The Mech Touch

I ’m a different type of mech designer.
I have discovered that I work best if I embrace new experiences. ”

”That doesn ’t sound so bad if I ignore that your own people must brave death in order to cover for your mistakes.
No normal mech designer is okay with that.
You ’ve changed, Ves.
All of your power and wealth has corrupted you. ” Melinda accused.

”I have changed, but not in a bad way.
I grew up, Melinda.
I changed for the better.
If I was my old self, I would have never been able to make it this far.
You may think ill of me all you like, but I don ’t regret the decisions that I have made.
I have become a better mech designer than I could have ever imagined by following my current course. ”

His cousin scowled deeper.
”I can ’t believe you.
It is so difficult for me to reconcile the Ves I grew up with to the monster that you have become.
These obsessions of yours have ruined you.
Every time I see you, I see a Larkinson that could have been a hero, but chose to become a villain instead.
Tell it to me straight.
If you have to make a choice, what do you prioritize the most, your family or your mech design career? ”

Ves grew angry this time.
”I don ’t like false dichotomies, Melinda.
I am not falling for your word trap.
I have always tried my best to never let my mech design ambitions stand in the way of my love for my family.
I have tried to combine them instead.
Becoming a better mech designer will help my children and the rest of my clan a lot more than if I settle down and choose a stable course like the old family has done. ”

”You haven ’t answered my question.
You can ’t avoid the hard choices forever, Ves.
One day, you will be put into a position where you cannot get away unless you make your decision.
Are you willing to sacrifice your family or everything you have worked for in your professional life? ”

This was by far the most painful dilemma that Ves was confronted with.
He truly loved his children to death, but as a mech designer he was incapable of compromising his mech design ambitions.

Ves almost felt as if he was tearing himself in half whenever he considered one unpalatable choice or another!

He would never be as great of a man as before if he gave up on either his family or his design philosophy.

He gritted his teeth as he tried to squirrel his way out of this awful dilemma.
”I… am not… going to play along! I reject your false dichotomy! There is always a third, a fourth and a fifth option! I am a mech designer, Melinda! Don ’t you know what that means? That means I am good at thinking outside the box! I excel at coming up with solutions that no one has ever thought about before because I am just that good! No matter how much I have been pushed into a corner, I will always do my best to find a superior solution! ”

”And what if you fail? What if your third or fourth or fifth options are unobtainable? ”

”Then I guess I suffer the consequences of my failure. ” Ves growled in response.
”At least I have tried.
Look, I don ’t expect you to agree with my stance, but I am completely fine with my current course.
I may be endangering my children who I care about the most, but I think that what I am doing will eventually help them survive in the long run.
There are much greater dangers in the cosmos that they need to prepare for.
I can coddle them as long as I can, but that won ’t help much when an unfathomable enemy shows up that we cannot run away from.
The only way for us to survive is by gaining enough strength.
Do you know the motto of our clan? ”

”I do.
Per angusta ad augusta. ”

”Well, you have done your homework at least, but I don ’t think you interpret the meaning of this phrase in the same way as us. ” Ves responded.
”You don ’t know anything about what is going on in the galaxies and the rest of the cosmos.
I don ’t know that much more either, but what I have learned and witnessed over the course of my life terrifies me.
There are so many enormous threats out there that I am scrambling to rise up the ranks.
The more powerful I become, the more I am able to protect myself and my family.
If you know as much as me, then you too would support the current course of our clan. ”

The specter of his cousin remained silent as she kept pinning Ves with a judgemental gaze.

”Is this the man you want to be, Ves? A man who is incapable of putting his trust in others and just has to do everything himself? ”

”I am content with who I am. ” He replied with conviction.
”I could always be better off, but at least I am being proactive about improving my situation.
I am a mech designer.
I will do whatever it takes to design better mechs and provide humanity with what they need to stave off the many threats to our race.
My children will inherit my mission and follow suit once they grow up.
They will be grateful for me when they grow old enough to understand, just like how I understand the decisions made by my parents. ”

”You obviously have bad role models. ”

”What would you have me do instead? I am not going to live blindly like a space peasant and assume that the Big Two will take care of everything. ” Ves contemptuously snorted.
”I have the ability to arm the people on my side with stronger weapons that they can use to protect us and everyone we care about.
Any problem can be solved as long as I design the right mech, so I am working hard to reach this ultimate state! That is my purpose as a mech designer! ”

Melinda shook her head in disappointment before turning her back to Ves.
”I give up.
You are so stubborn.
You cling to your identity as a mech designer as if it is a universal talisman.
You can ’t deflect every problem with that excuse.
Mark my words, Ves.
One day you will have to choose between the wellbeing of your family and the future of your mech design career.
I hope there will still be enough of a genuine Larkinson left inside of you to make the right choice.
Sacrifice is a virtue.
There are more important things in life than your work. ”

”Life and work are the same to me.
My family and my mech designs aren ’t opposed to each other.
They are on the same side.
My clan exists for this reason.
The scenario that you have described will never happen. ”

”You can ’t postpone all of your problems forever, Ves.
One day the chickens will come home to roost. ”

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