The Mech Touch novel Chapter 2024

Chapter 2024 Shared Blood

The Larkinson Clan's entry into the Cinach System was a sight to behold!

Though the clan's starships were rather shabby, their numbers were enough to dwarf most other trade convoys passing through the local star system!

Their uniform appearances and the ubiquitous sight of the emblem of the Golden Cat did much to counteract their cheap origins. The hundreds of spaceborn mechs that deployed from the light carriers to form a security perimeter also reinforced the impression that the Larkinson Clan was not that easy to chew!

As much as the ships and mechs of the Larkinson Clan made an impression on the locals, it was the Hexers who attracted the majority of the attention.

The Glory Battalion served as the direct extension of one of the medium-sized powers of the Hexadric Hegemony. Though the Wodin Dynasty wasn't particularly powerful in the massive state, its sheer might and wealth still surpassed anything the locals could scrounge up! Though the Glory Battalion was only able to effectively field a single mech company at this point, no one dared to take its mechs lightly!

As for the Penitent Sisters, their strength was enough to give a Sentinel mech division a run of their money. While such outcomes were highly variable depending on the circumstances of both sides, there was no doubt that provoking the ire of 600 second-class mechs was a one-way ticket to doom!

The one strange trait about the Penitent Sisters was that their ships and mechs all carried a symbol usually associated with the male gender.

Considering their name, a lot of Sentinels had already guessed that there was something very wrong about the Penitent Sisters.

No matter what they thought in private, the strength of the Sisters had to be respected. There was no way that anyone in Cinach would dare to mock the peculiar punishment outfit!

As the fleet gradually glided in the direction of Cinach VI, the mech-producing planet owned by House Evenson, Ves curiously studied the local plot of the star system.

Just like any industrious system, thousands of vessels were travelling in several directions. While most of them consisted of small craft and sublight cargo vessels that lacked FTL drives, plenty more ships came from other star systems and states.

"Business is booming as ever." Ves remarked. "War makes for a very profitable endeavor to star systems like Cinach."

Amidst all of the trade vessels, mercenary carriers, Peacekeeper outfits and military patrols, Ves finally identified a small fleet of ships parked in the orbit of Cinach VI.

One single starship within the fleet carried the name of Gracious Indigo. Last Ves heard, the second-hand light carrier as the flagship of the Larkinson Family.

Obviously, the Larkinson Family lacked the resources of the Larkinson Clan. Its 1 percent share in the LMC was enough to cobble up some mechs, but it was a stretch for them to purchase new ships, especially in a war climate that significantly increased the value of star-faring vessels.

"How is the Larkinson Family doing, Benny?" Ves asked.

"They're doing fine, boss. For a time, they were split up between Larkinsons who managed to escape the manhunt in the Bright Republic and those who were caught in the net. That's no longer the case now. The two groups recently reunited when DIVA's rescue ship brought the former imprisoned Larkinsons to the old family."

"That's great."

Soon enough, Ves received a personal comm call from his famous uncle. He accepted the hail, causing a projection to form in front of his face.

"Ves." Ark Larkinson smiled at his blood cousin in a benevolent manner. "Your clan has finally arrived. I must say, your arrival certainly made a very huge impression on the citizens of the Cinach System. The local news portals have already raised all sorts of alarmist questions. I'm.. not comfortable with the company you keep."

The expert pilot must be referring to the Hexers.

To be honest, Ves wasn't comfortable with the female supremacists either, but they were necessary for his upcoming plans. He had become so entangled with the Hexers that he couldn't get rid of them even if he tried!

"Let's not talk about old matters. First, how are grandpa, Melinda and the rest?"

"They weren't mistreated. At least our former state had the decency to treat our family members with dignity." Ark grimaced. "That said, their capture and subsequent escape left plenty of mental trauma behind. They're not as easy-going as they used to be. Even your grandfather has grown more weary as of late."

"Will he be able to exercise some responsibilities?"

"He's been thinking about retirement every day. If not for the fact our family needs more steady leaders, he would have stepped back entirely. So far, we are thinking about elevating him to an advisory position."

"Ah. So it's just like his previous job, except he'll be helping you instead of the Ministry of Defense."

"Essentially, yes."

Both Larkinsons fell silent for a time.

Ark always held a special place in Ves' heart.

Even though he was already an illustrious expert pilot during the time Ves grew up, Ark never put on any airs to the son of his younger brother. They were truly family to each other every time they met and talked to each other.

As much as both of them wanted to go back to those simpler days, they couldn't. The silence that formed between the Larkinsons reflected all of the changes that took place over the past year.

The schism that tore apart the Larkinson Family, Ghanso's madness and the abrupt formation of the Larkinson Clan all drove a wedge between the two. The tension only grew worse when both Ves and Ark had become the leaders of their respective family organizations.

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