The Mech Touch

5848 Endless Possibilities

"So you have a plan." Jovy's projection said in a tone that sounded anything but amused.

"I do." Ves replied as he had donned his Unending Regalia once again.

"Would you care to explain?"

"I can't." Ves said in an apologetic tone. "This is a plan that involves the Red Fleet. It is not the business of the Red Association to meddle into the affairs of its rival. But… if this upcoming plan unfolds as I expected it to, then it is inevitable that the changes will be felt among your mechers as well as the rest of red humanity."

"I had a suspicion that was the case. My Eye of Providence has observed many disconcerting signs. Our destiny is in flux. The future is clouded, but it is clear that a turning point is coming. Whatever you have in mind has far-reaching effects no matter what will happen in the end. This does not appear to be an affair that will remain confined to the Red Fleet."

Ves let out a tired breath. "I am not sorry for imposing my latest scheme on us all, but I can promise you that the fleeters and I are sincerely working for the betterment of our race and civilization. A unique opportunity has presented itself to us, and the time to strike is now. The Dominion of Man is more than just a dreadnought. She is a symbol. I intend to empower that and transform her into a beacon that can ignite the light of hope in a galaxy filled with darkness."

Jovy frowned when he heard that. "I know you well enough that whenever you set your mind on a grand design, the consequences will reshape our society. Granted, much of the changes that you have introduced so far can be regarded as positive contributions, but the recklessness and haste that characterizes your works can often lead to unpredictable consequences. The call to establish the Red Collective is just one of them. Less than a month has passed since the public inquiry, and already you are thinking about initiating a plan that will change everyone's lives… again."

If Ves had a choice, he would have preferred to lay low for a few years.

The problem was that he did not have a choice.

Sure, Ves could renege on the deal and depart from the Dominion of Man right away.

Yet that would mean that he would be missing out on an opportunity for a lifetime!

The conditions were so favorable that Ves would not be himself if he tried to take advantage of them! The Brain Trust alone was a fantastic resource that would allow him to create a truly unique work that could be regarded as one of his proudest legacies of his career!

It did not matter that the Dominion of Man was a massive warship as opposed to a mech.

It did not matter that his work primarily benefited warship fanatics as opposed to the mech community.

It did not matter that he would not be able to gain any control over the immense power of an evolved dreadnought.

Ves was a creator. Sure, he mostly designed mechs, but that did not mean he was as rigid as the other members of the mech community.

He liked making stuff. He liked becoming good at it. He especially liked earning recognition for his works.

When an opportunity fell into his lap where he could produce one of the most powerful war machines to ever exist in the Red Ocean, he would be a fool to miss out on this priceless opportunity!

While Ves was not able to explain his full motivations to Jovy over an unsecure communication channel, the Survivalist somewhat comprehended them anyway.

It was not just because Jovy understood Ves quite well.

For all of his expanded responsibilities, he was still a Senior Mech Designer, just like Ves.

He was a creator at heart as well. He understood what it was like for a fellow mech designer to get caught in the grip of passion.

If there was one trait that defined Ves the most, it was that his passion burned the brightest amongst the mech designers of his generation.

When Jovy observed Ves' eyes burning bright with passion, he knew that the most infamous Senior Mech Designer in the Red Ocean no longer listened to reason anymore.

There were times where Jovy and a couple of his fellow mechers wondered whether there was a part of Ves that was still a mech pilot.

He clearly inherited much of the stubborn will and mindset of his uncle and grandfather.

This trait served Ves well in many cases, but how long would this remain true?

Jovy had not told Ves the full truth. His companion spirit had indeed begun to sense that the destiny of red humanity was about to shift. It was clear that the genesis of all of these changes rested within the titanic hull of the Dominion of Man. Endless possibilities sprung from this turning point, but not all of them were positive.

There was a lot that could go wrong. The risks were too great, but the hope of creating something magnificent was so tantalizing that Jovy did not have the heart to warn the Red Association about his premonitions.

Like a true Survivalist, Jovy deeply believed that the time for prudence had passed. The start of the Age of Dawn was a time where red humanity had to struggle for survival. This was no time for half-measures anymore.

Ves and Jovy continued to talk a bit more, though they did not really exchange a lot of useful information.

"A tribulation will come as soon as the plan kicks off." Ves issued his warning. "This is a test for the Dominion of Man alone. Her warfleet will secure the surroundings and prevent any external enemies from disturbing her in any way. I highly recommend the Bluejay Fleet to keep its distance from the coming spectacle. A lot of phenomena may occur that may cause you guys to panic and call for help. You might even feel the need to come closer in order to lend us a hand. Don't. This is a test for the fleeters. Make sure that everyone else knows that as well. You can offer your assistance after the show has come to an end, though I don't think that is necessary."

Jovy's expression turned grave. "Understood. I will pass your message along. Tell me honestly. Does your plan put your life at risk?"

"Not really." Ves shook his head. "I am not going to be the main protagonist today. That honor is reserved for the Dominion of Man. That does not mean that I will try to stay as far away as possible. If this incident will unfold as I expect it to, I might be able to advance my phase lord cultivation a bit further today. Rest assured that I am well aware of my limitations. I will make sure to pull back before I reach my limits."

"That is good to hear. Just to be certain, do you want us to dispatch the Alpha Lifeguard that we have recently acquired? Major Simon Jankowski has recently completed a crash course in your new acquisition's remote support functions. As an expert candidate, he is by far the most effective candidate to pilot this machine at this time."

Ves shook his head. "That will not be necessary. As I have said before, this is a test for the fleeters. Adding a mech and well as a mech pilot that is strongly tied to the Red Association will lead to undesirable complications. Besides, Major Jankowski is not suitable to pilot a support mech. It is better to reserve it for a more suitable pilot. I have plans for that machine."

"Very well. Is there anything else that you would like to share with us before you do whatever it is you need to do over at the Dominion of Man?"

"Nothing more. The fleeters over here are very thorough. They have prepared different announcements depending on how my upcoming action will unfold. Many of them will probably shock our society, but I hope that enough tier 1 galactic citizens will have cause to approve my actions… after the fact."

"And what if they do not?" Jovy asked a critical question.

"I am not a coward who will run from my own responsibilities. I will surrender myself to any authority if it turns out that I have made a grievous mistake."

This was not a small possibility to be honest. Ves had taken too many risks to remain confident enough that he had accounted for all of the variables.

He wasn't too worried whether his mistakes would lead to too many adverse consequences. He had already made himself indispensable in the fight for humanity's survival. Too many of his inventions had been deemed essential.

As much as he despised her, Ves couldn't deny that the Polymath had taught him a lot of useful lessons.

She had shown with her deeds that as long as she remained indispensable enough, no one dared to impose heavy punishment on her. Not only did she retain much of her incredible capabilities, she also made it abundantly clear that she was still willing to work for the greater good of human civilization.

Ves just had to copy her approach in order to ensure that he would not receive a death sentence for his crimes.

The call soon came to an end. Ves was thankful that the fleeters allowed him to talk to Jovy and warn the mechers of what might be coming.

The time had almost come for the ritual to commence.

As Ves stepped outside of the communication chamber, he already noticed that a lot less crew members were moving through the corridors.

The vast majority of them had all reached their respective stations throughout the entire hull.

They had donned their best protective suits and warmed up all of the combat systems in anticipation of facing many possible threats.

Dread Marines still patrolled the hallways. Their imposing suits of armor clanked onto the metal deck while their weapons remained on standby in case enemies managed to slip inside the hull.

The Dread Marines kept a very close watch on him. They did not automatically trust him or treat him as harmless.

As uncomfortable as it may be to know that it would only take a few moves for the fearsome Dread Marines to open fire at him with their heavy-duty rifles and cannons, Ves did not really treat them as a source of danger.

Nobody knew that Ves already regarded them as his test subjects.

While Ves did not abide by his personal ethics by failing to warn these powerful soldiers that they might be subject to mysterious changes resulting from the upcoming transformation of the Dominion of Man, he believed that none of them would take the news well.

It was better to keep his mouth shut and confront them with the situation as it happened. There wouldn't be enough time for these troopers to weigh their choices, but that may be for the better.

The Dread Marines needed to choose with their hearts, not their minds.

Once Ves returned to the processing chamber that hosted the Brain Trust, he met up with Sigrund again.

Just like Ves, Captain Zonrad Reze wore his own suit of combat armor. The secret AI did not want to take any chances.

"Ready?"

Ves nodded as his Unending Regalia folded a helmet over his head. "Yeah. You can tell Dread Captain Argile that he can begin according to the schedule. We can still back out, but the window is closing. How is the Brain Trust?"

"It has remained stable, though a number of brains have begun to show accelerated signs of developing sapience again. Whatever you have done has lowered their inhibitions."

"It will be fine so long as we make our move in the next hour."

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