Whether Senator Tovar was aware of his true intentions, Ves couldn't guess.
"So which mech regiment is reinforcing our star system?"
"That is still under discussion, from what I know. The Mech Corps really can't spare too much mechs from their existing assignments. They have to make a considerable sacrifice in order to placate you. I've even heard that they're attempting to prepare a unit led by a Larkinson that you can get along with. I hope you appreciate the military's efforts, Mr. Larkinson."
That last detail came as a welcome surprise to Ves. "Ah, I would appreciate that. Any Larkinson is welcome at Cloudy Curtain."
With his considerable influence in the Larkinson Family, Ves would definitely be able to exert some influence on the Larkinson in the military.
If that wasn't possible, then any of the other older generation Larkinsons on Cloudy Curtain would certainly put in a good word on his behalf!
Ves would not have to be afraid of developing friction with his protectors if that was the case.
As for whether this reassignment might inadvertently lead to the fall of Bentheim, Ves did not dare to think any further in this direction. He was already culpable for the deaths of trillions of humans in the Komodo Star Sector for unwittingly releasing Sigrund from his cage.
In any case, the good news from two separate governments lifted up his mood and made him even more enthusiastic about finishing the Deliverer.
Only a few days went by as Ves and Gloriana rapidly addressed the shortcomings they identified. With the help of their design team, they ran millions of simulations that tested the second iteration for any new flaws.
Because of the data they already collected beforehand, the second testing was a lot more targeted and purposeful. The simulations revealed a number of tiny flaws that weren't very complicated to fix.
Ves and Gloriana completed the second iteration of the design very quickly!
While they unavoidably rushed this phase, they really couldn't help it. Ves seemed to sense a clock hanging over everyone's head. It was constantly ticking down as he was continuing to waste time on fixing minor flaws that did not impact the quality of mech in a significant fashion!
Sure, if Ves published his mech design at this current state, it would probably be 95 percent as good as if he spent half a year to optimize it further.
Yet did the Bright Republic really need a product that reached 100 percent of its potential?
Let alone 95 percent, a design that only exhibited 80 percent of its potential was already enough to fulfill its essential function!
Of course, Ves had to be very mindful of Gloriana about this. To her, 95 percent was already egregious enough. Releasing a mech that was only 80 percent 'complete' would absolutely drive her mad!
"I'm not happy about this at all, Ves, but you're the boss of this design project. This is your decision and therefore your responsibility. I'm just a helper."
"Even so, this still takes a lot out of you."
"It's not that bad." She tilted her head. "I've already recovered from my mental exhaustion. I think I've even grown a little stronger as a result. I feel I can tolerate more things now."
Both of them hugged at each other as they supervised the Tovar mech designers fabricating the second prototype of the Deliverer.
Different from last time, the Tovars had already learned their lessons. They adjusted their mindset towards the project and tried to show at least some respect towards the design.
It helped that the first prototype already vindicated the design. No matter how much skepticism the design team held, it had no choice but to accept the evidence!
Soon enough, the second prototype was complete, and another round of testing ensued.
Ves and Gloriana did not have to supervise this process in person. They remained on the surface and began to discuss and plan their next steps.
What mech should they design next? What steps should they take to prepare for the possible fall of Bentheim? Many things had to be discussed. Completing the Deliverer design was not the end of their troubles!