personnel and implemented additional guarantees to minimize the risks of leaks.

Only a handful of lab personnel were still present to assist with the tests. Ves cast a questioning look at the MTA Master.

"They can be trusted, Mr. Larkinson. They have worked for me for decades without issue. The reason why I am willing to confide in them is because I have taken special measures to ensure that they cannot divulge sensitive secrets."

Ah. Ves almost forgot that Dervidian was a Transhumanist. That meant he should be extremely good at modifying people. If not, then he could surely hirely the right specialists that could perform this job.

There was no need to question the word of a Master further. Ves instead directed his attention back to the hypermodern lab facilities. Although much of the equipment and machines were hidden, he was sure that this was a great place to conduct all kinds of scientific trials!

Right now, the set up of the laboratory was roughly similar to his own. There was a large control chamber that provided a good overview of the main testing chamber.

As Ves and Master Dervidian approached the transparent windows, they both spotted a prominent organic statue in the far side of the main chamber!

"I see that you have already taken the initiative to bring over my Aspect of Transcendence." Ves said with an annoyed twitch.

The MTA's mastery of teleportation technology was so great that it could take away any material possession at any time without asking first!

"We have taken the initiative to transfer this crucial object to our ship so that we can conduct extensive studies on its properties and its glow." Master Dervidian stated. "Do you mind if we retain possession of it? We need a direct carrier of this glow and I do not believe you wish to surrender the Everchanger and its expert pilot to our care."

"It's… fine." Ves answered while trying to maintain his cool as much as possible. "Feel free to borrow my Aspect of Transcendence as much as you like. I can make similar copies of it in organic and inorganic forms if you would like."

While that might be true, the significance of the Aspect of Transcendence was still great!

It was the original source of this particular glow. Not only that, the organic statue and its three 'brothers' were all special and remarkable because they hadn't rotted away despite the biotechs claiming that they should have decayed shortly after he departed the Life Research Association.

Ves had a strong hunch that any subsequent totems he made would never possess the special qualities of the original four Aspects of Lufa! Each of them were relics in his eyes that had only accumulated more properties as their glows continually affected their half-organic forms.

Still, it was not necessary for him to retain possession of this organic statue. He could reproduce this glow through multiple means, including channeling it directly by asking Lufa to temporarily descend upon himself.

"One is enough." Master Dervidian replied. "More is helpful, but it becomes exponentially harder to preserve their secrecy. In the interest of discretion, both of us should limit the amount of carriers that carry this specific glow at any time."

"I will keep that in mind. I will make sure not to create any additional carriers of this glow unless our studies truly require them." Ves promised.

It was in his best interest not to spread them around too much. The threat they pose to people and by extension the powers that be were too great. Ves would probably be in deep trouble if all of it came out one day!

After a short wait, the mechers conducted the first experiment.

A dozen lab animals ranging from ordinary mice to goats entered the testing chamber. Invisible force fields pushed them closer until they were well within the range of the Aspect of Transcendence.

Nothing happened to them despite exposing them to this dangerous glow for many minutes. Ves knew that there were many glows that were much more harmless that had a more obvious effect on animals!

"The transcendence glow has no effect on ordinary animals." Ves explained. "Non-sentient life and extremely simple life forms do not have the complexity of thought and awareness that can lead them to developing greater ambitions. They might not even have spiritualities that are sensitive towards this glow."

Dervidian nodded in understanding. "We have no reason to doubt you, but we wish to verify this result in person. It appears that you are correct thus far. None of the animals exhibit any unusual reactions."

A force field quickly pushed the animals out of the testing chamber.

Moments later, the next test subjects arrived.

Ves was surprised to see twenty different humans teleporting into the chamber at the same time!

Each of them wore simple, plain pale blue vacsuits that were stamped with serial numbers.

None of them looked too disturbed at being teleported to a different place all of a sudden. Ves believed that this was a regular phenomenon aboard the Paracelsus Optimus.

Although it was logical to move on with human trials, this setup was way too reckless!

"Uh, sir?"

"What is the matter, young man?"

"I think you are moving too quickly by exposing these people to the Aspect of Tranquility without any protection or preparation. Those people are at grave risk!"

"We know."

"You… know?"

"Did you not claim that extended exposure to this Aspect of Tranquility will cause a serious mismatch between different properties that eventually leads to a violent and fatal body reaction?"

"I did…"

"We need to reproduce this reaction and gather as much data as possible to research how and why it happens. We cannot conduct a proper study based on hearsay and thought experiments alone."

A lot of powerful sensor and scanning systems trained their arrays on the twenty hapless people that the battlecarrier had teleported into the testing chamber all of a sudden!

The chosen individuals all looked like a random mix of people with military training. They didn't look like mechers, but they didn't carry themselves like the people that Ves had met ever since he entered the new frontier. He vaguely guessed that half of them were mech pilots.

They didn't look like they had volunteered to take part in this experiment.

In fact, they didn't look like they were aware of what was going on at all! They just looked at each other before staring up at the mysterious life-life angel statue that adopted a hopeful expression while spreading its arms upwards!

Ves' mood grew turbulent as the seconds ticked by. The unwitting test subjects might not know what was going on, but as they became more and more exposed to the Aspect of Transcendence, they began to feel hotter and more excited.

They no longer thought about various matters but instead became lost in their own thoughts as the glow steadily aroused their strongest desires and obsessions!

Ves glanced at the timer. More than 60 seconds had gone by without an incident. The mechers should have teleported the test subjects away if they did not want to make a mess.

Master Dervidian did not issue any instructions. Instead, he kept studying the projected data panels that each displayed the detailed life signs of all twenty individuals that continued to be bathed in Lufa's glory!

"The timer is nearing eighty seconds." Ves couldn't help but say as his throat grew drier. "I truly advise you not to expose these people to the Aspect of Transcendence any longer. Their lives are at stake!"

None of the mechers reacted to his words. They carried on with what they were doing even as the timer reached 85 seconds!

Ves grew tense as he expected a bunch of red explosions to take place at any time!

Surprisingly enough, nothing happened after the timer reached 90 seconds!

Even though the sensor readings showed that all of the test subjects were exhibiting increasingly stronger reactions, they remarkably held out where many other people would have succumbed at this time.

The quality of the MTA's test subjects is significantly higher than his own!

However, no matter how superior they were, they could not hold out their own demise for too long!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Dull explosions happened down below on a rapid and continuous basis. Ves closed his eyes and turned away as he lamented the senseless deaths of so many high-quality test subjects.

As soon as the series of explosions ended, Ves opened his eyes again and carefully gazed at the place where the exposed individuals once stood.

It did not surprise him that there weren't any messes at all. The MTA possessed much more sophisticated methods to clean up the bloody bits of exploded flesh and bone.

What surprised him was that one of the mech pilots actually survived the experience!

Even without piloting a mech, the surviving man exploded in power as his willpower became condensed!

"Interesting." Master Dervidian looked intrigued as he called up a few additional data panels to study the sole survivor's condition. "One of our participants actually broke through under these unfavorable circumstances. Mr. Jacques, please transfer him back to a secure containment cell so that he can undergo a medical examination."

"On it, sir."

Ves was speechless.

How could the MTA be so cruel and callous to violate medical ethics and use humans as disposable guinea pigs?

Master Dervidian seemed to pick up on Ves' discomfort. The older man turned around and gave a reassuring smile.

"Are you concerned about the individuals we have selected for this trial? Fear not. They are not worthy to stay alive. They are all first-raters that have entered the Red Ocean only to abuse their power against the pioneers in Krakatoa such as yourself. They are criminals that have been judged guilty and have forfeited their human rights. Their consent or wishes no longer matter. We consider it a form of waste utilization. By donating themselves to science, they can at least make up for their sins and contribute to the advancement of humankind."

"..."

"Many of our research vessels tend to hold a few hundred prisoners in their holding cells at all times." Master Dervidian continued without batting an eye. "Whenever we wish to conduct risky research where the participation of humans is desirable, we bring our any prisoners we have on hand. Convenient, is it not? Personally speaking, I have a habit of going through my stock far too quickly, so I must put in additional effort to acquire larger batches. Our ship currently holds 1256 more prisoners, so we can conduct many additional trials before we need to restock. That should be enough for us to gain a much more thorough understanding of your transcendence glow. Don't you agree?"

"..."

Ves finally realized why the Big Two propagated a rule that stated that pirates and violators of any taboos lost their human rights.

The main purpose of this rule turned out to be different from what he imagined.

It wasn't about deterring humans from going bad.

Instead, the mechers wanted to create a justifiable excuse to subject human criminals to wildly immoral and unethical experiments!