Chapter 6877 Superdimensional Dunce Ves and Beatrice did not achieve a lot of progress on developing the Superdimensional Regalia. They became hampered by their lack of understanding of superdimensional matter. It did not help that they chose to work on the most difficult weapon-grade superdimensional matter either. Its properties were exceptional, but that amplified the difficulty of trying to transform it into a more usable form. They needed to gain new understanding, insights, instruments and experience. Many other people had fallen into the same boat. Those that managed to walk ahead of the rest jealously guarded their exclusive secrets in order to maintain a competitive edge. Ves felt frustrated by that kind of behavior even though he would have done the exact same thing if he was in their place. Superdimensional tech had become the new technological frontier of both humans and aliens. Nobody wanted to spread their secrets easily, especially to the other side. While Ves could count on his good relations with the Red Three and the first-rate colonial superstates to gain free access to the less critical secrets, it was a dream for him to obtain access to cutting-edge technology. The respective powers were not stupid. They most definitely refused to entertain the idea of sharing their most powerful insights and applications of superdimensional tech. Ves grew annoyed with tribalism in an age where unity was needed more than ever. While the different groups did exhibit signs of greater cooperation in a handful of areas, they staunchly refused to share knowledge and material aid with each other in other areas. For better or worse, internal strife had always been a part of the human race. The continued existence of a group as old and absurd as the Cosmopolitan Movement proved how extreme these divisions could become. Internal competition drove red humanity to excellence. Although it drove a lot of people to act selfishly, many of their accomplishments went on to advance the development of human civilizations. This was why tribalism continued to remain a fixture among humans. It was not only a universal instinct that could be found in practically any race, sapient or not, but also drove a race and civilization to greater heights. But only if it was controlled to a certain degree. Too much tribalism and factionalism could fracture a civilization and cause people to turn against each other when it was clearly detrimental to their race as a whole. Ves was not sure whether this also encompassed the ingrained habit among researchers and developers to keep their more valuable secrets of superdimensional technology to themselves. When he shared his views on the limited knowledge sharing to Alexa Streon, she crossed her arms in response. "You sound jealous." She replied. "You are upset because you are not the pioneer, the innovator or the trendsetter this time. While our clan has earned credit for introducing superdimensional matter to red humanity, we are by far the worst at deciphering superdimensional theory and developing strong applications of this new type of material. You are not accustomed to being put on the backfoot of a rising trend. You must be seething inside your brain." Ves looked at his direct disciple. The former Terran smirked as if she derived joy out of his perceived suffering. "Whose side are you on, Alexa?" "I am on the side of truth." The woman spoke in a calm but judgmental tone. "Since I joined the Larkinson Clan in order to study and build upon your work, I have an obligation to do what is best for the Larkinsons, and not your ego. I stand by my statement. You are pushed to an uncomfortable position because you already recognize in your heart that you are unlikely to become a leader in this new and exotic field." As much as he wanted to deny it, her words indeed rang with truth. The Larkinson Clan did pretty well during the Phasewater Generation. The expeditionary fleet's many exploits during this oft-remembered period yielded plenty of phasewater, enabling the Larkinsons to design and produce plenty of transphasic mechs. The Larkinsons partially owned the Hyper Generation. The onset of systematic cultivation and the possibilities opened up by hyper materials made him feel right at home. His living mechs became stronger and more relevant than ever before. Although it was way too premature to announce the start of the Superdimensional Generation, the big players that had lots of R&D institutions at their disposal were already beginning to build up their own leads in superdimensional tech. The Larkinson Clan had no hope of matching their progress. It lacked the quantity and quality of scientists and other specialists that could systematically build up institutional knowledge in this broad and incredibly relevant field. While Ves and his clan also suffered from the same problem when it came to phasewater technology and hyper technology, they managed to get ahead by relying on individual brilliance. That probably would not work this time. Ves had studied the samples of superdimensional matter many times in the past week. Try as he might, he felt no inherent affinity with them. Not even his advantages as a phase lord granted him a deeper insight into the nature or the uses of superdimensional matter. Phasewater clearly possessed more than a few similarities to solid superdimensional matter, but they behaved so differently that Ves could apply the same set of rules to both at the same time. He had to build up his comprehension of superdimensional matter from scratch. From there, he could either wait for the other major players to throw their outdated and shallow scraps to the public, or he could try to go his own way and innovate in this field. The latter solution was what he relied upon to gain an advantage in hyper technology, but this time Ves did not think it would be so easy to replicate his earlier success. He let out a resigned breath. "You are right, Alexa. I am good in some fields, but not in others. I know my strengths and weaknesses well enough to understand that materials science is not my forte. In fact, none of the lead designers in our clan has high attainments in this field, including Gloriana. They are not predisposed to make rapid progress in superdimensional theory." "Since you understand our problem, the solution should be obvious." Ves thought for a few seconds before he understood what she was getting at. "You are proposing to hire a specialist in metallurgy or materials science?" "Why not? That has worked out well enough for our clan in the past. If we cannot adequately master a branch of science and technology with our current personnel, then we must expand it by recruiting those that can cover our shortcomings." "Well, the problem with that proposal is that I am sure that the Red Three, the first-rate colonial superstates and pretty much every other major power has made similar realizations. It will be difficult to recruit people with the right expertise." Alexa explained. She was right. The best scientists and engineers had already been swept from the job market. The ones left probably did not possess the qualifications to develop new and unique applications of superdimensional tech. Ves continued to frown as he tried to think of anyone he knew that could fit his requirements. He suddenly came across a name that might just do the trick! "Wait! I know a guy who may be able to help us out in a meaningful fashion! He's an old friend who goes back a long way." "Who do you have in mind? Are you confident in your ability to recruit him to your cause?" "Tristan Wesseling is the direct disciple of Master Meredith Katzenberg. The Fridayman Master still resides in the old galaxy. She specializes in materials science, and has passed on much of her teachings to her former student. Tristan may have chosen to apply his knowledge in a different way, but I am sure that the attraction of working with superdimensional matter is strong. That said, I am not too confident that I will be able to pull him into our clan." That disappointed Alexa. "Why would your friend not want to join your clan and work on your behalf? Is it another ego problem?" "Probably. Tristan Wesseling and I had similar enough starting points that we often compare our successes against each other. It goes without saying that I have gained a huge advantage in this race. Whether it is out of stubbornness of self-esteem, Tristan has always rejected my earnest invitation to join my clan and work in the Design Department. He has thrown his lot with Davute instead. In hindsight, this is not a good choice." "Davute is under siege." Alexa mentioned. "The side branch on that planet has already evacuated all non-essential clansmen. It remains unclear whether the defenders may be able to hold onto the capital planet, but the chances are great that it will fall to the aliens sooner or later. If Tristan has lost all of his fixed assets on Davute, then that will put him in a more vulnerable position than before. Your chances of recruiting him should be significantly higher." In other words, Ves should pounce on the opportunity! He decided not to proceed with this argument any further and instead decided to call the former Fridayman Journeyman Mech Designer directly. "Ves." Tristan's physical projection showed genuine confusion. "I did not expect you to contact me directly. Our careers have diverged from each other. I no longer belong to the same circle as yours." "You shouldn't undersell yourself, Tristan. Mech designers might not be able to make a lot of accomplishments in their early years, but as long as they improve, they will get better eventually." "None of us have time to improve." Tristan sighed. "If we are not geniuses, then we have already fallen behind. Thoroughly." Ves shook his head in rejection. "I don't quite agree with that, but let's not drag out this debate. Tristan, the reason why I called you directly is because I need your help. Your company in Davute will clearly lose its roots once the native aliens have conquered it with difficulty. Would you like to join our clan? You can bring as many of your employees and so on if you wish, but you will all have to earn your keep." The Journeyman Mech Designer began to think why Ves was so much more enthused about recruiting him. He soon figured out the answer. "You want my help in deciphering and finding new uses for superdimensional matter. Why me? Why not others?" "People like me would rather work with people I can trust rather than those who are merely competent." Ves responded. "Another reason is that the mechers, fleeters and so on have all preemptively recruited those who can actually be of significant use to their research. Have you received any offers?" "I did, but not that many. My career so far is not as impressive as yours. My specialization is also more divorced from metallurgy and materials science. Most people who review my record will not easily come to the conclusion that I am well predisposed to study superdimensional matter." "Are these people right, or is there more to you than meets the eye?" Tristan Wesseling shrugged. "I honestly cannot tell. I have no contact with superdimensional matter, and what little I can find on the galactic net hardly teaches me anything useful. Personally, I think I may be able to quickly understand superdimensional matter and a number of possible uses, but I have no proof to back up my assertions." "I can give you what you need to get started." Ves seriously offered. "We have plenty of superdimensional matter in storage. We also have access to information channels that can teach you more about developments in this rapidly growing field. You only have to agree to join our clan." "I… need to think about it, Ves." Tristan Wesseling did not immediately accept the offer, though he did not immediately reject it either.