The Mech Touch novel Chapter 41

As the Fusion Cup came at an end, Ves and Charlotte stood at the side of the arena. Despite their exalted status as second-place winners, hardly anyone paid attention to the two. The climax of the evening was about to start, as the two most talented new mech pilots ascended the main arena.

The greatest show in the Bright Republic practically hammered in that the Fusion Cup was a side event in the end. No matter how impressive their winnings, they could expect to receive only one percent of the attention placed on the finalists of the main tournament.

As Ves was never a mech pilot, he was indifferent to chasing personal fame. He’d rather build up the reputation of his business in a more sustainable way.

"I’ve got some business to do."

"Oh?" Charlotte raised her eyebrow. "Bailing out on me, are you? I was planning to bring you out to a sweet place that makes the best spare ribs in town."

"I’m kind of in a time crunch. I’ve started an independent mech design studio and I’m practically buried in debt as a result. I was kind of hoping to canvas the audience and find a market for my product."

"Oh. I see. I heard you nerdy types like to pursue a career at the big companies. It’s pretty brave of you to start out on your own."

"We all have different dreams." Ves smiled ruefully. "I know it’s a tough road, but I don’t regret stepping on it. I’m confident I can make it to the top someday."

"Wow. That’s really impressive. Anyway, I won’t distract you any further. Let’s exchange comm contacts before you go."

After they added each other to their contact lists, they separated. Charlotte headed over to her fellow pilots who congratulated her on her excellent showing. Ves on the other hand made his way past the families and other regular people and headed up to the spectating area reserved for the first-class ticket holders who wanted to enjoy the exhibition without screaming children nearby.

Security let him in without a fuss, a perk for being a participant. Ves walked past an invisible screen that dampened most of the noise from the crowd down below. The dim lightning, luxurious upholstery and the plentiful private viewing rooms gave the first-class area a sense of exclusivity. The people who possessed the qualifications to enter this area all emanated an air of class or martial might. Those present in the public areas all congregated into small groups of close-minded associates as they paid attention to the spectacle unfolding in the central arena.

Ves took a deep breath and made sure the silver medallion he just won was visible on his chest. Then, with a pleasant smile, he approached the nearest group of people who looked like they wouldn’t totally shut out others.

A trio of what looked like industrialists and a couple of mid-ranking Mech Corps officers took their eyes away from the tense and slow-paced duel to focus their attention on Ves.

"Ah, you’re the second-place winner of that side contest, aren’t you? Are you related to the Larkinsons?"

Ves nodded politely at the officer. "My father’s been on border patrol for many years, though recently he went missing."

Everyone politely adopted a mourning expression, including Ves. "That’s a shame. Those who guard our borders against the aliens are performing the highest duty for our nation."

"I’m still hopeful he’ll live." Ves shrugged, but resumed smiling, not wanting to tread down on this topic any further. "In any case, I was hoping to interest you in a new mech variant I’ve recently developed for my startup business."

One of the businessmen laughed politely. "As a matter of fact, I’m here to do the same thing. I’m a representative of Jackson and Partners. We were just discussing the Mech Corps potential renewal of their oldest 400-unit fleet of scout flyers."

Well, that was awkward. They exchanged a little bit more before Ves was politely sent off like he was a toddler intruding upon adults doing serious business.

He hadn’t expected instant success, so his first rejection shouldn’t affect him so much. Still, he felt he was being disregarded by the people around him. His youth and lack of track record weighed him down more significantly than he thought.

"We only source our mechs from established suppliers. We signed fixed service contracts with our long-term partners so they can offer the best support for our mech needs."

"I have to admit, for a lastgen mech your Marc Antony variant belongs to the middle-upper tier. Nevertheless, my corps only runs currentgen models. We like getting our hands on the newest toys available in the market, you see. Your Marc Antony is only good for a decade or two at most before it becomes obsolete."

"I collect only the classics and only in their most original form. I have nothing against variants, but the base models are the best."

This suspicion grew stronger as Ves kept approaching different groups of people. Sometimes he got a chance to introduce his product before he was rejected, but most of the time they didn’t bother hearing him out. Perhaps most of these people were genuinely unable or unauthorized to purchase a new mech, but for the rest it was simply a lack of confidence in his ability to deliver.

Still, he got close a couple of times. Some retired mech pilots or veteran mercenaries expressed some interest in ordering his mech. Only a few things held them back.

"Our mercenary corps mostly goes out on extended patrols. While the short-term battle performance of your variant is impressive, we can’t take it if it fails to keep up on our weeklong patrol routes."

"We’re actually in need of plugging a gap in our mech lineup, and if you offered us the original Caesar Augustus I’d be tempted. As it is, while your variant is affordable, even two of your mechs can’t fulfill the role of a single well-armored mech."

"Your mech’s offensive lineup is a little scattered. It inherits most of the disadvantages of the Caesar Augustus but comes without the base model’s excellent armor. I’d rather buy a specialized mech that does one single job perfectly than a machine that purports to cover every area only to fail at most of them."

He noticed that Carlos was off about his prediction that wealthy collectors were more likely to purchase his mechs. These collectors were highly discerning in their choice of mechs. They disdained cheap variants. Instead, they were more likely to chase after vintage base models or highly exclusive variants made with extraordinary materials.

Wealthy mercenaries expressed the most interest in his product so far. They were open to purchasing a functional mech, but poked holes at the Marc Antony’s weak points. The detriments outweighed the benefits even with the favorable pricing. Compared to the 65 million credit price tag of an official Augustus, the 24 million credits Ves humbly asked for his product was a steal. _{fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm}

Still, not everyone was willing to accept that bargain bin price point. A flamboyant mercenary who behaved more like a pirate than a legitimate mercenary laughed in Ves’ face when he quoted the price.

"Twenty-four million? Twenty-four fucking million?! I’d have to work my ass off for more than five years to earn back such an amount. How about giving me a break? Let’s say, hm, twelve million?"