The Mech Touch novel Chapter 1308

Oryn Mair noticed the approach of the group. In fact, with his perceptiveness, he long knew he had been stared at specifically.

To Ves, the man’s demeanor reminded him of the war-hardened Larkinsons. That gave him a bit of comfort as well as quite some consternation.

Well-trained, veteran mech pilots had their own pride. They stuck to their principles and did not chase after blind opportunities like their younger and more adventurous counterparts.

Ves automatically adjusted his own demeanor when he recognized the tough customer he was facing. His memories flitted back to his days with the Vandals in the frontier. While he had lost much of his edge after returning from the war, he never truly forgot the depths he had sunk into in order to survive.

"Kelandra. Off to guide another spoiled brat to a bunch of our kids? You’ve come to the wrong place." Commander Mair grinned at the guide.

"Please indulge my client. He has become oddly interested in your story."

"Am I a circus freak to be laughed and jeered at? I have to admit, you’re different from the other brats, kid. You’ve got some spine in you despite being a mech designer."

"My name is Ves Larkinson. I come from a military lineage in my state."

"Ah, oh really now? Don’t think that makes us friends. I care not for the military of other states."

Ves’ smile turned a bit harder. "Kelandra spoke right. I can’t help but be interested in you and your Edge of Redemption."

The mercenary commander took another look at Ves. Though the two of them recognized an intrinsic quality between them that all veterans of conflict shared, that did not automatically earn the Kinner man’s respect.

"What are you looking for?"

"A Kinner mercenary corps that can be depended on. I’m touring half the star sector for a year and I need an experienced and adaptable crew to escort me and keep me safe. After I return to my home state, I’d like to see whether it’s possible to buy out the Edge of Redemption if possible."

Mair grunted. "You better look elsewhere, kid. Other Kinner outfits in these halls will be glad to run an easy escort mission. The Edge of Redemption isn’t in the business of babysitting little brats like you. We do serious work for serious institutional clients."

"I’ll make it worth your while."

"Money is just a possession. The Edge of Redemption is not for sale."

After a stilted back-and-forth, Ves eventually stepped away. The negotiations failed. While he had made multiple offers to hire or buy out the Edge of Redemption, Commander Mair simply refused to entertain any offers.

"Why is the commander even present in Ornament Halls if he ends up rejecting a job? Isn’t that counterproductive?" Gavin frowned.

Though he had been met with refusal, Ves did not look displeased. "The most valuable soldiers are always the hardest to recruit."

"Does that mean you’ll try again, boss?"

"I don’t know." Ves shook his head. "I already had a notion that Commander Mair will be difficult to persuade. When people like him say no, they really mean it. No amount of nagging or haranguing will change the equation."

"I’m not surprised he refused to engage with you." Kelandra said with a calm expression. "Commander Mair is accustomed to performing missions from established institutions and companies. As employers, they are more reliable, dependable and much less likely to undergo any upheaval that changes the mission parameters."

In contrast, working for a supposed ’brat’ like Ves came with a lot of disadvantages. His prosperity and his company’s prosperity depended highly on himself. If he fell sick or if he made a stupid decision, then he might provoke a very dangerous enemy or suffer a deadly accident!

His relative youth did not make it easier to earn Commander Mair’s respect. While Ves had matured a little bit since the start of his career, he looked too much like a rich student who went off to Bloodstone to play with mercenaries.

A client like Ves appealed much more to mercenary bands that lacked the confidence to take tough missions and to survive as an independent outfit.

"Every man has a price." Ves said with a low voice. "I just haven’t mentioned the right offer yet."

"You’re the Devil Tongue, boss. Why not just talk him into accepting your offer? Back then, I got the feeling that you didn’t try your best. I know you’ve got a lot more verbal tricks in reserve."

Ves reached out and patted Gavin’s head. "Do you think it’s a good idea to manipulate someone I want to entrust my life to? If I want to obtain Commander Mair’s service, I need to appeal with honesty. He’ll only resent me if I resort to manipulative practices."

It was the same as if Ves got screwed by a spy like Calabast or Leland. He couldn’t afford to make his own bodyguard feel the same way about him. He may suffer from occasional lapses of judgement, but his paranoia did not allow him to make this specific mistake!

His remark happened to meet Kelandra’s approval. "Good judgement. We Kinners may not be as sophisticated as the citizens of other states, but we have our own principles. Even a disgraced Kinner like Oryn Mair has his own pride."

"He’s a soldier. He deserves at least that much." Ves grunted.

Although Gavin did not necessarily agree, he knew better than to argue the point further.

"Meow."

"I know, Lucky. Commander Mair is the most remarkable mercenary we’ve met so far. It will be hard to find someone else who matches or exceeds his quality."