Birthing The Black Straggler

Pyr Prime, Mecha Research Center

Niel entered a highly secured office, his intense gaze hinted the heavy emotions he carried. Logria, his home planet, suddenly went offline - its communications was cut off by an invading force. That was made clear earlier when the supreme leader spouted the grave announcement in the news. He had experienced the widespread panic in Pyr Prime. People thought that the Republic was behind it, while the central government did not give any statement to this assumption.

He instantly knew that it was another guild when the GT started mobilizing right after the news. The central government was keeping the invasion a mystery, to use the fear of its citizens in order to garner more support for the upcoming war with the Republic.

Inside, Niel's eyes began to adapt in the dimly lit environment, its only source of light was a lantern hovering at the center of the room.

Much of the content of the room could not be seen, only the glass table under the lantern, and director Cia behind it - her eyes glowing like a feline, can be discerned at first glance.

"You knew that this would happen?" Niel said, refusing to approach any closer. He continued, "My contract clearly stated that during a guild war, you can extend its duration until it's over. Is this what you want to tell me?"

"That was never my intention, Niel." The director said. After a brief thought, she tapped a finger on the table, "Pack your things and get out of the Research Center."

"What?" Niel's defiant face suddenly became confused.

"The GT is abandoning the Union. We were informed about a bigger force of the AO Guild lurking within this faction. Most of us are relocating to our branch in The Empire of Durn. You have three hours. After that, a sweep team will liquidate any traces that we were here." Cia explained, adding, "But before you go, I need you to do me a favor. You'll receive the details in your comms later."

Hearing this, Niel was a bit stunned. A few seconds later, he nodded and smiled. Going out of the room, he whooped after removing himself from the vicinity.

Cia could only raise a brow from the strange action of the mech specialist. She was then reminded of her current situation. Leaning on her chair, she reminisced on her life in the Union.

First time she was brought here by her father, she was 16. The people in this faction were odd, with an even weirder jokes. They were easygoing, cheerful, and united. Unlike the Empire with citizens that only cared about money and status. A community that devoured itself from the inside.

Five years later, her father died in a guild conflict, and she inherited his position in the Union. Now that she thought about it, this faction was more of a home to her. There was nothing for her back in the Empire, except for some relatives that bickered every time they met.

"I don't wanna go back." She muttered the very first thought that came to her mind with a sigh. After a moment, she bitterly smiled, accepting the circumstances as she processed everything in a calmer state. As she was about to prepare for her leave, the computer to her fore beeped.

[Assignment Vulcan444:

3 leads found!]

Cia's eyes widened. The shadow agents she hired had not given her any updates since she gave them the task, and that was over two weeks ago. Excitedly, she examined the encrypted report.

[Pirate ship guise as a public transport, dropped an individual in Logria. Ship's log had been discovered when it docked on an illicit planet bordering the Empire.]

[A relief force field doctor recorded a genetically superior individual after the storm in Logria.]

Her lips parted at the reports. They were both pointing at a single planet, but they were vague. She could not yet grasp the process as to how the shadow agents accurately identified their assignment by these three leads, as the first one was the basis for the next, and it was somehow misleading. A pirate dropping someone?

However, her memory suddenly reminded her about the star traders from the greater factions, a custom which was being adopted throughout the quadrant. These independent sailors would receive any kind of commissions such as accepting passengers and delivering them to their destinations.

The void dwellers could be merchants, explorers, naval officers, pirates, bounty hunters, xeno hunters, and so on. She suspected that Vulcan444 was from the greater factions. He must have hired the pirates to haul him into the Union.

With that in mind, she continued to the last report.

[Individual participated in a recent tournament in Logria.]

[Assignment identification:

Sy Verdin 'The Mechanic']

Immediately, she accessed the replay for the tournament using her high authorization with her computer. She skipped the first round as the person did not participated, saving her limited time. The second round, she watched with great astonishment when the subject displayed inhuman ability to fabricate and assemble parts for the mech. The design utterly dominated the tournament even when behind in customization from the first round.

She discovered further after skimming through UGC's log, that the components he fabricated were not in the list of products she knew. Much like the Straggler S1-2 that Thales submitted which she secretly studied, and tried to assemble in many unsuccessful attempts. Thus, the prototype 6th gen in her care had no longer progressed. On the other hand, Director Fei's 6th gen malfunctioned in multiple ways that even Niel could not put together unless with better funding.

"It's him!" Cia exclaimed, encrypting the report into her data chip, before sprinting outside her office in great strides.

'The Union will have its 6th gen. But not in the hands of the AO Guild that based their designs in The Kingdom of Xepp. The GT will deliver a new gen!' She thought, a smile appearing on her face.

After some time traversing the Research Facility, she arrived at the central area where a few individuals gathered for a last meeting.

"You ungrateful cowards! We are part of the Union. We can't just leave it to a foreign guild!" Director Fei shouted. She was the only woman in the room until recently. Her orange hair was strapped in a ponytail, allowing a full view of her fierce but attractive face.

"We must regroup and consolidate our strength, Director." One of the mercenary commander stated, "We can't fight the AO Guild. They have 6th gens. Our defeated force from The Kingdom of Xepp are coming back. We wait for their reinforcement, and strike back when the time is right."

With that, the mercenaries exited the room, leaving Fei cursing at their back.

Cia was met with friendly nods before entering.

"Cia! These bastards don't have the balls! They don't know the damage it will cause to our names if we leave without a fight. What? Just go to the Empire? The other directors there will undermine us!" The orange head said after seeing her peer, almost tearing up.

Activating a projector, displaying the desert planet, Logria, Cia placed it on the table.

Fei was confused, "It's under the AO guild, right? What are you suggesting?"

Cia activated another projector, and showed it to the other director, saying, "I believe this is the future."

The orange head stared at the blue print with discerning eyes, exclaiming in the end, "Does that mech work? It's hollow! I don't even see any circuitry!"

"It does in Steel Arena. In fact, one of the military commanders under your care, Graves Derton, said he owned one. Its performance was on a level beyond his comprehension." Cia explained with great enthusiasm. Something that was new in her mostly cold attitude.

"Straggler S1-2? Why is it a variant of a 1st gen?" Fei showed her peer a frowning face. "We must run the statistics first. We can't just trust a game to do the job for us."

"Steel Arena was a simulator first before a game. We use its engine to test new prototypes." Cia shook her head, but then secretly grimaced when she remembered the first time the design was shown to her. She was skeptic at first and denied any possibility that it would work. Later, when the specialists gave their assessment that it was too advance and needed more time to be studied, she still gave it little chance. However, the further she studied and tried to assemble it, the more her intuition told her that the mech was sound in reality.

"Fine!" Seeing that there was no other option, with their own projects unfinished and defective, the latter one she refused to admit, Fei finally relented. "What do you need?"

"I already assembled its framework and some pieces of its armor, but I just can't fabricate its components. They were tricky. Even if we can create the entire mech, we don't have its computer system in order for it to function. Commander Graves told me that the mech has a function like becoming one with the mech, so called the Partial Full Dive."

"Huh?"

"We need to find the person who designed it."

Fei turned to the projected image of the desert planet, pointing a finger, "I guess we'll find your designer in that planet. But as I told you earlier, the AO Guild occupied it."

"Once we abandon our HQ, the AO Guild will swarm to claim it so that they can solidify their place in the Union." Cia mused, predicting the coming scenarios.

"Let's get out of here then." Fei suggested.

As the two exited the room, Cia had not yet finished her side of the story.

"Here's something I just learned from Commander Graves. The designer of the Straggler S1-2 released a new customizations for the mech. He said that its original alloy, the Brown Titanium could be replaced with a Black Titanium. So, I did. I believe the new alloy could boost the Straggler S1-2 into new heights."

Fei listened attentively. She liked the new side of her peer who was silent and calculating most of the time.