The Mech Touch

Once Radagast had made his point while piloting his Auto Heretic in an extremely clumsy and embarrassing manner, he finally let the Auto Heretic bring itself to an upright position before shutting down his machine.

When the new 'mech pilot' finally exited the cockpit, Barrow and Idni immediately sought to verify Radagast's claims!

"Idni." The owner of the Auto Heretic spoke up. "Did you bring the genetic aptitude tester? I have brought one myself, but I think you prefer to make use of your own device just to be certain."

"I do. Please wait. I will retrieve it right away."

It took a few minutes for Idni Zenokon to return with a strange helmet in his possession. He had brought over a compact version of a typical genetic aptitude testing device. It lacked the spikes and other strange features, but it functioned almost just as well.

Before Idni placed the tester onto Radagast's head, he first performed a quick inspection. He wanted to make sure its settings were calibrated to measure the genetic aptitude of an older adult human and that it hadn't been tampered with in secret.

"It is ready."

"Then proceed. Place it on my head and confirm the truth with your very own eyes." When Idni placed the helmet onto Radagast's head, the scientist also activated a data feed that allowed him to receive detailed data.

The genetic aptitude tester started to beep and activate a few lights. This showed that it had entered into an active state.

Idni deliberately chose to conduct the most thorough and time-consuming test process in order to be absolutely thorough. This made the test last for over three minutes as the device needed to be thorough in exploring the data transmission and processing capabilities of various parts of Radagast's brain and parts of his spine.

The test process imposed quite a bit of strain on Radagast's central nervous system. He flinched and gritted his teeth at times as he felt as if his head was being rammed by a shuttle.

All of this was necessary in order to generate the most precise and detailed data. As a neural interface specialist, Idni was able to effectively interpret all of the readings from the device.

His expression grew more and more perplexed.

By the time the test came to an end, Radagast removed the helmet from his head on his own initiative and faced his old friend.

"Are you convinced now, Idni?"

The chief scientist remained frozen in silence.

Barrow gazed at Idni in concern. He could scarcely believe that he had come across a mech that could actually allow a norm to pilot it. The result from the genetic aptitude test was therefore of utmost importance.

"What did your tester say?"

"The genetic aptitude tester... has confirmed without shadow of a doubt that Radagast's genetic aptitude is... F-grade. It is completely unqualified to pilot a first-class mech, let alone the most basic third-class mech. The data and the result are likely not falsified. I have observed the raw data readings carefully and saw nothing that indicates that any impropriety has occurred."

Barrow tried his best to keep his increasingly restless heart under control. "...What if the genetic aptitude tester got tampered anyway? I want this to be true as much as you do, but we cannot take this information at face value."

"Do you think I am gullible, Barrow?! Of course I know that! As a scientist, it is second nature for me to verify the validity of the results! If possible, I would truly like to bring Radagast and his Auto Heretic mech back to the NMRI in order to conduct a detailed battery of tests!"

"I am afraid that I will not be able to oblige." Radagast said. "You are not the only group of mech enthusiasts that I have to meet. The Auto Heretic is a gift that must be spread to as many people as possible. Besides, you do not need my presence in order to thoroughly determine whether this mech model is the real deal."

Both Barrow and Idni widened their eyes.

"Are you saying... that we can pilot this mech ourselves?" Barrow almost whispered his question. "Perhaps... right now?"

"No."

What?!

The two NMRI leaders felt hopeful until Radagast directly shot down their suggestion! "Why?! Why are you tempting us with a mech that has apparently shattered the genetic aptitude tyranny, only for you to deny us the chance to experience it ourselves?!" Radagast remained calm in the face of two mech enthusiasts who had already become utterly consumed by their desire to pilot their own mechs!

"You misunderstand. The man calmly explained. "I am not rejecting your request because I want to. It is because it is physically impossible for you to pilot 'my' Auto Heretic. You see, the same control system that is used to allow a norm such as myself to control the mech is tied to my body and supposedly more. From the moment I piloted this mech for the first time, it has become bound to me. The blood that is circulated by the new control system has also changed to reflect my augmented physiology. Therefore, attempting to pilot it will not only cause you to fail, but also suffer a fatal

Case of blood poisoning unless you have implants that can handle this condition." That caused Barrow and Idni to lose their anger. They grew confused.

"How does this new control system work exactly?" The chief scientist of the NRMI asked. "And what does it have to do with blood?"

"The new control system that defines the Auto Heretic model is called the 'Carmine System! It is named for the medium which is used to enable a norm to form a bond with the mech that allows the two to communicate with each other. Do not ask me how it

Works. None of the scientists and engineers in my employ have managed to decipher anything meaningful. I eventually chalked it up to mech designer magic."

That caused Idni to feel perplexed. The revelation that this so-called Carmine System only managed to overcome the genetic aptitude tyranny due to 'mech designer magic' was disappointing to say the least.

As a conventional scientist who possessed a strong interest in mechs, Idni Zenokon had come into contact with mechs, mech designs and the metaphysical qualities that made them different from other manufactured goods.

Idni still did not understand how the whole outperformed the sum of its physical parts in such an obvious and inexplicable manner.

He had tried his best to obtain answers from many different mech designers, but they never offered any helpful information.

Eventually, one of his mech designer friends warned Idni that it was a good idea for him

To suspend his inquiry. If he continued to chase for answers, the Mech Trade Association might decide to pay him a not-so-friendly visit.

Idni wisely decided to drop the matter.

That did not mean he lost his curiosity, but he could only hold it in to prevent any

Undesirable consequences.

Right now, his desire for answers had grown a lot more. If he knew that 'mech designer magic' had become powerful enough to casually make the impossible come true like this, then he would have investigated this phenomenon to the end!

"Damn." Idni cursed.

"What is the matter, my friend?"

"The Auto Heretic here is not as great as I thought. I cannot deny that it is a historic mech for allowing a norm like Radagast to pilot it, but it doesn't advance our science and technology as much as I wished." Idni sighed. "If this Carmine System can only work because of the metaphysical support from a single person's design philosophy, then I think that reverse engineering it will be a nearly impossible challenge. This was what conventional scientists and engineers hated the most about mech designers. The latter essentially cheated their way into creating stronger and groundbreaking mechs.

The worst part about it was that mech designers were so exclusive towards their chosen war platforms that they never took the initiative to share their innovations beyond their instruments of violence!

This was another reason why other combat vehicles got phased out. Even if they had good qualities that were no worse than a mech frame, the latter would still perform

Better because of the support of mech designer nonsense!

The only consolation was that the biggest and most radical innovations eventually did get figured out, usually after the responsible individuals advanced to the rank of Master. While this ensured that the technological contributions of mech designers partially spread to humanity's other industries, it also meant that the development of mechs always stayed several steps ahead of the development of starships and other technological goods!

"What class?" Idni asked the most critical question that was currently on his mind.

"Class IX."

The scientist groaned. "That makes this worse. Class IX design philosophies are always the most difficult to decipher. It may take decades if not centuries to reverse engineer the Auto Heretic and its Carmine System."

"That... is at least an improvement compared to our prior situation." Barrow commented. "Look on the bright side. We not only have a mech that has broken the genetic aptitude. tyranny, but also offers us clear directions to how it is able to accomplish this. So long as the NMRI and many other research institutions keep studying the Carmine System, we may be able to develop our own substitutes within several decades. Class IX design philosophies long held a notorious reputation for being difficult to impossible to replicate through purely standard technological means.

In truth, many scientists simply did not bother to spend their time on deciphering them

Because the effort was not proportional to the reward.

This only added to the mystique of Class IX design philosophies.

This was different. The Carmine System meant far too much to many norms to give up

So easily!

It was not just the research institutions that had been looking to fulfill 'the cause' that would be interested in this endeavor.

Many other groups that previously had no interest in trying to open up mech piloting to

Norms would be frantically trying to figure out the working principles of the Carmine

System as well!

The very future of mechs and its place in human society was at stake!

Until the day had come when humans had completely torn down the genetic aptitude tyranny to the point where it could never make a comeback, it became crucially important to preserve the Auto Heretic design and protect its mech designer as much

As possible!

"Who are the designers of the Auto Heretic?" Idni asked next. "And which one of them is responsible for developing the Carmine System?"

"One of the mech designers involved is a Master Mech Designer who has not been named. Surprisingly, he or she i not responsible for developing the Carmine System. It is actually the invention of a Senior Mech Designer by the name of Ves Larkinson,"

"Ves... Larkinson...?"

"That name will soon become famous across the galaxy." Radagast predicted with

Certainty. "I am not surprised that you are not familiar with him. No one is. He is apparently one of the mech designers who immigrated to the Red Ocean. Despite the fact that he is no longer able to come back to the Milky Way, he has left a PP behind, so his works are still functional in this galaxy. Normally, that is of no relevance to us as his works have never spread too far beyond a star cluster in the galactic rim, but this time is different. Professor Larkinson is doing extremely well in the new frontier, so much so that he has taken advantage of the conditions to develop his Carmine System." "The people of the Red Ocean have access to these new mechs as well?!" "Yes, and they are apparently called Carmine mechs. They are already being sold over

There. Now, Professor Larkinson and his backers have generously decided to share his marvelous gift of a mech design to us, the people of the Milky Way!"

"Wait." Barrow said. "How can this Ves Larkinson release this mech to the Milky Way

When he is 50 million light-years away? Did he design this so-called Carmine mech before the Great Severing?!"

"No." Idni said. "That is definitely not the case. This Auto Heretic uses technological principles that have been developed in the current generation. It may have been upgraded from an older design, but I do not think that is likely seeing how new and fresh

It appears.

"Don't ask. I do not have all of the answers." Radagast simply said. "I am not the developer

Of the Auto Heretic. I am merely a broker of sorts. I can only supply you with as much information that I have received myself. If you want more answers than that, then you are welcome to conduct your own investigation."

Ves Larkinson.

Barrow and Idni both remembered that name. They would definitely look into him and

His exploits. What sort of design philosophy did he come up with that enabled a norm like Radagast to pilot his own 'Carmine mech'?

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