The Mech Touch novel Chapter 3623

Chapter 3623 Thorn Project

Compared to the Magair Middle Zone, the Krakatoa Middle Zone was at least several years behind in terms of development. _{freēwēbnovel.com}

This was because the latter was situated closer to the center of the Red Ocean and was therefore conquered a bit later.

The result of this was that the established power blocs were still in the build-up process. While they already claimed their own patches of turf, as long as they began to expand their territory, they would eventually bump into each other!

"Back in the old galaxy, the colonization of a star sector usually proceeds in distinct phases." Commander Chancy explained to Ves. "Think about the history of the Komodo Star Sector. I can't tell you how many colony fleets descended upon it, but it must have been thousands. All of them struggled against each other. If they did not fight in order to claim the best planets, they always fought to expand their territory the most. Competition also took place in other fronts such as the monopolization of scarce exotics or trying to gain a stranglehold over trade. What happened before will happen again. The difference is that the players are much more powerful this time because the colonists aren't simply exiles and desperados this time. The pioneers who have managed to enter the Red Ocean are of a much higher caliber."

She was right. Ves recalled that the Hexadric Hegemony essentially won the scramble for the richest and most prosperous territories in the Komodo Star Sector. If not for the fact that the most powerful surviving competitors banded together to stop the Hexer from expanding further, the star sector would have definitely been dominated by the hateful women!

Ves didn't think about it, but the Krakatoa Middle Zone as well as other zones would probably feature the same kind of conflict!

Even though everyone in this zone was technically a part of the Red Ocean Union, that was too loose of a bond for pioneers to make way for each other. Unless the Terrans and Rubarthans tried to encroach on their territory, it was unlikely for all of these loose pioneers to form a united front!

Ves pressed his fingers against his forehead. "I can foresee the trouble this brings, but we don't have a stake in the local conflicts. One of the reasons why I am insistent on keeping our clan in a fleet is because we can just leave whenever the temperature gets too hot."

"What if the entire Red Ocean heats up?" The Penitent Sister pressed. "What if there is no room for unaligned fleets? Look. I've read your history. You have a phobia against betrayal, so you try to avoid putting yourself in situations where others can stab you in the back once again. If you keep doing this, I'm afraid we might end up in a situation where we are all alone and surrounded by hostile or uncaring cliques. Sure, you might not get stabbed in the back by those you consider friends, but you'll just get cornered and hacked to pieces from all sides."

Ves did not like what he heard. He glanced suspiciously at Commander Chancy. "What a lovely analogy. I did not take you for a deep thinker."

The Penitent Sister Commander shrugged. "I am a mech officer and a leader of a growing mech legion. Give me some credit, sir. I am constantly concerned about the safety of our clan but especially my fellow sisters. While I am not privy to all of your high-level decision-making, I hope you are accounting for the gradual onset of war and conflict in Krakatoa. The aliens are a greater threat at the moment, but sooner or later most of them will be driven out as is the case in Magair. That is when the competing pioneering alliances will truly begin to come to blows!"

As much as Ves didn't want to admit it, she probably had a good point. The Red Ocean was large and not a lot of pioneering fleets had passed through the beyonder gate at this time.

However, the ones who got in early usually possessed an abundance of strength, wealth and ambition. They hoped to replicate or exceed the success of their predecessors and carve out their own empires in the Red Ocean!

With so many megalomaniacal leaders in charge, there was no way the zones would remain peaceful. Those aspiring to found the next New Rubarth Empire would not be soft or merciful towards their direct competitors!

Though it was true that Ves and the Larkinson Clan did not want to get involved in these colonial turf wars, merely roaming around in conflict zones already represented a considerable danger!

Ves slumped a bit. "Maybe you have a point. I don't like it, but if we keep roaming around in the Krakatoa Middle Zone, there is a significant risk that certain powers will view us as a threat even if we try our best to claim that we are unaligned."

Powerful people who constantly spent their time worrying or plotting against enemies were prone to inventing them where none existed!

"Meow meow." Lucky gave his own opinion on the matter.

Ves looked suspiciously at Commander Chancy. "You mentioned this for a reason. You probably have an idea on what we should do. Spit it out. What is your recommendation?"

"I… do not have confidence that we are able to remain neutral. Not only will we be closed off to every local power block, we are also liable to turn into their punching bags for whatever reason. Rather than leave us vulnerable to predation from every angle, I think it is better to pick a side. This way, we will not only gain shelter, but also make it clear who our enemies are. We need this clarity."

Her message was loud and clear. Instead of trying to stand in the middle and try to defend against attacks from all sides, she thought it was better to put their backs against the wall so that they would not have to defend against attacks from the rear!

Though Ves agreed her logic was sound, the problem was that it conflicted with his goals!

"I'm not in a hurry to commit to a side." He told her. "If we aren't making progress, I am open to changing my mind. Until then, let's try it my way first. There is still a possibility that we'll be able to slip through the cracks and remain unaligned."

That was a faint hope, but one that Ves wasn't willing to give up. He continued to think about the matter long after Commander Chancy bid goodbye to him and left his office.

"If I have to pick a side… I'll have to choose well." He murmured. "There has to be other powers out there that aren't involved in any low-level conflicts."

Perhaps it might be best if he sought out the local community of Survivalists in the Davute System. There were associates in every major power center in the Red Ocean

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