[401-600] THE MECH'S TOUCH

Chapter 439: Georgia

Georgia Lyall turned to the main recorder of the news program. "In our next segment, let us talk about the latest mech model that has upended the upper segment of the rifleman mech market."

"Are you talking about the Gizlin Mark IV?" A fat pundit who proudly referred to himself as Osmon the Mech Sage probed.

Another pundit on the panel shook his head. "That's the wrong price segment. We're not talking about that cheap piece of trash that falls whenever it encounters a breeze!"

"Professor Marklen is right." Georgia nodded. "The mech model I'm referring to is the iconic-looking Crystal Lord!"

A projection of its design and some key specs started to appear from the table in the middle of the studio.

"Designed by Ves Larkinson, this premium rifleman mech model comes in three different variants, and are mainly distinguished by quality. The so-called gold and silver label mechs are produced by Mr. Larkinson's own Living Mech Corporation, while the more affordable bronze label mechs are left to various licensed manufacturers."

"I do have to say that the bronze label Crystal Lord is barely representative of this excellent design!" The Mech Sage interrupted in a brisk manner as he swigged a glass of beer. "I've seen all three labels in person, and the only mechs worth a damn are the ones produced by the LMC and no one else!"

"Ahem," Georgia tried to wave the Mech Sage down. "As I was saying, the Crystal Lord entered the market with a minor stir due to its extreme features, many of which has elicited a lot of arguments over the galactic net."

The news anchor proceeded to list the notable traits of the Crystal Lord, from its lightweight but resilient construction for a medium mech to the strange gimmicks incorporated in the chest and rifle of the mech. Lastly, she addressed the pricing of the mech.

"As of this moment, the gold label Crystal Lords are nearly impossible to obtain. As a variant that is prized for its exquisite quality and excellent performance in battle, the main reason why they are so hard to obtain is because it bears the privilege of being handmade by Mr. Larkinson."

"A Larkinson, you say?" The Mech Sage popped up again. "Any relations to 'those' Larkinsons?"

"Ves Larkinson is indeed related to the famous military family. In fact, his grandfather is none other than Benjamin Larkinson!"

"Splendid! No wonder his mechs are so fantastic! The Larkinsons know their mechs, that's for sure! Did I ever tell you how I made a bet with Ark Larkinson back when we were in boot camp? We bet on who could last out in the cold out in the dark at night at our desolate training camp the longest! The winner would get all of the porridge the both of us received from the mess hall for a week. Did you know what happened?"

Georgia sighed inwardly, but she maintained her smile because she knew the mech nerds that watched her program lapped up these kinds of stories. The Mech Sage wouldn't have been a mainstay of her news portal otherwise.

"What happened?"

"The drill instructors immediately put a stop to our bet, but afterwards immediately kicked us out in the cold for the rest of the night! We shivered and shivered and hugged each other's bodies to keep ourselves warm! It was one the most miserable nights I've ever spent in my life!"

Imagining the famous Colonel Ark Larkinson as a scruffy young mech pilot spending the night out in the cold with nothing but another buddy for warmth must have sent the audience cracking. Georgia possessed a thin implant over her eyes that indicated that her audience indeed reacted positively to the anecdote.

Sometimes, she wondered why she ever agreed to host a broadcast program about mechs.

Still, lots of people watched those shows, and the pay was good, so Georgia maintained her smile and pressed on. "That's interesting to hear, but let us get back to the Crystal Lord. Initially, the models entered the market with a whisper. The specs looked attractive, but the pricing scared many people away. The initial sales came from those who attended the product reveal. All of them we've interviewed were ecstatic about the Crystal Lord models."