The Mech Touch

apted to his revamped genes, the regulator organ mainly functioned as his heat organ ’s central processor.

For example, the energy cycle within his body had only come into being with the help of the regulator organ.
Its cells contained extensive biological programming that coordinated his central nervous system with all of the changes in his body.

After all, a baseline human didn ’t have anything like a human-sized heat organ.
Without some form of instructions, his body wouldn ’t know what to do with it.
The regulator essentially augmented his baseline central nervous system like how his Full Stealth augment added a new function to his Privacy Shield.

That reminded Ves to check his gear.
He found out that Jutland stripped him of all clothes and gear, replacing them with a spare set of hospital clothes that must have been stewing in a box for a couple of decades.

”Ah, wondering where your devices are? I confiscated them both! Thank you for your spare shield generator.
As soon as I decipher its identity lock, it will make for a useful guarantee of my safety! That blasted lock! The latest system is too tricky! ”

Ves already expected to be stripped of his shield generator when Jutland stumbled upon it.
After all, without it, he ’d be at the mercy of his deranged captor.
He could only give up on that avenue.
Instead, he focused on his comm.
He had to get his hands on his System.

”What about my comm? ”

”What about it? ”

”I need it to redesign the Kaius.
Do you expect me to design a mech by drawing hexapod blood on the ground? ”

Jutland waved his hand dismissively.
”I ’ve salvaged a number of terminals from a couple of derelict workshops from the first expedition.
Half of them still work, last I checked! ”

”Their processors have never been rated to endure this much radiation and corrosive air over time.
Even if they still look functional, you can ’t trust them to produce reliable results. ”

”Then I ’ll commission that thug Keller to steal a terminal from your current expedition! ”

”That won ’t do.
The workshop runs on a vastly different software suite.
I ’m used to working with the software installed in my comm.
Please give it back to me. ”

Doctor Jutland uncharacteristically fell into silence.
After a long consideration, he nodded and pulled out a familiar comm from his dirty lab coat and threw it onto Ves.

”Fine! But no more delays now! You ’ve slept for eight days straight now and your expedition is already halfway through its window! You ’ll start your work immediately! ”

The news that Ves had intermittently slept over a stretch of eight days affected him greatly.
He already missed so much! A new sense of urgency washed over his mind, spurring him on to sit up from his cot.
He slowly reached upwards, but his sudden movements disturbed his internal energy cycle.
A large portion of energy escaped the cycle and travelled onwards until it smashed the front of his chest.

The invisible impact forced a painful cough out of Ves.
He heaved a bit and vomited out some blood.

”Reckless! Just because your body finished its transformation doesn ’t mean you ’ve mastered your new source of energy! ”

”How can I control this rampant energy? ”

”You can ’t! ” Jutland cackled again.
”An unenlightened boor like you will never be able to master this higher form of energy! Instead, the cycle will continue to revolve your internal energy until its quantity surpasses the limits of your flesh. ”

”Am I dying? ”

”Everyone is dying, Ves! You are merely expiring faster than others because your body is eventually unable to process the vast amounts of energy from my Jutland organ! You ’ll blow up in a grand explosion that will spread your scattered flesh over many kilometers! Maybe you ’ll even break Mike ’s record! Hihihihihi! ”

Jutland ’s insane behavior frightened Ves but also made him question why his thoughts and behavior still remained the same.
Had Jutland improved his new organs and fixed the flaws?

”Don ’t think all of that energy will keep strengthening your body. ” Jutland ominously said after he recovered from his latest bout of giggling.
”The flesh is weak.
Your only salvation lies in cultivating your soul.
I predict you ’ll be bedridden for a few weeks.
Don ’t bother moving away.
Instead, start working on improving my steed! ”

Doctor Jutland made some arrangements to his bed so that Ves could prop himself up into a somewhat comfortable seating position.
He also threw a datachip at Ves that he could slot into his comm.

”I ’m not a mech designer, but years of boredom have given me plenty of time to master a trivial scanner device.
I ’ve already included extensive scans of the Kaius in that chip.
Ignore the living tissue and focus on remedying its mechanical components! ”

After Jutland finally left the hut, Ves tiredly smiled.
Despite the ticking time bomb implanted in his body, he remained hopeful he could remedy the flaws in his body.

He already achieved significant progress after Jutland had rambled about the soul.
Even though he automatically dismissed the doctor ’s assertion, his beliefs gave Ves a clue on how to tackle his runaway energy cycle.

Obviously, Ves couldn ’t rely on his body to sort the problem out itself.
Even the regulator organ did nothing but impose a rudimentary cycle that extended his lifespan from a couple of hours to a couple of months.

Ves didn ’t believe in the existence of the soul.
Yet the idea prompted him to employ his mind.
He instinctively sharpened his focus onto his Jutland organ, trying to impose his will on it.
He treated it like he wanted to nurture the X-Factor onto a design.

Strangely enough, it worked.
His Jutland organ jerked a bit, and it took several minutes to figure out how he could dial down the overactive organ.
The energy cycle slowly subsided from a raging torrent to a placid stream.

It became much more bearable for his body, which enjoyed a reprieve for the first time in more than a week.
He regained control over his body in rapid time, which broke Jutland ’s estimate that he required weeks of rest before he could even leave his bed.

”Now we ’re talking. ”

Now that he managed to restore his mobility, Ves could finally cook up an escape plan.

Earlier, Jutland ignorantly handed him back his comm.
Not only did he regain access to the stealth augment, he also recovered the ability to access the System and its various marvels.

Ves carefully pretended to be weak and tired and slowly activated his comm.
Instead of opening his hidden Mech Designer System, he executed a mundane designer software.

Who knew if Jutland kept some eyes on him.
Ves had to be very careful in order to preserve his ability to escape.

”First, I ’ll have to master this abundant power reactor in my chest. ”

Pseudoscience or not, Ves resolved to cure his body through his own efforts.
He refused to entertain Jutland ’s delusions and his heretical faith that he could find salvation from these supposed Immortal Gods.

Ves recalled two very pertinent quotes he learned from school that guided his resolve.

First, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Second, the weak believed in God while the strong seek to surpass his existence.