Raaargh!

Niel thoroughly studied each of the component blueprints which Thales submitted to him with an increasing headache. The mystery of the lack of circuitry all pointed out to a very tiny object. Only a single wiring and a backup one was connected to it, straight to the computer system. He could not even make a proper guess as to how it worked.

"These technologies should be centuries ahead of us." He muttered his thoughts, swiping to the next component scheme.

After a few hours, he was drowned in complete focus, making some makeshift remedies in order to craft the Straggler S1-2 into something he and other specialists could understand. However, he scrapped it all when he realized it would decrease the performance of the mech.

They would need an Advanced Fabricator in order to faithfully craft all the components in their original design. Just put in the all the components' blueprint into the fabricator's data, and they should all be printed out without any faults. Perhaps there might be some minor ones, but not too the point that they would malfunction.

The light flickered over the desk as Niel looked up from the projected screen. With a hand in a pocket, Thales steadily approached. A determined look could be discerned on the man's face.

"You take care of the printing process while I go and acquire the computer system of the Straggler S1-2. I might have some way to bypass the security of the game." Thales said, muttering the last sentence in contemplation.

"I thought you don't want anything to do with the GT, Thales?" Niel joked, smiling as his colleague held the same possession over mechs.

"Can't pass up something this big, Niel." Thales replied, shrugging, "I always wanted to be a part of something that could potentially change everything."

Chuckling, Niel nodded in full agreement, prompting Thales to turn toward the direction of the exit. When the other man disappeared from sight, he once again, put all of his attention at the schematics, trying to unlock even a single mystery of the foreign mech.

After another few more hours of fruitless reverie, new figures emerged in the storage facility, causing Niel to stand up from his study.

The newcomers were the two Directors: Cia and Fei. Both were hastily dressed for departure. The civilian attire and messy hairs were somehow a bit too suspicious, especially for attractive women such as them. One can tell that it was out of character.

While Fei fixed the contents of the briefcases they carried, Cia made a beeline toward Niel.

"Change of plans, Niel. We're taking the Straggler." She uttered with an urgent voice. After a short pause, she continued, "This is where we part ways."

However, when she saw the specialist's face, unable to part with the mech, she swiped a hand on her comm as a contract was projected, "We'll have to sign a confidentiality agreement if you want to work with this mech."

"You'll have to make one for Thales as well." Niel suggested as he signed the agreement.

Cia pondered at this. After a sigh, she nodded, "I guess so. He was the one to bring this piece of technology to me."

"I also have my own conditions if we're gonna make this mech up and running." Niel added.

Mina had been staring at the incomplete mech all this time. She only stole a glance at her brother when he signed the agreement. He told her that this mech was too advance for any of the mech factions. After observing it for a long period of time, she couldn't agree more.

Even if Niel signed another contract, she wouldn't disagree. The Straggler S1-2 must be inserted in the Union's technology tree at all cost, and not in The Empire of Durn where the GTs were escaping.

"Pack up! We need to get away from Pyr Prime as soon as possible. We have a small transport waiting for us." Fei had finally finished her task, and started giving orders.

"I'm gonna contact Thales. We'll need his expertise on the other fields." Niel hastily brought up his comms, expecting his peer to be in Steel Arena.

"I'm coming." Mina stated when she reached the three. "If you're gonna make me sign any confidentiality, do it now."

'Niel's sister. Mina Fanick.' Cia observed the woman. At first glance, one could tell she was a fierce individual. Her fiery eyes and cold demeanor, could easily unnerve any type of person.

'Fei could match her in that category.' Cia thought further. Also, there was something else. Something inside her that was ignited when Mina entered the background. Some sort of competitive spirit.

"Commander Fanick!" Fei cut in. Smiling, the orange head added, "A surprise. Commander Graves also wanted a piece in this operation. But he'll be assisting us in another way."

"Tell us how you will contribute to this operation, Commander Fanick?" Cia questioned. In the corner, Niel's face brightened as he did not want his sister getting involved in this. The task will be arduous and dangerous. They'd be moving from sector to sector with stealth, similar to that of an outcast.

"Simple." Mina put a hand on her waist, pointing a finger to the unfinished war machine in the corner, "If that mech started to function properly, you will need a pilot to test it. A very experienced one at that."

There was a pained look on Niel's face when he heard the answer. He then went to his computer and started liquidating all the data.

On the other hand, Cia could only frown. Most of the merceries had fled to the Empire, while the military personnel of the Union had returned back to their HQ after hearing a guild war. They were not obligated to join that kind of conflict.

As such, they were, indeed, in need of a pilot.

"Thales went to try and obtain the computer system of the Straggler S1-2." Niel broke the abrupt silence, "What is actually our main objective?"

The two directors glanced at each other. Fei was the one to explain, "Technically, this mech is not ours in the first place. Even if we manage to craft it in its complete state, by putting our faith in fabricators, I don't think we'll be able to achieve 100% of its true potential."

Niel mulled over this for a minute, agreeing in the end. He then ask, "So? What's next?"

"We'll need to formally make a visit to its designer." Fei answered.

At the mention of this, Niel became excited. An individual capable of designing such an advance mech must be someone of high status. Probably a Grandmaster in his field. He impatiently waited for their destination, guessing that they need to go out of the Union in order to meet the person.

"Niel," Cia was the one to speak this time. She continued with a soft voice, "the designer is in your home-planet. Logria."

"Huh?"

This time, it was the Fanick siblings who glanced at each other. After a moment of considering, Niel grabbed his head with both hands, his mouth wide open. He muttered, "No way!'

While Mina covered her lips with a hand, her face in utter shock with the revelation, the other two women in the vicinity were confused.

"Is there something we don't know?" Cia gently asked. Her brows slightly furrowed.

"It's probably him. Haha." Niel laughed. He continued to mutter to himself, "You see, no one in Logria is capable of such a design. There's only one person I know suitable of such feat. It's him. I know it."

"Tell me his name." Cia demanded, her patience becoming thin.

The only man in the area did not immediately answer, causing the directors more mental distress. He sunk to a chair, before he confidently declared, "He is my brother-in-law."

"Niel!" Mina reprimanded with a reddened face.

Hearing this, the two directors glanced at Mina's direction. They were not yet subjected to any sort of emotion as they had not yet heard the name of this person.

"Sy Verdin." Niel finally spoke after the dramatic pause.

-----

Somewhere between time and space, events which were only conceived by mere imaginations or, perhaps, had yet to transpire, had come to exist.

Sy woke up with the most satisfied feeling. At first, he noticed the white pillow which his head was laid upon. When he looked around, everything was pale. It was not his apartment.

'Is this heaven?' He wondered.

A slight fright occured to him when something.. or someone had made a slight move on the side to where he was laying. With his mind quickly processing what was happening, he instantly recognized the head of a woman gently wrapped in his arm. Their bare skin adjoined on the bed, beneath a white blanket.

"Raaaaargh!" Sy rouse from dreamland panting heavily. With a sigh of relief, realizing that it was not real, he glanced around the garage.

Most had been heavily influenced by alcohol as technicians, specialists, and even mercenaries were scattered around, unconscious on the ground.

He glanced at his gauntlet which blinked alive, displaying the time.

[9:38 AM]

It was a brand new day for the people of Logria.