Chapter 331 331 Glowing Recommendation
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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While the Mecha of the Terminus Trading Company watched on, the surviving Rebels finished the transfer of valuables off of their last remaining ship and departed the planet in shame. Max wished that they could have forced them to return to Kepler space to face judgment, but the Facility had kept the Empire updated on the current situation, so if they had the manpower to spare they would send someone to deal with them.
"Well, Mister Dar Mar, it was a pleasure to meet you, and I am glad that your Facility managed to survive the incident mostly intact. Our Mecha have secured your shield generator and are working on bringing it back online now, so you can have safe air to breathe in the next hour or two." Nico informed the leader of the Facility.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you as well, and my condolences on your losses while attempting to save us." Dar Mar replied.
The casualties had been remarkably light, but he couldn't know that. He had only seen the battle footage from his security cameras, and it showed a prolonged and intense firefight, that would normally mean a heavy loss of Light Mecha.
"This was the first outing for the newly designed pattern of Line Mecha, and as you saw, they are far more effective than the ones that they are replacing. I do hope that you will think of us if any of your allies should come into similar troubles.
The Empire might be too busy to respond, but we are always happy to help. For the right fee that is."
The residents of the Facility chuckled at that. The Reavers had made out very well today. Even after paying the death benefit, and replacing the lost Mecha, they were still way ahead on this mission.
Unlike the Military, who dropped crippled veterans back on their homeworld with a lousy pension, and never mentioned those lost outside of the monthly holiday ceremonies, the Reavers paid a very significant sum to the families of Reavers who died on a mission, so that they wouldn't suffer from the loss of their most talented.
'',
[How is that ship I sent into orbit looking?] Nico asked Max as they finalized the security checks of the Facility and prepared to depart.
[Trashed. But the other Kepler Ship that we traded for will be able to pull it along at Warp speeds without issues. The main structure scans as solid, it is everything else that is shot full of holes and damaged beyond recognition.] Max replied.
Even that was an understatement. If anyone had been on that ship when it left the atmosphere, they would certainly have died from the experience, and a number of the outer areas had been first scorched into a soft metallic putty and then frozen, shattering many of the secondary bulkheads, which weren't intended to undergo such rapid temperature fluctuations.
The thoughts of adding that ship to the defense fleet would have to wait, it was in no shape to even be rehabilitated at the moment, and would be better used as scrap metal to build more ships in the new designs with higher speeds and better weaponry.
One squad of technicians was transferred from the First Battalion's Cutter to the better of the two new ships, and the Regiment started loading back into their vessels in preparation to depart the planetoid.
"Those are some fancy ships, Miss Rage. Might I ask, what system did you find them in?" Dar Mar asked.
"They are produced from an alien schematic that we found aboard our Colony Ship, Terminus. They are as impressive as they look, and the other Reaver Companies have created quite the waiting list to get their hands on one.
I'm sure you've heard about our newly established Colony on Rae 5. That is where the Reavers will be gathering to relax and do deals when they are not on a trade route. If your Facility should find itself with a bit more product than the Empire is ready to purchase, don't forget to contact us and Rae 5 Command can help you find alternate buyers." Nico offered.
"And that is why everyone loves the Reavers. Such selfless and helpful sorts. I will keep your offer in mind. Best of luck on your way back home." Dar Mar told Nico with a smile.
Nico led the honor guard back to their ship and then flew back to the First Battalion's Cutter so that she could go through the debriefing with Max and make contact with their observers.
'',
The Reaver Companies that came to watch would surely have a few things to say about the effectiveness of the Samurai Pattern Line Mecha, since the casualty rate was incredibly low, despite using them as the front-line shock troops that they were intended to be.
[Excellent Showing Terminus. Those new Line Mecha that Rae 5 has started making are very impressive. I had my reservations about the shielding system, given the power output of a Line Mecha, but they took the abuse like champions.
We have some combat analysis data to add to your own as well. It might not be as accurate, since we were all the way out here, but I'm sure that the other Companies will be interested in secondary sources.] One of the Reaver Captains informed them as they approached Terminus.
[The pay was better than expected for a testing mission as well. Rae 5 has gained two new ships for the defense fleet. Well, more like one and some spare materials to make another, but that's basically the same thing.] Max informed the other Company leader, making the Reavers who were listening in give a chuckle at his sense of humor.
[Thirty new pattern Mecha lost of a thousand, with only three Pilots lost due to the new cockpit reinforcements. I would say that that test was a rather successful one. Even their power supplies held out well, and we didn't have any issues with keeping the energy weapons firing at full output.] Nico added, sending the basic battle data through to their observers.
[I have already put in my order for a Company of them. But it looks like you have been training your men in new close combat styles as well?] The Reaver asked the question with great interest, wondering what all they had done to prepare their crew for these new Mecha.
[Yes, and we will be improving their close combat training now that the basic testing is done. The Pilots did very well, but their damage rates dropped when they got within twenty meters of the enemy, and that is less than optimal. With better training in less conventional methods of combat, like the Cygnus Close Combat styles, they should be able to make up the difference and let us plan for a number of new tactics that will best utilize the abilities of the Samurai Pattern.] Nico agreed.
[I hacked the cameras in the Rebel ship before the assault started. Perhaps you should be training them in whatever it was that you did to the Rebel infantry? If a Mecha fought like that, we wouldn't have to worry about casualties.] The second Captain told Nico and sent over a short clip of her raiding a Cargo Hold full of Light Mecha and infantry.
It was as predictably gory and brutal as Max had expected, but the Captain had a point. If they could teach Line Mecha pilots to do that, the Reavers wouldn't have much to fear during boarding actions, where Line Mecha were the primary assault force, due to size limitations inside a space vessel.Chapter 332 332 They Don't Teach That In School
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"By the Emperors, who taught you to fight like that? And where did you get that exoskeleton? I can see that the power supply is limited, and you had to change the power pack a number of times during the battle, but that combat style isn't like anything I've seen before." The first Captain gasped when he saw the footage.
"That, I am afraid is a family secret. But I can teach the pilots to fight better than most in close combat, just not using that style. I don't think human bodies were meant for that sort of maneuvering. At some points, even my gravity sensors triggered overload warnings, and a full conversion is good for forces up to thirty times the gravitational standard." Nico replied.
"Yes, I am getting dizzy just trying to follow it. But then, your core crew are all Kepler Pilot retirees, aren't they? Seeing the physical skills of System users is always mind-boggling."
That was a kind way of putting it. At nearly six times the human standard, Max could deadlift a small car and toss it a few meters. The major limiting factor was his actual flesh and blood body. It had received a lot of upgrades to deal with the system increases to its capability, but even now he had to be careful if he was going all out so he didn't injure himself.
As much as the nanomachines rebuilt him, he was still essentially human, with intrinsic human frailties, like organic muscles that could be torn under extreme stress.
"We will make up a training regimen for Pilots using the new Mecha once we get back to the planet. Using them properly is the key to their survival, and unless you have a Cygnus Pilot among your trainers, I suspect a lot of Companies will be lacking in that department.
The shielding lets them close the distance in relative safety, so a front line, rear line combination seemed to be the most effective method during the battle, and then have the front line fall back when their shields were depleted, letting the back line take over while they recovered.
It is unconventional, but with only three Pilots lost among a thousand testers, I don't think there is going to be a better technique, just better Pilots." Max informed the Reavers who had come to watch their battle.
'
"We will be waiting for the new simulation data for the training. I just got confirmation that they will be starting on my units right away, based exactly on the test units unless you wish to send them some design changes before they start." The Captain informed Max.
"I think these are good enough. Let the individual Companies tweak them to their own liking, and we can make them all to this standard for distribution among the Reavers."
The conference call ended as the ships all got in position to start heading home, and Max ordered the Cutter back to its cargo bay aboard Terminus.
"Nico, it looks like you are going to be busy making training simulations for the new Pilots. They have a lot to learn about close combat, and it will take a lot of work to make a simulation that will cover all the skills and tactics that they are going to need to know in order to be properly trained melee fighters in Mecha." Max informed his best friend with a wink.
"Nico do the thing, Nico, make a simulation, Nico train the rookies, Nico, stop disemboweling the enemy commanders. Everyone is so demanding today. But I'm already on it.
We modified the martial arts programs when we were still in the Academy, and I have been adding to them as I got downtime. I don't know how well some of the ideas from my old memories will catch on, but the more simple and efficient ones I have already put into the martial arts trainer.
Once I put in the Samurai Pattern Mecha data they will be able to start training the basic techniques, then they can start on the tactical upgrades once they have learned to at least somewhat fight in the new units.
Do you think that I should make a program for the purchasers to receive with their new Mecha? I'm sure they'll all want one either way, so it might be a nice touch to have them packaged together, buy the stupidly expensive brand new mecha, and get the melee combat training simulation at a discount?" Nico's rambling answer reminded Max that she was still somewhat human, and feeling as overworked as anyone else would be.
"You can add that later. How about we take a nap in the meantime? We've got a bit of transit time back home, and there will be far too much work waiting once we get there." Max suggested.
"Excellent plan. Go shower, you've been working all day, and I had to wash off before they would let me out of the Storage area of the Cutter." Nico told him, already stripping off her uniform jacket.
'ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ N ovelBi(n)',
Fortunately, Max's room wasn't far from the office where he received the group call, because Nico was very enthusiastic about her naps.
"Have you been altering your shell? I know the non-Newtonian alloy was supposed to be soft when not being impacted with high forces, but you seem softer than you used to be." Max asked as he climbed into the bed next to her in his pajamas.
"I have. The System Functions have been assisting me, and they're giving this body a full makeover. I would say that I'm over halfway to Biomechanical now, and the process is speeding up as I gather more data. At first, I didn't have much to work with, but I have been studying every known cybernetic capable species, and the new information has been a big help to the System." Nico explained, dropping her shell temperature until she was a cool pillow against his side.
"Maybe we could take a journey to the Northwest of the Galaxy. Nobody knows much about the area, since the Klem and the Narsians bordered either side of the quadrant and nothing ever seems to come past them. But we might find fun new things there if it isn't completely overrun with bugs and murderous giants." Max suggested.
"That sounds like way too much work. I'll keep checking the data net looking for advanced tech from the Northeastern Quadrant. They have a lot of good stuff, since they're one big alliance and never had to focus on warfare. They just don't come down here often, since they view it as far too dangerous, and our weapons are much better than most of what they can field." Nico disagreed.
Since her System was reworking her anyhow, they didn't actually have to do anything, Nico just wanted new data so that she could make herself even better than what could be accomplished with the data that the AI had already.
"What was your most recent upgrade? The more natural shell reactions?" Max asked sleepily.
"No, I did that a while ago, it's just slow to adapt. The newest change is variable-zone temperature control." Nico informed him.
Originally, her entire exterior would be one temperature, so having the ability to adjust zones was pretty neat, though the practical uses of it escaped Max's comprehension.
Chapter 333 333 Ignorance Was Bliss
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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Max awoke with a jolt as a freezing cold hand crept up his thigh. "Dammit Nico, that's just evil, and your hands are freezing."
"Seven degrees below freezing to be precise. It's time to get up. I've got the Samurai Pattern data added to the training simulations, so it is time to start training the Line Mecha Pilots in hand-to-hand combat, and you've got messages waiting for you from other Reaver groups who are looking for data on the trials, which also needs to be sent to Uncle Lu again so that he can verify that the first set of numbers he got wasn't corrupted.
Oh, and there is some sort of issue with the new Mecha design, something about the increased height causing resonance issues with energy fields. I'm sure he will explain it in depth when you see him." Nico explained.
"That's too many things to do for one day. Now I understand why nobody else wanted to be in charge." Max complained, looking over the list of Reaver Commanders he had meetings with over the next 24 hours.
"Fine, I will take care of the Line Mecha Pilot training, you take care of the Reavers and Uncle Lu. I've already sent him my opinions, just a few minutes ago, so the rest of his concerns are all for you." Nico suggested.
Nico rolled out of bed and Max gave her backside a slap for freezing him with her hands, hitting a solid block of alloy instead of the soft flesh that it was a half second earlier.
"That's not enough to outsmart the alloys. But I appreciate the sentiment. Now, get dressed, unless you're going to the meetings naked." Nico laughed.
Max spared a moment to pity the recruits as Nico got dressed and left for the training halls aboard Terminus, then checked his schedule to see where all these meetings were supposed to take place.
'This chapter is updated by Nov elB i n',
There wasn't enough room to dock all those ships with Terminus, so unless they were meeting somewhere centralized and coming in a shuttle, he would have to grab a shuttle of his own and make his way to the meeting location.
The first eight hours were all scheduled to be aboard the Moon Base, where Terminus was about to dock, so that was a real time saver, but the six-hour block after that was in the capital down on the surface, and then back up to the base for his final meetings with Uncle Lu.
The design issues with the new God Class Mecha weren't going to be an easy discussion, especially since it was uncharted territory for everyone, using loads of new materials, and all untested design elements.
The previous round at least had a base structure to build off of so that the designers knew what was likely to work and what they knew would cause issues. That was not the case with this one, and it sounded like some major changes had been needed.
Max hailed a personnel transport, one of the electric-powered carts with seating for a dozen, like an oversized golf cart, which the crew used to move around the Moon Base, and headed for the exit, just as his wrist device started lighting up with short videos and messages of both complaint and amusement from the Regiment.
Nico had insisted that all of the Battalion and Company Commanders as well as all of the Corvette Class units who would be fighting alongside the new pattern Line Mecha, be trained in the new combat styles.
By her logic, if they had no idea what the unit was capable of, there was no way for them to be competent leaders, especially the Corvette Class Pilots who were often deployed in Mixed wings with the Line Mecha.
[Boss, you should see what the tiny demon wants us to do. I swear that shouldn't be physically possible.] Colonel Klinger sent, along with a short video from inside the simulator of Nico's version of basic melee combat forms.
She did them three times. First at her full speed, which was the theoretical maximum speed of the Line Mecha, plus a bit for her own optimizations, and then again a third slower, but still faster than a standard Line Mecha could move. That one she called a passing grade for the day.
The third was done at a sedate crawl so that the pilots could take in every minute adjustment of the Mecha that was required to make the maneuvers work.
'This chapter is updated by N o v elBin.cᴏm',
The style she had picked was similar to the Cygnus style, but more graceful, as befit the noble design of the Samurai Pattern, and her execution looked almost human.
In short, there was absolutely no way that the Pilots were going to be able to live up to her standards, which Max knew meant extra practice as a punishment, as well as personalized training, a function that had been built into the Martial Arts training program, to begin with.
[Good Luck Klinger, you're going to need it if you're going to get up to speed in a Line Mecha in one day. How long has it been since you were even in one?] Max replied.
[A decade, maybe two. It's been a while.]
At least all of his senior officers would have the training to make sure that their charges were living up to expectations, assuming that they could all pass Nico's training.
After the first six hours of boring meetings, going over the same data that he had sent to the Commanders two days ago, and watching the same videos over and over to explain the basics of how the shield regeneration worked in the new Mecha, Max was mentally exhausted.
[You've got 45 minutes to nap between boarding the cutter from the base until your meetings on the planet. Take a 30-minute nap.] Nico told him as Max left the meeting hall, being stopped constantly by jubilant Reavers, who were ready to place huge orders to update their Mecha forces.
[If I can. How is training going?] Max asked.
[Not bad, we're only six hours in, and already we have some that have passed the day one portion of the combat forms. Give it another six hours and the rest should be properly motivated to do it right tomorrow.]
Chapter 334 334 The Joy Of Simplicity
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The Mecha combat style that Nico was teaching them was broken down into eight essential attack movements, with eight matching defensive movements, and sixteen combinations of footwork. She insisted that it should only take two weeks for them to memorize these new movements, as they already knew how to operate a Mecha, and then the real training of putting it all together could begin.
Max would have liked nothing better than to go and see how the training was going, but instead, he was resting his seat back as the Moon Base's private shuttle took him to the planet's surface for more meetings.
These ones shouldn't be as bad, as he was only a consultant there, about the capabilities of the Mecha, while the main topic of the meetings was scheduled to be about the procurement of materials and labor to produce them in the numbers that were requested after the stellar showing during the test battle with rookie pilots at the helm.
Because they rarely had enough Heavy Mecha, if any at all, the Reavers had a lot of skilled veteran Line Mecha Pilots, who were certain that they could do even better with them than the recruits did.
That had been a constant annoyance during the first meeting. Captains loved to brag about their troops, and Max had fielded a thousand men with no battle experience for the tests. Half of the first six hours had just been them replaying the battle and telling everyone how they could have done it better.
Max's hopes for a peaceful meeting were quickly dashed though. Where the Commanders bragged about their own forces being able to do it better, this meeting was full of materials vendors and manufacturing plants trying to get approval to substitute materials and cut corners to reduce production costs and increase profits.
They had already done as much of that as they dared to though, and any more, or any substandard materials would lead to catastrophic failures since the integrity of the unit largely relied on a technology that strengthened molecular bonds. If the wrong materials were used, it would not work correctly, and the strength of the unit would drop by over two-thirds, a fact that he had to demonstrate in simulations a half dozen times before the prospective builders gave up and adjusted their quotes to build the unit as designed.
'',
Without approval, they didn't dare to make modifications, since every buyer knew where they lived, and would come to them for answers if they lost a friend due to a manufacturing flaw.
With the demand for Mecha, their profits were going to be astronomical anyhow, but an extra five percent of a few billion credits a day made a huge difference to the owner of the manufacturing facility.
After the first full day of marathon meetings, Max had to delay his meeting with Uncle Lu so that he could be coherent for the meeting that they were planning to have, returning straight to his bunk to sleep the morning away before the one meeting that he deemed actually essential.
[Uncle Lu, where are you at? I will come to you for that meeting.] Max asked once he woke up.
[I'm in the VR training hall. The little one is making people cry again, and it was too good not to watch.]
That was enough to pique Max's interest, so he headed down to the training hall where most of the Regiment would be mastering their hand-to-hand combat skills.
"You almost had it that time. Only twenty-seven seconds off the pace, but that's a ten percent increase over your last attempt. Nine more tries like that and you have this. Don't give up on yourself." Nico encouraged one of the Pilots, while a few others who were outside the testing machines and sparring in the ring off to the side tried not to laugh.
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Max looked up at the scoreboard and saw that the successful completion time for today's set of maneuvers was one minute. Each combatant faced an enemy mecha who performed a set series of maneuvers based on the speed of the pilot, and if needed, they could add a hologram of what they were supposed to be doing to the simulation so they could watch it and learn.
The fact that the pilot took eighty-seven seconds to complete the one-minute series meant that he was having a particularly bad day, especially after hearing that it was an improvement for him.
"What did she show them today?" Max asked Uncle Lu as he found the old man in the large hall littered with VR pods in orderly rows.
"Nothing at all. This is a continuation of yesterday, that's why some of the pilots have been let out of the simulation to try it in real life to build muscle memory. Everyone that passes today will be doing that tomorrow, and then they will keep adding to it until they are doing a routine that uses all the core maneuvers of the style." Uncle Lu explained.
That was, surprisingly reasonable, given the circumstances. They weren't under any particular deadline, they just needed all their pilots to be combat-ready as soon as possible so that Terminus Trading Company could get back to work and start taking missions to build their funds and reputation.
Thirty-two moves, that was all they had to learn. It sounded so simple, but actually doing them seemed to be much more difficult than he had expected.
"Hey Rage, find me an open pod, I want to try this once I finish talking to Uncle Lu." Max called, then turned to the old scientist.
"There is an office off to the side here, in what used to be a secondary storage area. It is soundproof and all electronics in the room are shielded and not linked to the outside." Max offered.
"Perfect. The details that we need to go over are only minor things really, but they aren't for general consumption." Uncle Lu agreed.Chapter 335 335 Minor Adjustments
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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Once they reached the secured office, Uncle Lu brought out a new design schematic and placed it on the table.
? "This is the current design plan. I won't know until later in the testing if it will need to be changed again, but the original had some issues.
All of the technology is new and untested, and the multiple types of energy fields can interact in unexpected ways. For example, trying to use the Hundred Points of Enlightenment took both the shielding and main power offline.
Engaging the Warp Field interfered with the structural stability field, because of the shape of the Mecha itself. As you recall from the Cutter tests, they are very finicky, especially at higher Warp factors.
So, while the design is similar, the height has been reduced to forty meters. The Thunder Guns on the arms were swapped for a freshly upgraded design of Disruptor that is stable over extreme distances.
There are still six barrels per arm, but they can also be linked to create two modified orbital lances.
I also managed to keep twelve Pulse Lasers in the shoulder plating. Their rate of fire has been increased from the standard, so they should serve the purpose of defensive duties.
You've also still got the sword, though a spear or polearm could be made instead.
It might seem like you've lost a lot, but the Disruptor design is very versatile, and can even make short work of the shields on a Destroyer class starship."
'',
Uncle Lu praised his design changes while Max tried to understand the intended fighting style of this new design.
"It is too small to be called a God Class Mecha now, isn't it?" Those were the first words that escaped Max's mouth.
"True. It would still be a Titan Class unit though. With that amount of firepower and a Warp 12 top speed, I don't think anyone would argue against the title, even if forty meters isn't as tall as most Titans." Uncle Lu agreed.
Max looked over the Disruptor design schematic and saw that the combined output was greater than two regular orbital lances. How the scientist managed to get enough power production for that weapons array into a mecha was a minor miracle, and definitely explained the unusual power field interactions.
"What was your target enemy for this design?" Max asked.
The design was too focused for massed enemies unless the Disruptors could make wide-area attacks as well as focused beams, and too destructive when used at the full output against heavier targets unless you didn't care about the planet's infrastructure.
"With input from the others, it was designed for the things no other Mecha in our arsenal could do. Eliminating Transport Ships to prevent invasions, and rapid planetary Bombardment to clear alien held worlds."
"By input from others you mean you asked Nico and she wanted to bomb a planet into submission, don't you?" Max asked.
"Everyone else I asked agreed with her. It's far more firepower than the cutters have available, and when deployed into low orbit, most enemy sensor grids wouldn't even detect it until it was too late, they would identify it as space debris from the battle." Uncle Lu told him with pride.
"Can the Disruptors do wide area coverage?" Max asked, just to clarify the weapon's capability.
"Both wide range on the ground, making a thirty-degree cone twenty kilometers long, for sixty degrees total coverage between the arms, or a dispersed orbital strike, which would hit a circle of roughly thirty kilometers in diameter directly, without relying on secondary explosions to destroy an enemy position.
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"That's got to be a war crime," Max muttered, thinking of what happened when the Disruptor output was lowered enough that it didn't just disintegrate its target.
"Nope, I double-checked this time. Because the core is still lethal it's legally sound. The outer areas are considered secondary damage, like the outer radius of an explosive. Even if someone files a complaint, they won't get too far without making fools of themselves when their political opponents counter their arguments." Uncle Lu gloated.
That was the thing about always being at war. You didn't always have to fight your own battles. Often, a group who had a grudge against those accusing you would do it on your behalf.
"Well, it's near twice the height of the Super Heavy Mecha we're using now, so I say it's a good design. We can work out any little flaws in its utility with additional handheld weapons once the main mecha is finished." Max agreed.
"Oh, that's an excellent idea. I could make a gun blade. You know, a sword with a huge Ion Cannon in it or something, or a Halberd that doubles as a Laser Lance for sniper duty when you turn it around.
I think we've finished our briefing, I need to get back and work on these edits and start designing the alternate weapon load outs."
That was all the warning Uncle Lu gave before he ran out of the room and to a waiting transport cart that would take him back to the underground areas of the moon base where his lab was located.
"You chased him away." Nico laughed when Max came out of the office, shaking his head at the overly creative old man.
"We were talking about new ideas, and he suddenly shouted gun blade and ran away to get back to work. You know how he is when inspiration strikes. How many questions have you gotten about that exoskeleton you were using?" Max replied.
"Not as many as I had expected. It seems that the acrobatics and the risk of the shield going down at an inopportune time made it less desirable as a weapon of war. It's not like the Reavers are crazy enough to field infantry battalions after all."
She had a point. As cool as the Archangel Exoskeleton was, this was not their target market for that sort of device. In fact, there weren't a lot of target markets for it, except the beleaguered infantry Regiments of the Galaxy, whom everyone seemed highly averse to spending good money to upgrade.
Chapter 336 336 You Don't Ask A Lady That
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The next few weeks passed in peace, while everyone in the Terminus Trading Company practiced their close combat skills, even going so far as to hold daily competitions outside the simulations so that they could train their bodies more thoroughly and keep improving their System bonuses.
That was one of the major reasons that so few made the upper ranks during their careers, they were simply too busy with everything else they had to do that they didn't spend the time to train their bodies for more than basic maintenance.
Gaining or losing a bunch of weight would make your Mecha seat uncomfortable until you had time and permission to have a tech alter the seat shape after all.
[All Units, please report to 1900 tomorrow. Dress Code Casual Party.] Max saw the Regiment-wide announcement and realized that it came from Nico, so the first thing that he did was check the calendar.
It wasn't one of the high holidays, so that couldn't be the reason for the celebration. Maybe the last of the Line Mecha Pilots had completed the entire close combat exam to her standards? No, it was too early for that as well. Getting everyone to pass would take at least another month.
"What are we celebrating?" Max asked Nico when she came into his office with a data tablet for him to examine.
"Your birthday of course. Don't tell me that memories of past birthdays have made you block out all thoughts of the previous ones and the inevitability of this one?" Nico asked.
That might actually be accurate, even looking at the calendar, it hadn't occurred to Max that this was his birthday. Of course, the year he was born was hidden by the military, so everyone would think this was his seventeenth if they could access his military records, but those were under strict lockdown after the Inquisition had ordered their mission to go radio silent and wait for orders.
General Ming still gave Max daily updates on anything that he heard, but that wasn't much. The Rebellion in the sector closest to them was under control, and the main fleet was pulling back, leaving a newly raised sector security fleet from the other side of the Empire to keep things in check now that the local Nobles were almost all gone.
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That meant that refugees were returning home in large numbers, though very few on Rae 5 had been looking for transport back to their homeworlds. Things were good here in Reaver territory, especially for those at the bottom when they compared it to the lives they were living before.
Max realized that his mind had wandered to work again, and Nico was laughing at his instinctive denial of all thoughts about his birthday.
"Fine, how about we tell them that it is my birthday? Will that make you feel better?" Nico asked.
"Much better. I know some of the crew already know that we share a birthday, but we can celebrate yours without me having to field any awkward questions about my own. Plus, your mom will love it." Max pointed out.
"Oh, you have no idea. She is preparing a birthday cake for five thousand, plus decorations for the ship. We will have some visitors from the Tarith Family, but they will be coming through the Station, so there won't be a need for docking security protocols.
What else? Birthdays are usually a big celebration with no clear goal other than to celebrate the fact you lived another year, but this one might cause you some mental trauma." Nico added.
"Mental Trauma? From YOUR birthday?" Max asked.
"Yes. Since our birthdays fall during the summer break at the Academy, Mother Mary Tarith had planned to celebrate them all until I left home on deployment, which would still be at least one year away if things were normal.
This one is Princess themed and she refuses to budge on that part."
'
? Max shuddered at the memory and gave a moment of thanks for the fact he had never had to face his parents from this lifetime again.
"You be the Princess, I will be Prince Charming. It will be fine, I am sure of it. But I'm afraid that since I forgot, I won't have a proper gift for you." Max sighed.
"Who do you think I am? It's not like I need much, but I have prepared for this situation in advance. Uncle Lu will bring you a wrapped gift box to add to the pile of presents. Reavers don't usually exchange them within the whole company, it would be utter chaos and destroy any hope of having enough space for storing them all. Only immediate family and any visiting leaders will give them. So you, my parents since my siblings are too young, and a half dozen more." Nico shrugged.
"You really did think of everything. I take it the troops will have the day off of training to prepare, so they're not too exhausted to celebrate?"
Nico shrugged. "That's your call, not mine. I'm sure they would appreciate it though. Days off at random always help morale, especially when there is cake."
Mary Tarith was devoutly refusing to insert her Cake recipe into the food replicators, insisting that it was a family secret that must remain secret and not become a standard menu item for an entire ship, so she would be bringing the Cakes by later, cooked by her own staff and not here aboard Terminus.
That left Max with only a bit of organization to do today.
[All Units, training schedules are canceled for tomorrow, in preparation for the Second in Command's birthday party and the arrival of guests. Security rotations, be sure to have your teams swap out in the middle so that everyone gets a chance to partake. I am told that the birthday cake made by Mary Tarith is an event you do not want to miss.] Max sent a Regiment-wide order, and the Battalion Commanders began to reorganize their crew rotations.
Max was headed for the Mess Hall when he heard the First Battalion asking the one question that they dare not say to Nico's face. "Which birthday do you think it is? I've heard rumors that she's actually really young, like the Commander, but in a full conversion body, she could actually be centuries old and just cosplaying as the cute little girl."
That made the man's companions laugh. Tarith Nico and "Cute Little Girl" weren't often used in the same sentence. Especially not after evening training.Chapter 337 337 Maybe Birthdays Are Alright
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
+ - Turn on Reset
Max woke up on the morning of his birthday to the soft feeling of what he assumed was Nico giving him a kiss on the forehead.
"Good Morning, and Happy Birthday," Max mumbled.
"Good Morning to the Birthday Boy." Mary Tarith giggled as she stood up.
"Birthday Breakfasts are a tradition in our family, but I had no idea what you like to eat, so I had Nico let me in to wake you up." The matron of the Tarith Family explained.
"Anything that's better than an MRE pack is fine by me, but if there is fresh fruit juice, that is even better," Max told her, stretching out in the bed as he began to wake up properly.
Despite the fact he was only sleeping under a light blanket, Max found himself stifling hot and somewhat sweaty this morning, making him wonder if there was something wrong with the temperature control in his suite.
"If you want to pick some breakfast food, I will catch a shower, and then we can eat," Max suggested.
Max came back out to a luxurious feast of assorted meats, cheese, pies, tiny waffles with syrup and fruit as well as eggs and juice.
"You're a big guy, so I made a bit of everything. Real food, not from that replicator thing on the wall." Mary Tarith informed him.
"You should really try it. The replicator makes some good food. I know, I designed them myself." Nico said, entering the room in a full-on Princess dress, complete with Tiara and wings that Max recognized as being a feathered cover of the Archangel Exoskeleton.
',
"Oh, Nico, there you are. I knew it would be perfect on you, but what did you do to the wings?" Mary asked.
"I fixed them. They actually fly now." Nico told her with a wink, then floated across the room a few centimeters above the ground.
"It's only breakfast and you're already dressed for the party?" Max asked, wondering how much Mary Tarith loved birthdays.
"Just a test fit, since the dress was premade before we left the Academy. I can adjust my dimensions a little, but only so much." Nico informed him.
"Alright, go change back before you get it dirty. There are more dresses in the room for you. I saw your closet, and you needed them." Mary insisted.
Nico would wear a proper dress? Skirts were normal for her, but a regular everyday dress, not something cosplay, or over-the-top fancy just seemed like such a personality clash that Max couldn't see her wearing them. Mary Tarith had a very normal motherly fashion sense, and you would never guess the personality that hid under the neutral colors and cardigans. Nico was one to wear her personality though, and it was always flamboyant.
Nico came back out in a buttercup yellow sundress, with a leather Coat over the top and military boots and fishnets below. That was exactly what Max had expected.
"Thanks, mom, they're perfect," Nico said, giving Mary a big hug while the older woman rolled her eyes at Nico's fashion sense.
"I got you a few options for suits to pick from tonight. All of the VIP guests know it's also your birthday, so they will bring you gifts and expect you to be there to greet everyone, but we don't need to make a big deal of it with the Trading Company if you don't want." Mary informed Max.
"I'm not sure if you heard from Nico already, but I'm not a big fan of birthday parties, so I would rather just blend in. Breakfast and Cake is already a good day." Max replied honestly.
Not long after they finished eating and cleaned the dishes, Dave and Mollie arrived with Max's younger siblings, all of them eager to wish him a happy birthday and present the handmade gifts that they had created. One handmade beaded necklace from the girls and finger paintings from the toddlers.
Max knew that the girls barely remembered him, and the boys hadn't met him until after they were refugees, so the gesture was a touching one.
'ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ N ovelBi(n)',
"Thank you all for the wonderful birthday gifts." Max thanked them, then snuck the girls a few pieces of chocolate from the cupboard.
"Why don't we all watch a movie? Something relaxing, as a family?" Mary Tarith Suggested, already turning on the projectors.
In consideration of the children present, it couldn't be too outlandish, so Max didn't have any objections to letting her choose. Knowing Mary Tarith, this was likely planned well in advance anyhow, she wasn't one to leave things to chance, or make spur-of-the-moment decisions.
As it turned out, getting a pair of three-year-olds to actually watch a romantic comedy wasn't happening, so Max set up the cartoons in his room for the kids to watch at their leisure.
For a change, they were going light on the snacks, the staple of movie enjoyment in Max's mind, because Mary didn't want everyone to be too full to enjoy the evening meal that she had planned for before the party started.
That turned out to be a huge hit with everyone who had gathered, including Nico's father, who showed up for dinner, just in time to receive an earful from Mary about having skipped the movies.
Max understood romantic comedies weren't for everyone, and Mary was really into them. Hiding until her tears and theatrics were finished was likely the best option her husband had.
Mary had made Barbecued Burnt Ends, with smoked ribs, baked beans, and some sort of shredded cabbage salad that Max didn't have a name for, but Mary's mind called slaw. Even the kids were overjoyed about that revelation, and the fact that they weren't going to get in trouble for eating with their fingers.
"So, Brother Max, will you be coming to our birthday next? It's only one more month until we turn four now." Max's sister Sasha asked.
"Of course. We will still be around the planet as well, so you can even try to get Miss Molly to plan a special event." Max suggested.
"Just no Princesses." Sandy, the other twin sister insisted, making Max chuckle.
"I can agree to that."Chapter 338 338 Older And Wiser
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
+ - Turn on Reset
When the girls saw that Nico was getting dressed as a Princess for her birthday, they giggled, thinking it was a thing that every mom did every year if you didn't stop them, but they happily got dressed up for the event.
Max knew that there would be an awful lot of drunken 'Prince Charming' sorts tonight, but the party should be a pretty fun gathering for everyone involved.
It had been a while since they had a good reason to just let loose and party, and Terminus had more than enough space for it, even if they had invited ten times as many guests as they had here today.
Max entered the room holding Nico's hand and waving at the sound of cheering that was filling the bay, which had been renovated into a four-level ballroom, complete with themed decorations and bars on every level.
Sound barriers would let the zones become different moods, with different music, once the party was in full swing, but first, there was an introduction from the guest of honor, and then the servers would start coming around with drinks and the much anticipated birthday cake.
"Thank you everyone for coming to celebrate another birthday with me. I know for most of you, this is the first time, but it won't be the last. I do love a good excuse to party. I see that the room looks more like a high-end dance club than the storage bay of a Colony Ship today, but fear not, the bars are open and drinks are free.
Don't forget to grab a slice of cake on the way by, and let's get this party started." Nico called out to the crowd, patching herself into the ship's intercom.
[Max to Maintenance. When you clean up the decorations, leave this entire space as an event hall. I think Terminus could use a full-time tavern on board as well, so keep the top floor stocked and we can work it into the duty rotations. We can just close the other levels when there isn't a big event going on, or we don't have visitors.] Max sent the order through to the teams who would be in charge of the cleanup tomorrow, adding an impromptu amenity to the ship beyond the Mess Halls.
Sure, you could get the same food in either place, but that top floor, with the comfortable seats and the cigar lounge atmosphere, seemed like the sort of thing that the crew would enjoy on a more regular basis.
'ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NovelB(i)n. ᴄᴏᴍ',
"Commander, congratulations. Both on your successful test of the new pattern Line Mecha, as well as the completion of another year among the stars. I am Garth, of the Garth Maul Mercenaries. We heard a rumor that the Reavers had found a few geniuses who had been displaced by the fighting in Kepler and I am very glad we came to investigate." A tall and nerdy-looking man in thick black rim glasses greeted him.
"Nobody is happier with the new unit's performance than we are, I assure you. After all, we are keeping the first batch." Max laughed back, making the Mercenary smile.
"So, which among you is the older and wiser?" Garth asked, looking to where Nico was floating among the crowd, using the gravity control of the Archangel suit hidden under her angel princess outfit.
"Older goes to Rage, but wiser is still firmly in my court," Max replied with dignity.
"You have a point there. She is too much like her father. If it wasn't for the appearance, which she took from her mother's side, you would swear that they were the same person reincarnated." The Mercenary Leader insisted.
"I haven't had much time to interact with him, are they really so much alike?" Max asked.
"Ask Mary to tell you about how they met sometime. Her father and I were friends forever, and it's not my story to tell, but yeah, they're just alike. I even recall the day that he rigged an orbital bombardment cannon to go off on a planet so he could get around the international treaties on the deliberate orbital targeting of species not capable of space travel."
That had Max's attention, but the elusive Tarith Family Patriarch chose that moment to break up their conversation. "You always did have a way of telling other people's stories in the worst light. Come, Garth, let's get a drink before Mary catches me again."
p With that, they were gone, and Max was met with more well-wishers. This time Reaver Captains that he recognized from the wedding of General Yaakov. If anything, they might actually be more dressed up today, to match the prince and princess theme of the event, than they had been for the very formal and fancy wedding.
"My gift might not be a physical thing, but I brought something just for you Commander. At the far southeastern edge of the Death Wind Territory, we have located an Emissary that is very interested in meeting with you.
Apparently, their species made this ship and left it behind when it had issues during their colonization efforts. They saw the feeds of the battle here on Rae 5, and they seemed intrigued by the changes that you had made to get it operational again.
'',
I can't imagine that they will want the ship back, they are in what the Northerners call a World Ship, a thousand times the size of Terminus and their technology is far more advanced than anything I've seen you use, so this thing is most likely a historical relic from their viewpoint." The Reaver told Max quietly.
"Then what would they want with us at all?" Max asked.
"The World Ships aren't fast you see, nor are their shuttles. They're just indestructible, and they can do things that seem like magic with their technology. I think they might want to trade techniques with you. They're not warlike people, and if anyone attacks them, they just leave and blacklist you, so that you'll never get a chance to deal with them again." He explained.
"I'm glad you told me and not Nico first. If you told her we would already be on our way to the Galactic South to go looking for them. She goes crazy for shiny new toys." Max sighed.
"You've got it hard, Commander. But you seem to run a tight ship. I don't see any signs of dissent or disunity among your troops, and that is a very rare thing with a new Commander. It's how a lot of Companies recruit, by taking in those who are unhappy with new leadership, and I suspect it's why Mary Tarith invited us all here to party so that we could see that the Terminus Trading Company was standing strong under your leadership."
"As much fun as you two are having whispering about this and that, the dances have started. Get yourselves to the floor." A female Mercenary Captain informed them, then extended a hand for Max's.
"Shall we?"
"A wonderful idea. But we are finding some of that cake on the way by." Max laughed, then looked for the staff who should have the trays.
"I've got you, Commander." Colonel Klinger informed him, coming over with a full tray of cake and an annoyed-looking server following him.
"One for you, one for me, and one for the pretty lady. Tell me little girl, is your Mother here? I bet she's a true beauty." The battle-worn Pilot teased the Mercenary who likely wasn't much younger than him.
"Flattery will get you everwhere, Pilot. Wait until I'm done with your Commander, I will be back for you." The woman smirked, then took a bite from the rich chocolate cake, wiping the cherry filling from her lips as they moved to the dance floor.
"They weren't joking, this cake is amazing. Well worth taking a shuttle halfway across the solar system." She whispered to Max as she spun him into the first steps of the lively dance.
Chapter 339 339 Unusual Requests
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
+ - Turn on Reset
For six more hours, Max was dragged from dance to dance, meeting new people and seeing sides of his Regiment that he hadn't expected to exist.
Some, like Colonel Klinger having incredible luck with the ladies, weren't that unexpected, but some, like the quiet corvette class Pilot from the Fourth Battalion leading a thrash metal open mic session on the third level of the venue were entirely unexpected.
From what Max could find out, a number of pilots had spent their allocations for the materials printers to get musical instruments made. So, when the time for a party came, they found a good spot and took it over to hold an open mic jam with anyone from the Regiment who was willing, along with a number of volunteer singers from among the guests.
The cake had first appeared at seven in the evening and seemed to come back every two hours thereafter. The last time Max saw it was just after midnight when Nico had convinced a number of Reavers that if you soaked it with rum and ate it with a spoon it was even better.
Max wasn't sure how much that would improve the flavor, but between the cherry pie filling and the decadent chocolate, the alcoholic hint of the rum probably wouldn't be unpleasant once it had time to soak in.
Though, the group was mostly drunk enough that they wouldn't notice anyhow.
"Commander, I heard that you were going to authorize the top floor to stay open as a ship's facility, a full-time tavern aboard Terminus." One of the Wing Leaders from the Second Battalion asked.
"That's right. I thought everyone could use another place to unwind. There's no reason to be uncomfortable, since we have all this extra space available, and we're unlikely to take on so many refugees again that we will need multiple Cargo bays to hold them all."
'',
The slightly tipsy Pilot thought about that for a moment then nodded. "Thank you, Commander. I will go talk to the crew about setting up weekly open Mic nights for us."
Terminus was meant to be a flying city, not just a set of crew quarters, and they were slowly renovating everything to suit themselves, but even with the newly added Line Mecha Pilots, they were under ten percent of capacity.
Those unfortunate souls were still sleeping in regulation dorms, made with the Kepler Materials Printer, and not in the fancy suites that the rest of the Regiment had inherited after their trade dealings, but that was just one of the hazards of being at the bottom of the list.
They weren't too crowded, though they shared space with their wing, as the Corvette Class Pilots did. They just didn't have the luxurious surroundings and lived in dorms like the plain one Max had been assigned in Uncle Lu's Lab.
Max seemed to recall that one of the Captains that he had talked to earlier had specialized in renovations of ships. They had a lot of space, so maybe Max could talk him into doing something here on Terminus, giving them more guest space, plus some entertainment facilities.
"Nico, have you seen the Captain that does ship renovations?" Max asked the next time he saw her. She had just finished some sort of competition with another cyborg, but Max couldn't tell what they were actually trying to do, as they were mentally focused on a picture.
"Oh, the guy who thought we needed a high-tech, terrarium-themed shopping mall and theme park in the central promenade of the ship? He's upstairs talking with some of the guys from maintenance about decorating themes." Nico informed him, and Max saw their location in Nico's mind through the link she was holding open to the ship's cameras.
That wasn't a bad idea, but Max wondered how she didn't drive herself mad multitasking like that. But then, Nico's mind had never worked like everyone else's.
'ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ No(v) e lBin ᴏɴʟʏ.',
"Captain Calatrava, do you have a few minutes tomorrow? I would like to talk to you about a few ship's features if you can get them designed and implemented in a reasonable timeframe." Max asked.
"Are you really going to approve renovating the whole ship? We've been telling him how much of a pain some of the original sectors are to work in since they're all designed for much larger people, or for Mecha." The leader of the group of logistics staffers that the Captain was sitting with asked Max.
"Not the whole ship, but I was interested in the ideas about the mall and the theme park, as well as some other entertainment venues, as well as standardized housing. We might not have a huge crew right now, but we might end up increasing our numbers later, and we will need to have space available before we can take any more people in." Max agreed.
At five kilometers long, and roughly one and a half kilometers wide, the total area of Terminus was vast, and shouldn't be underestimated against the potential capacity of a small city. Since they could easily build vertically, they would have no issues hosting a few hundred thousand long-term residents, should they decide to become an actual colony ship, carrying intrepid travelers in search of adventures and new homes.
The thought of being a glorified interstellar cruise ship was actually quite amusing to Max, and it gave him a good basis to have the ship's interior redesigned. The balance of living space and entertainment everywhere, with the all-inclusive nature of a cruise ship, or a Military Vessel, would be perfect for their needs, and serve both as comfortable living quarters for the general staff, as well as excellent camouflage, should someone suspect them of being a military invader.
Max put a lot of thought into that over the evening, while he looked into the resources of the Reaver that he was planning to hire.
The crew was well known as ship rebuilders, modifying derelict and captured ships to the new owner's specifications. They had a large number of Reaver vessels in their customer list, as well as civilian luxury yachts from a dozen different nations. That seemed trustworthy enough for Max to let them aboard the ship.
They also had six vessels here in the Rae 5 system and were building a space station near the gas giant that made the middle planet of the system. They wouldn't mess up their good thing here by causing issues on a job for the unofficial flagship of the system.
So, with consideration to the five newly built Cutters, plus room for five more equivalent-sized vessels in the bays above them and a plethora of cavernous storage spaces for any sort of cargo that they might pick up to trade, Max was left with a good estimate of the space he had to work with, and made plans to have them build a luxury cruise ship for fifty thousand taking up most of the front half of Terminus, while the Regiment would renovate the rear half to make room for refugees, or military forces to be stationed, equal to two President Class Transport Ships.
How he was going to explain his plans to the Regiment was the hard part. Taking on passengers wasn't part of their plans, and they weren't planning to take on entire Infantry Regiments either. The more spartan areas could be passed off as refugee preparations since they might pick them up from further away, but the Cruise Ship accommodations would be harder to explain to the men and women under his command.
Chapter 340 340 Renovating Again
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
+ - Turn on Reset
"Why don't we make a big deal of it? Since we've got the new technology aboard, and everyone will know it soon, we should play it up and offer trips once a year or something. You know we're going to be called on to do random political nonsense, so picking up a load of tourists on the way and making a spectacle of it would make it very hard for anyone we are negotiating with to justify attacking Terminus." Nico suggested.
"Are you saying to use the passengers as human shields?" Max asked suspiciously.
"No, of course not. But can you imagine the bad publicity if the galaxy found out that someone attacked a bloody Cruise ship full of tourists because it was run by a neutral nation that they were supposed to be negotiating with?" Nico countered.
She had a point, especially if they picked them up within the boundaries of the same Empire. Kepler and Cygnus had pretty good control over their own media, but something like that would still make it through on the underground networks until it became a huge scandal for the sector command.
"I will keep it in mind while we do the designs. I have a structural layout of the area for them to work with, but the rest will be left up to the designer, assuming that he can get it done in a timely manner." Max told her with a smile.
"Oh, I am sure he will. Their Materials Printer Technology is almost as good as our Replicators, only instead of specializing in food, it specializes in bulk furniture and structural elements. As long as they can get a design made that fits within the existing structure, their staff numbers say that they should be able to put thousands of people on the job at once and get it done within a few weeks." Nico agreed, showing him the same set of data that he had looked up last night.
"Alright then, I'm off for the meeting. Make sure all of our guests are in good shape this morning and see to the cleaning of the venue. All of the VIP guests should still be in the guest suites, I don't think anyone has checked out yet." Max said, then jogged out to catch a lift to the middle of the ship where the VIP sorts were staying.
That would be just aft of the new Cruise Ship, which would fill what the builders of the ship had intended to be the central hub of life aboard the ship.
"Captain Calatrava, it is a pleasure to see you again. I have a schematic of the area of the ship I want to be renovated, and a theme for you to design toward." Max greeted the whip-thin Reaver, and the six young women he had brought to the meeting, all of whom were sitting in front of design stations so that they could input what Max and their boss talked about in real-time."
They input the schematic as soon as Max handed over the data tablet, a blank one with only the limited layout of the portion of the ship they would be working with included, and waited for the two to begin.
"So, what is the plan for the Terminus and her mighty crew of eccentric Mecha?" Captain Calatrava asked.
'The latest_epi_sodes are on_the Nov elB i n website.',
,m "I want you to build me a cruise ship in that space, big enough for fifty thousand guests to reside in luxury. Make it a self-contained city, I want the guests to have access to everything they could desire, but the food can all come from our Replicators and be served either as buffets or in restaurants. I will supply those as needed in your designs, and the dimensions of the units are included in the data that I sent you." Max informed him.
"So a cruise experience, and not a villa experience, I get it. This huge central tunnel though is bound to cause vertigo." Calatrava told Max, pointing to the opening in the central promenade.
It certainly would cause vertigo, it was a hole a kilometer high. But they didn't need to leave it empty.
"Why don't you add levels of terrarium there, with plants, maybe some hardy species of animals that aren't going to harass the visitors and won't die during space travel? It can be mostly open, but even a landing every four or five floors to give people something to look at would be an interesting feature." Max suggested.
The Captain tapped something into his design tablet, and the assistants got to work right away.
"Do you have a preference for the rooms themselves? An architectural style? Theme? Anything?"
Max shook his head. "Make it represent the Reavers as well as you can, but I want it to be pleasant and open for the guests so that they don't feel stifled despite the high density. Don't forget to put in staff quarters in the cruise ship area as well. I plan to keep it isolated from the rest of the ship under normal circumstances so that we don't get tourists among the Reavers, or spies trying to sneak into our Mecha bays."
Terminus could shield her bay doors, so you could fly a ship in and out without purging atmosphere from the area first, but the actual application of that design was sketchy at best, due to temperature differences. The ships would be alternately freezing in some areas and scorching hot in others, making it nearly impossible to keep a communal hangar operating continuously.
That meant limiting off-ship excursions as much as possible or doing them in very large groups so that only a single shuttle could be sent at a time. Purpose-built Cruise Ships just made many small individual hangars, but that was not a feasible option for Terminus, as the outer hull was too difficult to modify without causing other issues.
They chatted pleasantly for a few minutes while the assistants worked, and then Captian Calatrava brought out a design for the renovations.
It was tropical-themed, much like the facilities on Comor Station were, with similar architecture, and an even more prominent steampunk influence that somehow embodied the Reavers' personalities.
"Not bad, luxury, but not snobby. From what I can see, there are easy accesses to food and basic amenities in every sector, since they're basically copy-pasted with a slight change in the color theme so you don't get lost.
Turning the central column into a huge park with benches and wading pools is very child friendly, and I see that you did find a space to include a theme park." Max listed as he looked through the designs.
'ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ N ovelBi(n)',
"Not only that, there is a water park split into two sections that interlink with gravity-controlled waterslides, so that they can be on the same level and still get the feeling of a two-hundred-meter downhill slide. One side is more adult-oriented with hot tubs and lounges, while the other is more family oriented, with games for the kids." The designer said proudly.
"The question is, can you do all this on my timeline?" Max asked.
"We are just finishing our own station, and we haven't taken on any other work yet so that we could finish our own first. If we can keep Terminus here on the Moon Base for one more week, and get all the required materials, we can finish in a single week." Captain Calatrava informed him proudly.
"And the Price?" Max asked, concerned that they might want something that he couldn't easily provide.
"One Company of Heavy Mecha, in the new pattern that your troops use. New, painted in the pink and gold of my design group."
Normally that would be a non-starter since Mecha designs were kept secret as long as possible, and giving out their new patterns would let anyone who had dealings with the design company have access to them, but Max's System Improved Mind came up with a plan.
"From Uncle Lu's original designs, not as we have personalized them for our own use." Max insisted.
That meant that the improved power plants based on the design in Terminus wouldn't be used, and the design of the Disintegrator would be one generation older than the ones that they were currently using, but for the most part, the Mecha would remain the same.
They would be identical in outward appearance anyhow.
It also meant that the spare parts that they had acquired while they were upgrading the Mecha could be put to good use since the power plant was the most expensive and difficult to produce part of the entire unit unless you counted the precision electronics to control it.
"I can live with that, but if possible, I want Cygnus controls in them. They use the Neural Link, and it's much better for pilots like ours who don't have the advantage of a System boosting their abilities." Captain Calatrava bargained.
"Deal, I will commission them from Uncle Lu, to be built specifically for you." Max agreed. Uncle Lu would know what could be shared and what shouldn't, and he could adjust appropriately without anyone knowing any better.