Vol. 1 Chapter 14 - ‘Marc Antony

/After finalizing the contract, with Marcella, the brothers then spent three-days, returning to planet Cloudy-Curtain./

/Ves purchased the production-license for the festive-cloud generator, one of the two non-native modules on the 'Marc Antony. Ves also ordered all the materials, he would need for his fabrication, of his first mech. During the space-trip, back home, from planet Bentheim./

/By the time the brothers, arrived back home, Ves had already upgraded all his assembly and other system-skills, he would use building his mech./

/Uhtred found a Villa to rent, near the mech-boutique, in the suburbs of Freslin. Uhtred also went to check-in, with the Whalers./

/The day after Ves and Uhtred made their return home, Uhtred made the trip to the Freslin-Hangout, of the mech-gang./

/Location: Planet Cloudy-Curtain, The Whaler's Freslin-Hangout/

/povMC/

"Haha! Uhtred! You're back, we saw your tournament, dude! That was some awesome piloting, you and your brother really put Cloudy-Curtain on the map. Great job!" Dietrich said, as he greeted me, with a 'bear-hug.

"It is good to be home, thought I would just drop-in and let you all know, we made it back and with the championships, like I said we would, haha!" I told Dietrich, as I clapped him on the back, whilst we entered the mech-hangar.

"You want a line? I got a fresh shipment, of the purest, 'Exlor-crystal. One bump, and I can party till the next day!" Dietrich asked, as I notice the crushed and powdered, crystal-looking substance, being chopped and lined up into long lines, on top of the glass-table.

That doubles, as a poker-table, and a drug-table so to say, inside the mech-gang's only mech-hangar. That is used to house the single squadron of mechs, that the gang owns and controls, and also the place where the pilots and other members of the gang, like to spend their recreational-time.

"Yeah, fuck it. I need some energy, I'm sure I have a long day ahead of me, a day filled with roughing-up and smacking-around farmers and local-business owners. I could use a little pick me up, maybe just a bump… or two, hahaha!" I told Dietrich, yeah, why the fuck not. Line me something up, homie.

"Haha! My dude, Ricky! Chop Uhtred here, a couple lines, he says he needs some 'energy." Dietrich laughed out, and said to one of the potentates, who then proceeded to use a business-card looking tool, to chop me a couple lines of the 'Exlor-crystal. A highly-potent drug, that is known for sending its victims, into a spiraling-journey through a sci-fi like universe, filled with all sorts of crazy alien sex. A most amazing universe, indeed..

/It took almost a week and a half, for Ves to finish his first build, completing the 'Marc Antony, he dubbed the 'Phoenix-Cry. Ves asked Uhtred to accompany him, to get his first mech certified, at the local-branch of the MTA, on planet Cloudy-Curtain./

/The MTA is run by a 100-seat galactic mech-council. The GMC pretty much served as the highest decision-making organ in the MTA, akin to a senate or a legislative-assembly of a state. 

Mech Trade Association or the MTA is one of the big Two's (the other being the CFA) that monitors, regulates, and safeguard the business of mechs in humanity's new Age of Mechs. There is no exchange involving Mech's that they do not have a part in. Legally at least.

Along with the CFA, the MTA is among the largest and most powerful organizations of humanity that have an undeniable influence over even the major-nations. With this influence, they hold the ultimate-standing of being a neutral-party that does not get involved in any internal human-conflicts.

The main duty of the MTA is to manage the trade of Mechs across the universe. They have a base set up in every colonized-planet which has all the facilities to test newly-produced mechs before the sale is completed to ensure it meets quality-standards. The second duty is to ensure no one violates any laws they place regarding the development of mechs such as forbidden-technologies and unlicensed-mechs.

There ideal is one of mutual strengthening and mutual dependence. By elevating the quality of mechs, we can create machines that are stronger but do not leave their human-creators and users behind./

/Location: Planet Cloudy-Curtain, MTA local-branch/

/povMC/

"My name, is Ryan Baldwin, I am the head of this branch. It is a pleasure to meet the rising-stars of Larkinson-clan, what can we, at the 'MTA, do for you, today?" The authorative speaking man, told me and Ves, as Lucky and us entered the branch.

"It is an honor, meeting you Ryan, I am Ves Larkinson and this is my brother, Uhtred. We came to your branch, in hopes, of having my first-mech, certified here today." My brother told the head-officer, Ryan Baldwin.

"It is good meeting you, do you all deal, with many space-pirates around Cloudy-Curtain?" I told Ryan, that it was good to meet him, then I asked him, if there are many pirates around these parts.

"Space-pirates and bandits, is about all we ever deal with, all the way out here. It's not a common occurrence unfortunately, or fortunately I guess, depending on how you look at it." Ryan told us, whilst shaking his head, expressing the boredom, that is life, at this local-branch on this small slow-paced planet.

"Can't be all that bad, those MTA-Credits sure have to come in handy, I bet." I told the bored man.

"You're correct about that, correct indeed. Wow! She is a beauty, hard to believe this is your first build. You are definitely talented, my new friend, haha!" Ryan told me, then exclaimed at the unveiling, of the 'Phoenix-Cry.

"Yeah, she is a beauty alright, spent nine-days fabricating her. My hands are almost shaking, I'm so nervous." Ves said, whilst looking excited and a tad-bit nervous.

"Don't be, your mech will perform perfectly, trust in your work brother." I said, trying my best, to reassure Ves, his mech will do just fine.

"Alright, let me find a test-pilot, real quick and then, we can get this show on the road" Ryan said to us, as he started fiddling, with his personal-communications bracelet.