After a brief break, Ves continued to meet with the remaining expert candidates.

Due to his prior interviews, he gained a better sense of what he should ask and what he should be looking out for. The talks took less time as Ves didn't need to bumble around as much to understand the person sitting in front of his desk.

"I prefer to pilot light skirmishers, but I can make do with any other light mech." Trinity Larkinson answered one of his questions. "Still, for a long time, the Sentinels didn't have any good light mech models. We still don't have any for that matter."

"You don't like the commercial light mech models that we've imported?"

"They're fast, but not fast enough. Against other second-class opponents, I doubt I can do much with them. If it's possible, I would like to obtain a better mech."

"It's in the works. In half a year, we'll have a light skirmisher that is fully capable of fighting other second-class mech forces."

"That is music to my ears. I'll be waiting, sir."

Trinity was one of the more normal expert candidates that Ves had met so far. Nothing about her rang any alarm bells. She was just a young Sentinel mech pilot who happened to break through as well.

Yet that did not mean she would remain normal if she ever broke through.

Depending on her mech and her environment, she might go the same way as Venerable Jannzi and warp into something different.

Obviously, this should never happen again.

Therefore, Ves decided that even unassuming expert candidates had to be monitored to an extent. He even thought about starting up a new group within the Military Bureau or the Hall of Heroes that was tasked with guiding the expert candidates of the clan.

"That's a good idea. Right now, it's enough to deal with them on an individual basis, but I might have my hands full in the future."

The fact that no one had developed a systematic approach to this issue so far was a sign that such a group was very needed. Why should Ves take precious time off his schedule in order to deal with the expert candidates in person? The other people in the clan should be more than capable of dealing with this matter!

Once he dismissed Trinity, he quickly composed his thoughts into a document and sent it to Major Verle.

"We'll talk later about this issue."

The last two expert candidates were very different from the ones that came before.

Avi Case-Larkinson was a Flagrant Vandal. Though Ves did not have an impression of her back when he served in the Mech Corps, he still felt some kinship with a former veteran of the final Bright-Vesia War.

"I never expected I would become an expert candidate after turning my back on the Mech Corps and the Bright Republic." Avi ruefully smiled. "At my age, even. I'm old enough to be a mother. Did you know that I thought about transferring to the Living Sentinels in order to settle down and start a family?"

Ves blinked. "Oh. Are you still going through with that plan?"

"I can't, sir. I'm an expert candidate now. The opportunity to become an expert pilot lies before me. How can I turn my back on a chance that many of my fellow mech pilots yearn to grasp? I owe it to everyone to try my best. Besides, I'm the only Flagrant Vandal who broke through in the last battle. I need to do my comrades proud. The Avatars shouldn't be the only ones who are hogging all of the limelight."

The middle-aged woman sounded as if she was thrust on a pedestal when she was more than content with remaining in the background.

"It's not your duty to become an expert pilot. We already have plenty of them. It's already a burden to provide them all with expert mechs."

Avi shook her head. "You don't need to fool me, sir. We all know what we are up against. One more expert pilot is always better. It is my duty to defend our clan. I won't be able to live with myself if I slacked off and a lot of Larkinsons die yet again."

"Are you suffering from survivor's guilt?"

She sighed. "Maybe. You don't have to worry about me. I'm already undergoing therapy. The folks at the Foundation are very understanding."

"That sounds good, but it doesn't seem as if you changed that much."

"That's because I have too many missions to fulfill." Her eyes grew more intense. "We used to be Brighters, you know? Even though we broke off from the Republic, we are still Brighters at heart."

"We are Larkinsons now."

"The Larkinsons always stood for the Bright Republic! As far as I'm concerned, we are a continuation of our state. Just look at our rules, our structure and how we treat each other. Even though we have adopted some other customs, we are still indistinguishable from other Brighters."

"Our leaders are Brighters. I'm a Brighter. It's a given that we take after our mother culture."

"And we can continue to keep the torch lit!" Avi passionately exclaimed! "I'm ashamed of what has become of the Bright Republic. After the government bent its knees to the Friday Coalition and the Sandmen destroyed our greatest economic center, our home state simply isn't the same anymore."

Ves shrugged. He couldn't care less about the state that stabbed him in the back and sold him out to the Fridaymen.

"Life goes on there. While it's regrettable that a lot of Brighters died in the Sand War, our state still stands. Our former people will be able to pick themselves and rebuild. There's even a vast amount of sand-scoured star systems to resettle. That will keep our home state and many other nearby states busy for the next couple of centuries."

Avi sneered. "It's not the same anymore. The Bright Republic has changed once it fell under the yoke of the Friday Coalition. Have you been keeping up with the news over there? Each day, the Ylvaine Protectorate and the Vesia Kingdom keeps hammering more nails in our state! They practically own the government, and the Fridaymen keep letting them get away with their covert attempts to annex our space."

"The Bright Republic needed a lot of aid after the fall of Bentheim."

"I don't think you're wrong, sir, but there's a difference between providing aid and taking over entire planets and institutions!"

Ves really didn't want to argue with the Vandal pilot about irrelevant matters. Ever since he founded the Larkinson Clan, he cut off almost every sentiment he held towards his home state.

Obviously, Avi was very different. The Flagrant Vandals had always been more reluctant about leaving the Bright Republic. They hated the changes that took place there but were still loyal to it. Of course, there were plenty of Vandals who were more than happy to escape their shackles, but there were also people like Avi who used to take their duties seriously.

Avi swept her arm. "I think we have an opportunity to continue the mission of the Bright Republic. The state may have decayed, but its people live on. Once we reach the Red Ocean, we can build a new Bright Republic over there. This time, we'll do it properly. No founding families. No concentrating our industry on a single planet. No betraying our greatest soldiers. I believe that as long as we learn from the lessons of the past, the Second Republic can become the new home to the Brighter people!"

"...Okay." Ves awkwardly replied.

It took some time for him to dismiss Avi. He let out a sigh of relief once she left.

"Of all the clansmen who were lucky enough to become an expert candidate, why her? Why can't I get more people like Trinity?"

"Meow."

Lucky mockingly swished his tail as he observed the proceedings from the ceiling.

Ves raised his fist at his cat. "Hey, this is your problem as well, you know!"

Obviously, it would be another disaster if Avi Case became an expert pilot while she was still delusional about reviving the Bright Republic in the Red Ocean.

Ves had no intentions of founding a state in such an unstable region.

Even if he did, he wouldn't follow the model of the Bright Republic! His Larkinsons deserved better.

He composed some messages and sent them off to Major Verle, Commander Abis Firelight and Calabast. Avi Case had rang a lot of alarm bells in his mind. It was important to monitor her behavior and compose a plan to correct her course as soon as possible!

"Well, one more to go. I hope he's normal."

He called in his final appointment. Zimro Belson-Larkinson was different from the rest.

The Black Cat strode inside the stateroom. His dark uniform fit his slim but athletic form well.

"Patriarch."

"Please have a seat, Mr. Zimro Belson."

The man did so. A few seconds passed as Ves tried to take the man's measure. Zimro was different from every Larkinson he had met today.

The man was not a regular clansman. He was part of the Black Cats which adopted a very different approach to mech piloting from the rest.

What stood out even more was that Zimro was part of the Xona Stalkers. Not too long ago, he served under the Dry Snakes at Ulimo Citadel.

Not only did he used to be a pirate, he also had second-class roots.

"As a former Xona Stalker who fought on the side of the faction that wanted to return to civilized space, you must have ties to the Life Research Association, right?"

Zimro nodded, but his answer wasn't very solid. "I left relatives behind, but they have already moved on. I didn't fight to restore my name in order to meet with them again. In fact, we're better off if we stay out of each other's lives."

"Then.. why did you take the risk of siding with our clan?"

"I'm simply disgusted by what we did." Zimro scowled. "There is no honor in piracy. I embraced your clan because you and your people are honorable. In my years at Ulimo Citadel, I have spilled too much innocent blood, whether directly or indirectly. Each day, I lost more and more hope that I would be able to look into the mirror with my head held high."

"Has that changed since you've become a Larkinson?"

"Not quite." The Black Cat expert candidate shook his head. "I still have much to make up for. I am only just starting to redeem myself."

"You sound like a Penitent Sister."

"We are much alike. I respect them for their integrity." Zimro nodded, plainly accepting the comparison.

"Don't you think it's a contradiction for a Black Cat to redeem himself? After all, you are part of the intelligence branch of our clan. Sometimes, it's necessary to get your hands dirty."

"There is honor in service. Even if we are compelled to do what is necessary, at least I can take comfort in the fact that it is for the greater good. This wasn't the case when I was still a Xona Stalker. No matter what we did, it always ended up enabling more pirates."

Ves grew more and more concerned about Zimro. While he applauded the expert candidate for trying to restore his honor, Black Cats weren't supposed to be the good guys!

"Have you ever thought about transferring to the Avatars, perchance?"

Zimro grimaced. "I did, and I rejected the notion. My presence there would only blacken this honorable branch. I would never leave until I have paid for my sins. Besides, the Black Cats need me. My experiences during my pirate days has taught me that every outfit or group needs a good role model. Without me, I'm not sure if the rest of the Black Cats will be able to remain pure."

"I think Calabast has gotten that covered. You don't need to worry about this problem."

"Respectfully, I'll be the judge of that, sir."

Ves mentally noted Zimro as another problem case.