The Mech Touch novel Chapter 3152

Chapter 3152: Back to the Center

General Verle expressed disappointment at Ves' choice. He genuinely believed that Commodore Abigail Evern could do a good job in managing the affairs of the clan.

"That's the thing, general. It's not enough to have the capabilities to manage all of the heavy responsibilities that come with the job. They also have to gain the support of a majority of clansmen. The position of chief minister is one of the highest offices of the clan. Anyone who takes it up will become one of the faces that will represent all of us. I don't want to appoint someone who is either a Hexer or close to it to speak on our behalf."

"I see. I may have neglected this angle." He said. "I'm used to dictating orders to subordinates, but the political arena requires a different approach."

Verle should have been more sensitive to these considerations, but he had been in charge for such a long time now that he had lost some of the political acumen that he used to possess back when he was a Firestarter.

"I'm not writing Commodore Evern off, general. She already ticks most of the boxes. As long as she and the Penitent Sisters work harder in reforming their image, the barriers that are hindering her from ascending to higher office will become a lot easier to overcome."

"That's good to hear. While all of our clansmen are loyal, the Penitent Sisters are much more notable in this regard."

"That's mostly due to their religious nature. From what I've noticed during my previous visit, the Penitent Sisters are mainly devoted to the Superior Mother. Though they also have plenty of reasons to be loyal to me and the rest of the clan, sometimes I feel like they are only fervent because of our relation with the Superior Mother." Ves remarked.

"I know what you mean, but in the end our hold over them is solid. If there is any chance that they are drifting apart from our clan, we will definitely be able to pick up the signs early enough to do something about it. No matter what, the best way for them to grow closer to their object of worship is to pilot your mechs. Their dependence on you and your work is our best guarantee that they will never go back to their old ways."

That was true. Even if someone else was able to tie a design spirit to a mech design, Ves possessed a deep relationship with the avatar of his actual mother. As long as he issued a request, the Superior Mother would probably indulge him. He was her son, after all. Didn't he deserve to get spoiled once in a while?

"Ahem." Ves softly coughed. "Let us set Commodore Evern aside. What alternatives do you have?"

"That's… a bit of an issue, sir. The Larkinson Army is lacking in upper-level talent. While we do not necessarily have to settle on a senior officer, our remaining officer base is too young and brash to draw upon. The responsibility of leading the clan as a whole is so great that it is best that it is left to people with a certain level of maturity and life experience."

Ves agreed with General Verle, though there was an argument to be had for younger and more flexible leaders. He himself was very young for a clan patriarch, but then again his entire life didn't make any sense.

Still, Ves prioritized stability and control. The clan was already developing well enough that it didn't need to take any further risks. He preferred to appoint a cooler head that wasn't so quick to take a lot of risks.

"Our clan might be lacking in senior leaders, but we have over 150,000 people in our midst. I seriously doubt that you can't find another eligible candidate from their midst. If necessary, we can set our sights on a retired veteran."

"Let's not be so quick to draw upon them. I have another name in mind that might suit your purposes."

The former commander of the Living Sentinels entered the conference room and presented herself to Ves.

"Patriarch." She saluted. "I am at your service."

Ves fell silent as he studied the older woman. Magdalena Larkinson used to be a lot stiffer. As a military veteran and a mech officer, she was accustomed to projecting strength and authority.

Yet now that she had passed on her previous command, she moved on to become a staff officer who worked directly under General Verle. The break from her former command seemed to have done wonders for her mood. She looked as if she had fully moved past her rather shameful departure.

"How are you doing, Magdalena?"

"I'm doing well, sir. Commander Casella Ingvar is a much more suitable figurehead for the Living Sentinels. I don't miss my former job."

"What do you do these days?"

"I serve as General Verle's deputy for the most part." She replied. "Due to my background, I mostly assist with mech-related problems. I supervise the logistics concerning the allocation and transfer of newly-produced mechs among other tasks."

It was a rather boring-sounding job to Ves, but it was people like Major Magdalena that ensured that the different mech troops kept running smoothly.

As the major continued to elaborate on her job, Ves found that she possessed a comprehensive understanding of the military machine of the Larkinson Clan. Her diverse experience allowed her to gain a good perspective on what the forward and rear sides of the Larkinson Army required from each other. This allowed her to anticipate problems before they blew up and meet the needs of many soldiers without waiting for them to voice their complaints.

All in all, her job wouldn't change all that much if she became a chief minister. She would still be working on the same problems. The only difference was that she would have to address issues plaguing the rest of the clan.

There was only one major caveat to choosing Major Magdalena.

"How popular is she among the clansmen?"

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