[1-200] THE MECH TOUCH

Chapter 171: A Proposal

Ves spent the first day going over his available assets. First, he checked the terminals as well as the machines he had to work with. The Ark Horizon possessed multiple workshops, many of them meant to repair or replace large amounts of broken components over the course of a campaign.

"A fleet carrier serves as a central staging point for a planetary invasion." Chief Ramirez explained to Ves. "If we wanted to, we can stuff more mechs inside the Ark Horizon, but as soon as they incur major damage, we won't be able to use them again until we bring them back to a usable condition."

In other words, the fleet carrier offered any substantial mech force a large boost in staying power. With the Ark Horizon as the backbone of the fleet, Lord Kaine could squeeze every bit of value out of his mechs.

"The workshop servicing the Hunting Platoon is the smallest one aboard the ship, but it has all of the basic necessities."

Ves widened his eyes as he beheld the workshop in its entirety. He only briefly glanced at the 3D Printer and assembly system. Instead, he turned his full attention to the other machines in the open space.

"Is that an alloy compressor and a chemical treatment machine?"

"Aye. The previous guy hand-picked the models himself. He might be a self-serving coward, but he knew his stuff."

Chief Ramirez quickly shut his mouth once Ves tried to ask more about his predecessor. It appeared the previous mech designer became something of a taboo existence in the expedition.

If Ves had access to the galactic net, he could find more information about House Kaine and the mech designers they contracted. Unfortunately, Lord Kaine had already taken measures in restricting every quantum entanglement nodes aboard every ship in the fleet. They hadn't even left the Mancroft System and already they were cut off from the rest of the galaxy.

"When will we depart and how long will it take to reach our destination?" Ves asked, curious about his timetable.

"I'm not privy to the full details, but word around the grapevine is we'll be setting off as soon as our fuel tanks are topped off. That will take half a day. After that, the fleet will be following a roundabout path to the Groening System. That might take a couple of weeks or so."

Ves grew alarmed. "A couple of weeks isn't enough to improve all of those mechs! There's not enough time!"

Time waited for no one. Groening IV's metal storm only subsided at a fixed schedule. No matter how much Ves wanted to delay the expedition, he could do nothing against the forces of nature. The expedition already wasted a lot of time and they only received a new mech designer at the very last second.

"Lord Kaine waited a long time to recruit a talented mech designer." Ensign D'Amato suddenly spoke up by his side. "In truth, he cast his net fairly wide. He received a large amount of offers, but rejected them all. They lack the qualifications to work on something important as his great granddaughter's first command."

"I can understand why he would reject the lowest tiers of mech designers." Ves replied. "But surely there must have been more qualified mech designers knocking on his door."

"I am not aware of how the negotiations went between the applicants and Lord Kaine. In any case, he rejected their terms."

Journeyman Mech Designers often presided over a growing business empire. They didn't lack for money if they possessed enough sense. They'd only sign up for dangerous expeditions if they got something substantial out of it. Lord Kaine must have rejected their excessively greedy demands.

As for the Apprentice Mech Designers like Ves, Lord Kaine must have had some reservations. Apprentices were always fairly young and thus lacked practical experience. In truth, Ves possessed a flimsier resume than other apprentices, especially the core disciples who had been groomed to take over their master's legacies.