Alto escorted the two ch pilots from ch Division #1176. They walked for a few seconds in awkward silence before Alto broke it. As much as it appeared that he was taking a short break from his work, it was, in fact, the opposite.
He cleared his throat as he spoke.
"Marie, Kendell. Pardon my asking, but since you two are sort of ch pilots in training, I trust you could be of help in my latest project."
Kendell was silent as usual, but from his body language, Alto could tell he was listening. Marie turned to face Alto as they walked down another hallway and asked,
"What project?"
Alto didn’t think to hide the fact from them—for good reason.
"I’m actually a ch designer in training, and I need a ch pilot’s insight on sothing."
Marie seed a little confused.
"That’s odd. I thought the ch designers here were garbage—I an no offense, by the way. They’ve been trying to fix our ship, and they seed more like engineers than actual ch designers. By the way, I don’t think I saw you there."
"I was busy with an assignnt from the professor," Alto said with a bit of pride.
Marie gasped in shock.
"Holy shit, are you Professor Einstein’s disciple?"
Alto nodded without saying much. It was nothing to brag about, but why was this stranger making a big deal out of it?
Kendell looked at Alto with more recognition, causing him to feel awkward.
"I don’t understand, the professor is not that big a deal."
Marie eyed him oddly for a few seconds before saying,
"Not that big a deal? She is one of the friggin’ Silver Chairs of ch designers—one of the greats. She literally pioneered the newer generation of ch designers, though I hear she has a thing against taking disciples."
Alto was shocked to hear that. The professor, who always took no passion in her work and drank herself dry, just happened to be a big deal?
"Walk through this. Who is she again?"
Marie continued at his request.
"Professor Maria Alberta Einstein. I hear she was born from so unknown star system, but sohow she rose to power by becoming a genius among geniuses. She helped develop cutting-edge innovations to the ch design models. Her talent got sighted, and she was given the rank of the Silver Seat of ch designers in the entire galaxy. I hear it’s the second-highest honor under the Golden Seat ch designers."
Alto wondered why he had never heard of this side of her before. Everyone from the ch division acted very differently. Did that an they knew nothing of her in the outside world? If that was so, then how was it that they knew nothing about the outside world?
It made Alto feel unsure of the ch division. He proceeded to ask the question he initially wanted to.
"That aside, I’ve been working on designing a virtual light ch for the ga ch Galaxy Wars and was wondering what weapon to put on it. I want it to be an assassin-type light ch. I was wondering if you had any ideas on what type of weapons you would prefer."
To his surprise, Kendell was the first to respond.
"A dagger would fit the assassin type well. Pretty cool."
Alto turned to face him and found him smiling. He nodded and turned to face Marie, who was biting her lip as she thought.
"I guess I would want a long-range weapon, like a small laser pistol with heavy rounds. The size will make my enemies think it’s weak, but then I surprise them. Does that help? Um—wait, how did I forget to ask your na?"
Alto pretended to be as surprised as she was. He hadn’t forgotten to give his na, but they never asked.
"Sorry, I’m Alto. And yeah, it helps a lot. Though I don’t think having a dagger will be good."
"Not a short dagger—use a long one," Kendell pitched in, clearly in love with the dagger idea.
Alto nodded in understanding.
Marie patted Alto on the back to get his attention.
"So, Alto. Any last na, or is it just a one-na thing?"
Alto shook his head and smiled.
"Sorry, but I don’t have a last na. I grew up in the orphanage."
The mood threatened to die down, but Marie pitched in,
"Don’t feel sorry. So of us are like you. I’m sothing of an orphan myself. I lost my parents in a war—rcenaries raided my ho planet, and my family was lucky to die. I ended up the unlucky one."
"Why do you say it like that? You lived," Alto said with a bit of confidence.
The look Marie gave him caused him to feel bad. For the first ti, she looked pained, her eyes trembling as she spoke.
"Sotis living is a curse. They died with a closure they didn’t ask for, and I am forced to carry that burden while they rot away. Tell now—which of us is the lucky one?"
Alto looked down at his feet as they continued to walk forward. He had no mory of how he got to the orphanage or what his parents looked like.
"My father is a high-ranking officer in the embassy. He forced to join up. So, despite the cards we’ve been handed, we try to make shit work for us. We rough it up because one day, you’ll be all alone in battle—and before you, a Kaiju." Kendell said.
Alto then realized what chs truly were. They were beyond machines used for battle—they were the physical embodint of the pilot’s willpower and strength. A ch worked with its pilot, not against it.
Alto ca to a stop and pointed in the direction of the training room.
"There’s the training room. I have to head on back. But it’s been good talking with you—well, aside from the last part."
Marie and Kendell thanked Alto before he left them to themselves. After he had gone, Kendell turned to face Marie.
"You have that look in your eye. Don’t get distracted," he said in a deep voice.
Marie chuckled and then turned to the door.
"How could I get distracted when we have a mission to do here? The General will be very pleased with us when we’re done."
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