The Mech Touch

As shipbuilders, the Murphies should easily be able to make a ball that frustrated any attempt at trying to peer what was inside.

It was too bad that Murphy & Sons was originally a second-class shipbuilding company from the galactic rim. The company's grasp on technology was far from excellent.

This was why Ves specifically insisted that Lucky had to be present in the meetings with Murphy & Sons. His cat was one of the best and most covert spying tools at his disposal.

"Meow." Lucky rolled his eyes at Ves before flicking his tail upwards and to the left.

Ves nonchalantly turned forward again and sped his pace a bit. Before Tyana's delicate hand could grab onto the ball that was situated to the left and forward side of the bowl, his own arm rudely knocked it aside and claimed it for himself!

The woman glared at him, not that it mattered. He would never let go even if she tried to pry his fingers from the ball he was gripping. He even took the time to give her a toothy grin.

"Please open your balls."

There was a small button on the object. When pressed, the balls automatically parted in half, revealing the numbers marked on the insides.

The number 3 was clearly painted on Ves' ball.

"The order is set. Redfield Security shall go first. ZZR Manufacturing shall speak next. The Larkinson Clan shall have the honor of going last."

Ves smirked even as the others briefly sent odd glances in his direction.

It didn't matter if the Murphies and the others suspected foul play.

In fact, he guessed that there was a distinct reason why the Murphies decided to draw lots by using such a specific method.

If the shipbuilders really wanted to determine an order, then they could have just used a virtual dice rolling program on a comm.

Why should they go out of their way to design and fabricate balls made of expensive sensor-blocking materials and technology?

The only answer that made sense was that the Murphies wanted to test the responses of the bidders.

Being able to detect and claim the winning ball was a sign of competence. It was also a sign that the Larkinsons were willing to cross certain lines in order to attain their goals.

Whether this was good or bad in the eyes of the Murphy Family, Ves wasn't sure. Gelly Murphy and her fellow family members all looked as if they were judges in a talent contest. Everything was under their control and their decisions today could change the futures of several organizations.

Now that the speaking order became clear, Horace Redfield stepped towards the center.

Even though he had lost out the most this time, the mercenary leader still swaggered forward with an abundance of confidence.

As a mech officer who experienced plenty of combat, he faced plenty of adversity and difficulties throughout his career. A single setback wasn't enough to affect his optimism. So long as he still had a fighting chance, there was always a way to achieve victory!

The 80-year old retired mech pilot stood with an impeccably straight back as he faced the leaders of the Murphy Family.

"How many of you will remain alive in ten years?" He asked.

That threw everyone off-guard a bit. His opening statement was anything but normal.

"I am being serious. Think about it. How many members of the Murphy Family will still be there after a decade? Don't think that there is no way for your lives to be at risk so long as you hole up in the Davute System. None of the major alien races of the Red Ocean are easy to deal with. Each of them require a lot of effort from the Big Two's warfleet in order to push back. What if one of their errant warships sneaks past the frontlines and launches a devastating assault on this star system? The nunsers and puelmers don't care about our rules. They will bring their warships right on top of Davute V and Davute VII and proceed to use their warship-grade weapons to wreak devastation."

An attack like this was unthinkable in the Milky Way, but it had already happened numerous times in the Red Ocean. Even if the ships that launched suicidal attacks on human settlements rarely got away with their actions, that didn't provide much consolation to the people who invested their lives and assets in the places that got hit!

"While it is true that Redfield Security cannot match against the alien warships, that may change once we grow stronger. In the meantime, out of all of us here, only my troops can offer the greatest degree of protection to your people and assets. You have already suffered losses due to neglecting security in the past. I urge you not to make the same mistake twice. The Red Ocean is still a shark tank. If you continue to focus on expanding your business operations while showing little concern about the need to protect your prosperity, you will only fatten yourself up. As long as even a single organization breaks the rules that you use as your shield, you will have no other recourse but to offer yourselves up as prey."

Horace Redfield's speech precisely targeted the weakest part of Murphy & Sons. As a pure commercial enterprise, the company never invested too much in its own security operations.

This was not a big deal if it remained in a stable, well-run state where the government could be trusted upon to defend its industries.

However, the CEO of Redfield Security gave the Murphies a clear reminder that they should no longer maintain the same delusions they once held in the old galaxy.

"The basis of human supremacy has always rested on our civilization's superiority in waging war. The same goes for individual human states. Do you think the Terran Confederation and the Rubarth Empire are both respected for their advanced technology and their impressive cultures? Force of arms is the number one guarantee for survival. As long as you have weapons and soldiers, you will always be more secure than those without either of them. Make the right decision. Let us become your shield and we shall put our lives on the line to keep Murphy & Sons intact. Redfield Security is willing to commit to an alliance for a hundred years or more. That way, you will never have to concern yourself about securing your lives and property again."

His message was simple and clear, but his words truly struck a chord with the Murphy Family. Their previous suffering made them a lot more sensitive to guarantees of safety. Redfield Security played into that by promising that the Murphies would never have to experience these traumas and difficulties again.

Horace Redfield continued to speak for a couple of minutes more. He promised to transfer 20,000 MTA credits to Murphy & Sons as a gift as soon as they made their contract official.

Gelly Murphy and a couple of other family members looked especially keen when they heard this last concession. They could do a lot with that money! The fact that it came with no expectations of paying the sum back was an enormous boon!

Once Horace Redfield retreated and returned to his seat, the time had come for the second speaker to make her case.

Tyana Delcrost still maintained her confidence, but she had softened her arrogant demeanor. She bowed in front of the panel of Murphies.

"Mr. Horace Redfield here has made a compelling case, but no matter how much he dresses up his own people, it does not change the fact that they are mercenaries. If you want to obtain protection, there is no need to sign a long-term agreement with ruffians. Think about what will happen after that. Your shipyard and your people will all be surrounded by armed mechs and guards. This is fine if they answer to you, but a latent danger if they answer to someone else! If there comes a day where you ever make a decision that goes against the interests of Redfield Security, will you truly remain safe?"

This was an insidious insinuation!

Horace Redfield stood up in order to make an objection, but no sound escaped from his mouth. It turned out that the Murphies had configured the meeting chamber to dampen anyone else's voice except for the designated speaker.

Tyana Delcrost smirked at the irate mercenary leader. "Dogs should know their place, not try to supplant their masters. One mercenary company is the same as another mercenary company. Davute isn't short of muscle heads who fight for fortune. If you want to bolster your defenses, then you can pick from one of many available outfits that are looking for employment in this star system. There is no good reason to value the protection that Redfield can offer over that of any other mercenary company."

Ves almost winced when Tyana undermined the position of the Redfields. She directly attacked Horace Redfield's attempt to paint his mercenary company in a better light. By pulling the Redfields down to the level of other mercenaries, much of the argument for partnering up with them went up in smoke.

"I also understand the other choice that you are contemplating." Tyana said as she gestured towards the Larkinson delegation. "Joining a trade consortium and forming tentative cooperations with its members may sound attractive if you want to maintain your independence and freedom of movement, but how much help can this rabble truly provide? No one in this trade consortium is large and powerful enough to speak to the major companies operating in Davute on an equal level. There are no guarantees whether a trade consortium with no history and no reputation will be able to open any new doors either. Be realistic. Don't let yourselves be mesmerized by the wild and overblown promises that they can never deliver upon."

Ves frowned. Though her attack against the Larkinsons was a bit less sharp, it weakened one of the arguments he intended to rely upon to make his case.

Now that Tyana addressed her competitors, it was time for her to show why her offer was different.

"Compared to the other organizations that have attended this meeting, ZZR Industries is the only one that is already rooted in the local economy and supply structure. We have already forged strong ties with several suppliers that can provide enough raw materials to sustain our industrial production and more. We can immediately introduce you to them once we partner with each other, thereby circumventing any blocks and difficulties that have prevented you from approaching them beforehand. We are also ready to provide you with enough money needed to procure the goods needed to repair your shipyard."

This was a much more practical solution. Tyana's offer provided the Murphies with the most direct solution to its immediate problems. ZZR Industries did not just offer money, but also direct access to material suppliers which the other bidders simply couldn't match!

Other concerns such as security were much less acute at the moment. The chances of enemy aliens attacking Davute in the coming weeks was fairly low, so there was little reason for Murphy & Sons to prioritize security right away.

"Each of you are engaged in a business, so it should be clear to you all that joining forces with an industrial company like ours can be incredibly lucrative." Tyana stated. "ZZR Industries will always treat Murphy & Sons as its highest customer. We will do our best to produce the ship parts that meet your people's exact demands and we will even seek to implement specific upgrades so that we can produce stronger and more complex technological components that you demand. This is different from an ordinary relationship with a parts supplier. Without a long-term partnership, a manufacturer will invest so many funds to upgrade its production capabilities just to meet your individual needs. We are different. As long as we become your exclusive supplier, we shall always attune our production to your own shipbuilding activities."

This was a highly practical and lucrative concession from ZZR Industries. Murphy's shipbuilding crews would have a much easier time constructing their ships if they could readily obtain high-quality ship parts that precisely met their requirements!