The chance of someone in the audience suffering a heart attack or something during the show was a very real possibility!
"You know, didn't the MTA attach a warning advisory to our mech design?" Gloriana questioned him. "She even told us in no certain terms that our Doom Guard shouldn't be utilized against unarmed civilians!"
Ves dismissively waved away her concerns. "It's okay. Master Willix specifically told us that our mech shouldn't be used to terrorize the population. I'm not planning to terrorize my guests. I'm merely giving them a taste of the potential of our product! How can I possibly sell my Doom Guards to them without demonstrating their power? As long as the Master doesn't say anything, it'll be fine!"
"It's your fault if anything goes wrong!"
Shortly after that, the time of the presentation was about to begin. A handful of makeup bots smoothed out his face, groomed his hair and straightened out his Larkinson Clan uniform.
He turned to Lucky. "You stay in the back with Clixie and Goldie."
"Meow."
He then turned to Gloriana and held out her hand. "Let's go."
"Alright." She smiled.
They both walked forward and entered the raised podium. The lights of the hall had already turned dark. Only a weak spotlight that generated plenty of shadows descended upon the two figures.
Despite the incredible number of important guests in the hall, Ves managed to retain his calm. He had already planned this show extensively and was confident that it would proceed smoothly. There was nothing to worry about as long as everything went according to plan.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. I am Ves Larkinson, the patriarch of the Larkinson Clan and the CEO and lead designer of the Living Mech Corporation."
"And I am Gloriana Wodin, Ves' girlfriend and his fellow lead designer!" His partner cheerfully announced!
"We have invited you here to experience a revolutionary new mech that both of us have recently designed." Ves continued. "It's successful development and realization represents both an evolution and a revolution of mech design. While I am sure that a handful of mech designers in the galaxy are able to achieve similar results, none of them are as effective as our upcoming product at its price level! What we have managed to achieve is something that goes beyond technology!"
Ves had to issue this statement because he had already done his research. In the entire galactic mech industry, there were indeed a subset of mechs that were able to induce fear or form a deterrent against other people.
The difference between those machines and the Doom Guard was that the former relied on various technological means such as ultrasonic waves or disorienting gravitic waves!
No matter what the alternate mech designs utilized, they either cost a lot or were easily countered.
These shortcomings did not apply to his Doom Guard!
This was why he was confident that his latest product was unequaled in terms of its role and its value proposition!
Of course, before Ves could proceed any further, he had to issue the obligatory safety warning. A devious grin emerged on his face. The large projections that emerged from the sides conveyed his amused visage to the entire hall!
"Before everyone of you has entered this hall, you should have received a warning. Let me tell you that it is actually issued by the MTA!"
This revelation caused a shock to run through the crowd! No one thought that the MTA itself would issue a rare cautionary remark!
Perhaps this was part of the reason why the MTA expressed interest in the unannounced mech design!
"The MTA issues a stern warning to any purchasers or users of our mech its many risks." Ves paraphrased, taking many liberties of its exact phrasing for dramatic effect! "Those who are faint of heart, suffer from certain physical ailments or are diagnosed with a range of mental disorders must not approach or pilot it at any costs. The consequences of exposure to my mech can lead to physical illness, psychological distress, the triggering of post-traumatic stress disorder, mental breakdowns and possibly even DEATH!"
That final word encapsulated the momentum of his message! The people in the audience who expected something more normal were quickly forced to revise their expectations.
From what they heard, this new mech might truly be something that matched all of the hype!
Ves grinned wider. "Each of you have been vetted thoroughly before being allowed inside. Since you have listened to this warning and signed your agreement in writing, you should all be healthy enough to survive this show. Don't say I didn't warn you! If for some reason you deceived our inspectors or have second thoughts, you can still depart this hall in time. The exit is at the back. I will give you a few minutes to contemplate your choice."
A bit of unrest and uncertainty ran through the ignorant attendants. Numerous macabre guesses bandied about, fueling the spark of fear in their minds!
This was exactly what he wanted to see! The best part of it was that Ves did not employ any spiritual manipulation to prime his audience!