A few weeks have passed since the event at the Kramer industrial complex. Thanks to Miss Justus' intervention, Mark avoided expulsion from the Institute. His last year of school continues as if nothing happened.
At the moment, Mark finds himself back in his room, at the house in Riggan's Point. He is getting ready for another day at the Institute. Once he is dressed and ready, he walks to the kitchen, where he finds his family preparing breakfast.
As he sits at the table, the young man joins the conversation. Melly talks about the new things she has been learning with her new tutor, while Marcus listens attentively. Rachel later joins, bringing the food. Once they began eating, Mark slipped a data storage device towards his father. The man looks at it and smiles. Without hesitation, he picks the small object and tosses a smile at his son.
Excited, he inquires about the contents of the data storage. "Is this what I think it is?"
Mark returns his father's smile and confirms his guess. "Yes, it is. I called the variant the Humphrey Trooper. Remember that while my version is ready for use, the military version requires changes to certain components. But I will leave that in your capable hands.
Marcus's eyes filled with expectations; he and his partner had been waiting for the variant design ever since the lunch with Mark. "Rowan is going to flip. He has been nagging me about progress for a few weeks now. You know, I basically had to ghost him for a few days. With this, he will finally get off my back." Marcus lets out a triumphant chuckle as he puts the device in his pocket.
The young man knew the design would make an impression on both men. "I'm Glad I could help. I have to say that the Trooper has been my best work so far."
Melly, hearing the last part, grew interested in the design. Her inner mech enthusiast surfaced, and she asked to see the new mech. Marcus, being a doting father, agrees to show her the design. Using his comm-pad, he loaded the data storage device and projected the Humphrey Trooper's image.
They both took the time to appreciate the mech; even Rachel was taking a look out of the corner of her eye. The image of the variant blew them away. With the new armor configuration, the variant had a more polished look. Melly admitted that it was an interesting machine, even if it was a boy mech.
However, Marcus attention was drawn to the increase in parameters. While he and Rowan had managed to make a variant with a modest 18% increase overall, the Trooper had a 33% increase. The man was eager to get to his office and look at the design in more detail. To prevent Rachel's protests, however, they decided to continue their morning routine.
With the first impressions now behind them, they resumed the normal talks over breakfast. After helping his mother clean the table, Mark went down to the shop level and once more inspected the increased security.
While he was spending a small fortune on the changes to the security plan, it was worth every penny. This way, it will be harder for someone to try to take his family again. Satisfied with the new setup, he continued walking out of the building. Outside, he met with his three bodyguards and left for school.
At Parker Technologies, Marcus was received by Roan as he landed his sky-car. After he spoke with him through a comm-pad call, the man was eager to see Mark's work. Strangely enough, as they entered the office, Marcus' secretary came in with an urgent call.
As both men sat down, the woman transferred the call. To their surprise, the call was from one General Mills, from the L.A.F. He wanted to see the product they had available at the moment. The man told them that if he were impressed, he would give them the grant on the spot. However, if they had a disappointing design, they could forget about ever working for the military.
Little did they know that this man was a member of the technologist faction. In reality, Mark had negotiated with the faction to help his father's company secure the grant. The General had already seen the design. And like Marcus and Roan, he was eager to examine it in detail. The man decided to drop by Parker Technologies in a few hours.
Marcus and Roan saw no other choice but to present the Trooper as it was. They were confident that Mark's newest design would be enough to convince the man to open the L.A.F. checkbook. In haste, they move to set up the meeting room and prepare to receive the General.
While Marcus prepared the meeting room, Roan planned virtual scenarios using A.I. to simulate combat footage. He was even planning to have a VR pod brought to the meeting room so the General could test a virtual version of the Trooper. Both men were unaware that Mark had already ensured they would win the grant.
At the same time, Bart and Jack started another training session at the Raven's Nest. Because of Rachel's protests, Mark had less involvement with the organization. Despite this, the Ravens have been receiving new members at a greater rate over the past few weeks. Some came for the tech, while others joined for the benefits they would receive. Their numbers grew each week without signs of slowing down.
After the Blazing Hand's annihilation, Mark's organization filled the resulting power gap. This power shift led many lesser gangs to seek the Ravens' protection, while the more influential ones avoided antagonizing them. There was a new big fish in town, and things were changing, hopefully for the better.
In the junkyard, the Ravens had started to reclaim the old base. Using the Claws for their intended purpose, they were progressing steadily. Following Specter's instructions, they recycled the old machinery, leaving space for the new equipment. Soon, the place would be free of junk and debris. Mark's plans were progressing at a stable pace.
On the business end of the organization, things were progressing as well. The Ravens recently started importing junk and exporting the recycled raw materials to other cities on the planet. Mark's reclamation enterprise was slowly revitalizing Berant City's once-declining importance as an industrial center.
This development was part of Mark's plan. With the upcoming conflict, the Commonwealth's government was expanding its industrial capacity and hoarding resources. Because of this, creating raw materials through recycling was bound to put the Rappal System back on the Lishean Commonwealth's radar.
Back at the Institute, it was time for lunch. Mark and his friends gathered at their usual place in the cafeteria. Ever since the day his mother and little sister were kidnapped. People started giving the group a wide berth. These whispers came about because of the rumors surrounding his escape from the Institute and, later, his arrival at the hospital covered in other people's blood.
In truth, Mark was thankful not to have to deal with pretentious people who were only after money or benefits. These past few weeks have been uneventful. In two years, the armed conflict will begin, and everything will fall into chaos. But in the meantime, the young man resolved to enjoy what little time was left as he prepared for the worst.
Unlike the last time, he now had the system, and he was willing to use it to save his family, his loved ones, and his way of life. To that end, he decided to strengthen his friends and family using the things sold at the system shop. However, this had to be done gradually to avoid suspicion.
The rest of the day went by without incident. Following the routine they had established, Mark and his friends left the Institute and moved back to the Droid Boutique. The group had been using the design lab to complete the assigned special project. While Mark could do everything by himself, the entire group needed to participate to gain a passing grade.
Meanwhile, on the ground floor of the Droid Boutique, Rachel and her friends had just fulfilled another order for Mimi droids. While her friends prepared to go home, she contemplated their finished products. The woman had a sudden urge to make a new Droid design, but at the moment, she was struggling with the purpose of her new project.
In her mind, she wanted to build something to keep her children safe. After what happened at the Kramer industrial complex, it was clear that things like this would keep happening. Yet the woman was unwilling to play the part of a damsel in distress ever again. To that end, she resolved to use her skills, along with the knowledge gained from her son's designs, to create a droid for personal defense.
These kinds of droids already existed; yet, what Rachel wanted was something more than a simple droid. Her problem was that the laws of the Commonwealth prevented the use of autonomous machines. While there was a good reason behind this, the woman yearned to use her newfound knowledge to create something more than a simple droid.
Unsatisfied with her situation, Rachel resolved to work in secret. Although her son designed only two droids, she could fill the remaining gaps herself. To keep her new project from everyone, she would work on it after closing the Boutique. The fact that this time she would be the one keeping secrets made her smile.
Inside A.M.S., Melly had just logged on. Before starting a game session, she decided to gorge on the sweets of The Waiting Room. There, she found her friend Nina, who seemed to be taking her frustration out on a pile of sweets of her own.
Noticing her friend's state, Melly decided to inquire about Nina's upset state. "Nina, are you feeling OK? What is bothering you?"
As Nina's avatar turned, her expression changed to one of embarrassment, and her cheeks flushed slightly. "Nothing is wrong, Melly, I'm OK. Really."
Even without using her gifts, Melly could see that this was a lie. Melly grabbed one slice of her strawberry shortcake and looked at Nina with a shine in her eyes. "Either you tell me what's wrong, or I will eat all of your shortcake. Don't test me, Nina, you know I will do it!"
Nina opened her eyes in surprise. She could not let her friend eat the shortcake; after all, that was her Achilles' heel. "Alright, alright, I will tell you, but put my cake down!"
As Melly returned the piece of shortcake to Nina's pile, she talked about what was bothering her. Feeling embarrassed once more, the Spider Queen looked down at the floor as she spoke. "I'm just kind of down because you, Beater, and Sugar all have S-grade Mechs, and I don't." She lets out a reluctant sigh before continuing. "It's a bit silly, I know. But I can not help but think that you are leaving me behind."
Melly looks at her with understanding. She would also be depressed if she could not pilot her Nova Star. Suddenly, a suggestion fell from her mouth. "Why not use the McCain reaper with the sentinel configuration? It's very similar to your mech."
Nina frowned; she had already thought of that. "While I already have one of those, I don't like it very much. It feels too flimsy, and I can't fight at my full potential. Besides, it doesn't have leg boosters, so I can't do my favorite move."
Melly fell into thought. After some time, she thought of one solution for Nina's problem. With a cheerful tone, the golden-eyed girl proposed her solution. "Let's have Mark make another mech; we can ask him to add the equipment you use."
Nina considered her proposal. She later countered with a suggestion of her own. "Do you think he can make a variant of my mech?"
Being the mech connoisseur she was, Melly corrected her friend. The girl had a smug attitude as she plagiarized her brother's words. "Nina, don't be silly, Mark can not make a variant from your mech, because it's already a variant. He would have to license the original design and make a variant of his own."
With hope in her eyes, Nina tossed a question at the little connoisseur. "Do you think he will do it?"
The girl smiled. She reassured her friend as she started to eat the mountain of sweets she had on her tray. "I'm sure that if we ask, he will help us. Besides, we can always use the techniques that Scarlet taught me to get what we want."
While the girls plotted to have Mark make a new mech, Athena struggled with a decision of her own. These past few days, she barely slept. A mixture of feelings raged as she considered involving herself further with Melly. By her side, Nora, her loyal attendant, listened as the woman struggled with her emotions.
With hesitation, she consulted Nora about her decision. "Nora, what shall I do? Do I even have the right to get involved with Melly? After what happened, I don't know if I have the right to."
Nora spoke her mind, trying to reassure her mistress. "Lady Athena, you are now a different person. At the time you gave birth to the girl, you were only 16 years old. Not only that, but you were also being tormented by your father's constant experiments. No one can blame you for leaving the girl behind."
Athena answered with a remorseful expression. "But even so, I left a newborn child to bear the weight of that man's expectations. Was that not wicked of me?"
Once again, Nora spoke. Her mistress was blaming herself, but in her eyes, the real culprit was the monster she had for a father. "Lady Athena, your father forced you to conceive a child against your will. When that man offered you freedom in exchange for the child, you took it. After learning about what you went through, I don't blame you. I have seen the scars on your body. Anyone in your situation would have done something similar."
Athena hesitated; the struggling feelings raged as she posed a question to her attendant. "Do you think I should tell her that I am her biological mother?"
Nora answered her mistress's question in her own way. "I think you should tell her everything. Let the girl decide. While she might choose to reject you, I think that telling the truth should bring you peace."
On the other side of the city, Dr. Parker, Dr. Baxter, and another person were having a meeting over dinner in a private lounge. As they dined and wined, they discussed the upcoming conflict.
Dr. Baxter inquired about the man's opinion on the subject. "So are we in agreement over this?"
The man spoke with elegance as he answered Dr. Baxter's question. "I am sorry to say that the Stellar kingdom of Naaraland is not prepared to start a conflict at this point. My estimate lets me believe it will take them a little over two years to ready enough resources to even think about military action."
Dr. Parker smiled as his friend instructed; so far, the conversation had steered in the direction his friend expected. "That is a regrettable development. We were hoping that the conflict could start by the end of this year."
The man turned his head and looked at the good doctor. "What about the age regressing treatment you are developing? How does it go?"
Moreaw smiled. Word for word, Baxter had predicted the entire conversation. This man was now quietly negotiating to secure benefits from his research. "It's bearing fruit. It's not complete, but it is in an advanced stage."
The man spoke with clear pretensions. "Well, if you can provide me with a working sample, I might be inclined to help the kingdom find material support for the war effort." He thinks for a moment, calculating some things in his mind. Let's say... 18 months from now?"
With a predatory grin, Dr. Parker agreed. "That would be an acceptable development."