The general's aid was at the entrance to what the men had started calling a forge; it had been a salt mine in centuries past. Now, it was the beginning of a huge underground factory. He watched as the transport landed. The men and women ran off the transport, and one limped off it. He knew that must be the man known as Kovacs. eagerly, he awaited to see this figure the general had been waiting to meet. As he drew near he saw a dirty blond haired boy, "Christ i hope you're half the Designer the general thinks you are," the man said under his breath. he advanced on the man hand extended. "Mr Kovacs?"

Kovacs straightened as best he could, feeling the weight of the journey settle heavily on his already sore hip. The pain reminded him of his rough past, and he fought the urge to reach for the pain pills stashed in his pack. This wasn’t the time for weakness.

As the aid approached, Kovacs took in the man’s calculating gaze. The man's uniform was immaculate, but his demeanor was the exact opposite—someone who clearly expected precision and no excuses. Kovacs braced himself for the oncoming scrutiny. The man's hand shot out in a firm handshake, his grip iron-strong.

“Kovacs,” he replied, his voice steady, though he felt an underlying tension tighten in his chest. He wasn’t used to this kind of attention, not from men like this, who radiated authority.

The aid didn’t release his grip immediately. “You’ve got a lot riding on you, Kovacs,” he said, his voice low but clear. “The general’s waiting to see what you’re made of. I hope you’re ready to show him something impressive. The men here are calling it ‘Forge’ for a reason.” He gestured around, his hand taking in the expansive tunnels, the scattered machinery, and the sparks flying from various workstations.

Kovacs nodded, feeling the weight of the task settle in. He glanced down the tunnel, catching sight of an array of gantries and half-assembled parts. “I’m here to work,” he said, though his mind was already racing with ideas.

***

The aide nodded approvingly. “Excellent. General Patton is waiting to meet you. We’ve located three engineers to work with you, though…” He hesitated, a slight crease forming on his brow. “Their specialties aren’t in mecha. The general can explain, or I can fill you in after you meet with him. But he’s keen to speak with you first.”

Kovacs gave a tight nod, feeling a mix of anticipation and wariness. This wasn’t the first time he’d walked into a setup where he was expected to perform miracles with limited resources, but the stakes felt higher here. He followed the aide through winding tunnels, passing rows of equipment in various states of repair, engineers and workers casting curious glances his way.

Finally, they reached a small, cramped office at the heart of the makeshift facility. The aide knocked once, opened the door, and gestured for Kovacs to enter.

General Patton was hunched over a field table, his frame filling the small space as he studied reports on a dimly lit screen. His graying beard looked even more unkempt under the fluorescent lights, and his eyes were fixed on the data in front of him with intense focus. He barely glanced up as Kovacs entered, motioning him to step closer with a flick of his fingers.

“Sir,” Kovacs greeted, keeping his posture as steady as his throbbing hip would allow. He felt the weight of the general’s presence even in this cramped office, the aura of someone who didn’t waste words or energy unless necessary.

Patton finally looked up, his gaze sharp and assessing. He studied Kovacs with a critical eye, taking in every detail as if already sizing up his potential. “Kovacs, right?” he said, his voice a low growl.

“Yes, sir,” Kovacs replied, directly meeting the man’s gaze.

Patton leaned back, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you. The men say you’re some sort of miracle worker, able to whip up designs out of thin air. But I don’t believe in miracles—just good work and hard grit.”

Kovacs straightened. “I’m here to do both, sir.”

A flicker of approval passed across Patton’s face. He glanced down at the reports on his screen, tapping at a schematic with one thick finger. “We’ve got three engineers assigned to you. They’re damn good at what they do, but mecha isn’t their specialty. You’ll have to work with them to get up to speed.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Kovacs nodded, thinking through the challenges. It wasn’t ideal, but he could manage.

Patton grunted, leaning back. “This isn’t a perfect setup, but it’s what we’ve got. And if you’re as good as they say, you’ll find a way to make it work.” He studied Kovacs a moment longer, then extended his hand. “Welcome to Forge, Kovacs. Let’s see if you can live up to the reputation.”

Kovacs grasped Patton’s hand firmly, determination hardening his resolve.

***

Kovacs stepped into the workshop area, where the three engineers and a few designers were gathered. Some were leaning back with arms crossed, their expressions guarded and skeptical. Others watched with open curiosity, wondering if this young designer could meet the general's expectations.

Jackie stood nearby, steady and reassuring, subtly reminding everyone of the weight behind Kovacs’s mission. She caught his eye and nodded, a silent message of support that made him square his shoulders. He didn’t have to prove himself to everyone—do the job as he’d always done, one step at a time.

Kovacs cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “All right, before we dive into any design specifics, I need everyone’s help to assess what we’re working with here,” he began, keeping his tone straightforward. “Our priority is to identify the available materials, especially in quantity and quality. I want a detailed list from each of you based on what’s stocked in the depot and anything we can get delivered in the short term.”

One of the engineers, a grizzled man with a doubtful expression, grunted. “Seems basic, don’t you think? Anyone can count parts and resources.”

Kovacs didn’t miss a beat. “True, but this isn’t about counting. It’s about reserving the rarest materials for the most critical systems. We can’t just throw rare earth elements or high-grade alloys at every problem. Those go to the components we can’t afford to compromise on—fusion generators, gyros, myomer musculature, communications, and control systems. Everything else, we’ll make do with more common materials or composites where possible.”

A murmur went through the group as some engineers exchanged glances, understanding the logic behind his approach. The skeptical engineer softened, giving a slight nod, though his eyes still held a trace of doubt.

Kovacs glanced at Jackie, who gave him an encouraging look. “The faster we know what we have to work with, the sooner we can start drafting plans. I want a report on available materials by tomorrow morning,” Kovacs continued his tone firm. “We’re running under tight constraints, so if you have questions or need help with prioritization, come find me. Otherwise, focus on cataloging by rarity and availability, and remember—the rarest go to the critical systems.”

The engineers broke off into smaller teams, muttering among themselves as they started discussing strategies for sorting through supplies. Jackie stayed back as Kovacs reviewed the setup around him, making mental notes about the available equipment.

As the engineers got to work, Jackie leaned in close. “You’re handling them well. I can tell a few weren’t too sure about you, but you’re making them think—and that’s the best way to get them on your side.”

Kovacs gave a faint smile though his mind was already turning over the task ahead. “I just hope we find enough of what we need. If we can’t get a steady supply of rare materials, we’ll have to get creative with substitutions. Fusion generators don’t run on wishes.”

Jackie chuckled softly. “They’ll figure it out. They’re just as invested as you are. This isn’t just another project for any of them.” She patted his shoulder. “You’ve got this, Kovacs. Now let’s get to work.”

With Jackie’s confidence bolstering him, Kovacs moved deeper into the facility to examine what they had. He knew it was going to be a balancing act, juggling resources with design priorities, but he was determined to make it work. "Where can I get information about the enemy mecha?" Kovacs asked.

The question hung in the air momentarily, catching a few engineers off-guard. Jackie’s brows knitted in curiosity while the others exchanged wary glances.

The aide, lingering nearby, stepped forward, his expression unreadable. “Why would you need that information?” he asked, voice cautious.

Kovacs met his gaze squarely. “I need to know their weaknesses. Every mech has vulnerabilities, structural or tactical. If I understand how their units are built, I can design ours to exploit those weaknesses. It’s not just about building something powerful; it’s about building something smart.”

Jackie nodded, a spark of understanding lighting her eyes. “Makes sense. If we’re reacting, we’re always a step behind. But if we know what we’re up against, we can go on the offensive, anticipate their moves.”

The aide seemed to weigh the request carefully before nodding. “I’ll have to clear it with the general. But if he approves, I can arrange for you to review our intel on their mechs. We don’t have every detail, but we’ve captured enough specs to give you a good idea of their capabilities and known vulnerabilities.”

“That’s all I need,” Kovacs replied, feeling a surge of determination. “The more we know about them, the more we can fine-tune our designs. We won’t just meet their strength—we’ll go around it.”

Jackie shot him a knowing grin. “Looks like the general was right about you, Kovacs.”

The aide nodded and made a note. “I’ll be back with what I can get as soon as I have clearance. In the meantime, keep focusing on what we can control.” He cast one last glance at Kovacs, clearly measuring him. “This might just work.”

With that, the aide walked off, leaving Kovacs and Jackie with the weight of the next steps pressing on them.