The Mech Touch novel Chapter 641

Ves understood that he had entered into a negotiation with Mayra. The pirate mech designer wanted something from Ves.

While she could have put Ketis under the tutelage of any other pirate mech designer, hardly any of them possessed the foundation and experience of a legitimate mech designer, let alone an aberration like him!

Before the conversation turned into this direction, Ves hadn’t obscured his own background. Though he attempted to understate his accomplishments for fear of sparking any suspicions, his meteoric rise nonetheless marked him out as a mech designer with a bright future ahead of himself. It was no wonder that Mayra thought favorable to him to the point of wanting to put Ketis under his wing.

As long as Major Verle and Professor Velten cleared the decision, he wasn’t opposed to the decision. In fact, he even figured the exchange of favors might tie the Swordmaidens closer to the Vandals.

The two had almost nothing in common, so accepting a guest designer might help ease the friction between their forceful marriage.

In addition, the main prize was a grand one. Even a casual glimpse in the principles of modern stealth tech would be enough to form a beacon in the dark. As long as Ves became familiar with the overarching concepts, he could figure out the exact science behind their applications on his own. Naturally, he preferred it if he could get his hands on more than just a taste. The more details he obtained, the less gaps he needed to fill.

He realized that he had the upper hand in this negotiation. A successful mech designer like Ves was hard to come by, and while he was too young to be a proper mentor, Mayra didn’t expect him to teach Ketis everything. Teaching her the essence of their profession was something he could do in his sleep, and if Ketis showed a little more enthusiasm that would have been perfect.

Therefore, Ves wasn’t in a hurry to agree. He also identified a very big caveat in Mayra’s offer.

"All you’ve told me so far is that the Skull Architect possesses knowledge that is useful to me. But what about you?"

Mayra awkwardly shrugged. "My mentor hasn’t seen fit to impart me with an understanding in stealth tech. He does not spread his teachings lightly, let alone on a sensitive matter such as this. However, as a former student of his, I can introduce you to him and beg him for a favor. As long as you make a persuasive case, he won’t object to showing you a trick or two."

Ves looked at Mayra as if she had lost her mind. "So you only promise to get me in touch with the Skull Architect, and that’s it? Let’s not mind the fact that you want me to talk with someone who earned the ire of the MTA, I don’t see why a Senior Mech Designer would want to waste his time with me. I doubt that either of us can offer anything meaningful in exchange."

"I admit, it’s not the guarantee you are hoping for, but this is the extent of my reach. Do you know how valuable it is to receive a lesson from the Skull Architect? Many pirate mech designers knock on his door each day to be taken in as his student! With my help, you’ll at least have a foot in the door!"

"Yeah, only for the door to slam into it as it closes. The opportunity you’re dangling over my head doesn’t interest me. I already have a teacher, and I have access to many channels of knowledge. I’m not particularly eager to get in touch with a fugitive, and if it becomes publicly known that I did so, my reputation in civilized space will go down the drain."

That last point concerned him quite a bit, though unless someone possessed solid proof, Ves could still fight back to an extent. The effort would be too much, though, and some people would always harbor suspicions.

"Mr. Larkinson." She said seriously. "You’ll be doing the Swordmaidens a favor if you accept. You may call us pirates, but we aren’t ungrateful. Besides that, you don’t have to accept my request if you fail to get anything out of my old mentor."

That sounded more reasonable, but Ves wasn’t satisfied with just a single added condition. "What if I only partially succeed in prying something valuable out of the Skull Architect’s grasp?"

"I can make it up to you. We have much to offer, from connections to other pirate organizations to entry in various black markets. You’ll be able to obtain resources there that you won’t be able to find in civilized space."

The pair discussed the details in hushed tones. While the Swordmaidens had access to various exotics and other resources that was in short supply in any other place, Ves had no need for these unique materials. Most of them would only be useful in special applications such as building high-spec components for expert mechs.

In contrast, Ves was much more interested in her offer to introduce him to various black markets. These were unlike the sanitized versions that did business in the Harkensen System. Gaining entry in these markets represented that Ves would be able to obtain much of the bounty from the Faris Star Region as long as he paid a sufficient price.

The banquet ended before they could go in on this topic. Ves sighed and stood up along with the rest. While Major Verle led Commander Lydia and their inner circle to a confidential meeting, Ves shook Mayra’s hand.

"It’s a pleasure meeting you. I’ll think about your offer." He said, hardly straining at the Journeyman’s surprisingly powerful grip.

"LIkewise. If there is an opportunity, I will explain the matter to Commander Lydia and your superiors. If they assent to my proposal, we shall proceed from there."

Mayra left the dining room along with half of the Swordmaiden. The junior sisters among them such as Ketis had been left behind.

A mech officer stepped up. "Do you want to go get a drink? Have a spar or two? Or maybe both at the same time?"

"Bring us to what passes for your sparring ring!" A Swordmaiden spoke with a grin. Many of her sisters looked eager to test the mettle of the Vandals. She abruptly reached for her giant sword and unsheathed it from its floating scabbard. "If you have weapons that can match our swords, then that’s great! If not, I suppose we can spar like our children!"