The Mech Touch

"Grandma!"

"Granny!"

This was the first time Madame Constance Wodin met her grandchildren. Five little munchkins of varying sizes and personalities ran up to the woman that they had always known that she was family but never met in reality.

Though Gloriana's mother had hugged and talked to her growing number of grandkids plenty of times with the help of virtual reality and physical projections, they were no substitute to being able to meet with loved ones in reality.

The warmth, love and physical affection of being able to touch and kiss one's blood relatives instantly warmed everyone's hearts.

Even the stiffest high-ranking Hexers couldn't help but melt into a puddle at this sight!

There was no shortage of high-ranking dignitaries present in this expansive hexagon-shaped palace courtyard.

After a long journey through space, the Golden Skull Alliance had finally reached its first pitstop.

The New Scimitar System was the first destination that Ves wanted to visit. This booming colony was not only the place where the Glory Seekers planned to pick up the Vengeance of the Hegemony, but also the site where Ves and the rest of his little family could meet with his in-laws!

Ves met a lot of familiar Hexers shortly after his escorted shuttle landed on the ground.

Amarintha Wodin, the first daughter of Constance Wodin, and Kellandra Wodin, the second daughter of Constance Wodin, both led the civil and military delegations of their dynasty.

Along with a large procession of Wodin Warrior mechs and soldiers in uniform, the reception that the Wodins had prepared for their honored guests and family was especially grand!

Of course, his kids did not notice this in the slightest. They just saw their grandmother along with two of their aunties and happily ran up to them to receive kisses and to babble about all kinds of nonsense.

Gloriana, who wore an elaborate blue dress for this occasion, smiled when she saw that her offspring were already enjoying their time on New Scimitar IV.

"Don't you see, my dear? Our kids will love it here. There is family everywhere and their grandmother will never treat them wrong. The New Scimitar System is completely safe. Why not reconsider your decision and leave a part of our fleet behind?"

Ves twitched his mouth. He already expected his wife to revisit this topic numerous times since the expeditionary fleet arrived in this star system.

There was no way he was going to leave Aurelia, Andraste and Marvaine on a planet filled with Hexers!

It was already bad enough that he agreed to stop by here for three whole days.

Ves could not imagine how much all of his children would stray from their identities as scions of the Larkinson Clan if they got immersed in the culture of the Hexer people for at least an entire month!

He might not even be able to recognize his own kids anymore when he got back!

His heart grew firm as his protective tendencies towards his children drove him to stick to his chosen course. "We've already discussed this. I am not changing my decision."

"Why not?! Don't you see, Ves? This is paradise for us! The New Scimitar System is completely in the hands of our Wodin Dynasty. No enemies will possibly be able to do anything to our children. They are far safer here when they are under the watchful eyes of their grandmother and aunties than in the middle of a fleet that is just about to barge into the most important strongholds of the Gauge Dynasty!"

"I'm not changing my mind, Gloriana!"

A few minutes passed before the entire procession was ready to proceed to Crescent Palace, the seat of power of the Wodin Dynasty and the main residence of the most prominent Wodins.

Since Gloriana couldn't get her husband to agree with her suggestion, she took refuge in her brother who was leading his own two children along.

"Do you think it would be great if Wexel and Terina get to stay with their grandmother and aunties for a while?"

"I don't know, sister." Venerable Brutus said in a subdued tone. "Personally, I am not opposed to it, but it is best not to make a split decision. Besides, I do think it is more reassuring to be able to remain close enough to them. I can take action whenever someone threatens my son and daughter."

Legion Commander Sendra, who was walking beside him, nodded in agreement.

"I don't care what you feel, Brutus. I am not letting my kids behind in this Hexer paradise. I like it better if I can keep my distance from your old family. The only reason I agreed to bring our son and daughter down here is because they should meet their grandmother at least once in their lifetimes."

Wexel Larkinson and Terina Larkinson did not understand the disagreements between their parents. They just loved it here. Everyone around them was family and eagerly wished to entertain them. They also looked forward to getting introduced to their cousins!

Soon enough, the procession entered the Crescent Palace and entered a banquet where they could all enjoy the finest delicacies of Hexer cuisine.

Plenty of Larkinsons and Hexers tentatively mingled with each other. Though the differences in their cultures prevented them from growing too close to each other, the friendship and mutual support between the two groups meant that they soon found ways to get along.

The Larkinson kids were already having a good time with their cousins. All of the kids around the same age had been seated at the same table, allowing the visiting ones to talk and befriend their local counterparts without too much interference.

Naturally, Aurelia already showed a trend of leading the conversation. Though she was still young, her natural talents along with Gloriana's education allowed the first daughter to develop a confident demeanor that already showed hints of promise.

As Ves began to partake in a hearty soup, he did not miss the intense looks that many Wodin women directed towards his eldest offspring.

It appeared that he underestimated the significance of Aurelia to his in-laws!

The way they gazed at her made it seem as if they were looking at a crown princess rather than just a relative!

Madame Constance's face couldn't help but bloom into a proud and satisfied smile.

"You have raised her well, my daughter." She spoke in her naturally-commanding tone of voice. "I had my concerns about how well you are able to instill the necessary qualities of leadership and domination to your heir. You are my lastborn daughter after all, and I have raised you in a different way. I am glad to see that you still hold true to your Hexer roots even though you are residing with the Larkinsons these days."

Gloriana preened with pride as she basked in the praise of her mother.

"I know my responsibilities, mother. You have taught me well and I have received plenty of advice and lessons. Don't worry. By the time Aurelia has grown into a big girl, she will be fully capable of leading the Larkinson Clan no matter how much it has scaled up in the future."

Amarintha Wodin, Gloriana's oldest sister, looked fondly at Aurelia as well.

"Aurelia reminds me of myself when I was her age. I agree with our mother. You have done well, little sister. The Larkinson Clan will be in good hands once she has come of age and learned how to govern a state. You should send her to one of the universities that we have recently built. We have picked up some of the best professors during our evacuation from the Komodo Star Sector. Many talented professionals have taken refuge with us, as we are the dynasty that is closest to the Superior Mother and her son."

Gloriana continued to talk about Aurelia with Constance and Amarintha as if Ves was not sitting next to them. It was as if his opinion about Aurelia was completely irrelevant.

Though Ves strenuously objected to any of the suggestions that they were making, he felt it was undesirable to speak out at this time.

The banquet had proceeded pleasantly so far and he did not want to cause any friction in this family occasion.

Besides, talking did not equate to action. His children ultimately belonged to the Larkinson Clan, and he held a huge amount of sway over there. There was no chance that any of his children would follow a course of action that benefited the Wodins and the Hexers more than the Larkinsons!

Ves simply decided to endure it all and hope that he could leave this all behind once this three-day visit came to an end.

Not all of the discussions taking place in the banquet hall centered around nonsense.

While Ves found it pointless to talk about anything sensible with Constance and Amarintha Wodin, he found it much more pleasant to exchange with Colonel Kellandra Wodin.

In accordance with Hexer tradition, the second-born daughter of a prominent Hexer family almost always dedicated herself to martial or military pursuits.

Kellandra played the same role as Andraste. The former paid a lot of attention to the latter for that reason.

"Her tenth birthday is an important event." She spoke in a quiet voice. "I am not certain how much you have imparted to your second-born, but you should be careful to manage her expectations. When I reached this stage in my life, I managed to pursue the career in my dreams. I do not know how ashamed I would feel if I did not possess the right genetic aptitude. My mother already held high expectations towards me at that period. She believed it was my fate to become a mech pilot and mech officer, but I think it is mostly down to random chance and providence that my genetic aptitude was satisfactory."

Ves grimaced. "You're right. It is unreasonable for me to plan out Andraste's future life and career in advance when she is just a toddler at this moment. It's just that we had to make a choice when my wife and I decided to formulate our second designer baby."

"I envy you sometimes, Ves." Kellandra quietly admitted. "Your birth is much lower than mine, but your accomplishments far surpasses anything our entire dynasty achieved since its existence. Certainly we are larger and have more people, but none of us has ever reached the point where we can directly influence the rise and fall of the Hexer people. Though your crucial mech designs hasn't allowed us to save us from being driven out of the Komodo Star Sector, they have kept us strong and united through these trying times."

While Ves found it enjoyable to receive praise from other dignitaries, he wasn't stupid. He turned to Kellandra with a piercing glance.

"You don't need to pump me up. Just tell me what you want."

Colonel Kellandra Wodin helplessly smiled. "Well, since you ask, then let me be frank. We have committed a mech division of the Wodin Warriors to Operation Saturday Market. I do not wish to impose too much on you and your clan, but if possible, I would ask you to keep an eye on our soldiers and offer support if possible. Do not let them suffer too much torment from the Fridaymen. The more our soldiers return alive, the better and more secure our development."

"Hmm…" Ves paused for a moment. "That is not a light request, colonel. Our Larkinson mech pilots have an obligation to protect their clansmen most of all. If our clan is under great threat, they cannot spare any attention to any other considerations. Even if they are free enough to cover your Wodin Warriors, you are adding a significant burden on their shoulders. Can't you Hexers take care of yourselves? Your Wodin Warriors should have fought in the Komodo War."

"Not as much as you think. They are well-equipped but still relatively green compared to the core of the Hex Army. This is why I am hoping that you can pay extra attention to our troops."

Ves looked intrigued. "Well, perhaps we can come to an arrangement. The question is, can you pay the price?"

Family or not, he was not about to do anything for free. If the Wodin Dynasty wanted special treatment from his clan, then it must be ready to reciprocate the favor!