The Mech Touch novel Chapter 1522

As the days went by as their combined fleet made their way out of the Hertog Dominion, Ves made sure to keep in contact with his people.

He had to borrow the Stellar Chaser’s communication systems to contact others, but he trusted Gloriana enough to refrain from meddling in his affairs.

For example, Ves finally heard back from Commander Cinnabar. He accepted his call in his guest room.

"My entire crew came to a unanimous decision." The bearded man spoke over the comm. "We think that working for you is our best ticket to success."

That was surprising.

"How difficult was it for you to convince the doubters to change their minds?"

"To be honest, I didn’t have to put too much pressure on them. As soon as I told them that Miss Gloriana Wodin is your girl, they connected the dots themselves."

In other words, the Battle Criers did not necessarily base their decision by weighing his own merits. Instead, they made a bet that working for Ves was their best option because of the benefits his girlfriend might provide to their organization!

Though Ves felt a bit devalued in comparison to his girlfriend, the outcome was nevertheless in his favor. He shouldn’t complain too much, especially since he predicted that he would encounter this kind of situation lots of times in the future.

Hooking up with a powerful Hexer mech designer was actually pretty nice! Ves understood Patricia Schneider’s situation a lot better now that he tasted the benefits himself! _{freeweɓnovēl.coɱ}

"Okay." He nodded to the commander. "I will make sure your Battle Criers won’t regret your decisions. While it will take some time for me to live up to your expectations, I hope you can work for me without reserve."

"Will we be piloting second-class mechs in the future?"

"It’s a possibility in the far future." Ves replied, revealing some of his future plans. "A lot of focused training is required to bring your mech pilots up to second-class standards. It will be harder to accomplish this for already-mature mech pilots. The only reason I’m considering this option at all is because I value the ironclad loyalty of Kinner bondsmen. If you want me to invest in your training, then prove me right."

"We won’t disappoint your expectations, sir."

While it was possible to retrain a third-class mech pilot into a second-class mech pilot, Ves believed he could lean on Gloriana for help. He only needed her to order the Glory Battation to take charge in retraining the Battle Criers and anyone else he found worthy.

"What about the Ingvar siblings?"

Commander Cinnabar grinned. "They turned around the fastest when they realized that your relationship with Miss Wodin isn’t as exaggerated as they thought. None of us really thought you actually captured the heart of a powerful and wealthy Hexer!"

It suddenly dawned on Ves that he could have hired more valuable mech pilots. Not only did he increase his own reputation and standing during his year-long trip, he also gained Gloriana’s halo now that they showed to everyone that they were committed in a relationship!

Nonetheless, Ves prized loyalty above all. He would rather work with the people who had been with him for some time. Besides, he still saw a lot of value in the adaptability and scoundrel-like nature of the Battle Criers.

Once he finished discussing matters with Commander Cinnabar, he contacted Melkor and asked about the status of the Avatars of Myth.

"I’m certain that you will be pleasantly surprised at what we’ve managed to achieve when you return home." Commander Melkor spoke confidently. "We have passed our growth period and worked out all of the kinks. The loyalty, cohesion and skill of all of our Avatar mech pilots are completely up to standard."

Ves nodded in satisfaction. "I look forward to inspecting my Avatars in person. How much progress have you made in selecting Avatars who are willing to leave the Bright Republic and participate in my upcoming grand expedition?"

"Not much, to be honest. Even if we offer them better pay and perks, many of our men and women are attached to their families and social circles at home. Since I can’t find too many takers from our ranks, I’ve already begun to search out suitable candidates in the job market, though that is slow going due to the current crisis."

"Well, I can’t say I expected it to be easy." Ves sighed. "I have a proposal to remedy the lack of willingness. I’ve made a decision with regards to the grand expedition’s troop composition. I want to split the current Avatars of Myth into two!"

"That.. that’s a big decision!"

"It’s the logical decision to make under the circumstances. I originally founded the Avatars of Myth to serve as my personal mech troop and to demonstrate my products. Due to various reasons, we’ve been forced to expand the scope of the Avatars to provide protection for the LMC. At this point in time, I believe it’s best to separate the latter function to a dedicated company force. What is left of the Avatars can go back to their roots."

"So you plan to split off a company force and transfer its ownership to the LMC?"

Ves nodded. "Correct. I want you to find a trustworthy leader among the Avatars who can lead this offshoot. The company force will basically be charged with providing security to all LMC assets and vital personnel. They will not be tasked to perform any offensive missions or go on any lengthy excursions. While I expect them to maintain some standards, it is not necessary to groom them into elites."

It took some time for Melkor to process the changes. The implications of this decision were vast!

"I think this is the best course of action." He eventually stated. "I’ve sounded out many Avatars, and few are actually adventurous and unattached enough to uproot their entire lives on your command."

"I thought they’re supposed to be loyal."