[Unknown.]

"What? What do you mean by ‘unknown’?"

[This System belongs to User Tobias Wong. It does not know if Igor Maksimov is the owner of another System.]

"Didn’t you say the Systems were given to my father’s children? Don’t you know who they are?"

[No.]

“How do you recognize them then? Surely you have a list of people who are supposed to be the users of the System.”

[The Systems recognize the heir of the Mad Triple via their DNA. The individual name, gender, age, and race of the descendants does not matter to the Systems. This System is given to User Tobias Wong. It has no idea who the other Users are.]

"Can’t you contact the other Systems and ask? Don’t you have some way to do that?”

[This System is unable to communicate with the other Systems. The Systems are designed to operate independently.]

“Don’t you at least have some sort of central database to connect to?"

[No.]

“What if we, the children, want to contact each other? Can’t you help with that?”

[No. The Mad Triple believe that it would be safer for his children if they do not know each other. That is one of the reasons why he made sure all the Systems are able to function individually. However the Systems will not hinder the User if you want to contact each other. It is a choice that is strictly up to the User but please take note of the dangers.]

“Wonderful! I take it you would not know why my father is so afraid of his children contacting each other?”

[The System do know the thinking behind that.]

“You mean you finally has an answer to something?”

[The System has answers to many things. In this case, the Mad Triple is afraid that his children will seek each other out and kill each other.]

“Why…why would we do that?”

[The System is a very powerful invention. The Mad Triple was worried that his descendants would fight among themselves for the Systems.]

“Why…and how would we do that?”

[There are several possible scenarios where Users of Systems could come into conflict. These include, but not limited to, desire to possess the sole System in existence; to experiment on other Users in order to gain more understanding on how the Systems work; and stronger Users may force weaker Users to work for them.]

Okay, all these are good points. Maybe my father was right to worry. I can clearly see why he was, and I can’t say with certainty that he was wrong but…at the same time. I look at the profile of Maksimov again.

His career is too similar to mine. Even the timeline is about the same. Could he be my half-brother? I smile as the question play in my mind. They say curiosity kills the cat so what the hell. I need to know who Igor Maksimov is! Of course I can’t just call him and ask. This is not a question you can just ask over the phone.

“Perhaps a vacation to Mars is in order.”

My smile grew wider and I check on the System again. This is a question for later and right now I need to focus. The reward given was kind of unexpected but it is really secondary to the new mission the System gave me. I still has an outstanding mission to design a Grade 1 Battlesuit but more missions mean more rewards so I happily selected the ‘Mission’ tab.

Mission: Enter a public exhibition/competition

Congratulations on successfully designing and creating your first Battlesuit but please take note that in the modern age, the field of design is huge. You are not the only designer in the world, much less in the Solar System. You are not an island and need to constantly test yourself against other designers to improve. Enter a public exhibition or competition to see how well you stack up against other designers.

Note: Reward will be performance based.

This is new and very welcomed. The reward being performance based is a little iffy but at the same time that means it could be good if I do well. I did a quick search on the Solar net for any upcoming technology competitions or exhibitions in the next couple of months. Then I narrow it down to events held within SEAL. As the SEAL isn’t exactly a noted power in the field of research and development, the list isn’t huge. I look through the available ones slowly.

I was looking for the right event that allows two things; Battlesuits and one that isn’t too fancy. I do not want to enter an event that would attract all the top Battlesuit designers as the mission state that the reward will be performance based. I know my worth. Although I had some success, I would be slaughtered if pitted against the top Battlesuit designers. The smart thing for me to do is to enter a small event that most of the top designers will overlook. Lower competition means better performance which equals greater reward! I don’t think my father intended this when he set the mission it but if I need to game the System to get a better reward, then I shall.

After some study, I settle on The SCR Festival. SCR stands for Steam, Clockwork and Rocket Power, and the festival is a nostalgia exhibition of old technology that’s being held in Bangkok. It was a good fit with my skills in Steam and Clockwork technology. Better yet, I could fulfill all my outstanding missions and then some with this.

The festival has a competition that requires designers to showcase a new design using only old technology. I already has an outstanding mission to design a Grade 1 Battlesuit and if history is any indication, the System will require me to build the Grade 1 Battlesuit after designing it. So I can design a Grade 1 mission, build it, and then use the new Battlesuit to enter the competition. Three missions down right there!

I was looking at the entrance requirements when I received a call. I activate my cybernetics and saw that it was Jaya. I had named my latest Battlesuit, The Decimator, and send it to the SOFS for verification. Jaya had an issue with the name but I thought the name was pretty fitting. Once my variant hits you, it’s over. I was so confident that it will pass verification that I left everything to Jaya and decided not to be present for the confirmation. I pick up the call.

“Hey Jaya, calling to tell me the good news?”

“Well, not exactly.”

“Uh? Something went wrong?” I was surprised as the System had already gave me the reward!

“Not really. I have good news, bad news, and something in-between. What do you want to hear this first?”