The Spider Queen

Chapter 206: The Nutty Professor

(Zrudread University)

(St. Peter’s Engineering Facility – Mech Hangar)

The most well funded department in Zrudread University was definitely the mech controller class. 

Despite having the least number of students, the resources poured into the class was enough to make one’s head spin.

Mech controllers were a rarity and their value to the Imperial Army could not be understated. 

Zrudread University had the funds necessary to create a robust training program to prepare their students with a solid education.

Unfortunately, most prospective mech controllers would apply to Atlas University.

The number of mech controller students in a single year group tended to vary but the highest number was six.

Some years would even have no students registering in the mech controller class.

This was due to two main reasons.

The first being that students with the special physique and the mental force necessary to become a mech operator were a rarity.

The second reason was due to resources. 

While cultivation talent and mental force tests were given out to students across the Federation, testing for mech controller aptitude was done on a much smaller scale.

This was because special equipment that was quite expensive to maintain was needed to perform the mech operator test.

But still the government did their best with subsidies to make the fee relatively inexpensive.

It was just that given the fact that testing had to be done on an appointment basis made many families not bother to go through the troublesome application process.

Poor students who may have had the talent for controlling mechs may not have had the opportunity to reveal their talents.

But even though mech controllers were valued it did not mean that the pressure on them to maintain a standard of excellence was lessened.

Zrudread University was impartial in that regard and students who thought that their talents would make them indispensable were often given a rude awakening.

Cleo was currently standing in an enormous open hall with the other students of her class. 

The hall was built out of a silvery grey metalloid material that gleamed under the light.

The temperature was carefully regulated to not be too hot nor too cold and several robots could be seen performing cleaning tasks.

Rows upon rows of mechanical suits were lined up along the sides of the hall. 

This was the first-year area of St. Peter’s Engineering facility so the only mech models on display were from the Phantom, Trident, Ravager and Pioneer series.

Students were trained using these basic mechs in the first year and then would gradually come into contact with more complex models after the groundwork had been laid.

Not all mechs served the same function so it was important for students to get a feel for which type of mech suited them best.

For example, the Phantom series mechs were sleek, lightweight humanoid models that specialised in aerial combat and scouting.

This was in direct contrast to the mechs from the Ravager line that were built bulkier with a variety of heavy weapons.

These mechs traded maneuverability and speed for raw strength and firepower. 

Mechs such as these were built with frontline combat in mind.

“Cleo are you feeling okay? Are you feeling sick?” a voice came from Cleo’s side.

Cleo turned slowly to see an androgynous boy staring at her with an expression of concern. 

His facial features were plain but they seemed to shift slightly the more she looked at him.

“No… no… I…. cough cough…. I am feeling a bit cold,” Cleo stammered and tried not to show the embarrassment on her face.

The princess was currently wearing a light jacket over her bodysuit and a thick heavy scarf was around her neck.

It looked very out of place but what other choice did Cleo have!

Sophie had ravaged her so mercilessly during their night of passion that the princess woke up with love marks scattered all over her body.

Her neck especially had two very large hickeys!

And honestly after her body had been played with so roughly….

Cleo was surprised she could still walk!

“I did hear that a flu was going around the campus, but the health store has already made a vaccine,” a mendolesa girl named Elenora chimed in.

“Yeah, I’ll make sure to pick it up after the midterm exam,” Cleo smiled gently and lied with no change in expression.

“Man…. I just feel tired after cramming all that useless shit in my head last night,” the androgynous boy pursed his lips together and sighed lightly.

“I was so busy that I forgot to update my blog before class!”

Cleo wasn’t surprised to hear that her fellow classmate had spent the previous night cramming before the exam.

That was her original plan as well before she was distracted by an overly loving girlfriend.

But the princess was not worried as she had been studying the material throughout the semester and felt quite prepared.

“Drew why did you decide to switch genders today?” Elenora asked the androgynous boy curiously.

“Meh I just felt like trying something new,” came the casual reply.

Cleo listened to the two bickering cheerfully and could not stop the small trace of a smile from gracing her lips.

The mech controller class was especially tiny and apart from her, there were only two other students in the year.

Maybe it was due to the small nature of the class, but the trio had hit it off quite well. 

It was by no means a close friendship, but Cleo enjoyed chatting casually with them in class.

Elenora was a Mendolesa girl who planned on becoming a teacher after her doctorate degree while Drew was a Quafes who dreamed of rising up the ranks of the Imperial Army.

Drew would constantly switch between two different forms that were male and female, respectively.

But since both forms were very similar in appearance it was hard to tell which gender he/she chose for the day.

The students continued to chat and wait for the exam invigilators to appear when an enormous explosion occurred at the end of the hall.

Boom!

One of the mechs blew apart in an explosion of fiery destruction. 

Bleep! Bleep!

An alarm activated and a cold mechanical voice made an announcement over the intercom,

[Activating Safety Measures] 

The forcefield containment fields instantly activated to prevent the metal rubble from flying around the room.

“What the fuck?” Elenora gasped with a frightened expression.

The trio had been a significant distance away from the explosion and the barriers that had been deployed ensured that no debris even came close.

“Ahh man! Look’s like I miscalculated the back thrustors and accidently blew the whole damn thing up!” a maniacal laugh echoed through the empty hall.

A soot covered figure darkened from the explosion stumbled out with a twisted grin on his face.

He was a middle-aged man with wild untamed hair and a certain gleam in his eye that would make an observer think he was either a genius…

Or a madman.

“Professor Barrett? Didn’t the dean warn you not to modify the first year mechs?” Cleo spoke carefully.

“Did he?” the man stumbled slightly and swayed around as if he was drunk.

Cleo and the other two students exchanged looks with one another, but no one offered to go forward and help.

Professor Barrett was one of the first-year co-instructors, but his personality was well…. 

A bit eccentric to put it mildly.