The Mech Touch novel Chapter 3638

Chapter 3638 Security or Prosperity

As Horace Redfield, Tyana Delcrost and Ves stepped forward, the latter briefly turned around so that he faced his own delegation.

Ves pointedly stared towards his cat.

As shipbuilders, the Murphies should easily be able to make a ball that frustrated any attempt at trying to peer what was inside.

It was too bad that Murphy & Sons was originally a second-class shipbuilding company from the galactic rim. The company's grasp on technology was far from excellent.

This was why Ves specifically insisted that Lucky had to be present in the meetings with Murphy & Sons. His cat was one of the best and most covert spying tools at his disposal.

"Meow." Lucky rolled his eyes at Ves before flicking his tail upwards and to the left.

Ves nonchalantly turned forward again and sped his pace a bit. Before Tyana's delicate hand could grab onto the ball that was situated to the left and forward side of the bowl, his own arm rudely knocked it aside and claimed it for himself!

The woman glared at him, not that it mattered. He would never let go even if she tried to pry his fingers from the ball he was gripping. He even took the time to give her a toothy grin.

"Please open your balls."

There was a small button on the object. When pressed, the balls automatically parted in half, revealing the numbers marked on the insides.

The number 3 was clearly painted on Ves' ball.

"The order is set. Redfield Security shall go first. ZZR Manufacturing shall speak next. The Larkinson Clan shall have the honor of going last."

Ves smirked even as the others briefly sent odd glances in his direction.

It didn't matter if the Murphies and the others suspected foul play.

In fact, he guessed that there was a distinct reason why the Murphies decided to draw lots by using such a specific method.

If the shipbuilders really wanted to determine an order, then they could have just used a virtual dice rolling program on a comm.

Why should they go out of their way to design and fabricate balls made of expensive sensor-blocking materials and technology?

The only answer that made sense was that the Murphies wanted to test the responses of the bidders.

Being able to detect and claim the winning ball was a sign of competence. It was also a sign that the Larkinsons were willing to cross certain lines in order to attain their goals.

Whether this was good or bad in the eyes of the Murphy Family, Ves wasn't sure. Gelly Murphy and her fellow family members all looked as if they were judges in a talent contest. Everything was under their control and their decisions today could change the futures of several organizations.

Now that the speaking order became clear, Horace Redfield stepped towards the center.

Even though he had lost out the most this time, the mercenary leader still swaggered forward with an abundance of confidence.

As a mech officer who experienced plenty of combat, he faced plenty of adversity and difficulties throughout his career. A single setback wasn't enough to affect his optimism. So long as he still had a fighting chance, there was always a way to achieve victory!

The 80-year old retired mech pilot stood with an impeccably straight back as he faced the leaders of the Murphy Family.

"How many of you will remain alive in ten years?" He asked.

This was an insidious insinuation!

Horace Redfield stood up in order to make an objection, but no sound escaped from his mouth. It turned out that the Murphies had configured the meeting chamber to dampen anyone else's voice except for the designated speaker.

Tyana Delcrost smirked at the irate mercenary leader. "Dogs should know their place, not try to supplant their masters. One mercenary company is the same as another mercenary company. Davute isn't short of muscle heads who fight for fortune. If you want to bolster your defenses, then you can pick from one of many available outfits that are looking for employment in this star system. There is no good reason to value the protection that Redfield can offer over that of any other mercenary company."

Ves almost winced when Tyana undermined the position of the Redfields. She directly attacked Horace Redfield's attempt to paint his mercenary company in a better light. By pulling the Redfields down to the level of other mercenaries, much of the argument for partnering up with them went up in smoke.

"I also understand the other choice that you are contemplating." Tyana said as she gestured towards the Larkinson delegation. "Joining a trade consortium and forming tentative cooperations with its members may sound attractive if you want to maintain your independence and freedom of movement, but how much help can this rabble truly provide? No one in this trade consortium is large and powerful enough to speak to the major companies operating in Davute on an equal level. There are no guarantees whether a trade consortium with no history and no reputation will be able to open any new doors either. Be realistic. Don't let yourselves be mesmerized by the wild and overblown promises that they can never deliver upon."

Ves frowned. Though her attack against the Larkinsons was a bit less sharp, it weakened one of the arguments he intended to rely upon to make his case.

Now that Tyana addressed her competitors, it was time for her to show why her offer was different.

"Compared to the other organizations that have attended this meeting, ZZR Industries is the only one that is already rooted in the local economy and supply structure. We have already forged strong ties with several suppliers that can provide enough raw materials to sustain our industrial production and more. We can immediately introduce you to them once we partner with each other, thereby circumventing any blocks and difficulties that have prevented you from approaching them beforehand. We are also ready to provide you with enough money needed to procure the goods needed to repair your shipyard."

This was a much more practical solution. Tyana's offer provided the Murphies with the most direct solution to its immediate problems. ZZR Industries did not just offer money, but also direct access to material suppliers which the other bidders simply couldn't match!

Other concerns such as security were much less acute at the moment. The chances of enemy aliens attacking Davute in the coming weeks was fairly low, so there was little reason for Murphy & Sons to prioritize security right away.

"Each of you are engaged in a business, so it should be clear to you all that joining forces with an industrial company like ours can be incredibly lucrative." Tyana stated. "ZZR Industries will always treat Murphy & Sons as its highest customer. We will do our best to produce the ship parts that meet your people's exact demands and we will even seek to implement specific upgrades so that we can produce stronger and more complex technological components that you demand. This is different from an ordinary relationship with a parts supplier. Without a long-term partnership, a manufacturer will invest so many funds to upgrade its production capabilities just to meet your individual needs. We are different. As long as we become your exclusive supplier, we shall always attune our production to your own shipbuilding activities."

This was a highly practical and lucrative concession from ZZR Industries. Murphy's shipbuilding crews would have a much easier time constructing their ships if they could readily obtain high-quality ship parts that precisely met their requirements!