After that day, reality started to sink in the mech designers. Even the most ignorant among them learned that the Mech Corps did not care about their status and their achievements. No matter how many mechs they designed or how many pilots used their products, everyone started from scratch.
The ongoing pressure from the exercises and the inhuman way the processing center treated the mech designer really took a toll on everyone. No one had the time to smile and chat with each other. They needed to conserve every available moment to rest and regain their strength.
This suited Ves fine. By now, his alienation among the other mech designers reached the furthest point it could go. The only reason why his status as a pariah didn't bother him was because the mech designers didn't treat their closest friends that differently. The constant frustration and exhaustion sent everyone into a pit of self-wallowing isolation. Everyone was too numb to do anything more.
