[1-200] THE MECH TOUCH

Chapter 128: Two Layers

Calsie called back two days later. She enlisted the help of the Pioneers in putting pressure on the City Council. Ves interrupted her explanation and only wanted to know if she got his permit.

"Well, the short answer is yes." She said. "It should have gone into immediate effect by now. "

To verify her words, Ves stepped outside. The bots and construction workers from SASS had picked up their work and were beginning the long and difficult process of installing and entrenching the heavy turrets.

"Work has resumed. Looks like there are no more barriers in my way."

His advisor warned him not to let his guard down. "There will be inspectors keeping an eye on your property in order to make sure you don't exceed the specifications laid out in your application."

"That's fine. As long as the City Council steps aside, they can watch all they want."

Ves appreciated her efficiency. Even if she did not do much on her own, she proved to be a valuable contact who could leverage the Pioneers on his behalf. Certainly, they might pay a visit to him in order to ask for a favor, but that was the way the universe worked.

His new employee passed him a warning. "I've been doing some snooping around, and there's an undercurrent of dissatisfaction regarding your decision to base your company on this planet."

"What kind of excuses are they throwing around?"

"The White Doves are afraid that someone as prominent as you will attract raids from pirates or enemies who have a bone to pick with you. The greens are dissatisfied with the increase of interstellar traffic and the pollution they bring when they transport your goods."

Calsie made it clear that the local politicians weren't done with him yet.

"Will they be ambushing me with anything else in the next two months?"

"Not as far as I'm aware of. The likelihood still exists. I think the Doves and the Greens are taken aback at your sudden courtship with the Pioneers."

"That's good. You can pass on to the Pioneers that I'm open to collaboration. Right now, I'm occupied with a very important project. I'll be largely indisposed for two months."

After passing on a couple of instructions to his new advisor, he ended the call.

He smiled and stretched his arms. "Now that there are no more distractions, it's about time I start with redesigning the Marc Antony."

He loved Marc Antony. As his first commercial design, he fabricated two physical mechs and sold them to two different customers. Those mechs were still in use today, causing Ves to feel a strange form of parental pride.

"I brought those mechs to life with my own two hands. They are my children in a sense."

His sentiments made him reluctant to change the design. Such an act proved he lacked faith in his own work and that he found it necessary to correct its shortcomings. This mental barrier pushed Ves to keep finding excuses.

Still, if he continued to procrastinate, then what was the point of taking this profession? "I can't aim for perfection all the time. There's a time when I have to draw the line and say it's enough."

Ves did not have the luxury to indulge in endless study and indolent diversions. He had to run a business. No matter how many virtual mechs he designed, the real universe only cared about physical mechs.

"Let's get to work. First, I'll have to draw up a schedule."

He opened his terminal and split his redesign project into several chunks.