Six different groups of mechs occupied the massive underground hangar. In fact, from all of the wrecks strewn around the massive space, there might have been more!
Ves couldn’t figure out why they were all hostile to each other. While the mechs aligned to powerful factions might be compelled to fight their opponents, there were many other people and organizations who didn’t appear to have anything to do with the factional struggle!
For example, the Roving Hunters and the Trezin Showstoppers were fighting for sport, not for a cause. They only cared about winning titles and defeating their opponents in the arena. There was no reason for them to actively fight against anyone in a civil war unless they had to defend themselves.
“And what are those other groups doing, exactly?”
The mechs of the Brakkard Consortium and the Right Siders did not just huddle in place but actively shot at other mechs. Were they showing aggression in order to project strength or were they truly trying to kill everyone?
All of this violence seemed senseless. With so many different sides in a single active battlefield, clear goals got lost amidst all of the chaos. Ves didn’t feel as if any of the six groups were accomplishing anything that met their goals.
He suspected that they were just fighting each other at this point because they got pulled into battle!
Inertia caused them to keep firing because not doing so implied weakness.
Because all of the other mechs were still actively fighting, a group that just wanted to quit and leave was forced to defend itself by continuing to fire their guns!
This theory explained why the fighting continued but the intensity had died down. Every side incurred varying degrees of damage. A lot of ammunition and energy cells got expended as well so the mechs all had to ration their remaining resources.
“I might be wrong, though.” Ves recognized.
He simply didn’t have enough information to know for sure. His Odineye was powerful in many ways, but it was not a hacking tool. Using it did not allow Ves to magically tap into highly-encrypted and certain types of tightbeam communications.
He didn’t have much time to think. The situation in this area was already volatile and it would doubtlessly become a lot more difficult for him to survive if time went on. His past experiences with crises taught him to always seize the opportunity when the variables were still relatively favorable.
The mounting pressure caused him to think more rapidly than before. Several different ideas flitted through his mind until he made an important realization.
“Why approach one of them at a time when I can appeal to all of them at the same time?”
Trying to communicate with the groups one by one was inefficient and dangerous. What if he approached the wrong fellows? What if one of them consisted of complete nutjobs who would stop at nothing to hunt Ves down because he was one of their priority targets?
Of course, if Ves spoke to all of them at once, he might definitely trigger the aggression of multiple hostile groups at once, but then again he may also be able to persuade friendly groups to join his side.
He did not believe that everyone who happened to be stuck here wanted to get embroiled in all of the fighting. The outbreak of the Supreme Revolution may have been a planned operation, but he seriously doubted that a large group of people knew about it beforehand!
“Captain, Rivington.”
“Yes, Mr. Larkinson.”
“Let’s go bold. What I am about to do is not without its risks, but I think it’s the best way to resolve our current dilemma.”
It took a bit of time to sway the Roving Hunters. They had a lot of reservations about his plan, but Ves was far too confident in his abilities to stop.
What was important was that the Roving Hunters had no other way to get out themselves. Even if they turned around and sought another path out, they would doubtlessly bump into one of the aggressive mech squads that roamed above and below ground. The indirect sensor readings provided by the Odineye made it clear that the fighting was at least ten times more intense closer to the arena!
Ves emerged out of the secure container along with his bodyguards. Even though Nitaa protested vehemently about his course of action, he directly overruled her concerns.
“We’re already knee-deep in danger. Rather than hiding in the shadows like a rat, I would rather face the danger head-on! Besides, I am not without protection.”
He tapped his Unending Regalia for emphasis.
The group cautiously approached the entrance and emerged right into the large hangar.
Due to all of the fighting, the place looked like a mess. The cavernous underground hall exhibited impact craters and melted surfaces in every direction.
Few shuttles and transports survived the crossfire. Some of them had been blown up to the point their organic remains had spread to every corner. Others exhibited a massive hole as a powerful beam or projectiles punched right through the thin and weak flesh and membrane of the civilian vehicles.
The larger the vehicle, the greater the chance of getting wrecked!
If Ves hadn’t closed his armored suit beforehand, his nose would have been assaulted by all kinds of disgusting smells!
The spread of damage also damaged much of the illumination systems. This caused the overall light level of the massive hangar to dim. Some areas were so shrouded in darkness that only silhouettes were visible with the n.a.k.e.d eye.
Their entry did not go unnoticed. If Ves and his bodyguards entered alone, then they probably would have blended in with the other helpless people running around without aim or hiding helplessly in their vehicles.
Yet the appearance of four damaged but still battle-worthy mechs represented the emergence of a new threat.
Previously, the different groups only had to worry about fending off five possible opponents. Now, their burden increased once more, which none of them liked!
Ves knew he had to change this impression quickly.
He briefly considered whether he should hide his identity and hide behind the name and reputation of the Roving Hunters, but he felt this was counterproductive.
His reputation was much bigger and more profound than that of a single competitive team. No one would take the Roving Hunters seriously, and what he could offer in his own name was much more than Captain Rivington could ever dangle in front of their heads!
Ves used the flight capabilities of his suit to float in the air and stop right above the Perringer’s scavenged tower shield.
If anyone took the initiative to take potshots at Ves, he could always dive down and shelter behind the protection of the thick shield!
Venerable Jannzi activated a spotlight mounted on the frame of her borrowed biomech. This was a trivial stage technique that instantly directed the attention of every mech pilot to Ves!
The different groups all interrupted their shots. They all wanted to know what the newcomers wanted to do and whether they posed another threat.
When Ves saw that he succeeded in attracting everyone’s attention, he began to channel a portion of the Golden Cat’s glow.
The presence he exuded became magnified. With the help of this old trick, Ves knew that all of his deeds and words gained greater weight. It was an excellent method to captivate a crowd!
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Ves Larkinson, the patriarch of the Larkinson Clan and one of the most successful Journeyman Mech Designers of our star cl.u.s.ter. May I have your attention, please?”
No one raised their rifles and fired at him. Ves considered that a good sign.
He deliberately phrased his introduction in a way that emphasized his prestigious and highly-accomplished identities.
Compared to an average second-rate citizen, Ves had leapt way past their status and occupied a position that was firmly above their heads!
Whether he acted as a patriarch of a rising spaceborn clan or a mech designer who accomplished a huge amount of sales, his current identity likely surpassed everyone else’s in the underground hangar by at least a hundred times!
Ves didn’t want to come across as their equals. He wanted to assume a high and unassailable image to them so that they wouldn’t even think of disrespecting him at this time!
“Contrary to what you might think, I do not have an agenda in this fight. My sights are set in the Red Ocean, not in this star sector. My current goal is to leave this area and return to a safe area. Now, I don’t know who you are and why you are fighting each other. Frankly, I don’t care what you have done. What matters is getting out. I am sure that many of you share the same goal. Do you really want to fight and die in this dark hole without accomplishing anything meaningful in your life?”
He was met with silence. That was good. Since he still managed to capture everyone’s attention, he quickly resumed speaking.
“Think about the current circ.u.mstances and your place in it. The Life Research Association has completely fractured. No matter how long this civil war lasts, it will inevitably ravage large parts of the state and inflict a lot of suffering and misery to everyone. That not only includes the masses, but also you and your families. Do you really believe it is worthwhile for you to get pulled into this quagmire?”
Ves swept his arm across the entire hangar. “Look at these fallen mechs and bodies. These poor mech pilots and bystanders all died in this obscure area. No one will remember their sacrifice. No one can even tell what they accomplished with their deaths. This could be you one day. No matter who you fight for, do you really want to be used by pawns in this senseless conflict? Make no mistake. This is not a war that is driven by liberty. It is a war that is purely motivated by selfish motives.”
Perhaps he was a bit uncharitable towards the warring factions, but with all of the innocent people who died, it was very hard to consider either side to be righteous!
“If you are disgusted by what is happening in your state, then choose not to take part in it! The rebels may have wronged many citizens by enabling all of the violence, but they are right when they claimed the LRA has deteriorated. If you want to fight for your cause, then feel free to do so, but if you are not a fan of it, then you have another choice!”
Ves extended his palm in a welcoming gesture. “Join me! Join my clan and free yourself from the vortex that has gripped your state! Our Larkinson Clan welcomes any strong and talented mech pilot. You can bring your families and friends along with you as well as long as they are not opposed to us. Let me offer you a better future where you are part of one big family, where all of us are working towards greatness and where you can pilot the only mechs that can unlock your full potential!”
He transmitted a silent signal to the Perringer.
Venerable Jannzi began to excite her force of will. The knight mech seemed to gain more definition as the Larkinson expert pilot began to announce her identity in a way that other mech pilots were able to recognize!
“I have facilitated the rise of many expert candidates and expert pilots.” Ves shamelessly boasted with a grin. “No one knows more about how to elevate mech pilots than I. With my specialized mechs, my clansmen have a greater chance of advancing in rank than anyone else. The statistics are clear! If you are content with remaining as an ordinary mech pilot, then stay in the LRA if you want. However, if you wish to attain greatness and become a hero that everyone looks up to, then grasp your chance and join my clan!”
