The Mech Touch

From the moment Barrow and Idni beheld the so-called Auto Heretic mech, they had no idea their lives would change forever on this day.

Aside from the unusual vibe, the generic-looking first-class mech did not look all that special. Its uncoated gunmetal gray surface did not express any sort of message or personality aside from direct utilitarianism.

Though the mech was clearly designed and built according to first-class standards, the Auto Heretic clearly comprised fairly basic materials.

It did not show off any outward displays of advanced or high-end technologies. It did not. even feature any integrated weapon systems. This meant that the combat performance of this machine was far from matching the seemingly omnipotent capabilities of a first-class multipurpose mech.

The only noteworthy aspect about the machine was that it showed signs of being modular or semi-modular in nature. The mech was currently configured in a swordsman mech loadout given that it carried a shield and a sword on its back.

"Why did you bring us over to show off an economy mech based on outdated technologies and mech doctrines?" Chief Scientist Idni Zenokon asked in a grumpy manner. "I do not recognize most of the materials used to fabricate this mech, but I know enough to see that it will not hold up in a serious battle involving true first-class multipurpose mechs. The tech that I can observe is also rather basic and outdated even though it also includes a few modern implementations. Such a chaotic and inconsistent approach makes me think the mech designers responsible for developing it are all mad." Treasurer Barrow Rakovshchik agreed with his companion. "I hope that this mech If you are asking us to distribute or sell a machine that has no apparent advantages compared to what you can already buy on the market, then I can tell you that it is a waste of time and money. There is no profit to be made from selling a primitive modular mech when the market already has countless specialized as well as modular products that not only perform better, but also have access to much more extensive support structures."

Neither Idni nor Barrow were mech designers, but as life-long mech enthusiasts, their mech literacy actually ranked pretty high.

Idni understood much of the science and engineering that was used to develop a mech. If he did not choose to dedicate his life to specializing in the fields of human neurology and neural interface technology, he could have become a serious mech designer!

As for Barrow, it was necessary for him to understand the market dynamics of mechs since Yarad Industries was involved in the production and sale of mechs. Even if it was not one of the biggest players on the market and was mostly engaged in OEM production, it was easy to suffer losses ranging in the billions of MTA credits if he made the wrong bet on a new mech line or mech designer!

Right now, both Idni and Barrow had the impression that they were being fooled.

The mysterious older man known as Radagast simply responded with a smile that conveyed his absolute confidence.

If he wanted to sucker the NMRI into a scam, then he certainly possessed the confidence and demeanor to pull off such a scheme!

Then why did he choose to base his scheme off a mech that was obviously characterized with inferior performance?

Barrow refused to believe that this Radagast fellow was that stupid. No one in a first-rate state who managed to become an entrepreneur, even a shady one, could exhibit so many obvious flaws.

The logical answer was that there had to be a selling point to this Auto Heretic that likely made up for all of its obvious disadvantages.

What could it be? The name of the mech model suggested that it came equipped with

An advanced Al, possibly one that offered stronger performance than usual.

Was this a mech that was especially designed for first-class mech pilots with sub-standard genetic aptitudes?

Those who developed E and D-grade aptitudes occupied an awkward position in first-class society. While they could technically pilot simple mechs, the reality was that most states and organizations disdained to make use of them. There were still enough C-grade mech pilots that were more than willing to pilot a relatively decent first-class combat or support mech.

There were only so many job offerings for guard or support functions.

Most first-raters who were determined to make a career out of mech piloting had little choice but to rely on specialized solutions or immigrate to a second-rate or even third-rate state!

"Do not be too quick to judge the Auto Heretic." Radagast said as he turned around and moved closer to the stationary mech. "The mech model is not perfect, but for people like the two of you, it is more valuable than a high-tier first-class multipurpose mech. If you have the choice to own a mech used by the armed forces of the Terrans or a simple Auto Heretic like this one, you will always choose the latter without exception."

That was a bold claim!

The two NMRI leaders suspected more and more that the special mech model included special features that were not seen elsewhere.

What could it be? How could this simple mech that did not look like it could beat any of the standard offerings on the mech market possess value exceeding that of the top first-class standard mechs?

Radagast only chose to keep his guests in suspense for so long. His expression finally turned serious as he floated up in the air and moved towards the opened cockpit

Entrance.

"At this point, seeing is believing. Nothing I say will convince you that my claims are true. Only by seeing it with your own eyes will you begin to understand that everything has

Already changed."

Both Barrow and Idni took a few steps back and watched as Radagast entered the

Cockpit and began to activate the Auto Heretic.

As a relatively simple machine, the boot-up process happened quickly, especially if the power reactor and mech engine had been put in a standby state in advance.

A projection soon appeared above the head of the Auto Heretic that displayed the cockpit of the machine.

Different from the relatively plain exterior, the interior of the cockpit was covered by metal moulded into symbols and strange depictions of mechs undertaking different

Actions.

The artwork likely conveyed multiple profound meanings and messages.

The most profound and central one was an emblem that consisted of a downward-facing

Red drop of blood that enveloped a metallic gray mech.

Although the symbol merely looked good, its size and prominence inside the cockpit. meant that it may be central to the mysterious mech's identity.

What did it signify?

The two observers did not have to wonder for long, because what they saw when they directed their attention to the cockpit shocked them both!

"Is that blood?!"

Radagast had taken his place on the cockpit seat. The straps that bound him in place were fairly routine.

What was anything but normal was the transparent blood channels that extended from the cockpit seat and stuck their needled ends into various points of the man's body!

A distinctive red-coloured liquid circulated in and out of those transparent channels, and not small amount either. It was clear that Radagast's body was not being drained, so that meant that was hooked up to a much larger external supply of blood! What was the purpose of this bizarre and seemingly useless function?

Did Radagast suffer a rare medical condition that forced him to rely on circulating

External blood through his body in order to stay alive?

If that was the case, he could easily rely on an internal implant or an external device that

He could strap on his back or the side of his body.

Why must he go as far as to let an entire mech serve as his medical instrument?

While Barrow was still trying to figure out the mystery behind this strange blood

Circulation system, Idni stood frozen in shock as soon as realization began to dawn on his eyes.

"Radagast...!" The chief scientist struggled to make a sound. "You... how... since when..."

"What is the matter, Idni?" Barrow asked.

Idni turned to Barrow to convey his utter shock and bafflement.

"I may have lost touch with Radagast, but... I am very certain that he used to be a norm

Like us. He wasn't a mech pilot back then. It is impossible for him to control a machine! Either we are looking at a battle bot that is controlled by an advanced piloting Al, or we are looking at a mech that is controlled by a man who was not a potentate by the time he reached 10 years old, but became one at a later date!" "Seriously?!" Barrow finally understood why Idni reacted in such a way! "Is Radagast one of the few lucky norms who managed to gain an audience with the Chosen Human and received the blessing of a qualified genetic aptitude?!"

A surge of jealousy sprung from his mind. If the second possibility was true, then

Radagast received a boon that the NMRI struggled to replicate for decades if not

Centuries.

So many people who were part of the same community had also sought to replicate what the Chosen Human could accomplish with a miracle.

Alas, none of them had made any meaningful progress. Barrow himself did not really believe that the upcoming Project WR-14 would change the status quo, but what could they do? The New Mech Research Initiative could not afford to give up the collective

Dream of all of its members and supporters.

Therefore, the sign of Radagast apparently piloting a mech did not evoke much joy, but instead caused the two guests to feel both jealousy and despair!

They felt jealous because there was no way that the two of them could ever gain an audience with a god pilot as high and mighty as the Chosen Human.

They also felt despair because the endeavor to replicate this miracle through the power of technology would probably take hundreds if not thousands of years to develop! "Ragadast." Idni asked as soon as he regained a bit of his composure. "Who, or what, ist controlling your machine at the moment? I see traces of both human and artificial movement characteristics in the motion of your Auto Heretic. Are you in control, or is an Al pulling all of its strings?"

Despite being hooked up to a lot of blood channels, Ragadast was still able to smile.

"Why not both? The Auto Heretic does indeed possess a lot of autonomy. I will explain that later. What is important to know is that I am not riding a battle bot. I am only letting the Auto Heretic control much of its own movement because I am unskilled in total manual control. How can you expect a norm such as myself to control a first-class war machine with the proficiency of an academy-trained mech pilot? Let me show you

What I mean."

Radagast deactivated all of the autonomous assistance from his machine, and the difference became obvious right away.

The Auto Heretic's previous movements became jerky and unstable. The mech's footing not only became more inconsistent, but the machine was clearly having trouble

Maintaining its balance.

At one point, it had overstretched its foot, causing it to botch its walking motion and topple over until it fell sideways onto the warehouse floor!

The air became filled with a loud crashing noise as the machine clumsily found itself in

An undignified posture!

If not for the fact that the mech was made out of first-class alloys, its fall might have

Actually dented or damaged the mech frame.

Radagast attempted to use his highly flawed control over his Auto Heretic to lift it up to

Its feet, but the jerky and clumsy movement of its arms and legs made that an impossible challenge!

"My sincere apologies for the display. I only bonded with it recently and did not have

Time yet to master its basic movement operation." "Radagast." Barrow took the initiative to ask a very pertinent question. "Earlier, you referred to yourself as a norm. Is that... is that still true?"

"It is." The mysterious man replied with a smirk. "Did you think an individual like myself can ever enjoy the privilege of visiting the Chosen Human in person? Please. I am a nobody to His Holiness! I do not rely on any god pilot to gain the ability to pilot this Auto Heretic. I am not relying on any cranial implants, genetic treatments or other weird transformations either. I am still a norm for all intents and purposes. If you do not

Believe me, I am ready to conduct a genetic aptitude test as soon as I exit from the

Cockpit."

"If you are not a potentate... then how..."

"Isn't the answer clear to you now, old friend? Why do you think this Auto Heretic has

Connected my blood circulation to its mech frame? I can assure you that none of this is for show. It is part of an amazing new control system, one that can allow a norm such as

Myself to pilot a mech without relying on neural interface technology!" "IMPOSSIBLE!"

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