The Mech Touch

5802 Alpha Lifeguard

The Bubblestorm invited a more intense amount of competition from people with more money and resources at their disposal.

However, the defensive properties of its azure energy shields were not comparable to top-tier products. It was only because of its gimmicks and its excellent quality that it became a compelling product for many galactic citizens.

"Sold to Mr. Terry Zucgo for 75 kilograms of phasewater!"

That was worth around as much as a top-tier first-class multipurpose mech. Ves personally did not think the Bubblestorm merited that much money, but he could understand why it was interesting to certain parties.

It did not escape his notice that Terry Zocgo was apparently a local politician. He could get his hands on plenty of decent personal shield generators, but he lacked access to the more exclusive stuff. It was actually a pretty reasonable decision to pay a premium in this grand auction to ensure he got his hands on a more effective personal shield generator.

With that out of the way, the next auction item showed up on the main stage.

It soon became clear why the upper hall was so large and spacious, with additional space reserved for the stage.

An actual mech emerged from the side!

The first-class multipurpose mech clearly wasn't designed for underwater operations, but its excellent construction showed that it had no problem with navigating in a submerged environment.

Ves stood up straighter as he quickly realized that this was anything but an average first-class multipurpose mech.

The machine was clearly a masterwork mech.

This was expected as Estaban Leeds only added the very best products to its grand auction.

What caused him to take note was that he recognized the mech type as well as its mech designer!

Ves had spoken to the man fairly recently. The Master Mech Designer showed off one of his designs and shared various tips about the mech archetype.

"You knew about this, didn't you, Jovy?"

The Reality Trickster smirked. "Surprise. I hope you like it. Master Vayro Goldstein normally never bothers to place any of his works in a third-party auction, but he has made an exception this time. You will still have to pay if you want to obtain this work of his. Be warned that masterwork mechs tend to be valued much higher than usual."

Though Orion Leeds was not a mech designer, he was sufficiently versed in every product category to be able to give his own impressions of the first-class multipurpose mech.

"The Alpha Lifeguard is a unique and notable masterwork mech developed by Master Vayro Goldstein of the Red Association." Orion explained as he looked remarkably small in front of the tall machine. "It is a first-class multipurpose mech that is an adaptation of the Master's earlier works. It lacks certain proprietary materials and high technologies that are exclusive to the Red Association. Several weapon systems have also been removed. While that has made the modified design weaker, it has also become much more affordable and easier to maintain. Its controls are also simplified to enable mech pilots to pilot the support-oriented mech without requiring as much specialized training."

In other words, the Alpha Lifeguard was a clear downgrade from a proper RA first-class multipurpose mech.

"On the surface, Alpha Lifeguard is a first-class multipurpose mech that is characterized with modest offensive and defensive performance. Its mobility is more up to standard, but it will not win any races. Master Goldstein has purposefully stripped its less important functions as it normally shouldn't be necessary to use it as an assault mech. Rest assured that its key support functions are nearly fully preserved."

Just because the Alpha Lifeguard did not excel in many areas did not mean that it was a pushover!

The plasma sword, plasma rifle, micro-missile launcher and radial EMP pulse generator allowed it to fight like a well-

equipped hero mech!

The machine was also able to withstand a respectable amount of damage with its serviceable transphasic armor system and decent azure shield generator.

While a typical RA first-class multipurpose mech could still beat the Alpha Lifeguard in a straightforward duel, that was never the point.

The name already said it all. The Alpha Lifeguard was solely designed to protect others.

Orion Leeds grinned when he finally addressed the signature features of Master Goldstein's work.

"The Alpha Lifeguard is not the best fighter, but it is an excellent supporter. It is outfitted with hardened sensor systems that excel at overcoming strong jamming at short to medium ranges. This is necessary to increase the accuracy of its primary module, the SARAN long-ranged one-way azure shield projector."

The view of the masterwork mech changed as a projection highlighted the external parts of this obvious support module.

"The SARAN is capable of projecting a remote azure energy shield to a person, shuttle, mech or other targets of comparable dimensions at an effective distance of up to 80 kilometers away. While I am obligated to warn you that the strength of the remote azure energy shield drastically weakens at longer ranges, it still offers significantly superior defenses than any personal shield generator!"

What?!

Ves truly became impressed by the SARAN at this time!

Others were no exception!

The Alpha Lifeguard was one of the perfect bodyguards and lifesavers. Ves might have been able to defend himself a lot better during the Fey Shaper Contest if he had this impressive first-class support mech by his side!

He understood a bit better why Master Goldstein submitted this masterwork mech to this grand auction today.

"The SARAN can be employed on targets that are in motion relative to the Alpha Lifeguard." The auctioneer continued to explain to an intrigued audience. "The main requirements are that the SARAN has a clear sensor lock on the target and is able to follow its trajectory. Extreme speeds and unpredictable evasive maneuvers significantly increase the difficulty of maintaining an accurate lock. The effectiveness of maintaining a remote shield on an erratically moving target is ultimately determined by the skill of the mech pilot."

That made it really important that the mech pilot assigned to the Alpha Lifeguard knew his business!

Orion Leeds continued to highlight other features of the masterwork mech, but Ves quickly studied the projected spec sheet in order to form a price estimate.

"Given its technical performance, the approximate market price for a standard copy of this design should be around 60 million MTA credits." He analyzed. "That is actually not a strong first-class multipurpose mech. However, the fact that it has become a masterwork should easily make it ten times more expensive, if not more depending on the scarcity of its functions."

Jovy smirked. "There are many participants in this grand auction that can already obtain comparable first-class support mechs, but there are also those who have never come as close to this kind of machine in their lives. You will have to dig deep into your pockets if you want to win this machine. Think carefully whether you or your clan needs this masterwork."

While Ves always insisted on relying on his own works whenever possible, he recognized that this was not always the correct approach.

He was still a newcomer when it came to working with first-

class mechs. He also had no chance of designing a support mech equipped with such an exaggeratingly effective long-

ranged one-way azure shield projector!

There were so many ways he could make use of it. He could assign it to his escort mech force so that it could protect himself and his immediate family.

The fact that the Alpha Lifeguard was able to shield mech-

sized objects meant that it could also offer effective protection to his true body up to a certain scale!

If Ves no longer needed the Alpha Lifeguard's protection, then he could always transfer it to a military unit where it could save the lives of mech pilots whose machines were on the verge of breaking.

With an effective range of up to 80 kilometers, the Alpha Lifeguard could cover a significant chunk of a typical space battlefield!

Ves snapped his attention back to the auctioneer and finally ended his fairly extensive introduction.

"Now that we have granted you enough time to evaluate the Alpha Lifeguard, you may begin to place your bids. The floor price is set at 50 kilograms of phasewater!"

That was over 180 million MTA credits, which was grossly overpriced if the Alpha Lifeguard was a normal machine.

No one was stupid enough to treat it like an ordinary mech. Masterworks were worth a lot more due to the much higher propensity for its mech pilots to break through!

The Red Association normally showed little restraint in snatching up the masterwork mechs produced by third parties.

The only masterwork mechs the Association did not take by force were expert mechs and so on, but that was little consolation to most parties.

There were plenty of rich and powerful people who wanted their potentate offspring to have a good career. Letting them pilot a masterwork mech when they were still weak was a good way to transform them into individual powerhouses!

The only fly in the ointment was that the Alpha Lifeguard was largely defensive and supportive in nature, but that was not a dealbreaker.

The bids immediately began to fly from almost every part of the upper hall!

"60 kilograms of phasewater!"

"100 kilograms!"

"150 kilograms. My son has always dreamt of piloting a masterwork mech!"

"Give this mech to me! 200 kilograms!"

"300 kilograms of phasewater!" A prominent shipwright from a Terran Ancient Clan bid.

That was already over a billion MTA credits!

"320 kilograms."

"375 kilograms."

"400 kilograms!"

"410 kilograms!"

"415 kilograms."

The bidding had only started to slow down when the price surpassed 400 kilograms.

This indicated to Ves that the current bids had exceeded the estimated fair price of a masterwork support mech with excellent bodyguard functions.

Ves actually agreed with this valuation. Despite the obvious gaps and shortcomings of the Alpha Lifeguard, the benefits were extremely attractive.

Its masterwork properties and its primary function were so desirable that they massively inflated the price of this castrated first-class mech!

"Are you going to place a bid anytime soon, Ves?" Jovy inquired.

Ves still felt a little conflicted about paying an astronomical sum to purchase a mech from another professional.

There was still a part of him that insisted that he should lift up his sleeves and design his own version of a remote shield mech!

However, he was more than aware that his own attempt would turn into a poor imitation of Master Goldstein's earnest effort.

It was not a shame for Ves to admit that other mech designers could do better in other areas.

Once he made this realization, he no longer held himself back anymore. He pressed a button and publicly announced his bid.

"430 kilograms of phasewater."

The entire auction venue suddenly fell silent.

It couldn't be helped. There was no one in the upper hall who forgot the voice of the infamous Devil Tongue.

Many bidders immediately gave up their attempt to compete over the Alpha Lifeguard.

Others seemed to struggle with their decisions. A few of them chose to remain silent, but a handful of them valued their lives so much that they continued to make their own bids.

"432 kilograms."

"434 kilograms."

Ves respected their determination, but he was about to give up either. "440 kilograms."

This time, no one spoke anymore.

The current price level had already blown past the estimated fair value of the Alpha Lifeguard. Anyone who continued to place higher bids would just get increasingly more ripped off at this point.

Combined with the fact that no one wanted to get on the bad side of the man who tore apart Fleet Admiral Amelie Jameson's scheme, no more voices sounded out anymore.

"Going once… going twice… sold to Professor Ves Larkinson 440 kilograms of phasewater!"

Ves let out a deep breath. He didn't exactly know how he was going to pay for it, but he still felt it was worth it to exchange so much value to acquire a mech that increased his personal security by an enormous degree.

Of course, Ves did not just pay so much just to make use of the Alpha Lifeguard in its base configuration.

The real reason why he wanted to take ownership over it was because he wanted to tinker with it until it became alive!

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