The Mech Touch

Chapter 4789  Commanding Lead

"Who put you in charge?!" A mercenary general asked.
The uniformed man possessed a brave demeanor and did not look inferior to a Larkinson. The 
people who got kidnapped largely consisted of highly successful leaders in every important 
profession. The Larkinsons were not the only ones who brought soldiers, and it could even be 
argued that mercenary organizations possessed even more fighting experience!
This gave the mercenary general the confidence to contest for dominance. It was not that the man 
doubted the combat acumen of the Larkinsons, but his mercenary organization possessed a martial 
tradition that went back centuries!
Ves recalled that the man came from a notable mercenary organization called the TRD Combat 
Application Group.
"General Holdren. I have heard much about you and your fellow mercenaries. I respect your 
mercenary company's competence in battles against mechs on the battlefield, but we are in a 
different situation right now. The scenario we are in is more comparable to the expeditions that our 
clan has embarked upon in the past. In this alien environment where we are tasked with fighting an 
asymmetrical battle with inconsistent battle assets, ingenuity and technological mastery are more 
important than knowing how to fight. Besides, you and your fellow mercenary officers have come 
without bringing any combat armor or heavy weapons."
"We have our guards!"
"That may be true, but are they as well-equipped as ours?" Ves asked with a grin.
He decided that a demonstration was in order. He waved for his honor guards to step forward. They 
did so with loud clanking metal footsteps that echoed throughout the large and expansive hall.
Each of them looked large and looming as they wore serious medium to heavy combat armor that 
were geared towards assault, defense and other heavy duties.
The more knowledgeable and technical people among the crowd looked astonished as they 
understood how well the Larkinson Clan's honor guards were armored!
"Those troops are wrapped in first-class armor plating!" A Senior Mech Designer working for 
another company revealed. "The workmanship is rough, but their effectiveness is not in question."
"Seriously?!"
"How extravagant!"
"Even the patriarch is clad in the same quality of armor!"
Ves grinned as he faced the crowd in an open helmet. He waved one of his honor guards at the side 
to step forward and face the massive crowd in a confident posture.
"If you doubt the capabilities of my soldiers and think that our clan should not take the lead, then 
feel free to defeat him. Shoot his armor. I dare you. If you want to challenge my right to take 
command, then prove you have the strength to beat my clan into submission!"
Not many dared to do so. The Larkinson Clan's heritage may only be a fraction of the other 
organizations involved in this mess, but the glory and prestige that Ves and his soldiers had earned 
in a short amount of time was unequaled!

While these mercenaries and other pioneers had been wining and dining in the safe and 
increasingly more secure confines of Davute, the Larkinsons either went on harrowing expeditions 
or spent time on preparing for their next journey into the deeper parts of the frontier!
Reputation mattered in times like these. Ves had hardly heard General Holdren and his mercenary 
company's deeds, while practically every well-connected Davute knew about the Larkinson Clan's 
record of beating mutant phase whales and formidable alien warships!
Ves banged his armored fist against his chestplate, producing a loud noise that caused the timid 
individuals amongst the crowd to jump in fright!
"Do you know where I gained the materials to upgrade the armor of my suit and that of my 
bodyguards? Our clan ripped all of the materials off the damaged and broken debris from an alien 
warship whose name roughly translates to the Collapsing House of the Fractured Star. Our Golden 
Skull Alliance not only had to confront this ship in direct battle, but also had to fend off her 
mightiest leader and protector, a phase lord called the Trampler of Stars. If you think those names 
are exaggerations to embellish my record, then I can send you the edited footage of our battle 
against these powerful alien foes."
"...No need."
The words that Ves spoke combined with his odd glow that transmitted his will to dominate to the 
crowd completely caused them to fall under his rhythm.
They never encountered a situation like this before!
Many people did not even harbor any desire to challenge what Ves was saying. They already became 
convinced that it was right for this impressive clan patriarch to take charge of their entire group!
Of course, not everyone was caught off-balance. There were still many experienced and steady 
leaders among the kidnapped VIPs. Their ability to endure pressure and think rationally were 
exceptional, and they did not let themselves get fooled by a younger man who happened to take the 
initiative.
General Holdren of the TRD Combat Application Group looked unwilling, but he knew quite well 
that he and his mercenaries would not be able to surpass the Larkinsons in terms of strength or 
proven accomplishments. This caused him to withhold his voice and remain still.
That did not necessarily mean that people like General Holdren were sincerely convinced and 
willing to obey the instructions of the Larkinsons.
If severe differences in opinions ever arose, the mercenaries working for TRD might decide to 
separate from the Larkinsons and act in a separate capacity!
That was an undesirable outcome to Ves as he anticipated that there would be a tough fight ahead. 
Whoever managed to take over the primary control room should definitely have prepared enough 
defenses to defend against an attack.
In the worser scenarios, the adversaries might have managed to subvert a few native defensive 
systems as well, which meant that the trapped VIPs had to fight against both their kidnappers and 
the prison facility itself!
Ves needed every soldier who could fight in order to maximize his chances of winning the upcoming 
confrontation. He did not want to worry about people messing up behind his back or throwing his 
strategy into disarray.
Fortunately, the different delegations were quite limited and scattered in their opinions. Even if 
there were a number of them that were united in their unwillingness to answer to an upstart clan 
and its young leader, they were even less willing to answer to each other!
Ves knew that he needed to make a breakthrough in order to unite the gathered VIPs and their 
guards under his banner.
While Ves had been arguing with the likes of General Holdren, a large number of soldiers wearing 
either low profile suits or heavily armored combat armor had gathered and formed up in the rear of 
the main crowd.
As the groups of soldiers began to organize themselves until they formed a much larger column of 
infantry troops, a lot of people discovered that a second powerful force was in their midst!
The Davutan security guards might not have the benefit of extravagant protection such as first-class 
armor plating, but they possessed the greatest quantity of combat effective soldiers among the 
people involuntarily brought to this pocket space.
The hundreds of guards were not only well-trained, but already adhered to a single military 
command structure. If the equipment between the Larkinson guards and the Davutan guards was 
the same, then the latter would undoubtedly be able to gain an easy advantage in battle due to their 
overwhelming numerical superiority!
Ves needed the support of these soldiers, but how easy was it to convince them to answer to a 
private individual?
Each of them had been trained to answer to their superiors and no one else. As consummate 
professionals, they took their oaths seriously. It was impossible for Ves to deceive them with words 
and convince them to ignore the regulations they were compelled to follow.
In truth, his entire show of force was not targeted towards the crowd as a whole. Ves was confident 
in his speaking ability, and if that did not work out for whatever reason, he could always resort to 
absolute force to cow the doubters and contrarians into submission.
His actual goal was to win over the highest ranking officer among the Davutan guards.
Right now, that figure slowly stepped forward while having all of his troopers form to his rear and 
sides.
It became obvious that the guard officer had successfully managed to subdue the different guard 
units that had originally been stationed across different seating blocks.
"Your name?" Ves asked as if he was a lord demanding the identity of a subordinate.
"Major Alden Durant. I have taken command of the Davutan Palace Guard Forces that are trapped in 
this alien base."
"You have listened to my words like the others. Do you agree with my argument and agree to follow 
my orders?"
"Respectfully, patriarch, I cannot do that." The guard officer shook his head. "Our soldiers have a duty 
to guard you and our other honored citizens of our colonial state. We are not allowed to take sides 
or let ourselves be commanded by one group to the detriment of other groups. The command of our 
guard forces must always remain in the hands of an officer that is commissioned by our state. If your 
relative General Ark Larkinson was here, then we would surrender to his authority without any 
doubt, but you are not an officer of our state."
Seeing that Major Durant could not easily be persuaded, Ves made a judgment call and decided to 
take a step back.
"Very well." Ves smiled in a charming fashion while subconsciously increasing the strength of his 
glow. "Since you and your men are loyal servants of the state who can be trusted to do what is best, 
then I will not ask you to betray your oath and put my orders above your duty. I merely wish to 
obtain your cooperation in a breakout attempt that I have planned."