What's Junk? (The Mech Touch)

[Golgotha]

This dude is going to literally not understand when he gets rejected.

 

[Evaunit02mark1]

This dude is going to literally not understand when he gets rejected.

Click to shrink...

I am fully confident Bolt can find small enough words to explain why he thinks the guy is a dick.

 

[Green Syn]

I am fully confident Bolt can find small enough words to explain why he thinks the guy is a dick.

Click to shrink...

Honestly, I think the fact that the only reason that he was participating was the laser liscence is something this guy will struggle with.

If Mei makes the offer, this will cause psychic damage too.

 

[lost star]

It was interesting seeing his mech crafted by different hands. Something had been lost in the process. Something was, as much as Bolt hated to use the term, colder than the ones he'd made himself. There was still a presence to it, but it was faint. Bolt wondered if anyone else could tell. He felt as if there was something important in that observation, but he couldn't say what.

Regardless, the mech he'd tentatively titled Praying M had far too many flaws to his eyes. Bolt was reminded again that he had a horrible habit of needing to correct things after the design. It was fine when he could make them, but other people would just follow the blueprint. Until he fixed that habit he would need to make the mech first and alter the blueprint afterwards, which felt unpleasant to realize. This was doubly so because he wasn't even sure he could break that ideal. It was ingrained into himself. Every part of his upbringing was building and fixing things as they were built. Perhaps he'd need to lean on the virtual sims more in the future? It'd save money if not time that way.

Personal flaws aside watching the pilot get into the mech and move to the testing arena was oddly anti-climactic. The demonstrations were going to be relatively simple, as befit the process. There would be targeting popups, then automated attackers, and then ranged testing. It was completely sans risk and utterly boring. This part of the test was more to find out how it looked and felt in real life than anything else.

At least M looked good while doing it. His work on getting her movement and appearance down made her walk into the center of the arena pleasant to look at. Most mechs had a sense of stomping power. This was a picture of elegance and stately steps. He was fairly sure the pilot wasn't even intentionally doing it, that was just how he'd done the gait and how the small boosts made her float a bit.

He definitely didn't program the next part though. The targets popped up around Praying M and the mech just ignited her boosters and twirled, holding up the mirror weapon. The focused laser section of it blasted each target and scored hits quickly. None of them were big damage, but the spectacle was evident.

It became more of one when the automated attackers started up and the mech danced. This resulted in more than a few hits on her armor, but still, very showboaty. Bolt had no idea what the pilot was thinking. He was pretty sure even Lilly wouldn't have put the mech through a dance routine in the middle of being shot at! Her armor did not hold up well against that either!

The finale was where the mech worked as intended though. Range testing. Here Bolt felt a bit proud, seeing the mech kneel down and the drones rise up into the air was a properly cinematic start. It looked even better in reality. The mirror firing upward looked exactly how he'd envisioned it. The drones caught the light as programmed and the entire thing became a lightshow that brought to mind old tales of divine intervention and the like. It was everything he'd hoped when brainstorming and made him very proud to see.

Even the sight of the drones hitting the ground almost felt like part of an act. Sizzling and broken, it ended the show dramatically. Bolt thought it was one of his best works yet from a theme standpoint.

From a practical standpoint he had to admit it was bad. The damage to the targets was anemic, and those drones weren't necessarily cheap to make. Fixing it was impossible with his current knowledge as well. He still had far too much to learn.

"You have the look of a man contemplating his inadequacy." A voice made Bolt look away from the demonstration.

Walking up to him was a man on the older side. He looked timeless in a way that indicated life extension, with a long grey beard and hair, he looked like the most stereotypical wise old elder you could get. It wasn't a bad look on him mind you, it was just very obvious he was playing into it.

"Somethin' like that." Bolt eventually responded and nodded at the man with a trace of wariness. "Name's Bolt, but ya probably already know that."

"I do. You may refer to me as Senior Chen. I am one of the founders of this company, lead developer, and senior mech designer." The man gave a stately and shallow nod. "I heard of your design and believed I had to see it." He turned to where the mech was wrapping up. "I am glad that our little contest here appears to have born more fruit."

"More fruit?" Bolt asked before dismissing the odd statement and giving Chen a nod of his own. "I'd assume that ya mean you've gotten other designs from this contest right Senior?"

Everything about this approach screamed danger despite the friendly attitude. No one important approached a Rat unless they wanted something and Bolt had grown up with that attitude in mind. Play along, play passive and respectful, and then run with your tail tucked between your legs afterwards. Live, survive, and never let pride lead to a fall.

"Yes. Designs." The man said with a self satisfied grin. "I'm sure you know the flaws, would you care to tell this old what you believe is incorrect?"

"Boosters are too focused on cosmetic results, hips need ta be redone, armor seems are bad on upper shoulder, rear shoulder, mid back. Sensors are likely drawing the power incorrectly, and aren't good for how her range is shaping up to be. The mirror is absolute shit, and the drones are not made for this." Bolt rattled off quickly and winced. "Apologies for the swearing Senior."

"No, don't mind me. I might not look it, but I have handled a wrench and heard far worse. My students wouldn't say that, but you aren't one." The man said with a wave and a chuckle. "But that was a very good recital. You missed the joints in the hands and if we were to look at the blueprint I could point out a good hundred changes you could make for the energy distribution and heat shunting. The only part of worth out of the entire design is your tight commitment to the entire ideal. It was why I had to come over. A focus towards a goal and a new idea are worth something."

"I'm afraid I don't follow. It's a decent mech, but hardly something spectacular." Bolt responded with a frown at the mech as it finished the tests and began to leave.

"Walk with me." Chen said simply, and Bolt stepped quickly to catch up as the man turned. "As simply as possible, the concept is innovative. We had over a hundred submissions and none of them did anything special. Your Praying M is flawed in many ways yes. It drew the eye. Sometimes you need that, especially in marketing. I can refine this into something useful. We already have a few people drawing up plans to market the product to shrines and the like. To put it extremely bluntly, you've already won."

"Oh." Bolt breathed out and felt his alarm increase rather than drop.

"Bit shocking to realize is it not?" The old man asked with a small grin of nostalgia. "Ah I remember my first commercial mech. It was a little front line thing with the tiniest laser possible. Absolute trash, but I treasured the ten sales I made from it and used it to move up in the world." His smile continued as they passed several security points without stopping.

Bolt glanced around as they walked. There was a lot of security here. A lot of guards too. Exit was going to be tricky. He didn't have his tools. Then the old man continued and he switched his attention to that.

"But enough of that. Your mech was so unique it reminded me of something else, and I believe you'd be able to get something from it. Consider it another reward, off the books." The old man chuckled again and gestured into the mech bay.

Bolt stared, alarm briefly forgotten as they approached a strange mech. It was alien and human. Crystals were artistically placed around it's form, and a laser rifle was set by it's side. A mech unlike any other he'd seen. There was a presence too. Familiar and yet not.

"So odd." The young designer breathed out and stepped forward. "Do you feel that?"

"I'm afraid you are likely feeling it more than I. I'm an old man!" Chen joked back with a complicated look on his face. "We've had plenty of reports of unusual feelings, but I'm afraid they're all contradictory and useless."

"There is something backing this thing." Bolt tapped the foot of the machine and closed his eyes as he attempted to feel out the problem. "No idea what, but it's a sort of... Ug, I don't have the words."

Chen's warm demeaner dropped and he stared at the mech with something resembling hate. "Yes, that is something I've contemplated some myself. My specialty is lasers, but this Crystal Lord has confounded some of it. It is frustrating." Contrary to the words the tone was cool before he shook himself and seemed to put on the mask again. "Anything else?"

"I really want to tear it up." Bolt muttered and shook his head. "Sorry Senior."

"My boy," Chen sounded absurdly happy about that particular desire. "If it hadn't cost me far more than I'd like, I would have you rip this down to the nuts and bolts. I can say that physically it's not that different than any mech. There is some alien technology involved, but that I have already analyzed. It isn't what's causing the strangeness people are reporting."

The young man nodded and found a ladder before going up and popping open the cockpit to root around a bit in the nearest internals. He poked around a few areas and had to conclude that yes, there wasn't something physical causing his strange feeling. Eventually he had to give up and dropped down to the ground feeling irritated.

"Sorry I can't help anymore on this Senior. All I can say is that it's like it's got another layer? I don't have words for it. Was this built by another Senior Designer?" Bolt stared at the mech as he reviewed what he'd learned and frowned. "It seems too er, crude for that?"

"No." Chen replied with something almost like disdain on his face. "Just a designer at your level, with some help of some sort. Ves Larkinson. He's a fair distance away so you'll likely not see most of his work, but I watch for everything related to lasers and this came up."

Bolt nodded and stepped back from the mech before looking over it again. There was a clue here. He knew it. Something that would help him significantly.

"Well just staring won't help us. You could look at it later if you like as an incentive! You could call it a sign on bonus." Chen stepped forward before reaching up to pat the young man on the shoulder and offering his other hand. "How would you like to become my student and join my company?"

The young man very carefully did not show any sort of real reaction to that as his panic returned, though muted now that he could see the angle. "I'd have to think on it." He instead said with a warm smile as he stepped away without taking the hand. "I'm currently staying at the MTA facility due to personal reasons and don't want to many any sort of commitments while they are processing things." That was hopefully neutral enough to keep from immediate retaliation.

Nothing showed on Chen's face either as he replied while dropping his hand. "Fully understandable. Please do let me know. I'd love to show you all the wonders of lasers, if you'll pardon my obsession! Actually, thinking of it." He nodded decisively as if deciding something. "I'll do a quick revision of everything and send it your way in a few days. You show many signs of being self taught, and it'd be a pity to let such a talent go without any guidance at all. Be sure to treat it as a learning opportunity all right?"

Bolt nodded with easy acceptance. Internally for once he wished he knew more about politics. There was a trap looming and he hadn't dodged it yet.

 

[Golgotha]

So he took it as wanting a better offer perhaps?
Ves is the original main character from what I understand? I haven't actually read the original fiction.

 

[lost star]

So he took it as wanting a better offer perhaps?
Ves is the original main character from what I understand? I haven't actually read the original fiction.

Click to shrink...

Ves is the MC of the original fiction. He's a pioneer of a technique that puts spiritually \ psionics into mecha. Lilly's warm feeling is her feeling that.

I'll explain it more as Bolt discovers it.