The Mech Touch novel Chapter 117

"The prodigal son returns!" Marcella Bollinger greeted Ves with open arms as he arrived at her office.

"Does that make you my mom?"

"You wish!"

"Jokes aside, thank you for granted the Barracuda a berth in your private docking space."

"If there’s one thing brokers don’t lack, it’s space. I’ll be sure to keep your new toy secure."

The two sat down and began to discuss how the Bright Republic fared in his absence. The mech broker employed an entire department of analysts who kept track of the political and economic trends of their state. Marcella freely shared some of her insights.

"Everyone is smelling a war is brewing, but this time is different." She said grimly. She obviously predicted dark tidings. "We expect the Vesians to stir the pot a little, but the uprisings and terrorist attacks are much more severe than the Republic has anticipated. Every state in the star sector is suffering from some source of instability."

Ves scratched his head. Even the Vesians were dealing with their fair share of terrorists? "Could it be another star sector is having designs on our territory?"

"No, that doesn’t make sense. The Komodo Star Sector ranks near the bottom in both exotic resource deposits and economic development. There’s something bigger brewing behind the scenes. We won’t know what’s going on until they spring their plan on us."

"That doesn’t sound reassuring. You’re right, this isn’t something we should stick our hands into. Better let the politicians from Rittersberg earn their pay for once."

"Your old friend Vincent is gaining prominence." Marcella added with a smirk. "He’s one of the spokesmen for the so-called Bentheim Independence Movement. They want to secede Bentheim and its surrounding influence from the Republic, with violence if necessary."

"That’s crazy! If Bentheim is our only port system. Without it, the Bright Republic is finished. Bentheim won’t be better off either. Without the population and support from the rest of the Republic, the newly independent movement will only amount to a fourth-rate state at most."

"Don’t underestimate their appeal. Bentheimers always consider themselves superior to the rest of the Republic. They resent the fact that they have to take their marching orders from Rittersberg. It doesn’t help that much of Bentheim’s wealth is used to subsidize the development of other planets and star systems."

The issue turned out to be quite the wedge between the people of Bentheim and the rest of the Republic. While Cloudy Curtain fell under Bentheim’s sphere of influence, Ves had little sympathy for these delusions.

"So how’s the mech industry faring these days?"

Marcella gave Ves an ambivalent smile. "The attacks are straining our industry’s supply chains. Shipments get hijacked, factories get blown up or certain businesses get persuaded to cancel their long-standing contracts. It might only happen here and there, but each disruption has a ripple effect that affects all other companies down the supply chains."

"In other words, the saboteurs are trying to achieve maximum disruption with minimum effort. They shouldn’t be part of a powerful group, then. Maybe they don’t have a scary backing."

"Surprisingly, the chaos has only led to greater sales. The Mech Corps has expanded their orders by fifteen percent. Many mercenary leaders decided that they’d rather expand their arsenal immediately than to wait for the transition to the next generation of mechs."

"Looks like it’s already high season for the industry. It’s too bad I’m missing out."

"Are you sure you won’t reconsider fabricating your current model? I already said I had a big order in store for you. It’s easy money."

"The Marc Antony doesn’t conform to my standards anymore. I can’t allow any detractors to make an example out of it to convince the public that I’m not worthy to be an apprentice."

Marcella shrugged. "It’s your call. Let me warn you that it won’t do your credibility any good if you are halting your sales for an extended time."

A mech designer that was all talk and no show didn’t go far in the business. Ves knew he risked squandering the goodwill he gained from becoming Master Olson’s apprentice.

Ves asked for some tips on applying for a loan. Marcella briefly explained the procedure and what he should watch out for. She had a very daring suggestion when it came to collateral.

"You should put up your corvette as collateral if you’re in need of a large amount of money. A genuine luxury corvette from the Friday Coalition is worth as much as a medium-sized company here. It’s the best way to make use of a shiny but non-essential asset."

"No." Ves shook his head. "Absolutely not. I don’t want to risk the ownership of the Barracuda. Besides, I’d be drowning in credits if I put up my ship for collateral. I can’t grow my company that quickly without losing grip."

Marcella dropped the subject once Ves refused to budge on this matter. "Take a look at last month’s national sales figures. Most of the skirmishes that have taken place are mainly hit-and-run attacks. Sales of light mechs have gone through the roof."

After discussing some minor issues, Ves ended his talk with his broker and left her office. He returned to the spaceport and met up with a waiting Dietrich and Lucky.

"Finally you’re back!" The bored pilot spoke as he rose from his chair. "Are we done with this place?"

"I’ve finished all of my arrangements, yes. Your mech and my cargo are already being shipped back home. We’ve got a transport to catch."