The Mech Touch



When Venerable Zimro Belson entered the workshop in the company of Calabast, his mood became emotional.

After a long wait, it was finally his turn to obtain a powerful expert mech.

He had already taken a few glimpses of the completed Dullahan Project. The quasi-first-class expert mech bonded to Venerable Jannzi exuded so much power and might that Zimro developed even higher expectations towards his upcoming machine than before!

It didn't matter that the Ghost Project was not as good in frontal combat as the Dullahan Project.

It also didn't matter that he was still a relatively fresh low-tier expert pilot.

The LMC's Design Department developed an impressive record for designing unique and highly effective expert mechs!

Compared to the initial version of the Dark Zephyr that came out first, the Ghost Project benefited from a lot more accumulation!

All of the lessons that Ves and his fellow mech designers learned over the course of designing so many other high-end expert mechs had elevated the design standards of the expert stealth mech to a greater height.

Combined with the use of lots of high-end materials and the best tech that the Larkinson Clan could obtain, the Ghost Project was bound to become a powerful unit regardless of its most defining features!

Thinking about how much he struggled and suffered in the past made Zimro feel as if he finally overcame the shadows of his past.

"Are you ready, Zimro?" Calabast quietly asked.

"I am." The expert pilot whispered back. "I have been briefed on my role for this fabrication run. Jannzi and the other expert pilots already told me what to expect."

"Do not assume that everything will proceed as they have in the past." The spymaster warned. "Ves managed to become a Senior. The Geist System is also unlike anything our clan has ever worked with before. This will be a groundbreaking experience for all of us. A surprise is definitely in store for all of us, Zimro."

"Is that what you have concluded based on your analysis?"

Calabast chuckled and shook her head. "Not exactly. I formed this conclusion purely based on my belief in Ves."

"Isn't that contradictory behavior?"

"I do not need to spend my time on conducting a redundant analysis when the pattern that Ves has set has never been broken. Whenever he engages in his primary work and passion, he can continually pump out one miracle after another. He will not stop doing so unless he is being hindered. Others may suspect that he will stagnate or run out of steam after a time like most aging geniuses, but he is different."

Her eyes glinted with a special awareness that everyone else in the Larkinson Clan lacked.

As an intelligence operative who had once been exiled to the Nyxian Gap, Venerable Zimro easily figured out the multiple layers of meaning behind his immediate superior's words.

"The patriarch…"

"I do not doubt your loyalty and commitment, but it is difficult to imagine what will happen in the future." Calabast calmly spoke. "Ves has suffered betrayal throughout his entire life. He yearns to surround himself with people who are absolutely trustworthy and loyal to him and him only. Although my Black Cats and I have worked hard to prevent him from getting betrayed, this is an inevitability in the game of power and politics. As his rivals and enemies grow stronger and more unfathomable, the role that a pure intelligence network can play becomes increasingly more limited."

Venerable Zimro's expression turned serious. "I can make a difference as long as I obtain my new expert mech. The others won't regard us as useless anymore."

"The opinions of average clansmen do not concern us." Calabast shook her head. "They do not know the extent of how many potential threats and risk factors we have managed to neutralize over the years. What truly matters is whether we enjoy Ves' trust. Now that you are about to come into power, it is imperative that you completely show yourself that you are worthy of his trust. If there is anyone you wish to pledge yourself to for the rest of your life, it is Ves."

"I am already a Larkinson, ma'am. I have served him since the Xona Stalkers and I have entered the clan and shall continue to do so until my dying breath."

"That may be true, but there are still differences between serving me, serving the clan and serving Ves. You are not as oafish as Venerable Rosa Orfan or Venerable Vincent Ricklin. Think of what may come to pass in the coming years or decades. The clan is constantly growing larger, but it has also become a beast that has become increasingly harder to control. What happened with General Ark Larkinson is only a prelude to what is to come."

This caused Venerable Zimro to frown. "I am not like the others who pursue their own ideals. I have never forgotten who I should be grateful to. The patriarch shall never have any cause to doubt my loyalty."

"That is not enough. You need to move past generalities and make a serious personal commitment. Think of what it means to the Larkinson Clan to obtain a powerful quasi-first-class expert stealth mech. Its technical specifications are already dazzling. It can function as a powerful surprise attacker on the battlefield, but its true value lies in its ability to infiltrate, sabotage or neutralize a target outside of combat circumstances."

That was a truth that Zimro knew well. "I may not have piloted the Ghost Project, but I have prepared extensively by undergoing intensive simulation training. As long as I have gained enough proficiency in my new expert mech, I will be able to execute such missions without problem."

"That sounds fantastic, but that is not the extent of what Ves needs. He needs a hidden blade by his side that he can always trust to fulfill his demands. Due to the threat that you and your next expert mech poses to any adversary, it is imperative that you make it clear that you will never turn your edge against the creator of your own mech. If you cannot bring yourself to make this personal pledge, then the patriarch will always have to remain on guard against you. This will not be conducive to your future development."

The two stopped a distance away from the mech designers as they talked about their upcoming fabrication run.

The patriarch clearly occupied the center of attention. Even if he never took any formal leadership classes, his passion and his desire to realize his vision caused him to become one of the most compelling mech designers that many people have ever met in their lives.

If an expert pilot such as Zimro had to make a choice about which mech designer he would serve unflinchingly, he would not pick Master Benedict Cortez even though he was clearly the most powerful mech designer in the room.

The only one who could inspire him like no other mech designer was the Larkinson Patriarch!

It did not seem like a big deal for Zimro to pledge his loyalty to Ves above all else. He was more than willing to do so considering all the mech designer had done for him and his fellow comrades back when they were mixing up with pirates in the Nyxian Gap.

Yet… it sounded as if this matter was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

The expert pilot turned towards his superior and looked her directly in the eyes. "What are you truly trying to convey, ma'am?"

Calabast gave him a deep smile. "Think about the worst that Ves may order you to do one day. If he commands you to sneak onto a planet and kill all of the inhabitants of a city, will you execute your mission without fail?"

"That…"

"If he commands you to undertake a suicidal mission such as assassinating a senior Terran or Rubarthan official, will you set off with the determination to succeed or die trying?"

"If he orders you to turn your powers against your own clansmen and assassinate Commander Melkor Larkinson, will you do so without flinching?"

"If he ever separates himself from the Larkinson Clan and goes his own way, will you leave all of your friends and family behind and continue to accompany him into darkness?"

These were incredibly difficult scenarios that could make anyone pause!

Zimro was no exception. As a mech pilot serving in the Black Cats, he was not as naive as most other expert pilots.

However, that did not mean he was accustomed to thinking in such extremes!

"...I see what you mean, Director Calabast."

"What is your answer, Zimro?"

The expert pilot took a deep breath before he firmed his resolve. "If the patriarch requires a tool that can cut whatever he deems necessary, then I shall be that weapon. No matter what may happen in the future, I shall follow him whether he becomes a saint or a devil. I shall serve his interests above the clan and anyone else's including my own. Is this… what you wanted to hear, ma'am?"

Calabast nodded in satisfaction. "It is. I apologize for bringing this ultimatum to you on short notice, but I needed you to make a decision on the spot just before your mind connects to his design network. Your sincerity will be greater and your mind will not be distracted by second thoughts."

"I… understand."

"Now go to him. Open yourself up and demonstrate your commitment to him. While I cannot say whether he will lead you to paradise or damnation in the future, I hope you will not regret your decision."

When Venerable Zimro approached the circle of mech designers, Ves noticed the pilot's approach and offered a friendly greeting.

"Good morning. You have come at the right time. We are just about to start. I am sure that you have already been briefed on what you need to do. In order to ensure the Ghost Project fits your piloting style to the best possible extent, you must take the initiative to think about your past experiences in the cockpit. We may not be able to replicate the same feel, but we should be able to make your future piloting sessions a little more familiar and comfortable."

Zimro did not quite understand how all of this worked, but he simply nodded. "Understood."

Ves leaned forward. "The Ghost Project will be an incredibly challenging mech to pilot for a fresh low-tier expert pilot. It is more powerful than it ought to be. The burden that it may impose on you may be beyond our imagination. The Geist System alone is a huge unknown, but if my suspicions are correct, you will definitely struggle to control its fiends."

That did not sound good. "Is there anything I can do, sir?"

"I have a theory that as long as the Ghost Project becomes a third-order living mech, it can help you ease the burden by a substantial margin. It may even assume the responsibility for directing and controlling the fiends of the Geist System. I will endeavor to turn your upcoming machine into a powerful living mech. After my recent advancement to Senior, I already have a few ideas that might help with this. You may not need to do anything, but who knows whether I will come up with a new solution."

"I shall endeavor to cooperate with you as best as possible if you require my services."

"Good. This will be fun. The Ghost Project shall become available to you in five days. This I can promise."

The patriarch continued to chat about one aspect after another. The Ghost Project contained so much depth that Ves could talk endlessly about his hopes and expectations for his first true expert stealth mech.

Soon enough, everyone got ready to start. Ves' eyes became increasingly brighter as he dramatically raised the glowing Hammer of Brilliance.

"Start!"