The Naïve Designer.

(A/N- This is a fan-fiction of the mech touch By Exlor So if you like my world then check out The Mech Touch. Expect spoilers about the world building. But the storyline should be free of many events that happen in the mech touch.

The story takes back 60 years in the past before the start of the mech touch so Ves is not even born yet.

The protagonist lives in the age of mech and is under the tutorage of a senior. They live in the Asher Kingdom which is in the Odin star system which is on the other side of the galaxy.

The mech touch has a system of mech designers and mech pilots, and they will be the one the story would be centered around.

Mech designers have 6 ranks (Weakest to strongest order) Novice, apprentice, journeyman, senior, master and Star designer. Note there's only about 100 star designers in a world with an Octillion amount of people.

Star designers are influential people that even a sneeze could affect a country's whole economy. Mech designers don't get stronger, they get mech smart.

Mech needs Pilots and they have a similar system with 5 ranks: regular pilot, expert candidate, expert pilot, Ace pilot, and god pilot. Like star designers there's only about 100 god pilots.

Star Designer and God pilot are known very little in the mech touch so I'm not gonna include them, even though I would like to.

I would like to let you know that If Ves and Kein meet it would be in the red ocean and it would be 60 years in the future. To make things interesting Kein will find about spiritual energy but in a different way and orientation then Ves. I'm planning that the both of them meet but they would go their separate ways.)

The chair made no sound as a person leaned back.

The person laid back is a disciple from a renown senior mech designer. Kein is the 12th disciple from Senior Avin and is on his way to advance towards becoming a journeyman.

Like his teacher they both specialize in energy transformation.

Kein closes his eyes and reminisces over his first day meeting Senior Avin. He was given 3 years to become a journeyman with permission from his master. He already built 4 other mechs designs during his year and halve with only moderate success.

At first he was confident he would be able to do it within two years but reality is as pleasant as one would think.

Kein has just finished with his 4th personal design mech after spending 4 months in total isolation. His mech only sold a few hundred copies in total and his latest design.

"Stubborn Flame" a striker mech with flame throwing capabilities mimic the capabilities of his teacher, Senior Avin.

Even though Kein has solid capabilities on mechs compared to the cold market of a second rate state he is only left with the scrap.

Ronald!

As the name was called a person steps through the hatch door in a calm and mindful manner and stands in front of the desk of the apprentice mech designer.

Kein, still looking up from his seat and not at the individual that has stepped through asks a question.

How has the Stubborn Flame done?

"It has been weak sir, there isn't much meaningful data that I can give you about the mech. But there are comments about it sir."

And what might this comment be?

As expected, Ronald takes out a paper.

"The mech can last up to an hour spitting out flames until the mech heat capacity damages the mech. But not useful when it comes to short skirmishes like our unit does."

"Solid armor making sure that the mech will last long on the battlefield, but attack power is lacking and could be better."

"Has decent speed but if it has burst attack power over a short time the mech could be more useful."

Boom!

"That enough Ronald!" Ronald flinched from my sudden burst. I took a deep breath to calm down.

"What do they know, my striker mech should be use to hold back enemies not go offensiv-"

Pow! I slap myself and take a deep breath again. The customer knows best, I will commit it to memory.

"That would be it, Ronald", I swipe my hand in a shoo momentum making Ronald leave my office. Without ever looking at Ronald in a respectful manner. But Ronald still bowed and left my office.

I'm stuck, what should I do…

I tapped my fingers contemplating on my next move, only ending up sighting.

A journeyman has to do research in order to advance towards the next rank. This includes studying exotic, inventing new techniques, all in the hopes to help a mech performance and get an upper hand in the mech market.

That is what senior Avin has told me. I keep it in mind in hope to promote my mech designing skills, but I haven't found a decent exotic, or a brand new skill.

I think over the accomplishment that I have done over these months of designing mechs.

My also thoughts wonder over collaboration senior Avid and me have done.

I have designed a few custom engines that promote energy longevity.

The first one, Senior Avin, has helped me design the engine by giving me advice on how each component should interact with the other components.

The engine had a 10 percent higher fuel life and 5 percent more power than the average engine.

After that I study like crazy over engines in hopes to design a better engine. After 6 months of studying I developed an engine that lasted 3 percent longer and cut the price a few thousand Ash Credit.

I did this without the help of master Avid. He told me he was proud of me! One of the best days ever in my life!

My love for designing mech reach new heights!

That's when I knew what I wanted from my mech design. An Eternal mech! A mech that can run for days without the need to refuel ammunition or engine fuel.

A mech that can go multiple days in a cover mission and take a lot of useful information towards the friendly.

If I was a girl I would definitely be wet.

But then I started to lose progress over my designs

That is why I left Senior Avin. I hope to promote my mech design in terms of longevity.

When I told Senior Avin about my goal he gave me a surprise look. He stood quiet for 3 minutes until saying that is a very ambitious Goal.

I remember 30 years ago when Senior Avin just advanced he developed a rifleman mech that produces powerful fire with almost no built up heat.

I felt honored 2 years ago when he showed me that design and explained how it works! A simplified version of the technique would be that rifles produce heat when they fire and a lot of the heat energy stays so… I repeat every word one by one as I am fascinated by how Avin changed the mech environment in the whole Odin Star Sector. Using thermal energy to produce more energy.

It has become a taboo to use flame striker mech against senior Avin mech as the damage is very limital and the mech absorbs the excess heat. It may have a few downsides but lets ignore them alright.

Avin told us a story about how he found a special exotic with a strange quality to change the side of where the heat is concentrated. He made many breakthroughs studying the exotic which allowed him to breakthrough journeyman and became senior quickly shaking the market.

Heat management has always been an issue when it comes to range mechs. So it was no wonder that Senior Avin was able to exploit the market through his gains.

With a more determined look I search the galactic web for exotics.

Opening to find common exotic that's are used widespread throughout most mechs in the Asked Republic. I skip them to find something else as these exotics are common and overly studied, reducing their value.

I look up on the limited section to find hundreds of exotics that I never heard of.

I scrolled through the catalogs and found 3 that caught my attention.

AU-0037 Rudent, an exotic that is very slippery that catalogues the elite second class in sturdiness. Has high density weighting about 1 pound for every 1.073 cubic centimeter.

IOG-9486 Broten, an exotic with no information. 1 pound for every 5 centimeters and also second class in sturdiness.

"And last but not least…"

GJT- 0956 no codename a weird material found on the Bynisal Zone core section. Has a weird aura that scares people. Space suits have been issued during the same environment due to these anomaly effects.

Without waiting any further I ordered the 3 exotics.

Ding*

My intercom makes a sound when I check for the notification, since only important messages get passed by me..

-700 MTA Merit*

Huh?

EEEEHHHHHHH!!!

That's 35 percent of my allowance for these 3 years!!!

My legs felt weak as I fell down and huddled on the ground to begin sobbing.

No less then 20 seconds, I soon hear the intercom sounding. I know who is behind the call and I'm terrified.