The Mech Touch novel Chapter 18

Watching TheSeventhSnake’s replays impressed Ves. The mech pilot’s flamboyant piloting of his Seraphim showed a remarkable mastery of its capabilities. The Seraphim domineeringly claimed the skies, fighting particularly well against other fliers, and launched aggressive attacks against opponents on the ground.

Though Ves knew little of mech piloting, he still recognized TheSeventhSnake’s remarkable skill. His aggressive play style and continuous risk taking hid a keen sense of timing. If this Snake wasn’t at the threshold of promoting to Silver, he was absolutely in the upper tier of Bronze League.

When Ves noted that TheSeventhSnake had come online and entered matchmaking, he chose to spectate his match. What he saw of the young pilot’s performance reaffirmed his judgement. Snake piloted the Seraphim in ways even Ves hadn’t imagined.

"But does he have the X-Factor?"

Good piloting didn’t necessarily mean one has the X-Factor. Disregarding the phenomenon’s vague definition, the X-Factor might not even work in a virtual reality environment! Perhaps TheSeventhSnake was only a good pilot, and nothing more. Still, Ves believed it would be beneficial to his understanding of his mechs if he had a talk with the pilot.

When Ves initiated a call, the mech pilot answered immediately. "Hello. I saw you spectating my last match. Who are you?"

"I’m the mech designer who created the Seraphim variant you’re piloting."

"Wow." The pilot gasped. "No wonder I found your nickname familiar. So you’re the famous Fantasia customizer."

"I’m researching a new project, and I need some feedback from the people who pilot my older work. Can you spare me a moment of your time?"

"Yes!"

Ves was taken aback at TheSeventhSnake’s enthusiasm. This was the first time since he became a mech designer that someone afforded him respect.

"Hey, calm down kid. I just want your thoughts on some stuff, so don’t be too stiff." Ves told the player, hoping he wouldn’t be paralyzed into silence. "Let me ask you my first question. Your records show that you’ve been piloting the Seraphim ever since you bought it. What makes you stick with the model? I think you must have realized by now that it isn’t the best mech in its weight class."

TheSeventhSnake paused as he tried to formulate his words. "I can’t describe it. I never thought about replacing my Seraphim. I love it far too much to get rid of it. The mechs that I’ve piloted before are all good machines, but they don’t fit my style."

"What do you mean when you use the word ’style’?" Ves asked, wondering if it had anything to do with the X-Factor.

"My play style. My way of fighting. Something like that. The Seraphim just clicks with me in a way no other flier could. It’s like we’re part of the same brain wave. I can feel my passion engulfing the entire mech when I’m deeply engaged in a fight. No other mech can make me feel this good."

"Alright. Let me ask you something else. Have you ever experienced a moment where your mech gave you a push? For example, did the mech warn you of danger while you were unaware of it? Were there moments when you thought doing something was impossible, but you still managed to achieve it because your mech gave you a helping hand?"

TheSeventhSnake fell into silence. "I don’t recall any moments like that. I’m always in full control of my mech. What I’m pretty sure of is I feel more at ease with the Seraphim. It’s easier to play at my best when I’m piloting the Seraphim than with any other mech. I’ve even bought your Phantasm and Nomad models, but I never could get quite as comfortable when I play with them. Maybe it’s the lack of wings. I’ve fallen in love with flying."

Ves asked TheSeventhSnake some other questions. What distinguished a good pilot and a great one? Are mechs better when they are smaller or larger? Does he believe in metaphysics?

The young pilot’s answered revealed no surprises. The boy wasn’t aware of the X-Factor, nor did he seek to pursue anything magical. Ves formed an image of the young potentate. Young, wealthy and well-trained, his view of the mech world had been colored by the many teachings of his tutors. It was therefore no surprise that they avoided telling him about the X-Factor. A young man like him had no business chasing after a fantasy.

"I have one last question." Ves wrapped up the interview. "Try to take a moment before you answer this. Do you believe your mech is alive?"

"Uhh.. I don’t know." TheSeventhSnake replied with a confused expression. He scratched his head, trying to recall the times when he piloted the Seraphim. "I’m not delusional. Of course its not alive. The Seraphim’s a great mech, but it doesn’t have an AI as far as I know. What I can say is that piloting my Seraphim makes me feel more alive than anything else."

"Alright. Thank you for taking the time to tell me about your experiences."

"Goodbye. I hope I helped."

"You certainly did, don’t worry about it."

"Uh, can I ask you something before you go? Are you going to put more 1-star mechs on the market?"

Ves shook his head. "I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t plan to do so. I’ve sold most of my 1-star licences so I can’t construct any new 1-star mechs. My hands are kind of full trying to start up my real universe mech business."

"Oh, so you’re a real mech designer? No wonder."

"That’s not to say I still don’t have a use for Iron Spirit." Ves responded carefully, naturally not mentioning that earning massive DP was his main reason for sticking around. "Once I earn some revenue, I’m transitioning to 2-star mechs. The profit margin is better in that tier."

He would also have an easier time to reach beyond his limited customer base in Cloudy Curtain. In a few months, he’d hopefully gain enough skills to produce a competitive design.

After shutting down the game, Ves stood up and stretched his limbs, mentally reexamining the interview. TheSeventhSnake spoke with a peculiar accent that reminded him of the officials working in the capital of Cloudy Curtain. Despite his good upbringing, the young potentate described his piloting in the same vague way as the veterans did when describing their incredible feats that others thought involved the X-Factor.

In other words, the interview provided inconclusive results.

Ves hadn’t come much closer to understanding the elusive X-Factor. Was it some kind of energy that hid inside a mech? Was it some evolutionary catalyst that manifested in only a couple of pilots?