The Mech Touch

"..."

The Shield of Samar certainly possessed strong opinions on the manner. Now that Ves finally brought this matter up, the powerful expert mech freely voiced its wish list.

It appeared that the Everchanger was not an exception. Third order living mechs were more aware, more intelligent and more complex. It was natural for them to develop more extensive wants and needs.

In fact, the Shield of Samar developed even deeper thoughts on the matter! Out of all of the third order living mechs designed by Ves, Venerable Jannzi\'s expert mech was definitely the oldest among them! Even if it only reached this order of life only recently, it had already come into existence before Ves advanced to Journeyman!

It was one of the veteran mechs that held the greatest seniority and prestige among the mechs of the Larkinson Clan. Even upstarts like the Amaranto had to show a measure of respect towards this honored pair of machines.

Having grown up alongside the Larkinson Clan, the Shield of Samar experienced a lot of different twists and turns. Its life experience among the Larkinson mechs had accumulated to an impressive degree!

After Jannzi advanced to expert pilot and after its latest and most dramatic upgrade, the growth of the Shield of Samar had skyrocketed, thereby ensuring that it would remain the \'eldest\' living mech within the Larkinson Clan for at least a generation!

If not for the fact that Venerable Joshua\'s life domain was so conducive to growth, the Everchanger would never be able to lift its head in front of the Shield of Samar!

The topics that Jannzi\'s expert mech brought up during this interview session were both deep and profound.

Ves frowned as the Shield of Samar forced him to open up his eyes to how poorly the Larkinson Clan treated its living mechs.

While it was generally fine for the Larkinson Clan to treat second order living mechs as normal machine that just demanded a bit more care, when machines like the Shield of Samar gained true awareness, they were substantially greater entities and required much more extensive treatment!

LET ME ASK YOU A PRESUMPTUOUS QUESTION, CREATOR. DO YOU CONSIDER LIVING MECHS SUCH AS MYSELF AS FULL AND EQUAL MEMBERS OF YOUR CLAN?

"Uh…"

YOU DON\'T NEED TO SAY ANYTHING MORE. I CAN SEE THE RELUCTANCE IN YOUR BODY. YOU HAVE ALWAYS EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY IN THE CLAN, BUT FOR A LONG TIME YOU HAVE ONLY EXTENDED THIS CONSIDERATION TO YOUR FELLOW HUMANS. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT LIVING MECHS CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE A PART OF THE FAMILY AS WELL?

"That… of course you are family." Ves instinctively answered. "Each and every living mech in the service of the clan is a part of our brotherhood."

The Shield of Samar had taken the initiative in this conversion and did not intend to let Ves off that easily.

YOU SAY THE WORDS, BUT DO YOU MEAN THEM? I AM AFRAID THAT YOU ARE STILL WAVERING IN YOUR THOUGHTS. YOU MUST CORRECT YOUR MINDSET, CREATOR. WHILE OUR BODIES ARE MADE OF ALLOY RATHER THAN FLESH AND WHILE OUR VEINS CHANNEL ELECTRICAL CURRENT RATHER THAN BLOOD, WE ARE LOYAL AND DEDICATED TO THE BETTERMENT OF EVERY LARKINSON, HUMAN, PET OR MECH.

The mention of pets reminded Ves of animals like Lucky and Clixie. The clan had always fostered a welcoming attitude towards pets. Each of them enjoyed a beloved status within the clan. Even if they did not enhance the clan\'s productivity or combat power, their companionship warmed people\'s hearts.

Pets along with kids brightened people\'s lives and made it a lot more bearable for the clansmen to live aboard starships. This was also why they were valued to the point that numerous clansmen had begun to consider them as full members of the clan!

At the very least, particularly important cats such as Lucky and Clixie fully deserved this designation!

In comparison to all of the welfare and pampering that pets enjoyed, the living mechs in the Larkinson Clan did not receive as much love.

Sure, their mech pilots cared for them on an individual basis, but this did not compensate for the lack of institutional welfare and support.

YOU SAY THAT WE ARE WORTHY TO BECOME FULL AND RECOGNIZED MEMBERS OF THE CLAN, BUT I DO NOT SEE MANY SIGNS OF THAT. AS ITS LEADER, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO ENACT THE CHANGES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BUT FOR YEARS YOU HAVE SAT ON THIS ISSUE AND NEVER THOUGHT TO PAY ATTENTION TO OUR NEEDS.

Ves grimaced. "Please cut me some slack, Shield. Third order living mechs such as yourself are a relatively new phenomenon that I have pioneered myself. Who could have thought that it would be possible for people like me to hold an actual conversation with a mech like you? We are all venturing into completely new territory here. Mistakes are inevitable. What matters is that we recognize what is wrong and do our best to address them. My visit here is a reflection of that. I am giving you an opportunity to help me understand what can be improved."

The Shield of Samar\'s demeanor grew a little bit more warmer towards him. The expert mech was afraid that Ves would take a tougher stance on the matter. If that was the case, then the machine would have pressed even harder!

I APPRECIATE YOUR OPEN-MINDEDNESS, BUT I AM NOT CERTAIN THAT YOU WILL LIKE WHAT I AM ABOUT TO CONVEY.

"Hit me with it." Ves straightforwardly said. "The reason why I am discussing this with you today is to understand the opinions and perspective of living mechs like you. It\'s better to air your full thoughts to me so that I have the clearest and most accurate picture of the state of living mechs in the clan."

IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I WILL NOT HOLD BACK ANY FURTHER. AS YOU CAN ALREADY SURMISE, I BELIEVE THE STATUS OF LIVING MECHS IN THE CLAN MUST CHANGE. I DO NOT EXPECT YOU TO OFFER SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER TREATMENT TO MY FELLOW LIVING MECHS THAT ARE NOT AS CONSCIOUS AS MYSELF, BUT YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MACHINES SUCH AS THE QUINT AND THE AMARANTO DESERVE ACTUAL RECOGNITION.

"I can agree with this." Ves nodded. "There are thousands of second-order living mechs, but are not capable of enjoying all of the benefits and privileges that humans enjoy. It is better to leave them in their more natural state so that they can purposely focus on helping their mech pilots."

I AM GLAD THAT WE CAN AGREE ON THIS, BUT LET ME ELABORATE FURTHER. THE ONES YOU CALL THIRD ORDER LIVING MECHS CAN PLAY SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO OUR CLAN THAT WE DESERVE A PLACE IN THE DECISION-MAKING LAYER OF THE CLAN.

"Err, what?"

THE LARKINSON CLAN POSSESSES A HIERARCHY WHERE THE RANK AND FILE MEMBERS CAN ALWAYS LOOK UP TO THE PEOPLE MAKING ALL OF THE DECISIONS. THE LARKINSON ASSEMBLY IS FILLED WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MEMBER BODY WHILE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS OCCUPIED BY MANY DIFFERENT HUMANS WHO COME FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE CLAN. WHILE THIS IS AN ADEQUATE ARRANGEMENT, IT HAS ONE MAJOR GAP THAT MUST BE FILLED.

Ves had a bad feeling about this. The Shield of Samar\'s tone did not sound modest.

"And that is?" He tentatively asked.

A MECH MUST BECOME A PART OF THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE OF THE CLAN. MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU MUST ALLOW MECHS SUCH AS MYSELF TO \'VOTE\' FOR AN ASSEMBLY MEMBER FROM OUR OWN RANKS. THIS ELECTED MECH SHALL POSSESS THE SUPPORT OF ALL LIVING MECHS AND IS QUALIFIED TO REPRESENT OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE DURING ASSEMBLY DELIBERATIONS.

"Wait, are you serious?! You want to vote your own fellow living mechs for office? Are they even qualified to become politicians?"

The Shield of Samar rumbled a bit as if it had just shrugged.

YOU NEVER KNOW UNTIL YOU TRY. WE ARE SMART MECHS, CREATOR. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE OUR ABILITY TO LEARN. IF I WAS HUMAN, I WOULD STILL BE ATTENDING SCHOOL. THE QUINT IS JUST A CUTE-LOOKING BRAT WHILE THE YOUNGER LIVING MECHS SUCH AS THE EVERCHANGER AND THE MINERVA ARE STILL BABIES. EVEN SO, THE LATTER TWO MECH HAVE ALREADY GROWN INTO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE MUCH MORE CLEVER THAN HUMANS OF THE SAME AGE. THEREFORE, DO NOT QUESTION OUR ABILITY TO FULFILL MORE COMPLICATED RESPONSIBILITIES.

This was actually an interesting research topic by itself. It sounded as if living mechs as good as the Shield of Samar might have actually turned into formidable learners!

As long as they gained access to enough learning resources, it was not impossible for them to take up professions.

After all, if humans possessed the capacity to become doctors or artists, why not living mechs?

For a moment, Ves had an odd idea in his mind.

He imagined mechs wearing giant white lab coats as they paraded as doctors.

He imagined another mech wearing a three-piece suit posing as a member of the Larkinson Assembly.

He even entertained an even more absurd notion of a mech that had studied all of the subjects related to mech design and became a qualified Novice Mech Designer!

Just the thought of a mech that was able to design other mechs just as good as Ketis or Gloriana sent shivers through his spine.

This was a scary scenario!

He quickly shook his head in order to clear his mind. For now, these weird and unusual fantasies were not relevant.

"Are you trying to become a fully-fledged member of the Larkinson Assembly? Is that what you\'re saying?"

NO. NOT QUITE. I DO WISH THAT AT LEAST ONE LIVING MECH IS ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE VOTING AND DELIBERATIONS ON BILLS, BUT I HAVE A MORE IMPORTANT FUNCTION IN MIND. I THINK IT IS TIME FOR A LIVING MECH TO BECOME A PART OF THE CORE HIERARCHY OF THE CLAN. ONLY BY BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH WILL WE BE ABLE TO GAIN THE RECOGNITION THAT WE DESIRE.

"Is that all? I get the feeling that you are aiming for more than that, Shield." Ves narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

THAT IS CORRECT. ASIDE FROM GAINING A PROPER PLACE IN THE UPPER ECHELON OF THE CLAN, I ALSO WANT TO ERECT AN INSTITUTION THAT ALLOWS FOR LIVING MECHS TO REGULATE OTHER LIVING MECHS. FOR THIS REASON, I PROPOSE THAT YOU APPROVE OF THE FORMATION OF A NEW MINISTRY THAT IS DEDICATED TO MANAGING MY KIND. I BELIEVE THAT I AM THE MOST SUITED MACHINE TO LEAD THE LIVING MECH AFFAIRS MINISTER OF THE CLAN.

"The… Living Mech Affairs Ministry?"

YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT, CREATOR. APPOINT ME AS MINISTER SO THAT OUR CLAN WILL NO LONGER NEGLECT THE ISSUES AFFECTING LIVING MECHS. IF I CANNOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITHIN MY OWN AUTHORITY, I CAN BRING THEM UP TO OTHER LARKINSONS SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. THIS IS A VAST IMPROVEMENT TO OUR CURRENT STATE. WILL YOU AGREE TO ELEVATE ME INTO POWER?

"Wait a moment."

Ves overwhelmed!

He never imagined that a conversation with the Shield of Samar would lead to a situation where the living mech actually requested to be appointed as a minister of the clan!

He gazed at the Shield of Samar with a troubled expression. What did it learn from its pilot?! The expert mech accompanied Venerable Jannzi for numerous years. The two of them had been affecting each other in a deep and profound manner.

The Shield of Samar must have developed its political ambitions by learning from Venerable Jannzi!