The Mech Touch novel Chapter 753

Since he recognized that Major Verle desired for his earnest cooperation and effort, he did not hesitate to leverage his negotiating power. What did it matter to the mech officer and operative of the Firestarters? He only acquiesced to concessions that either cost his organization nothing or became someone else’s problem to fulfill.

Besides, for the steep service of scheming to brainwash and subsequently kill an expert pilot, the Firestarters better pay a commensurate price!

"I want full access to the technical library on the local database."

"I can’t do that. The local database is hard-locked to only draw out snippets of its contents at any time. I can promise you to open up the library section on one narrowly-defined topic."

"Two." Ves pushed.

"That is rather difficult to arrange, but possible. Two and only two."

"I want the right to wear better gear. This standard-issue suit of light combat armor looks nice, but its plating is predominantly made out of titanium and trace amounts of junk exotics. Surely the Vandals have something better in stock?"

"Most of our higher-quality suits of armor consists of at least medium and heavy combat armor, which require special training to be proficient in their use. Smart or not, the skill is not something you can pick up in a couple of weeks. We don’t have any better-quality light armor available because most of our officers and chiefs possess the requisite training to wear at least medium combat armor."

"Then provide me with a good blueprint from the local database and the right to draw out the resources required to fabricate it. In fact, I prefer this option because I get to customize my primary form of protection."

"Fine." Major Verle waved his hand dismissively. "You have access to anything you need from the cargo holds, but don’t think about borrowing something from the vault. The higher-quality exotics and materials are too precious to be spent on a single suit of armor."

"I want a better comm as well."

"I’m sure we have a couple of officer-grade comms in the armory."

Ves started to feel that Major Verle’s patience and limits came within sight. He decided to drop the most crucial

"I want the LMC, my mech company, to enjoy Flashlight’s implicit support, sir. It’s rumored that you guys are propping up certain companies, or at least favoring when it comes to procurement and contracting. I want my company to be associated in Flashlight’s orbit, if that is possible."

This caused Major Verle to send Ves and appreciative smile. "Interesting demand. Clever, as well. Are you aware that any company that reaches a certain size has to be intertwined with the government?"

"No, but I can guess."

"Companies are like children. The state fosters their birth and raises them under their protection against unlawful conduct. Once the children become adults, they are expected to pay back the care they received when they were weak. Now, the best I can do is nominate your company into the list of possible associates, but the final decision is out of my hands. Continue to perform merits and you may see your wish come true. I do have to warn you that associating with Flashlight will put you and your company into their camp."

"What does that entail, sir?"

"You’ll gain both allies and enemies. Unfortunately, allies within Flashlight’s sphere have a tendency to mistrust each other, so don’t count on them to lend any actual help. As for your enemies, they fall into two categories. First you will earn the ire of our governmental allies. The Ministry of Economic Development is possessive of the companies and industries it grasps, and they won’t be happy with you for pulling your company out of their orbit. They are powerful, Mr. Larkinson, but more importantly they are well-connected."

"If it’s a choice between Flashlight or the Ministry of Economic Development, I’d rather go with you guys. There’s no connection between the ministry and I, while I’ve performed huge favors for Flashlight. If you guys aren’t completely ungrateful with what I’m about to do, then I hope you remember my contribution and take me under your wing."

Major Verle shook his head. "I can’t decide whether you are a fool or a prophet. What you say is true, yet I think you are sorely underestimating consequences if Flashlight decides to pull your company into their orbit. Once you get in, Flashlight expects you to continue to perform some favors if needed."

"That’s a given." Ves conceded. "However, it’s not as if the Ministry of Economic Development has no pushback either if they are so eager to hog all of the companies for themselves. If there’s anything I know about the Bright Republic, they don’t want to put all of their eggs in a single basket. Rather than letting my company be forgotten in a huge basket with much larger eggs, I’d rather take my egg to the smaller basket where it will actually gain some appreciation."

Major Verle chuckled. "Interesting analogy. However, you’ll have to take into account that the bigger basket is safer. While the smaller basket allows your egg to gain more prominence, it’s also expected to pitch in so that the basket stays strong enough to protect its precious cargo."

Even if Ves had to work for Flashlight every now and then even after the war, as long as he continued to remain useful to the military intelligence agency, they would continue to value him and his company. A continuous relationship benefited both sides of the arrangement. The hardest part was getting his foot in the door.

In a way, Ves also paved the way for his Shadow Force to potentially receive official sanction or at least become a tolerated existence if they discovered its ties to him. If Flashlight or the Firestarters adopted the same ’the end justifies the means’ mentality as the Flagrant Vandals, then he’d fit right in with their band of misfits!

They finalized their agreement on a handshake and a verbal promise. This sort of agreement could never be put into a contract to be signed and notarized by others. Ves just had to trust Major Verle and his back organization to uphold their end of the deal.

Still, that reminded him of a potentially awful outcome. "What will happen if you encounter a mishap, sir? Who will know that I’ve performed this service?"

"You don’t have to worry about that." Major Verle assured, content now that he secured Ves’ cooperation. "We are still in the possession of at least one working quantum entanglement node. I’ve been sending sporadic reports to the Mech Corps and the Firestarters. While the details of this agreement can never be committed into a record and be sent through a channel effectively controlled by the Comm Consortium, it’s sufficient for me to transmit a few obscure codes associated with your name."

Ves couldn’t obtain a better assurance than this, but at least he received a promise that even if the Vandal fleet fell apart, his contribution would still be recognized, if only in an abstract fashion.

After they closed the deal, Ves was just about to turn to the exit when the pod that held the prince’s body came into his view.