The Mech Touch novel Chapter 2412

Chapter 2412: Celebrity Endorsements

The Battle against the Abyss did not just ripple through the Nyxian Gap, but also beyond!

Of course, it took some time for those in the Komodo Star Sector to learn about the outcome of this long-awaited confrontation.

For more than a day, the Larkinsons in the Nyxian Gap hadn't transmitted any messages back to the clan members who remained in civilized space.

There were good reasons for that. First, they didn't want to transmit any sensitive information that Ves and the clan would rather keep under wraps. Second, even if they wanted to share the good news, they had no way to transmit their messages.

This was because their ships no longer possessed any quantum entanglement nodes!

A short time before the Battle against the Abyss commenced, Ves commanded all of the nodes to be destroyed.

The Black Cats made sure to remove every single communication device capable of communicating with the galaxy outside! Without any means to connect to the galactic net, Ves didn't have to worry about the Larkinson fleet leaking out sensitive information.

He did not even let off the Darkbreak module. His men had secretly removed the MTA communications device from the Scarlet Rose and hid it inside a random asteroid.

Right now, a detachment of Larkinson mechs were cautiously on their way to retrieve the precious device. Ves needed it back to talk to Master Willix on a frank basis. The clan also needed it for other communication.

In fact, the Gravada Knarlax and some of the other pirate ships that fell into their hands possessed quantum communication nodes as well.

According to Calabast, the pirates didn't build or buy them legitimately. Instead, they just stole from their prey.

None of these quantum communication nodes survived the battle. As soon as the dark gods appeared onto the battlefield, the pressure and interference they emanated caused the sensitive nodes to break.

"That is an unexpectedly good outcome." Calabast reported to Ves as the initial takeover of the Gravada Knarlax neared completion. "Quantum communication nodes are fairly sensitive to outside shock and influence. While there are reinforced nodes for sale that are better able to cope with adverse conditions, the pirates all sourced their nodes from privately-owned ships."

Third-class private sector starships rarely hosted reinforced nodes. They cost so much that they could easily eat through half of the budget of the ship in some cases. There was no way that any customer wanted to pay such a huge premium to obtain a simple ship! They would rather spend their money on other features such as faster propulsion or larger cargo holds.

Though Ves preferred not to talk to Master Willix again so soon, he knew he had to take the initiative to act proactively. If he simply did nothing, then the MTA would certainly begin to demand an explanation.

Due to the enormous power disparity between the Larkinson Clan and the Association, Ves would have no choice but to obey every instruction!

"I need to control the narrative."

This extended beyond just his relationship with the MTA. Though his clansmen were still in the process of tallying losses and comprehending the magnitude of what had taken place, the scope of casualties would soon become known to everyone.

The figures didn't look good.

"How many dead, major?"

Major Verle recited the figures from his data pad. "Sir, during this battle alone, we have lost around 140 Avatar mech pilots, 80 Sentinel mech pilots, 30 Battle Crier mech pilots, 30 Vandal mech pilots, 2 Swordmaiden mech pilots and also 60 Penitent Sister mech pilots. Naturally, we lost a lot more of the other personnel when so many of our ships went down. With more than thirty ships lost so far and many more damaged, over 6,000 Larkinsons have died, along with plenty of Penitent Sisters as well. This is the first time in our entire run that we suffered such serious losses from our ship crews and support personnel."

Before that, the only significant loss in that area was when an anomalous hazard caused the disappeare of the Nova Krokaw. Compared to that little incident, the deaths from this battle were much worse! Not even the preemptive evacuation measures helped reduce this figure all that much.

Ves rubbed his forehead. "It could have been worse. Still, with so many clansmen gone, the hole they've left in the clan is enormous. It will be difficult for our remaining men to get over so many deaths."

He grew concerned about whether he could hold onto his position. When he and the Larkinson Assembly formulated the governing rules of the clan, the position of clan patriarch did not come with absolute power.

This was necessary in order to reassure the rest of the clan that their highest leader remained accountable. While the barrier to remove the clan patriarch was high, it was not an impossible hurdle to overcome.

Right now, Ves felt it was very realistic for eighty percent of the Assembly members to vote for his removal! While he had helped the clan rise, ruinous battles like these also proved that he could easily lead it to ruin!

"What I'm worried about are the reactions from the Avatars and Sentinels, sir." Major Verle noted. "These two groups comprise the mainstay of our clan. Any dissatisfaction from them will have far-reaching effects. At the same time, gaining their support will offer you a lot of internal support. The influence of the soldiers in our clan is very substantial. Buying them over means you automatically gain the support of the majority."

The former Brighter possessed a good grasp on what it took to swing people's opinions. When he pointed out that Ves only needed to focus on swaying the Avatars and Sentinels, the problem didn't appear to be so unsurmountable anymore.

Still, Ves wasn't sure whether the two groups would be easy to persuade.

"The Avatars are my original loyalists." He surmised. "While my standing in their eyes has certainly taken a hit from this battle, I can still bank on my existing popularity. After all, out of all of our mech forces, I invested a lot of resources and attention in them. I also have a good relationship with some key personnel. As for the Sentinels…"

His face grew ugly. He called up the casualty figures of the Sentinel mech pilots.

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