The second round of the tournament for the mech specialists had finally reached its climax. With just over an hour left on the clock, fifteen meaner looking Imperator IIIs stood gallantly. These huge machines of war was now ready to take to the fields and bring forth a destructive force with their new arsenals, armour and auxillary modules - which their specialists had carefully crafted in order to play to the strengths of their pilots and showcase their skills.
Pyr Prime's team had garnered most attention. Even though they were still working to improve their Imperator, it was evident that they had successfully converted a land-based mech to take to the air. Their loyal audience, silently looked forward when it was finally steered by their aviator pilot.
Before the first collum of this crowd, giving way to more important figures like company scouts and higher ranked specialists, were a row of 1st Grade Mech Specialist - fresh from the prestigious mech schools of the powerhouse planet. Most of them had a higher rank in the examination than the candidates on the stage. Although it was only a minor event to which they did not join, they could not neglect the advantage of spying on their peers.
"They should add a thruster on each elbow, it would be a flexible addition to the propulsion." Andreas Rickon, suggested, his voice almost drowned from the noise of the crowds. His intuitive thinking was eventually agreed by his peers after a careful thought. He was in the top ten of the examination.
The hosting crowd were more bold this time around, as the young specialists couldn't help but glance at their direction. There, an inspiring figure was leading the people of Logria in cheering their team. Niel Fanick.
"Logria's mechanic.. huh?" Andreas smiled in curiousity. He turned to the team which was behind over six hours ago - followed by his fellows.
They were shocked to find that the 3rd Grade Mech Specialists in front of them were on their feet, watching the same direction. This invoked further investigation, squinting their eyes to focus on the source of this commotion. Upon registering the view, they all had the same reactions - their eyes almost popped out from their sockets.
In the visible stage below, a strange looking Imperator sported two laser cannons situated just above the head on opposite sides, thrusting forward. Stacked above them were two energy blasters, and between.. more energy blasters. Two cannons, ones that propel conventional shelling, rested on both shoulders, and matching the laser cannons in length.
Furthermore, the mech held a rectangular shield with three javelins fastened in its inner surface. In the other hand was the stock energy rifle. They also saw a short sword, sheathed and hanging on its left side.
One of the graduates swallowed hard and protested, "Putting that many weapons, jamming the new circuitry in the mech, and integrating new triggers on the interface.. it will take days!"
"Can that mech even move?"
Andreas was arrested by the view. The crested helmet, the armour and the shield seemingly brought him back in time to see a professional soldier in the ancient world.
The young specialists abandoned the projected screens of their team and instead, watched the live view meant for the crowd of Logria in full anticipation.
Meanwhile, Mina had stopped her staring contest with Genevieve, giving Niel some space to operate. With his high security clearance and privilege, he accessed the log of UGC, and viewed the blueprint of the two-eyed Imperator. He saved the data to his virtual pod in the real world, before continuing to spectate.
On the other side where the Runeries were located, the three elderly were standing, unable to wait for the timer's countdown.
[1:24:01]
Sy had finally finished painting the rectangular shield, featuring a desert planet as a representation of Logria.
"Shouldn't we do a system check, make sure everything's fine?" Theon suggested.
"Now that you mention it.." Sy glanced at Laira's direction. The teenager had already climbed up the stage unable to contain her excitement with her newly modified mech. "It's all done. You better climb up there and familiarize yourself with the new interface."
Just after hearing this, Laira did not hesitate and rode a hover platform. This action hinted the people who were currently spectating them that the deciding moment had come. Most of those who were knowledgeable, expected that the mech will not function, while the rest.. they wanted to see this ferocious beast, armed to the teeth, to come to life.
The other competitors as well, briefly paused their work to watch the opposing team who suddenly overtook them. They waited patiently, expecting the hosting crowd's disappointment.
Hopping inside the cockpit, Laira hurriedly sat on the surprisingly comfy chair. Lights spontaneously flickered before multiple screens appeared, providing a detailed operation.
The crowds who were observing expressed their amazement. The pilots instinctively rose to their feet, most notably Genevieve and Mina who had more experience in this regard.
Niel realized at that instance that Sy did not only tinkered with the Imperator's structure, but also tampered with its computer system. He almost cried at the thought, but cheered, "Logria's Mechanic!"
As the crowd chanted, the other competitors had a bitter look on their faces.
"So, what if it has a fancy interface? I'd wager that it won't be able to take a step forward!"
While watching on a corner, Sy smiled when Laira was about to engage the Neuro-link. He was brutal with the Straggler S1-2 and made gentle revisions of his earlier work. Although the latter was more advance, the one in the two-eyed Imperator was immersive and more detailed, supported by a guideline.
Just after pressing the Half-Dive panel, Laira's virtual self, closed her eyes, as her consciousness awakened in a cluster of stars within an infinite space. She felt a sensation she had never experienced before, and slowly, she was transported back to the cockpit. When she opened her eyes, the reactor echoed in its enclosure, and behind the crested helmet - two lights shone.
While she was speechless of the transition, the crowds blared in cheers as a heavily armed machine awakened from its slumber.
Laira's first instinct was to test the response of the mech. When she raised the arm carrying the rectangular shield, it immediately answered.
"0.8 seconds delay!!" She exclaimed and proceeded to test the other parts, stretching as if readying for an exercise.
When the mech stood on one leg without any issues, the other contenders felt like they were hit by a hover truck.
After regaining their composures, they started praying that those dangerous guns would commit a catastrophic failure. Well.. two laser cannons were acceptable, but when you add more, that was beyond acceptable.
After all, if these weapons functioned and worked together, they could shred a whole mountain into oblivion.
"Laira, try to disengage the guns!" Sy instructed.
The contenders nervously glanced at each other, even the duo from Pyr Prime who neglected the spectacle ceased their work.
A holographic panel appeared, displaying hundreds of function. Upon receiving a data guideline in her brain, Laira easily navigated through the prompt and disengaged her guns. The laser cannons and energy turrets, rotated backward, before folding at a right angle - leaving only the two conventional cannons pointing forward.
Being the history nerd, Granduncle Romulus punched the air in pure bliss. The two-eyed Imperator III was now looking like a Legionarii carrying its baggage. This professional soldier after the reform carried its own equipments, like food and maintenance tools to increase their marching mobility instead of relying on a cumbersome baggage train. The difference was that the two-eyed Imperator was, instead, carrying automated guns.
"We're still safe.. it hasn't been fired yet." A contender consoled his fellows.
Laira suddenly re-engaged the dual laser cannons and fired a constant beam into the sky. When she started laughing maniacally, the opposing specialists had an ugly look on their faces.
Dylan Pierre, shocked and terrified, unconsciously dropped the tablet he was holding. Moments later, however, his partner reassured him that even with a good targeting system, those guns won't be able to touch their mech.
Frightened by the sight, the opposing pilots started congregating. Griles Derton was amongst them. Knowing that he would be brutalized on the battlefield, he willingly agreed to team up with other pilots.
"What's this? The other pilots are teaming up! The shame!" The announcer who had been flabbergasted by the events, started talking.
BOOOOO!
This time, the crowd from Logria expressed their disapproval.
"Teaming up is not against the rules! As long as they kill each other in the end! Hahaha!" The announcer added, causing even more uproars.
Within these noises, Niel suddenly had the urge to return to Logria. He wanted to make something incredible with Sy.
'I want to pilot that mech!' Mina and Genevieve had the same thought.
Gregory was the only one who threw a begrudging look at Sy. 'How come Laira had it easy while I had a hard time with the Straggler S1-2?'
The man himself was not on the stage mentally. He was staring at the new notifications in his vision.
[Mission successful!
Pioneer your second Mech
+10 Pioneering Score]
[Depending on the technology quality, you will earn a Pioneering Score]
[Every 10,000 witness of a new technology;
You received 96 Pioneering Score for an audience of 960,089
Technology quality: 1]
[Every 1st experience of a new technology;
You have received 10 Pioneering Score of 1 person's first experience of a new technology
Technology quality: 10]
[UGC store data into its log, and, therefore, considered as an archive.
You received 125 Pioneering Score for contributing on an archive
(Depending on its impact on society, your rewards will be recalculated)]
Now that he thought about it, he received 25 Pioneering Score when he sold the first Straggler S1-2. It was the first experience! 'What if there were more experience?'
[Every 100 experience of a new technology;
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