What's Junk? (The Mech Touch)

[TheDerangedOne]

... ... ... Oh right Ves made that scavenging shotgunner mech when he was drafted to help the MTA steal a crashed CFA ship or sommat.
... ... Honestly It's been ages since I actually read The Mech touch.
Is Bolt going to be roped into that covert op too or are He and Ves just going to keep missing each other so they don't have to interact?

 

[lost star]

Their interaction is likely going to happen at some point, but only in the war arc. Ves is going to be leaving the sector shortly, and they literally can't interact.

 

[kienlong49]

Good, you really don't want to interact with Ves a whole lot. He have a strange tendency to just screw with you if it give him an advantage.

 

[lost star]

Of the big two, the CFA was the less public one. Humanity as a whole knew about them of course. They would demand nothing less, but the average person on the ground would barely interact with them. Contrast this with the MTA and the sometimes intrusive presence, and you would think they were lesser. That was if you were stupid.

The CFA was the stick. The MTA pretended to be friendly through various outreaches. The CFA was authority. They were actually relatively respected authority too surprisingly. Through good PR and relatively neutral dealings, everyone knew enough to avoid being on their bad side. They were the big stick that humanity used on their enemies usually. They only sometimes used that stick on humans and those sometimes were when the people violated very clear laws.

A priority reinforcement hub was one of those times they used the stick. It was a bureaucratic designation for a specific area in space. It essentially made the place dedicated to transportation and all conflict was banned. Fighting in the area meant death by CFA warship. (Specifically fighting in mechs or space.) It was also a temporary designation done only in times when an alien presence was being actively fought nearby galactically.

Basically the CFA was taking control of the area to provide an avenue of reinforcement in their campaign against the Sandmen. It polite fiction mostly. The CFA and the MTA relied on galactic scale portals to transport large fleets. They didn't really need hubs for simpler things, and the Sandman war was simple to them, despite the damage it was doing. Bolt's planet still qualified based on its unusual FTL composition and location, which made it a perfect cover for other business to be processed. Like discretely 'recruiting' a native.

"Gadget is quite brilliant for her age and status, but also quite behind those in her age group in our usual educational facilities. This is something we can compensate for. It is also something that will require her moving." The very attractive female recruiter explained to Bolt.

Bolt nodded quietly. He was the only one with even a bit of power at the level the CFA worked with, so he was the negotiator here. Not that he could negotiate much with such a disparity. He'd still do his best.

"We have no objection to her going to a school elsewhere." Bolt noted very calmly. "We do object to her being cut off from further contact."

"For the purposes of education, this is quite normal. Interruptions from family can hinder the process." The woman countered without a change in expression.

Bolt leaned forward in the seat slightly. "I did read the regulations you know." He informed her very softly.

There were two blinks to his response. No other changes. "Those regulations-"

"Are for citizens of a specific level yes. Which I am, my birth place non-withstanding." The young man's smile was very polite and very friendly even as he interrupted her. "Forbidding contact is against rule B202 if the parent or guardian is a citizen at my level."

"You are-"

"I am a guardian as of today." Bolt cut off the woman again. "Officially recognized by the MTA. You can check." It'd taken a paltry amount of MTA credits to pay for expedited processing.

For a moment the woman was silent as she obviously tried to review something with her implant. "Very well. Contact information will be forwarded." She wasn't so unprofessional as to be displeased, but there was a hint of it. Then she stiffened. "One moment." She held up a finger before standing. "Captain on deck!"

Bolt blinked. Then blinked again as a man appeared in a small flash. The woman gave him a salute and then disappeared after what appeared to be a non-verbal exchange of some sort. The teleportation technology they used for close range like this was both interesting, and honestly rather annoying in that there was almost no warning when it was used.

"I am taking over the negotiations." The man said. "I am Captain Denib, and will be in charge of managing this particular section of space." He took a seat in a fashion so precise it bordered on uncanny.

Denib was human. This had to be said because his eyes and face were just off enough to make it slightly inhuman. There was something about him that set him apart from normality. An aura almost. Bolt had heard that the CFA's current fashion was genetic engineering to set them apart from human baseline. This man's appearance confirmed that rumor as true.

"Captain." Bolt nodded agreeably and as peacefully as he could. "Kinda unsure what I can negotiate more here. Was happy just saying in contact."

"You were running around the recruiter." The captain said simply. "Impressive for a grounder, especially because you read the rulebook an hour before the meeting."

Bolt shrugged as he settled into his seat. "Seemed important."

"It's equally important that we develop young talent in a way that aligns with our values. This is why we prefer to have new cadets cut ties with their families." Denib leaned back into the chair himself and a small cup appeared next to him. "I can offer you a substantial sum of CFA credits to do so."

"Politely, no." The young man didn't even have to think about it.

"You are certain?" The captain asked while taking a sip of the drink.

Bolt gave the other man a stare. "Do I have ta write it in blood or something?"

"No, but I am expected to make the offer. The next step would be to pressure you with other factors, but that can be safely dispensed with in this case as you have enough prestige to push back." Denib dropped the glass and it disappeared from sight. He then folded his hands in front of him. "Formalities and official statements aside, we both know you can't stop us. You can make things difficult, and I do want your sister to have few complications in her new life. We do not need you trying to exploit a new cadet, nor do we need her distracted by your current needs."

"Give her work, treat her fairly, and she'll do it. I want to keep in contact because she's family. Ain't like we want anything else." Bolt replied with a slight bit of confusion. He wasn't sure where things were going.

Denib paused slightly as he met the other man's eyes. "You are serious." He gave a very slight laugh. "An actual family man. You do know the value of a CFA credit correct?"

"Yes." Bolt nodded. "Though er..." He paused and scratched at a cheek. "Ya might be getting a wrong impression somewhere. I do got some MTA credits too, and that helps me say no."

"I have a full profile of you, including your MTA company." The captain replied with a small shake of his head. "It changes little. Many rich people would jump at what we offer."

"Yet-" Bolt cut himself off and sighed. "Shall we move on?" The captain's objections were likely related to his place of birth and status more than anything else. There was no resolving this verbally.

"Very well, psionic nonsense aside, your sister attributed many of her accomplishments to your work so contact can be provisionally approved without further negotiations. Please be aware that we will be monitoring all communications, and improper information might cause restrictions or disciplinary actions." The captain continued. "You have the full contract for her enlistment?"

"Correct." Bolt said and paused slightly. "Since I don't want the credits, can I have her get the appropriate life extensions and implants for her station early?" He asked.

"CFA credits and internal merits are different. We prefer to avoid interchanging them, and it would likely make her future prospects harder rather than easier." Denib replied conversationally as he visibly recategorized something about the conversation internally. "Speaking from experience, the first few years in schooling are harsh but fair even to those with her background. We strictly monitor things to insure this. Afterwards she will face some social stigma, but considering her aptitude there will be few issues. That is assuming she applies herself."

"She will." Bolt let himself relax a bit. This was a career prospects conversation now, and they both knew it. "Would she have a chance to build ships?"

"We operate on automated tests and evaluations. If she passes the tests, she can apply to any opening and will be accepted if she has the appropriate score. Looking at her work on your primitive carrier, she could likely pass the test to become a junior shipwright now. I would not suggest it however, and you should speak with her on this."

Bolt paused and stared at the other man. "Weren't you worried about me talking with her?"

"Was I?" Denib asked with an upraised eyebrow. "I still am. Yet you should still talk with her about it. If she expands her education and moderates her vocabulary, she could likely apply to join a particular division that experiments with ships and other systems that are more aligned with her current leanings. I believe you understand what I am speaking of."

Ah. Bolt had forgotten that they were being monitored. Denib was dancing around a few things. He wanted spiritual tech. Gadget had done something with the carrier that had made the rather prickly and isolated CFA grab at it with both hands and now they were trying to cover their greed.

"I get it I think. You also..." Bolt trailed off and changed tracks. "Ahem. Actually you will be confiscating the carrier too as part of her submission for joining I assume."

"It will. You are entitled adequate compensation, unless you wish to wave it too." The captain asked with a small smirk.

"No, that won't be something we wave. We do need a ship like that. A replacement would be fine." Bolt waved it off.

That got a laugh from the captain. "No, actually it wouldn't. If we were replacing it due to normal factors that would be acceptable. Here..." The captain trailed off as he looked for something mentally. "Ah, there we are. You're getting an upgrade."

Something beeped on Bolt's comm and he pulled it out. The carrier that appeared in there was technically Third Rate in that the reactor was that level. The rest of it was very close to Second Rate. Skimming the specs made it apparent that the ship was a custom model of some sort.

"That experimental division I mentioned made this out of a desire to see how much you could do with primitive materials and explicitly limiting themselves. The thing was taking up space, so consider it almost a favor to take it." The captain waved a hand dismissively. "Your sister will likely be building a few of them as she learns. As part of our arrangement, we can have them handed to you, so long as she performs properly."

"I ain't selling family for anything." Bolt said very firmly. "But I will pass on your statements. Gadget's one of us, and now one of yours, and we all fight very hard for our family. Ya get it?"

"That is a very optimistic point of view, but a career of service is not something we are unfamiliar with." For a moment the captain looked very human as he looked off at something unseen. "The CFA was founded to protect humanity. We have long lines of people who do just that. If your sister lives up to those ideals, then she will have both my gratitude and appreciation."

"Well, I believe she'll try her best." Bolt said with a nod. "She's got a good head on her shoulders."

Captain Denib nodded as he got to his feet. "For a new cadet, that is all we ask for. Real duty comes after the training."

The man disappeared after that and Bolt stared a moment at the space before sighing and relaxing completely. That could have gone far worse.

 

[Sunhawk]

A stress point, but I think Bolt overall impressed the captain.

 

[Emptiness]

CFA: *Willing to give a small pile of credits for this example of spiritual ships*

Bolt: "Just give us a small shuttle, take care of me' sis, and let 'er call home once in a while"

CFA: *surprised Pikachu face*