The Mech Touch novel Chapter 1313

Kelandra took over after Ves expressed his disgust. After a half-coherent chat with the drunken mercenary representative, their local guide managed to get the man call for his boss for a potential job.

Twenty minutes passed by. Ves stepped well away from the Battle Crier assigned to represent his mercenary corps, not willing to risk getting soiled by the drunken Kinner’s vomit and spit.

Despite the disgraceful display, he did not take it to mind. The other Battle Criers sitting deeper looked a bit more sober and decent. They also possessed a confident and energetic demeanor, which meant that there shouldn’t be any problems concerning their motivation.

Eventually, the man they had been waiting for arrived at the hall. A large, heavyset man with ragged red hair came to the drunken representative and whacked the fellow in the cheek!

The force of the blow was so significant that the rep immediately collapsed onto the floor!

"You dumb pig! Is this how you’re supposed to attract a client!? Go wash yourself up and report back to base!"

"Y-Y-Yes, commander!"

The big man then turned around and spotted Kelandra. "So who’s the foreigner interested in the Battle Criers?"

"I am." Ves confidently stepped forward and offered a hand. "Are you the mercenary commander of the Battle Criers?"

"That I am! Hugin Cinnabar, at your service!"

The commander smacked his palm against the offered hand and attempted to shake it in a crushing grip.

Yet the grip from the soft and delicate hand did not buckle from the Kinner tribesman’s strength. Instead, it exerted a strength beyond any human reason!

Commander Cinnabar’s eyes widened as he quickly ended his pathetic power play. "You’re not an ordinary mech designer!"

"You’re not an ordinary Kinner mercenary commander." Ves smiled like a shark. Towards brash types like these, he found it better if he established his dominance first. "I’ve been through some scrapes in my life."

"Clearly you do." The commander replied with evident respect. "It’s really refreshing to meet a mech designer who spent some time outside their stuffy labs. You’re interesting! Let’s talk!"

The group along with Hugin Cinnabar moved behind the table where the rep used to sit.

"Alright, you layabouts! Clear some space for us!"

Once the lounging mercs left their places, everyone sat down at the seats that had been freed up. Ves did so reluctantly as he spotted some dried stains on the surface of his chair.

Commander Cinnabar noticed his actions and chuckled. "Well, let’s get down to business, shall we? Who are you and why are you looking into us?"

"My name is Ves Larkinson, a Journeyman Mech Designer from the Bright Republic. I’m looking into hiring a dependable mercenary corps to escort me and protect me during a year-long tour through the star sector..."

As Ves gave his spiel, the commander keenly kept his ears open. All the basic points came up. Ves not only wanted to hire an all-round mercenary corps that could cover him both in space and on land, but he also wanted the possibility to buy out the Battle Criers if he became satisfied with their service.

This really caught the mercenary commander’s attention. "We don’t get many offers like this. Most employers don’t want to spend any more time with us than necessary. Our special Kinner charm is too much for them to handle, you see."

"I like a man with personality!" Ves chuckled. "I used to spend some time with mech pilots who are somewhat closer to the bottom of the barrel. While hiring better trained and better-armed mech pilots is what most people in my position would do, I don’t necessarily think that’s a good idea."

"What are you looking for, Mr. Larkinson?"

"I want a mercenary corps who cares. I want the men and women fighting on my behalf to have some spirit. I want the people who I entrust my life upon to be loyal to me not just because their upbringing as a Kinner says so, but because they believe in my cause."

"Interesting." The commander paused. The intrigue in his eyes had never diminished. "I never expected to meet with a client as unique as you. Most mech designers I’ve worked for are so stuck up that they can’t even look at the floor anymore because their necks are too used to looking upwards. We don’t exactly offer the qualities they are looking for. They wanted well-behaved, good-looking lap dogs."

Ves grinned. "That’s the thing. I’m not looking for lap dogs. I’d rather spend my time with hunting dogs. Do the Battle Criers fit in that category?"

"Hehe. I would liken us more to jackals than thoroughbred dogs. We’ve got a bit of wildness in us. While we don’t make for the best guards, as long as you point us at a target, we’ll make sure to tear it into pieces!"

Obviously, a mismatch still existed in what Ves demanded and what the Battle Criers could provide. The mercenary corps mainly undertook offensive missions and only occasionally guarded people or facilities.

They did not make for the best guard mech force. A lot of other Kinner mercenary corps were much more adept in defending a VIP against external threats.

The possibility of being absorbed into another outfit evoked mixed feelings from the commander. "I’m not sure whether I can accept that outcome. I spent so much time building up the Battle Criers that I don’t want our hard work and our martial tradition to die out." _{freewebnσvel.cѳm}