60 M1 - Term: 1 to 2 - Break (2/2)
The once pristine facility was covered in lubricants, black powder and small shards of metal. But for all the activity Daedo couldn't see anyone. Using the bodysuit's sensors he had Myrmidon scan the surrounding area. The thermal and sonic sensors picked up someone high up on a ledge.
”I'm going to look up there,” Daedo informed Picard while pointing to a five-metre by two-metre platform ten metres high up on the rear wall. There was no grappler handy, so Daedo scaled up the section separator which fortunately consisted of a box-shaped frame.
Ten metres is a long way up, but it was nothing he hadn't done a hundred times on the obstacle course.
When Daedo got to the ledge, he was surprised to see a girl, laying on her back using a control screen to presumably direct the bots below. She was covered in black soot, just like their section of the bay. It was difficult for him to tell what she looked like since it was caked on fairly thick. It was likely her hair was jet black, but, that could be the soot covering up another colour.
”Hey,” Daedo said.
”Get lost. I'm busy can't you see,” the girl said. She spoke with an exotic accent, she didn't sound like she was from the EU. She was also unsurprised by his sudden appearance due to the control screen showing what the bots were sensing.
”Is that your Mech? Dead Beat?” Daedo asked.
”No,” she replied.
”Then who's is it?” Daedo pressed.
”If I tell you will you go away?” the girl responded with a request.
”Sure,” Daedo answered.
”It's my fathers,” she said simply.
Daedo considered asking where her Father was but decided he could just wait down below and he would show up eventually. Allowing him to stick to the deal. He scaled down the ladder like structure where Picard was waiting for him.
”What's that in your hand?” Daedo asked Picard who was holding something.
She repliedand put it away immediately, ”spray,” she laughed sheepishly, ”in case you fell.”
Daedo gave her a hurt look which she waved away as merely precautionary.
”Why are you carrying first aid spray anyway?” Daedo asked.
”Always come prepared,” Picard answered. And she did. It was one of the things he liked about her. Picard carried a reinforced backpack which hugged her bodysuit from her neck down to her waist.
”What else have you got in there?” Daedo asked after she put the spray away.
After what seemed like ten minutes Picard finished listing off the items and their uses that she carried in her backpack.
”What are we waiting for?” She asked.
”The owner to return,” Daedo replied while pointing at what was remained of Dead Beat.
They sat down at the edge of the avenue and chatted about the upcoming week, what training Daedo and Picard did for the last week. They discussed the melee weapon Picard should work on next term and decided it would be both shield and swordlance, but both really needed input from a metallurgist expert.
”For now design the overall dimensions and any effects,” Daedo summarised.
”But an arc will require power, do we have the power to spare?” Picard asked knowing there were many important pieces of equipment vying for power and one of the strengths of melee was it drew none and worked off the kinetic potential delivered by the pilot and exo.
”Work out a design, we can look at the draw versus damage and then decide if its worth it or not,” Daedo replied. ”We can't make that decision without knowing the specifics.”
”Should the size changed based on who is wielding it?” Picard asked.
”Potentially, that's a good idea to maximise effectiveness for everyone. And everyone is growing, taller and stronger, so it's a moving target. The only issue is we have to provide the adjudicator with a sample for each version,” Daedo replied.
”I might stick with two versions, to begin with then, one for the taller and one for the shorter squad members,” she said in a teasing tone patting Daedo on the head.
Daedo began to wonder when the father would return, he looked up the avenue and saw a short man walking towards them.
Daedo stood, ”ah hello sir,” he said as the man arrived looking them up and down.
The man had Asian features, he bowed slightly to which Daedo and Picard bowed lower in return as he was their elder.
”What is it you want young man?” the Asian man asked in the same exotic accent as presumably his daughter from the platform.
”I'm looking for the person who created the compounds used in Dead Beat's construction,” Daedo answered.
”Ah, I see,” the man answered, ”so you worked out what his real strength is.”
”It wasn't hard,” Daedo answered, ”it was pretty obvious the piloting and structural design were poor. But your Mech composite is leagues above everything else. This is what interests me. Are you the metallurgist sir?”
The man huffed, ”I was the pilot and designed the Mech! You young man are extremely rude.” He went red in the face and was about to yell at Daedo further.
”But accurate,” the daughter said. She had climbed down from the platform and was now standing behind them. ”Father, are we able to leave? Are we now in debt? Do I need to keep dismantling Dead Beat?”
The man was hesitant, ”ah, uh..” he stuttered before he finally answered, ”the winnings are enough to keep us afloat. But this is not to be discussed in front of strangers, So-Ra.”
So-Ra turned to Daedo, ”why do you want to find the metallurgist?”
”Because I need a great one,” Daedo answered matter of factly.
So-Ra tilted her head, but was silent, implying for Daedo to continue.
”Daedalus is in need of a metallurgist of this calibre,” Daedo answered pointing to Dead Beat.
”Is Daedalus your pro Mech?” So-Ra asked circling Daedo pointing to the red wording Daedalus on his jumpsuit.
”They are just children So-Ra,” the Father stated in a Korean dialect.
”So am I father,” So-Ra replied, ”but they look like they have creds. They were able to aptly assess the Mech's and your capabilities.” So-Ra and her Father switched languages when they spoke together. However, Myrmidon was able to translate real-time by using a simple software tool from the net.
Daedo looked at Picard, ”I am out of my depth we need Barran and Vannier here.” He then turned to address the Father and Daughter.
”We have creds and are willing to make a deal with you, but I am just a cadet at Fortescue Military Academy, so I am not the right person to make this deal. I just came here to find the brains behind Dead Beat's composite,” Daedo said calmly.
”You attend a Military Academy?” the Father asked, his interest peaked.
Daedo and Picard nodded. ”Yes sir,” he replied.
”Daughter they have many creds,” the Father said in Korean before tuning back to Daedo and putting his arm around his shoulder. ”Young cadet, you are most welcome to visit us. We are very pleased,” he then looked at his daughter and then back to Daedo. ”The metallurgist you seek is my Daughter, she is very talented no?”
So-Ra did not look happy with her Father and went back to dismantling Dead Beat. Mumbling something in Korean which Myrmidon reported the software was unable to translate properly, it came out as sexual organs and garden shears.
”Ah,” Daedo said, he was getting further out of his depth. He really just wanted to find the person, he had no idea what to do after he achieved that goal. He should have brought Barran or Vannier instead of Picard. She was just as much at a loss as he was.
”Tell me about this Daedalus,” the Father enquired, ”How can we work together for mutual benefit.”
”We can discuss this tonight at dinner?” Daedo asked in return. ”We need the Daedalus Business Manager and Communications person to help.”
”Oh,” the Father said, ”do you need the adults to help? That is ok. We can meet in a few hours after we get Dead Beat packed away and get cleaned up. My beautiful daughter is all dirty, tsk tsk. My name is Kang Lee, and my daughter is Kang So-Ra. Here are my contact details. You send through the dinner appointment details, and we will be there.”