As the days went by as their combined fleet made their way out of the Hertog Dominion, Ves made sure to keep in contact with his people.
He had to borrow the Stellar Chaser's communication systems to contact others, but he trusted Gloriana enough to refrain from meddling in his affairs.
For example, Ves finally heard back from Commander Cinnabar. He accepted his call in his guest room.
"My entire crew came to a unanimous decision." The bearded man spoke over the comm. "We think that working for you is our best ticket to success."
That was surprising.
"How difficult was it for you to convince the doubters to change their minds?"
"To be honest, I didn't have to put too much pressure on them. As soon as I told them that Miss Gloriana Wodin is your girl, they connected the dots themselves."
In other words, the Battle Criers did not necessarily base their decision by weighing his own merits. Instead, they made a bet that working for Ves was their best option because of the benefits his girlfriend might provide to their organization!
Though Ves felt a bit devalued in comparison to his girlfriend, the outcome was nevertheless in his favor. He shouldn't complain too much, especially since he predicted that he would encounter this kind of situation lots of times in the future.
Hooking up with a powerful Hexer mech designer was actually pretty nice! Ves understood Patricia Schneider's situation a lot better now that he tasted the benefits himself!
"Okay." He nodded to the commander. "I will make sure your Battle Criers won't regret your decisions. While it will take some time for me to live up to your expectations, I hope you can work for me without reserve."
"Will we be piloting second-class mechs in the future?"
"It's a possibility in the far future." Ves replied, revealing some of his future plans. "A lot of focused training is required to bring your mech pilots up to second-class standards. It will be harder to accomplish this for already-mature mech pilots. The only reason I'm considering this option at all is because I value the ironclad loyalty of Kinner bondsmen. If you want me to invest in your training, then prove me right."
"We won't disappoint your expectations, sir."
While it was possible to retrain a third-class mech pilot into a second-class mech pilot, Ves believed he could lean on Gloriana for help. He only needed her to order the Glory Battation to take charge in retraining the Battle Criers and anyone else he found worthy.
"What about the Ingvar siblings?"
Commander Cinnabar grinned. "They turned around the fastest when they realized that your relationship with Miss Wodin isn't as exaggerated as they thought. None of us really thought you actually captured the heart of a powerful and wealthy Hexer!"
It suddenly dawned on Ves that he could have hired more valuable mech pilots. Not only did he increase his own reputation and standing during his year-long trip, he also gained Gloriana's halo now that they showed to everyone that they were committed in a relationship!
Nonetheless, Ves prized loyalty above all. He would rather work with the people who had been with him for some time. Besides, he still saw a lot of value in the adaptability and scoundrel-like nature of the Battle Criers.
Once he finished discussing matters with Commander Cinnabar, he contacted Melkor and asked about the status of the Avatars of Myth.
"I'm certain that you will be pleasantly surprised at what we've managed to achieve when you return home." Commander Melkor spoke confidently. "We have passed our growth period and worked out all of the kinks. The loyalty, cohesion and skill of all of our Avatar mech pilots are completely up to standard."
Ves nodded in satisfaction. "I look forward to inspecting my Avatars in person. How much progress have you made in selecting Avatars who are willing to leave the Bright Republic and participate in my upcoming grand expedition?"
"Not much, to be honest. Even if we offer them better pay and perks, many of our men and women are attached to their families and social circles at home. Since I can't find too many takers from our ranks, I've already begun to search out suitable candidates in the job market, though that is slow going due to the current crisis."
"Well, I can't say I expected it to be easy." Ves sighed. "I have a proposal to remedy the lack of willingness. I've made a decision with regards to the grand expedition's troop composition. I want to split the current Avatars of Myth into two!"
"That.. that's a big decision!"
"It's the logical decision to make under the circumstances. I originally founded the Avatars of Myth to serve as my personal mech troop and to demonstrate my products. Due to various reasons, we've been forced to expand the scope of the Avatars to provide protection for the LMC. At this point in time, I believe it's best to separate the latter function to a dedicated company force. What is left of the Avatars can go back to their roots."
"So you plan to split off a company force and transfer its ownership to the LMC?"
Ves nodded. "Correct. I want you to find a trustworthy leader among the Avatars who can lead this offshoot. The company force will basically be charged with providing security to all LMC assets and vital personnel. They will not be tasked to perform any offensive missions or go on any lengthy excursions. While I expect them to maintain some standards, it is not necessary to groom them into elites."
It took some time for Melkor to process the changes. The implications of this decision were vast!
"I think this is the best course of action." He eventually stated. "I've sounded out many Avatars, and few are actually adventurous and unattached enough to uproot their entire lives on your command."
"I thought they're supposed to be loyal."
"They are loyal, yes, but loyalty is conditional and can come in many forms. I think it's best to say that they are more loyal to the institution than you in person. That's why I think it's for the best if command of this new company force is transferred to the LMC."
"If their loyalty only extends this far, then I don't mind leaving them behind in the Bright Republic when it is time to set off." Ves scowled a bit. "I'm hoping to reform the Avatars of Myth into a force that truly answers to me. Not only do I want my Avatars to accompany me on the expedition, I also want you to retrain them so that they are capable of piloting second-class mechs!"
Melkor looked shocked. "You are asking for much! Even if our Avatars are better than average, it isn't so easy for them to acquire the qualifications to pilot second-class mechs!"
"That's not a problem. We have a decade to accomplish this goal, it will be easier if I ask my girlfriend's Glory Battalion to guide the retraining effort."
His cousin still frowned. "Why don't you just hire second-class pilots from the start? With your current wealth and status, it shouldn't be impossible for you to form a completely new force made up of native Hexers."
"Hahaha! Are you kidding?" Ves sardonically laughed. "I'm not going to entrust my life to Hexers! While I'm sure that Gloriana will be responsible for most of the security forces that make up the grand expedition, I want to bring at least one mech force that is in my pocket and won't be a complete laughingstock. Do you understand my concerns?"
"I do."
"As I've said, we have a decade to reform the Avatars of Myth. If we can't find enough willing mech pilots from our existing ranks, then try and recruit talented and capable mech pilots from the job market. Will you be able to manage that, Melkor?"
Surprisingly, Melkor looked confident. "With the conditions you set forward? I think we'll be able to find a lot more takers! As long as people hear that you are willing to retrain them into second-class mech pilots, I can guarantee you that we will be flooded with thousands of applicants!"
Ves blinked. He could actually envision such an outcome.
Many third-class mech designers dreamed of becoming second-class mech designers in order to earn more money.
Was it any surprise for him to learn that many third-class mech pilots wanted to upgrade themselves into second-class mech pilots?
Not only would they be able to pilot much more powerful mechs, but they also expected to earn a higher salary!
"If that's the case, then make sure to maintain a high selection standard. For now, limit your selection to talented and promising Brighter and Ylvainan mech pilots. The younger, the better. It takes a lot of effort and money to retrain a mech pilot, so I want to get a lot of use out of them before they retire."
"Younger mech pilots are also easier to retrain." Melkor agreed. "They're not yet set in their ways. It would be as if they are still a mech academy. Why open the Avatars to the Ylvainans, by the way? I think we can satisfy all our needs with Brighters alone."
"I don't want my Avatars of Myth to reflect a single origin. They need to be loyal to me rather than our state. Introducing Ylvainans will break up the insularity of your ranks and open up the possibility of recruiting more foreigners."
"If you put it that way, then I agree. It's just.. the Ylvainans are pretty strange. I think a lot of Brighters will take issue with their faith."
"Kick them out if they can't handle diversity." Ves resolutely stated. "The Ylvainan Faith is mostly harmless as long as their believers keep their faith to themselves. Considering my reputation the Protectorate, I think it will be very easy for you to recruit enough Ylvainans."
"Okay, Ves. I'll try my best and see if I can integrate the two cultures. Speaking of which, what is your stance on opening up our recruitment to Larkinsons? The mech pilots that come from our family are much better trained and I think they'll be very loyal to your cause if you give them the chance to retrain them into second-class mech pilots. I certainly look forward to this opportunity!"
"This.." Ves paused a bit as he considered bringing in his family. "It's acceptable as long as the Larkinsons are loyal to me rather than the Larkinson Family or the Bright Republic. Do you understand?"
Melkor grinned. "Oh, I think many Larkinsons will jump at this opportunity! They will form the core of our reformed outfit."
"That is not what I expected to hear." Ves admitted.
"Your impression of us is outdated. All of the changes that you've sparked has thoroughly changed our family in the past few years. The younger generation especially look up to you. I think there will be plenty of young and ambitious Larkinson mech pilots who are willing to defy the expectation of our elders and skip enlisting in the Mech Corps in favor of joining the Avatars."
"What about the family?"
"It's fine. As long as we target younger mech pilots, they'll be more eager to take the opportunities you present to them. They'll also be single and unmarried, so you don't have to worry too much about those kinds of attachments."
"I see. I'll take your word for it. In any case, my goal for the next decade is to transition the Avatars of Myth into a smaller but more capable second-class mech force. I don't expect the Avatars to match the prowess of the Glory Battalion in such a short amount of time, but the foundation should be there. As for those who are unwilling or unsuitable to become a part of this initiative, they can enjoy a stable life by transferring to our new company force."
"They'll need a name. Have you thought of any?"
"Hmm.. let's go with Living Sentinels. Their name reflects their allegiance and their purpose."
"Sounds good."
The two spent the rest of the call on hashing out the details. At the end of their discussion, Melkor conveyed a final suggestion to Ves.
"By the way, you should call Ketis. Something important has come up that has kept her occupied in the past few months."
That sounded serious. Ves had been wondering what took her so long to show off her own design work to him. He thought that she was busy refining her mech designs further on account of his previous feedback.