Chapter 20: Ch 20 – Untrodden

Issac’s class on quantum mechanics was similar to the lecture format of his Dark Theory class. However, it also involved designing and building many types of experimental tools and hardware. 

Some tools were used to demonstrate quantum effects while others were small scale quantum computers. Regardless, it would teach a lot about the applications of quantum effects. 

Issac found himself engrossed as the professor went through all the topics. He loved the subject, so it was probably what he most looked forward to in the year. 

After that, he left for his Hardlight class. 

Asphodel’s words from before had been stuck in his mind, those about Hardlight being a niche field. That got him curious as to just how niche it was, and after Nifty went digging, he found that niche seemed to just be a word for underdeveloped. 

And underdeveloped was a nice way of saying that something was useless. Because if it had a use, then it would be developed. At least, that’s what normal logic dictated. 

But Issac was sure that it wasn’t useless. In fact, it was almost too useful. Before, Issac had only used Hardlight for fun. There wasn’t much need to use it otherwise on a farming colony. But now, he could think of plenty of applications for it. 

Ammunition, armor, shielding, structural building. 

Anything that required material similar to metal could utilize Hardlight. Because, although Hardlight didn’t have any special chemical properties, it was still similar to metal in regards to its integrity. And in some cases, it could be better than metal. 

So why wasn’t it developed more? Issac could only imagine that nobody had managed to produce it correctly or wield it effectively. 

Before long, Issac entered the classroom. Inside, he found two other people. 

And by the time class started, there were only three other people, one of which was the professor. 

He didn’t think he’d ever see a classroom of merely three students in the Mantle. It seemed like nobody wanted to waste their time with a subject that provided no value. 

The professor, a Zadnran, didn’t seem surprised that hardly anyone showed up. So, unlike the other professors, he was very casual about everything. 

“Good evening, class. I’m sure you three are wondering why there are so little of you. So, I wil lay out those reasons clearly. Why isn’t Hardlight more prominent?”

Bringing up a holographic board, the professor scribbled down some words. His voice was deep, like a growl. 

“It mainly comes down to its production. Creating hardlight involves trapping photons in a field of bose-einstein condensates, thus entangling the photons to the atoms and making them act as matter does. These entangled photons can then be extracted only after being contained by an extremely powerful magnetic field. However, the product is unable to be utilized in any significant capacity, especially not on a macroscopic scale. 

“Even in the best cases where Hardlight has been created on a macroscopic scale, it was unable to be utilized beyond the laboratory setting and displayed no easily manipulative properties. The result was useless, and the costs to maintain Hardlight were too high to give it any practical application. 

“These two issues are what bars hardlight from becoming the extraordinary material that it is, and many have attempted to rectify these shortcomings and failed, even here at the Mantle. Primarily because the investment is too much, and there isn’t much material to use as a reference. It’s an untrodden path with high barriers, so this class involves almost nothing but blind experimentation and innovation. I suggest that those of you who don’t wish to waste your time drop the class at your earliest convenience, as there isn’t much to teach here other than endless problems with no solutions.”

When the professor’s speech stopped, the students’ faces fell. 

The other two students were realizing that this wouldn’t be another field of research like all the others, and Issac had realized that Hardlight was even more underdeveloped than he thought. 

The professor sighed and sat behind a desk. 

“Class is dismissed. Go home, do your research, and if you still intend to take the class, come back tomorrow.”

Issac sat there with surprise, as did the other two students. 

After several moments, they all gradually stood and walked out. 

“Well, looks like one less class then…”

One student mumbled on his way out. 

Issac was sure that they would both drop it. But as he made his way home, he decided that he would try and make something of it. 

An undeveloped field was extremely daunting. After all, the galaxy had been colonized while technology had risen to the point of warping the laws of physics themselves. If even with all this technology nobody could figure out how to effectively utilize Hardlight, then who’s to say Issac could?

But at the same time, Issac knew that there was more to it than what met the eye. After all, his main power was Hardlight. He could create hardlight objects at will with his hands, and he had none of the problems that the professor mentioned. 

So he knew it was possible. All he would have to do is study his own power and try to replicate it. If he could do that, then he could develop the technology and apply it to, well, everything. 

As he thought about it more, he realized this could be his big ticket. The chance to pioneer his own path and develop something useful, even if only half decent. Hell, even if only he could use it, it would be more than satisfactory. 

Issac arrived home while affirming those convictions. At the same time, he sent a message to Anthony and Asphodel. 

It wasn’t much later that Asphodel landed on his island. She strolled into the house with a smile, seeing Issac lounging in the living room with his holographic glasses on. 

“Hey!”

“Hey. You know, when you said Hardlight was niche, I didn’t think you meant nonexistent as a field of study.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, there were only two other students in the Hardlight class. And tomorrow, I might be the only one.”

“Seriously? I’d say it’s unfortunate but to only have three students for a class in the Mantle is rather impressive in it’s own right.”

She spoke while taking a seat next to him. Then, she took out her terminal and tapped it a few times. 

Issac subsequently received a message, its contents containing all kinds of various brand names. The products of these brands ranged from emission weapons to mech chassis. 

“There are a few big names in the Mantle. Some specialize in certain products while the biggest ones have everything. Human companies like the Nova Corporation, The Aatrix Vasra Dynamics, the Zandran Omega corp. Big names are reliable, so to get an idea of what you want, you should look toward them.”

“Those are outside companies. And they operate in the Mantle?”

“No. They operate from the Megaliths. After all, this place has the highest density of spoiled rich kids wanting to buy weapons and tools. Being able to sell anything in the Mantle is extremely profitable.”

“True.”

He scrolled through the list with a nod. 

*Knock*

Right then, a tap was heard on the door. The two looked over to see Anthony walking in, gazing around at the furnished but still bare house. 

Then, he saw Issac and Asphodel sitting beside each other. He couldn’t help the smirk. 

“What’s up, dude? Getting cozy?”

“Until you got here.”

Issac jabbed back as Anthony took a seat on a chair. 

With a chuckle, Anthony suddenly threw a tablet onto a small table between them. It projected a large hologram the next moment, one that showed the image of a mech. 

“Let’s get down to business, because you need to hurry and get your mech. What I have here is a design that you can start with. It’s comprised of components that lean heavily toward your electromagnetic powers. This means rail guns, magnetic shielding, and the ability to tap into its power supplies. Also, most of the components are modular, meaning they can be modified to a large extent. I thought you’d like that since you're a technician.”

“Hmm…”

Issac gazed at the image. It had a slew of details all over it, and upon observation, Nifty was able to search the net for just about every item and pull its precise specifications. 

What Issac couldn’t do though was pull its blueprints. Blueprints were extremely valuable, so just about everything someone bought wouldn’t be able to be modified unless they knew how the hardware worked in tandem with the software. 

That made modular tech both valuable and rare. Companies didn’t want others to be able to modify their things since that would mean less money goes to them. So modular equipment was either sold as common components or made very expensive. 

Asphodel chimed in. 

“You can get some modular equipment, but not a lot. For instance, you don’t need anything modular for your emission weapons or auxillary components right now. As for other things, I think modularity will be crucial. For instance, your pilot suit is personally designed wih your own tech, so it won’t have the standard junctions most mech chassis have. Regardless, an in depth dive into exactly what each product is giving you will be necessary.”

“If that’s the case, then putting this thing together will take a little while.”

“Yes, and we also need to talk about your conversion core. That also means you’ll need to decide if you want your mech to be auxiliary or primary.”

“That means…”

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Issac asked about the classifications he had nevr heard of. 

Apshodel explained succinctly. 

“Auxillary-type mechs are mechs that are built around the pilot suit. In these mechs, the pilot suit is the most important component. Primary-type mechs are mechs that have very little reliance or outright do away with a pilot suit. They both have advantages and disadvantages, and for the most part, it comes down to how much money you have and your preferences...”

She continued to lay out the details. 

Auxiliary-type mechs were good because many of the components could be interchanged. It was more adaptable because the pilot suit was the primary component and a universal constant in its construction. It also meant that, even without a mech suit, one would still have their pilot suit. There were some people, although few, that would have multiple mech suits built for different scenarios. And they could take their pilot suit to any one and operate them seamlessly. 

However, this method of doing things was expensive and took extensive technical knowledge. For one, you would need to build both a pilot and mech suit. And secondly, if one weren’t careful, the pilot suit could become a limiter in power output if it couldn’t be upgraded accordingly. At the same time, because it were in two pieces, the junction between the pilot and mech suit could become a weak point in its construction. 

In short, it took money and knowledge to go down the Auxillary path. 

On the other hand, Primary type mechs were singular units without the need for pilot suits. At first glance, the main disadvantage would be the lack of a pilot suit entirely, something that could be used even independently of a mech suit. But an advantage was seamless construction that would increase the mech’s integrity and remove the worry about limiters. 

But, with seamless construction came not so seamless change. Modifying these mechs wasn’t nearly as easy, so they had less adaptability. If someone wanted multiple mech configurations, they would need multiple entirely separate mechs, which would cost enormous sums of money. 

So, both mech types had ups and downs. Issac already knew that integrating his specially made pilot suit would be a major pain in the ass with a standard mech chassis. He might need to create his own junctions and power delivery systems. 

But going without a mech suit entirely wasn’t something Issac was prepared to do, at least not yet. If the time came and he started havingi issues, then he would make the necessary changes. But for now, he planned to keep his pilot suit as an integral part of his mech. 

Issac was silent for several minutes as he pondered. He even had both minds operating, his white hair present. So it was clear just how deeply he was contemplating, as if trying to solve all potential problems right this moment. 

Eventually, he felt a tap that made him snap out of it. He turned and saw Asphodel smiling. 

“We don’t need ot figure everything out today. First, we should pull the skeleton schematics for these products and start developing a model. Where’s your computer? Do you have a lab yet?”

“I suppose my room is my lab.”

“Then let’s go.”

The two stood, but as they walked, Issac looked back toward Anthony. 

He stood with raised hands. 

“I think I’ll take off. I hadn’t realized she would be here, and she knows more than I do.”

“Right. Sorry.”

“No, that’s alright. Just shoot it by me before making big purchases. Although I don’t have the technical know-how, I do know practicality.”

With those words, Anthony left the house. 

Issac sighed before heading to his room where Asphodel was waiting with Nifty. 

She smiled wryly. 

“I’m sorry too. Didn’t mean to intrude.”

“It’s fine. Besides, we have our own things to talk about.”

Asphodel nodded, but she subsequently spoke through their direct line. 

Issac heard her voice in his head. 

“We can do some more work on it, but not without proper security. Your house has no instruments to guard against spying. If you had gotten it constructed, it would have come with all manner of security systems, but…”

“Yea, I understand.”

“We can still pick out the majority of your other components though. So let’s do that and we can discuss the core later.”

“Works for me.”

Issac smiled while booting up his computers. 

After that, the two did a deep dive on thousands of various tools and weapons, piecing together Issac’s mech bit by bit. 

And it all revolved around his pilot suit, so bringing up its schematics was a necessity. Luckily, although Issac didn’t build his pilot suit with a mech chassis in mind, he had still been ingenious with its connective capabilities. 

Asphodel was particularly surprised by one detail in particular, and that was how Nifty could integrate itself into the pilot suit.

By shifting the components of its body, Nifty was capable of slotting itself along the pilot suit’s spine, becoming an inconspicuous metal hump between the shoulder blades. After that, Nifty’s tail would simply tap into the suit itself.

Although the suit had its own computer systems that were even more powerful than Nifty’s, it didn’t have the complex AI that Nifty did. Thus, by combining the two, the suit could gain even more computing power and operate with the familiar AI that Issac knew and loved. 

But not only that, Nifty's integration could also allow the pilot suit to connect to other devices. Nifty’s tail was an incredibly complex device that could connect to any port or junction imaginable. 

That meant Issac wouldn’t have to worry about being able to connect to a mech’s systems. 

So with that major problem solved, they just needed to find weapons and tools that Issac wanted. 

Of course, he didn’t exactly know what he wanted or needed. 

As of now, Issac had a power Yield that placed him in the lowest category of Catastrophic ratings. On a galactic battlefield, disregarding his technical knowledge, he wouldn’t be much better than a common foot soldier. 

This meant that his mech would be small. In fact, the things he would buy would merely look like addons to his pilot suit, not necessarily a mech. 

After all, he couldn’t deliver significant force with his own power. According to his rating, he could kill at least several hundred common terrestrial soldiers with the entirety of his power. That might sound like a lot, but it was actually pitiful. 

So the weapons he looked at were things like small scale railguns and 9 foot tall mech skeletons with modular frameworks. 

Then there was armor and external power supplies. Since a mech was heavy and a person didn’t have the energy to power it during all hours of operation, external power sources were necessary. This would drive the mech’s functional systems like walking, flying, or other auxiliary tools like a hud and sensors. 

But Issac wasn’t able to get just anything. Like knowledge, certain weapons and gadgets required a certain clearance level to acquire. So Issac, who had a Personal Catastrophy Rating, wouldn’t be allowed to put a personal nuclear reactor into his mech even if he had the money. 

It was with all these things in mind that he gradually assembled his mech with Asphodel’s assistance. 

But not everything could be decided on in a day. There were too many things to compare, and Issac still needed to work with Asphodel on their conversion core. 

Not only that…

“You seriously need to have your house topped off. Just use the program and submit your schematics. Literally everything in regards to the structure is free. Only stuff like security and concealment tech costs money, but they do all that too so long as you pay.”

“Alright! I’ll use the damn program. But what if I want to make some secret rooms? Won’t they have the schematics?”

Issac questioned Asphodel as a car came to pick her up. 

Although he had really built his house, it was still incredibly bare. It had nothing a normal house would and to put everything in himself would take time that he no longer had. 

Issac barely agreed to use the program and get everything built for him despite enjoying the hands on work. But another issue of his was the fact of secrecy. He didn’t want others to acquire the layout of his home. 

But that was everyone’s concern, especially for those in the top 100 rankings. Why would they allow someone to attain data on them?

“Don’t worry about that. The ones that come are robots, not people, and you can personally wipe their data if you don’t think that the standard data wipe procedures are enough. So none of the data will be left over. Of course, there are plenty of sneaky ways to get around that, so if you’re really paranoid, then you can install the secret stuff yourself.”

“Fine. I’ll look it over tonight. Goodnight, and thanks for the help today.”

“Sure. Tomorrow, come to my house so we can work.”

She left with those words, taking a car up the islands and to her own. 

Issac watched her leave before settling in for the night.

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