The Mech Touch

Though Jovy firmly grasped the initiative in the first half hour, he no longer held it after Ves launched his counterattack!

"I wasn't born in the MTA." Ves started. "I didn't go to the best schools. While I gained some opportunities that boosted my career, I had to work harder and take more risks than you in order to catch up with the likes of you. While I acknowledge that you are likely far ahead of me in terms of knowledge and ability to design more advanced mechs, I believe I am ahead of you in at least one important criteria."

"And what is that?" Jovy frowned.

"Impact. My mechs are piloted by millions of people. In fact, my actual impact is far greater. The contributions I've made in the Sand War and the Komodo War have affected the lives of trillions of people. Even now, my mechs are so desirable that my mech company is starting to sell them in adjacent star sectors. Have you ever helped so many people with your mechs?"

"You can't compare something like that with me, Ves." Jovy grew even more severe. "Mechers such as myself aren't allowed to interact with the native population. If we did, native mech designers such as you would have been crowded out of the market. While I cannot come close to matching your sales, my mechs did make a difference. Due to the limitations of my specialty, I work best with small batches of mechs. Venues such as Design World offer me an opportunity to practice and polish my craft more often."

Ves shrugged. "I'm sorry to hear that MTA mech designers like you are confined within your golden cages. That doesn't change my point. Instead of getting comfortable with a false reality like Design World, you should head to the limits of your cage and seek to translate the knowledge you've learned and the skills you've developed into products that actually matter. When real mech pilots entrust their lives to your work, then you don't have much margin for error. This is especially the case when you put your life on the line as well!"

As Jovy took in the words, he became less and less staunch about Design World. It was clear that he was a very big fan of the virtual setting. This made it more difficult for him to see it in a negative light.

Yet when Jovy reflected on what he did during the time when Ves and his clansmen ventured into a hazardous region like the Nyxian Gap, he realized he hadn't done anything exceptional.

Aside from studying, designing practice mechs, hanging out with his fellow peers and so on, his life as a mech designer was much more bland.

A part of him began to yearn to live a life as exciting as Ves. It was worth it to take a few risks in order to experience what lay beyond the peaceful and ultra-secure Centerpoint System.

It was just that he wasn't allowed to. Mech designers with valuable and strategic specialties like him needed to ask for permission whenever they wanted to go out. This time he only managed to get out because Master Willix personally requested him to accompany her on a quick journey.

When Jovy processed his feelings, he slumped a bit. "I never imagined that a native mech designer from a poor little star sector would make me feel inadequate. I shouldn't feel this way."

"Why not?"

"I have designed several mechs that are strong enough to defeat your entire Larkinson Clan by themselves. In the future, I will definitely become one of the mainstays of the MTA and design mechs that affect the very course of human history. While you have made amazing gains, there is no guarantee that you will be able to sustain your success. Without reaching Master, your work will always be confined."

Ves confidently maintained his smile. "Even if that's the case, my work still has meaning. A good mech designer doesn't necessarily have to be a Master Mech Designer or Star Designer. The mechs I've designed up until now have already changed many people's lives for the better. Even if I can reach a thousand times more people in virtual reality, I would still not change my mind."

An uneasy silence fell over the lounge as Jovy became too deflated to respond. He was no longer able to feel proud of his accomplishments. Winning prizes, meeting the expectations of his teachers and engaging in thrilling design duels all sounded trivial to the very real impact that Ves managed to accomplish as a Journeyman.

Was Jovy truly better off in the MTA? Certainly, but that did not stop him from wondering how he would fare if he was free to do what he wanted.

Perhaps he should spend less time in Design World and more time on pursuing missions that would allow him to see the galaxy more. While he wasn't allowed to accept missions that would take him to dangerous regions such as the Nyxian Gap, there were plenty of other assignments that would expose him to the galaxy outside MTA-controlled star systems.

As Ves reveled in his little verbal victory, a third voice spoke up without warning.

"Mr. Armalon, don't compare yourself to Mr. Larkinson. Both of you are excellent mech designers for your age. Both of you have the potential to design mechs that can impact humanity as a whole. The Journeyman stage is just the first step of becoming an actual mech designer. Wait until you reach Master before you judge yourself."

"Master Willix!"

Ves didn't expect her to show up at this time!

Jovy on the other hand regained some of optimism. "Ah, thank you, ma'am. I understand my position. My time has not yet come."

With just a couple of sentences, Master Willix managed to straighten Jovy out again. She possessed so much authority that her words were much more compelling than that of Ves.

The Master did not look pleased when she turned to her guest.

"Mr. Larkinson, please head to my lab. I am ready to meet you now."

"I thought you were preoccupied with your duties." Ves questioned.

"I freed up my schedule. Please make your way to my lab."

Her projection disappeared. Instead, a faint line came into view that led out of the lounge compartment. That must be his route.

"You've heard her, Ves. You shouldn't keep her waiting."

Damn. Ves didn't really look forward to talking to Master Willix. Perhaps he shot himself in the foot when he argued with Jovy.

"Very well. I'll be leaving now. It was nice meeting you. I hope you'll have some accomplishments under your belt the next time we meet."

"I'll definitely complete some missions!"

When Ves left the compartment, he continued to follow the line as it reached deeper into the bowels of the ship. He refrained from activating his spiritual eye to spy into the other parts of the vessel. He didn't understand most of the technology and it would only scare him further when he observed all of the hidden ways the Ubiquitous Force took care of hostile intruders.

After descending a few decks, Ves eventually reached a guarded hatch. Two heavily-armed guards inspected him thoroughly before allowing him entry.

As he did so, he entered a brightly-lit lab that was filled with numerous advanced lab equipment.

Though each of them looked sleek and advanced beyond his wildest dreams, he wasn't actually able to distinguish their functions. So much of it was far beyond him that the white machines might as well belong to the gods!

When Ves entered the bright and sterile compartment, Master Willix turned around on her chair and gestured to him to sit next to her. "Come. We are long overdue for a talk."

Like a war criminal who was about to meet his execution, Ves reluctantly stepped forward until he sat down on the chair facing the MTA Master.

She peered down on him as if he was a naughty boy. "I do not approve of your handling of Jovy. He is an excellent mech designer, just like you. There is no need to put him down."

Ves shrugged. "I thought the MTA advocated that mech designers should be tough and shrewd enough to achieve success in the galaxy. Since the MTA is so great, why is Jovy so inexperienced? The mech industry will eat him alive if he tries to compete with them without your Association's backing!"

"The two of you are suited for different roles. Mr. Armalon possesses a unique insight in probabilities. This is useful in many ways that I will not go into today."

"What will we be addressing today, then?"

"Don't play ignorant. You know why you are here." Master Willix waved her hand, causing a strong interference field to envelop the two of them. "It's safe for you to talk now. I can guarantee that no one else is listening in. All forms of spying, monitoring and eavesdropping should no longer work either."

Ves didn't buy into her explanation. He was sure the MTA developed a lot of ways to defeat interference fields.

Noticing his doubts, Master Willix expressed a bit of annoyance. "You are not making a good impression, Mr Larkinson. Are you still interested in gaining my cooperation?"

"I am! I just want to be sure that I'm only speaking to you. I don't want to talk to people who don't understand me that well."

"I built this ship. I personally fabricated every single nut, plate, component that keeps my Ubiquitous Force together. I have precise control over the vessel."

"Very well…"

Master Willix let out an exasperated sigh. "Let us move on to where we previously left off. If I recall, you wish to enter into an agreement with me that calls for collaborating on some expert mech design projects. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Ves nodded.

The intensity that was buried within her mind blazed a little further as she sharpened his eyes at him. "It sounds as if you will gain most of the benefits. Having a Master such as myself facilitate the development of your expert mech is worth millions of merits. Perhaps I should deduct some of the rewards that you are due. Does this sound fair to you, Mr. Larkinson?"

"No!" Ves strongly pushed back. "I earned those merits fair and square. What impression would your organization leave behind when you unilaterally deprive me of the reward that I deserve? I'm afraid less people in the galaxy reduce their trust in the Association."

"We are talking about a separate matter."

"Then let us keep it separate! Don't touch my merits!"

She smiled a bit. "Let's leave this discussion for later, then. Now, don't stall any further. I want a straight answer out of you. Are you able to help mech pilots advance in rank?"

The fateful question had come. Ves had come up with multiple ways on how to answer this direct query, but he wasn't sure which one he should choose.

"Before you begin to blabber about faith and proto-gods, please don't insult my intelligence. Miss Wodin may be sincere in her beliefs, but you are different. I have met politicians and diplomats who have mastered the art of deception to a much greater degree than you ever will."

Ves couldn't help but grow sour. He hoped that she would continue to abide by the unspoken accord between them, but evidently she ran out of patience. He could no longer slip away from this predicament by putting on his crazy hat.

"Okay. I admit it. I have been engaging in some highly experimental research that may or may not improve a mech pilot's chances of advancing to a higher rank. Now, let me tell you that my results are anything but certain. During the battle we fought against the Allidus Alliance, there were many factors in play that could have led to so many of my men breaking through. I cannot determine at this time that my work played a decisive role."

Master Willix stared at him with calm and measuring eyes.

"You lie."

Damn!