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The Mech Touch novel Chapter 924

A pair of security bots escorted the two ’test subjects’ into an interrogation compartment. Stripped of their gear and fitted out with standard CFA prisoner clothing, Captain Orfan and Lieutenant Dise both looked barren and without any of the aura of command and confidence they used to hold.

Obviously, languishing out in the safe zone for a few weeks did not do the Flagrant Swordmaidens a service. No further help or survivors arrived while the dominant Vesians continued to build up their presence next to the Starlight Megalodon.

This definitely forced the remnant of the Vandal and Swordmaiden ground forces to reassess their condition.

"Ves."

"Mr. Larkinson."

"It’s Lieutenant Command Adeseus Longhorn while we’re here." Ves replied perfunctory as he entered the interrogation compartment. The security bots who escorted them inside positioned themselves behind Ves in a preplanned move to enhance his stature in their eyes. "I’ve worked hard on the Starlight Megalodon to a position of leadership among the altered command structure. The ship is in a very weird condition right now."

Ves proceeded to fill them in on the virtual officer system, the executive officer’s emergency protocol, the role of humans as the inheritors of the ship as long as they proved their competence and his own status as a Senior Mech Designer and the head of the Mech Research Sub-Division.

Besides that, he also informed them of some of the potential threats from the virtual officers of the captain’s faction and the Vesians. This was to add some urgency to their considerations. None of them could afford to take it slow and steady.

After all of that explanation, both Orfan and Dise appeared overwhelmed. While they already surmised some of what they heard, the true picture sounded much more complex and difficult to navigate than they thought!

"Where is Ketis?" Dise asked with a soft voice. "She disappeared all of a sudden a few days ago."

"Don’t worry, she’s safe. I received an opportunity to recruit her into the CFA early, so I brought her in before anything could happen to her. I hope you understand."

The Swordmaiden officer smiled. "That’s good. I hope I can see her soon. I have some things to tell her now that Commander Lydia is likely..."

"What I want to know is what will happen to us now." Captain Orfan spoke up, abruptly changing the subject away from their awful losses. "Right now, we’re all locked up in cages. Why aren’t we able to become recognized CFA officers like you?"

"It is not yet within my power to help you become a part of the Starlight Megalodon’s crew. After all, none of you have passed the recruitment test."

"But you can get us inside through another way, right?"

He did. Virtual Commander Cosit already granted him the power to press gang any human who didn’t enjoy any special protections, but Ves deliberately held back that detail. Right now, he wanted to talk to Captain Orfan and Lieutenant Dise with as big of a power disparity as possible in order to encourage them to open their mouths.

"I’m working on that." Ves replied tepidly. "It might take me some time. For now, you’re safe inside your cells. The Vesians won’t be able to abuse their own authority in an effort to eliminate you all. However, this protection only lasts so long as I maintain my standing inside the ship."

As Ves answered some more questions about his inability to empower the survivors, he always emphasized his own position of power but simultaneously reminded them of his precarious situation as well.

He might have been able to promote to a Senior Mech Designer, but how long would that last before the battleship underwent a major upheaval?

Both mech officers grimaced more and more as they realized their fates lay fully in his hands.

Captain Orfan sighed and crossed her arms. "Alright, let’s cut the crap. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, ’Mr. Longhorn’. You want something from us, right?"

Ves spread his arms in innocence, which didn’t seem very sincere considering two heavily-armed security bots from the Mech Research Sub-Department stood guard right behind his back.

At this point in time, he activated the signal jammer function of his Squalon combat armor. The entire area became suffused with strong interference. Even the pair of bots standing behind Ves seemed to have lost their senses.

"Look, I’m not trying to lord over my superiority over the two of you or anything." That was a lie. "However, it seems that out of every member of the Flagrant Swordmaiden ground forces, only I am in a position to complete the mission. Don’t you think it’s time for you to tell me what our overlords are really after?"

While Captain Orfan struggled over the decision to reveal what she was after, Lieutenant Dise seemed much less hesitant. She wasn’t military, after all, so she had much fewer compulsions regarding the need to keep secrets.

"Ves, Adeseus, Mr. Longhorn, whatever, it’s like this. Have you been informed how we initially obtained word of the Starlight Megalodon?"

He began to recall what he heard from several sources. "Supposedly, a number of FTL-capable shuttles piloted by human clones managed to jump out of the spacetime distortion that surrounds the Aeon Corona System and ended up in the frontier where they got picked up by several outfits. Each of the clones sent out word about the Starlight Megalodon’s existence and what might be found there. They also brought ’keys’ that when combined with a number of them formed a navigational guide that facilitated their journey to the Starlight Megalodon."

Lieutenant Dise nodded. "That is correct. Those who captured the clones and heard what treasures they might be able to recover from the Starlight Megalodon all tried to keep this find to themselves. A few other powerful influences managed to get wind of it anyway, but all the power brokers hashed out a private agreement behind the scenes to prevent any further leaks. This is because we are out to recover is really too attractive."

"What is it that has sent you all racing towards the Starlight Megalodon like lemmings jumping off a cliff?" Ves asked the crucial question.

Chapter 924 A Frank Discussion 1

Chapter 924 A Frank Discussion 2

"Is this all you are after?" He asked, trying to confirm their answers and allowing them the chance to amend them. "The more you tell me, the more I’m able to help you complete your missions. I don’t intend to return with empty hands either, you know." freewёbnoνel.com

Chapter 924 A Frank Discussion 3

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