The Mech Touch (Web Novel)

5826 Energy and Shield Link Technologies

Ves already began to imagine all of the ways that data link technology could boost the combat performance of his first-

class mech units.

The data link-compatible systems were not cheap. They required powerful as well as specialized hardware in order to connect with each other as seamlessly as possible. Lag and signal degradation easily affected the integrity of a data link cluster. Trying to minimize their impact was much of the reason why data link technology only remained viable for first-class mechs.

"There is an important complication to utilizing data link technology that you should know about." Eric Poderin said, pulling Ves away from his ambitious ideas about deploying this tech.

"Please explain."

The CEO pointed his finger at the vast data link cluster generated by interlinking a dozen mechs as well as a combat carrier. "The key word is data. Can you see how intricate this data web has become at this scale? This is one of the simpler implementations of data link technology, but it already causes the amount of data being transferred and processed across the entire unit to be multiplied by at least several times. Data is the blood that sustains this virtual superentity. Its complexity grows exponentially larger with every mech or starship added to the web. Optimization and selective link pruning can reduce the load that every additional element added to the web, but that can only go so far. In order for all of this effort to make a positive difference on the battlefield, it is essential for every participant to transmit, receive and process more data."

Ves thought about the first sentence. When he looked at the dazzling web where every machine was connected to every other machine, he almost grew dizzy at the thought of trying to keep track of it all. Computing systems might be able to keep up with the exponential rise in complexity as long as the hardware was powerful enough, but…

He suddenly fixated on the 'man' variable in the projected diagram.

Unlike machines that could easily improve their data processing capabilities by installing stronger hardware, it was a lot harder for mech pilots to do the same!

"I understand!" Ves said as clarity filled his eyes. "All of these data transfer and data processing activities can produce useful and relevant insights, but only if the mech pilot can act on it! Humans are not machines. They can keep up with the data processed by their mechs to a degree, but they have clear limits that are not easy to raise. If the data link cluster has grown big and complex enough, then it may not be possible for mech pilots to experience any significant gains in performance anymore."

"Exactly, sir. The Web Mistress and the Red Association has developed many incremental improvements to increase the tolerance of the mech pilot and the optimization of the data web. It is highly recommended that mech pilots install cranial implants that excel in data storage and processing capabilities, but that can only help up to a degree. There is another factor that can make a greater difference in how effectively a mech pilot can derive gains from an active data link cluster."

Ves already had an inkling of what that may be. The answer was rather obvious now that he became engaged in this subject.

"Let me guess. It's genetic aptitude."

The CEO of Starfarer Berth nodded. "Correct. Genetic aptitude not only describes how well a mech pilot is able to receive and transmit data, but also how well he can process it. There is a sea of difference between mech pilots with A-grade genetic aptitudes and B-grade genetic aptitudes. The former are the most ideal beneficiaries of data webs. They can easily keep up with larger webs, and they can also derive more gains out of smaller ones. The latter is not quite able to keep up, but their capacities and tolerances are still adequate enough in most cases."

"What about mech pilots with lower genetic aptitudes?" Ves asked in an uncertain tone.

"Data link technology is not made for them. That said, mech pilots with C-grade genetic aptitude can still benefit from data webs as long as they have installed the right cranial implants. The data web intelligently takes these variables into account and dynamically reduces the transmission of data to inferior mech pilots in order to avoid overloading their less tolerant brains. Think of it in the same way as lossy compression. You take a data file, cut everything that is unimportant or not as relevant, and transmit what little remains to the receiver. While the latter is unable to gain the full picture, it is not too consequential as long as he has access to the most essential data points."

"I see. I guess that suffices. I take it that mech pilots whose genetic aptitudes are D or lower are out of luck."

"Yes." Eric Poderin plainly said. "Potentates whose genetic aptitudes are unqualified should not be piloting first-class mechs to begin with. If you truly must insist on putting them in the cockpits, do not bother with connecting them to the data web. The load is too great for their inadequate brains, and will only cause their performance to deteriorate."

Wow. That sounded harsh.

This was sadly the reality in the first-class mech community. Mech pilots with genetic aptitudes lower than B-grade simply didn't receive the same opportunities. The limitations of data link technology bestowed them with yet another handicap that made their lives a little more miserable.

Ves did not assume this information was an absolute fact, though. He already began to wonder how Carmine mechs synergized with data link technology.

From what he gathered, Carmine mech pilots had improved their bond with their Carmine mechs to such a degree that their genetic aptitudes roughly increased by a full grade depending on where they originally stood.

This meant that B-grade mech pilots might be able to utilize the data web as effectively as their A-grade counterparts when paired with Carmine mechs!

C-grade mech pilots were no longer forced to interface with the data web in kids mode. As long as their effective genetic aptitude got boosted into B-grade, they could unlock much of the potential of this amazing tech!

Ves thought back on how some of the mechers initially reacted to the experimental results of his Carmine System. Their notable enthusiasm made a lot more sense when he thought how Carmine mechs enabled lesser qualified mechs to make much better use out of data webs than normal!

However, as much as data link technology promised to improve the coordination and optimize the performance of mechs working in unison, it did not actually improve their hard performance.

There were other variations of support link technology that could massively improve the offensive and defensive performance of mechs.

"I think I have heard enough about data link technology for the time being." He said. "Tell me more about energy link and shield link technology. What do I need to know?"

"There is much you need to know if you ever seriously wish to integrate them in your mechs, sir. What is important to know is that they are separate technologies. They operate on similar principles, but they diverge in important ways. This means that their transceivers and other systems are not compatible with each other."

Ves immediately realized the problem related to this. "It should be easy enough to implement both energy link and shield link systems into a starship. They are so large that they have plenty of space to accommodate the necessary parts."

"That is partially true. Their power scales with their size. If you want to support your mechs with a large reserve of energy and energy shields, then you must invest more capacity for this purpose. The amount of space needed to enable and strengthen all of these support link systems can easily take the place of multiple mechs. This is another reason why first-class combat carriers generally cannot accommodate as many machines." Poderin clarified.

"If starships already have this problem, then what about mechs?"

"You will need to make compromises. You can either choose one or the other. Most mech designers usually opt for shield link modules, but an argument can be made for energy link modules for pure ranged offensive mechs. The other general solution is to increase the budget for your mechs. If you are willing to make your mechs twice or thrice as expensive, it is possible to integrate miniaturized support link modules into their designs. You should know that the miniaturized mech parts can only be built by utilizing scarce high-grade exotics. Their limited availability heavily limits how extensively this can be done. Only the most elite mechs can afford this treatment. Every other machine defaults to using data link and shield link technologies due to practical considerations."

"Hmm, I understand. Keeping mechs alive with the help of shield link technology is not purely a defensive move. It can preserve the functionality of powerful mechs armed with plenty of powerful weapon modules. Letting these machines attack for a longer period of time will ultimately result in greater offensive gains."

"It also helps to prolong the survival of expensive first-class multipurpose mechs as well as their high-genetic aptitude mech pilots. Neither of the two are easy to replace on a larger scale."

Ves truly grew envious about the fact that the mechers utilized support link technology for many decades.

Their first-class multipurpose mechs could easily win battles against stronger forces such as the ones fielded by the Terrans and the Rubarthans due to the absence of comparable linking technology.

"I think I can somewhat guess how energy link technology in broad strokes." Ves said as he rubbed his hairless chin. "It is just a really long-ranged method of transferring energy from one machine to another machine. It is probably really hard to maintain a lock at further distances, and there is inevitably a lot of waste, but it can still enable starships to donate their spare energy to mechs that run through this resource a lot quicker."

"There are many assisting systems that can increase the efficiency of energy link technology."

"What I want to know is how shield link technology actually works. As far as I know, energy shields are purely formed by shield generators that are integrated in a machine. There is nothing about this tech that suggests that multiple shield generators can share resources with each other. It is as absurd as assuming that my hunger can be sated if my wife eats a meal. Our stomachs are completely separate!"

The CEO actually looked amused. "Shield link technology is the most difficult, consequential but also the greatest accomplishment of the Web Mistress. I do not even possess a proper understanding of its working principles, let alone all of the advanced high technologies that Her Excellency has combined to produce this miracle tech."

"Do your best to give me a simple explanation." Ves commanded.

He did not want to conclude this conversation without making any gains in understanding shield link technology. He would gladly accept a highly inaccurate and oversimplified story over silence.

Poderin looked a bit reluctant as he attempted to explain shield link technology to a dummy.

"The shield generators are altered. They are changed in a way that allows them to share and receive shield energy, for a lack of a better description. Shield link modules are responsible for enabling these transfers, but it is the altered shield generators that serve as the actual core of this technology. If you cannot install link-capable energy shield generators in your mechs, there is no need to make an attempt."

"I see. Ves frowned. I take it that these link-capable energy shield generators are a lot more expensive."

"That is correct, sir. They are so advanced that it is easy for the Red Two to restrict their availability. There are not enough parties that can imitate or produce the best work of the Web Mistress. The only practical means of using them is by making use of the proper channels, which you have done I supposed. It is a great privilege to gain access to these key technologies, but be warned that link-capable energy shield generators have significantly greater energy consumption."

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