The Mech Touch novel Chapter 4708

Ever since Melinda and Ark Larkinson talked to Ves in person for the first time in years, the state of the Larkinson Family had gone through a huge upheaval.

The announcement that Venerable Ark Larkinson had already decided to resign as the patriarch of the Larkinson Family in order to join the clan detonated a huge bomb within the ranks!

Predictably, a lot of old-timers expressed strong disapproval at this radical and irresponsible decision.

The Larkinson Family had an honorable history that went back 4 centuries!

Nobody wanted to become responsible for ending this storied legacy.

Still, despite the overwhelming disapproval from the older generations of the clan, Venerable Ark remained committed to his choice.

"I fought and bled for the Bright Republic just as much as you!" He stated in front of a crowd of gather Larkinsons. "I did my service and paid my obligations to both the state I used to pledge my loyalty to as well as the family that I still hold dear in my heart."

"Then why don't you stay and continue to protect our family as before?!"

"All good things must come to an end." Venerable Ark solemnly said. "Now that we have lost our direction and purpose, many of us are stuck with the burden of the past with little to look forward to in the future. That may not be much of an issue to those who have already fought their last battles, but I need more than that. I still haven't reached the limits of my career as a mech pilot. If I want to become an ace pilot and protect our family and legacy much more effectively than now, then I must seek my opportunities elsewhere."

"That doesn't mean you have to leave our family! We can still accept one of the many mercenary missions in the Red Ocean."

"It's too dangerous. We will get chewed up by the cruel frontier within the year. Let's face it. The clan has been much more successful in navigating this dangerous new environment and fostering the growth of all of its pilots. I know for certain that Ves can give me the mech and breakthrough chance I need to help our fellow Larkinsons to the best of their ability, no matter if they have our blood flowing through their veins."

Many family members continued to object to Ark's decision, but the high-tier expert pilot was so set on his course that the outcome hadn't changed.

It became increasingly more clear to everyone that Ark was not putting up a topic for discussion.

He instead made it clear that his departure was set in stone and that the rest of the family had to make a difficult choice on how they wished to proceed in the future.

"Although I have already resigned my position as patriarch with immediate effect, let me give you a word of advice from one concerned Larkinson to another." Ark addressed the crowd in a gentler manner. "The Larkinson Clan is not our enemy. The Larkinsons there are just as much our family as the people next to you. If any of you entertained any doubts beforehand and want to enjoy a change of scenery, the clan will open you with welcome arms. Even if you don't want to live your entire life on a ship and fight all manner of dangerous enemies, you can still enjoy a semblance of your old lives by joining the Davute Branch instead."

Although Ark did not make his next destination clear, a lot of Larkinsons gained the impression that he was strongly considering joining the side branch instead of the main branch of the Larkinson Clan.

That made it a lot more acceptable to join the splinter organization that had broken away from the original family.

Ves did not exert that much control over the side branch.

With Ark about to join the Davute Branch, he would definitely be able to become one of its leaders given his proven strength and command capabilities. This would ensure that the family members that followed in his footsteps would feel assured that they would not be treated badly.

Once the former patriarch of the old family had finally concluded the long and exhausting meeting, he retreated and met with Melinda in another room.

"That didn't go as badly as I thought." Melinda commented. "I thought the hardcore members of the family would have tried to put up a greater resistance."

Her uncle shook his head. "They respect me too much to oppose my wishes. I deserve to make my own choices, and they acknowledge that. Our elders are too honorable and principled to guilt me into staying with the family. Besides, they lack an expert pilot that can serve as a proper counterweight to my influence. If Ghanso was still around, he would have been able to rally the old fogeys into an effective opposition."

"If Ghanso was still around, our family wouldn't have even left the Komodo Star Sector."

Both Ark and Melinda fell silent for a moment. They mourned the loss of their family member. No matter what crimes he committed, it was still a matter of regret that Ghanso had fallen at the hands of another group of Larkinsons.

It was rather strange to realize that Ark was about to join that same group of kinslayers.

"What have you decided, Melinda? Will you come with me to the clan, or will you stay and do what you can to shepherd and take care of the stubborn relatives that insist on remaining here to the bitter end?"

This had been one of the most difficult decisions of Melinda's life. Though she no longer possessed much of an ambition to make the best out of the mech piloting career, she did not look forward to fighting someone else's battles, especially if the reasons were less than noble.

Still, she had faith that Ark would not allow the members of the Larkinson Family to be exploited by the clan.

"If you join the Davute Branch of Ves' clan, then I will join you there." Melinda said. "Family must stick together. Out of all of the places where we can settle, this planet is not such a bad place. I think I am even beginning to like it that all of the gathered people are doing their best to found a state of their own. It makes me feel as if we are retracing the footsteps of our most ancient ancestor."

The mention of the ancestor put Ark in an odd mood.

The expert pilot had read the history books written about the legendary figure of their family. He had even read the secret chronicles written by the Larkinson Ancestor's wife.

Those chronicles depicted an entirely different time period for humanity.

Back when the ashes of the Age of Conquest had just begun to settle, humanity had become more wounded than ever. The drive to rebuild what they lost and destroyed at their own hands had become strong. A sense of collective responsibility quickly reemerged that prompted many survivors to shed the burdens of the past and start over on a blank slate.

The rapid rise of mechs as an alternate weapon of war also began to charm an immense population of humans who had developed an intense fear and hatred towards warships of any kind.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify