Kovacs made his way into the chow hall, his mind still buzzing with technical frustrations from his latest round of tests on the Lee. The Lee was supposed to be the foundation for the entire modular design system, a test bed for the adaptable weapon mounts and flexible load-outs he’d been working on perfecting. But things weren’t going smoothly. The power distribution issues and heat management failures had turned what should have been a promising prototype into a source of endless headaches.

He loaded up his tray with whatever food looked decent, barely noticing what he grabbed, and scanned the room for an empty table. Just then, he spotted Pitt—a tough, no-nonsense technician he’d come to respect for her grounded, practical approach to machinery. She was seated alone, munching on a sandwich, and for a moment, he hesitated. Pitt was known for her directness and didn’t offer advice lightly, but she also had a keen mind for spotting problems early.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

She looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Suit yourself,” she muttered, motioning for him to sit. He took the seat across from her, unsure of how to start.

After a few bites of his food, Kovacs cleared his throat. “I’m still working on the first design; it's the test bed for a modular system,” he began, gauging her reaction. “I’ve been running into issues in the simulations—power distribution failures, overheating in the weapon mounts, especially when I switch between different types of weapons.”

Pitt glanced at him, her expression unreadable. “You’re trying to build the mech version of a Swiss Army knife, and it’s backfiring?”

“Pretty much,” he admitted, smiling wryly. “The only modular system we have on file is from the Chimera, but it’s a simpler setup. It can handle basic weapon swaps, but its adaptability is limited. What I’m aiming for with the Lee is more complex—a system that can switch load-outs in the field without recalibrating every time. Right now, though, the power system can’t keep up, and the heat buildup is destabilizing the core.”

Pitt set her sandwich down, eyeing him with a mixture of intrigue and skepticism. “So, you’re using the Chimera as a baseline but pushing for more complexity? Let me guess—the power flow’s getting jammed up every time you switch from ballistic to energy weapons?”

Kovacs nodded, surprised by her insight. “Exactly. Every time I swap load-outs, the power system has to adjust to different demands. It’s causing massive fluctuations and overheating. I’ve tried adding basic buffers, but they’re not doing enough to keep the power flow stable.”

Pitt sighed, a glimmer of reluctant amusement in her eyes. “Kid, you’re making things harder than they need to be. The Chimera’s simpler for a reason—it doesn’t overload itself. You’re adding complexity without stabilizing the basics. You need a power regulator just for the weapon mounts, which takes the heat and handles the load shifts without dragging down the main core.”

Kovacs blinked, the idea hitting him like a light bulb switching on. “A secondary regulator, isolated from the main power line?” he echoed. “Something that can absorb the spikes when I switch weapon types?”

Pitt nodded, giving him a measured look. “Exactly. Putting a secondary line between the core and each weapon mount will regulate the power flow and manage the heat better. You need the main core powering the mech, not trying to keep up with every fancy weapon attachment. Split the system, and you’ll have more control over both.”

Kovacs jotted down the idea, his mind racing with possibilities. “That… that makes a lot of sense. Installing a secondary regulator can act as a buffer, taking the brunt of the shifts when the load changes. Adding cooling vents to the regulator could dissipate the heat before it reaches the main core. It might solve both problems in one go.”

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Pitt shrugged, picking up her sandwich again. “Glad I could help. Just don’t expect me to solve all your problems, designer boy,” she said, though a faint smile was on her face.

Kovacs chuckled. “Don’t worry, I won’t. But this will save me a lot of headaches—thanks, Pitt.”

As they ate, Kovacs explained some of his other ideas for the Lee, particularly the adaptability of the modular mounts. Unlike the Chimera, which had only a few pre-set load-outs, the Lee was meant to be a more versatile machine, capable of handling everything from lightweight scouting equipment to mid-range support weapons. He described his plans for a more intuitive floor layout in the workshop, making it easier for the team to test and swap out components on the Lee.

A few other workers nearby noticed the conversation and exchanged glances. Pitt, known for her straight-shooting attitude, rarely took the time to discuss technical ideas with anyone, yet here she was, actually listening to Kovacs. She even nodded at some of his suggestions for the floor layout, her expression thoughtful.

Finally, Pitt leaned back, crossing her arms. “You know, you’ve got good ideas, Kovacs. Maybe you are too ambitious, but you’re aiming high. Just ensure the secondary regulator’s built to handle it, or you’ll be back here complaining about your fried systems again.”

He grinned, feeling a surge of confidence. “I’ll make sure of it. I think this setup could make the Lee a real proof-of-concept for a versatile, adaptable mech. If it works, we could scale the system for larger units with more complex weapon load-outs.”

She raised an eyebrow. “If it works. But if you keep it grounded—if you stick to what’s achievable—you might make it work.”

Kovacs nodded, her words lingering with him as they finished their meal. He had been pushing for a complex system without genuinely understanding the core needs. Pitt’s advice to keep things stable and manageable was precisely what he needed.

After they finished, Kovacs returned to his workstation, rethinking the design with Pitt’s insights in mind. He implemented a secondary power regulator outfitted with dedicated cooling vents between the core and each weapon socket. He could feel the design coming together, grounded in practicality but still reaching for his envisioned adaptability. He ran a simulation, watching as the power fluctuations leveled out and the heat dissipated efficiently.

The changes were effective, solving the most immediate issues with the Lee. He felt a new sense of pride—he’d not only solved the problem but had done so with advice from someone as seasoned and grounded as Pitt. Lee was becoming a reliable foundation for his vision of adaptable, modular mechs.

As he ran the final simulation, watching the power and heat data stabilize, he realized he’d gained something invaluable: Pitt’s respect.

***

Sergeant Brody was midway through his meal in the chow hall, recounting a story to his buddies about the latest round of maintenance drills when his gaze drifted across the room. The sight made him stop mid-sentence, his fork frozen in the air. His eyes widened, his jaw-dropping just a bit.

“Holy hell…” he muttered, blinking to clear his vision.

One of the younger soldiers beside him frowned, glancing over. “What is it, Sarge?”

Brody pointed, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Look over there. Don’t make it obvious, but check out Pitt’s table.”

The men craned their necks subtly, peering over toward the corner where Kovacs was deep in conversation with none other than Pitt. She was leaning forward, nodding thoughtfully as Kovacs spoke, her expression almost… intrigued.

Another soldier, Anderson, choked on his drink. “Is she—she’s listening to him?”

“Not just listening,” Brody replied, his tone incredulous. “She’s giving him pointers, by the looks of it. I never thought I’d see the day Pitt willingly sat down with someone, let alone talked shop with them.”

A murmur of amazement spread through their group. Pitt was known for her no-nonsense attitude and fierce independence. The idea that she’d spend time listening to the kid—the quiet designer who spent half his days buried in schematics—was almost surreal.

“I mean, I thought she barely even tolerated Kovacs,” one of the men whispered, scratching his head. “Now look at her! Giving him advice like he’s a fellow tech.”

Brody shook his head slowly, a look of mock horror on his face. “Boys, this is how you know the end times are coming. When Pitt starts looking at Kovacs like he’s worth a damn… well, I don’t know what to think anymore.”

They all laughed, but there was a hint of admiration in their voices. Pitt didn’t give her respect easily, and if she’d taken to mentoring Kovacs—even in her gruff way—then maybe there was something more to the kid than they’d initially thought. The sight left Brody shaking his head, a grin creeping onto his face.

“Mark my words,” he muttered to the group, “if she’s helping him, that kid might just surprise us all.”