Kaneko Industries was at it again.

With the SHOGUN project reaching it's completion, the charismatic leader of Kaneko industries was preparing to reveal it to the public, shareholders, and military officials. It has been widely talked about within political circles, military groups, and over concerned citizens that were almost all in the dark as to what exactly the SHOGUN was. It had been touted as the most advanced weapon to join the ranks of equipment used by the JSDF and instrumental in future operations. There were those who were concerned that new weapons meant martial law and the worst for Japan. Others were excited at the prospect of new technology improving the status quo of the JSDF, which had remained strangely stagnant in the Obelisk Era.

Military officials were generally annoyed that the president had decided to outsource a new project to the lowest bidder. They felt that the JSDF alone should be creating the tools of defense and war needed in this day and age, and that Director Matou and his Engineering staff were doing the best they could to find new ways to combat the complexity of covenant supernatural abilities.

Jun Kaneko himself could be seen speaking with a number of his engineers near a stage that was setup for the presentation. Prime Minister Adoji Ito, along with General Masuou and Director Matou, among others would be present for the unveiling, along with others. There was a large structure surrounded by armed guards and black cloth, forming an opaque shroud that concealed what was behind the curtain. Even the entry point had extensive security to the teams making the last check on the SHOGUN before it's grand unveiling. The news staff would watch with anticipation, making speculations and questions to their respective viewers and broadcasts. The unveiling was scheduled to begin within the next 15-20 minutes.

Taika was surprised about the amount of secrecy about SHOGUN. Typically, before something so grand is unveiled, you get a few hints. Complete silence about a project was rare. Nope… quiet.

This seemed like such a grandiose unveiling. She wonders how hilarious it would be if SHOGUN was a flop, but probably not with the amount of resources getting funneled into it. Part of her hoped it would be though. Meant more funding going to JSDF than private companies. More funding meant more projects would get passed through. Admittedly, it was a selfish thought, but she was pretty honest about her being somewhat of a selfish person.

She still had another 15-20 minutes. She stands toward the back of auditorium to watch the many reporters interview civilians. It brought her some amount of amusement to listen to wild speculations.

Ashley was curious to see what this SHOGUN project was going to be like. Since a lot of people were there, with excitement to see something that could take on the Covenant. He had a valued intrest on what this thing could be, although at the same time was just frustrated that someone outside the military was making weapons while they were struggling against there director to pass anything that would be remotely valuable. If looks could kill, Ash had it in spades since the director had now become a thorn in his side. For now it was best to just try and relax and focus on what the weapon could be. He was now standing next to Taika watching the media twitter and chatter. "I hope that this thing fails as soon as it starts. It pisses me off that we are struggling to get something produced. And these guys have it easier to get things through" he said having a bit of distain for the project a bit. Even though nothing was shown for it yet or anything, just a name.

"I should not be complaining but it confounds me its like this" he said again and wondered if there was some sort of conspiracy going on. As Ashley was starting to question the status quo with the military. This made him frown as he was losing faith with the military in general? Perhaps he was or it was just his frustrations on the matter.

"I assure you that my project will serve the JSDF well." a voice says nearby the two scientists. Kaneko himself was lingering nearby, having had a brief meeting with one of his chiefs of staff. The blue haired man couldn't help but overhear Ashley's remark about 'failing as soon as it starts'. His expression sharpens, as his quiet, confident grin remained in place.

"The JSDF has had eight years to develop something new. I have accomplished the next large leap forward in much less time. I don't blame them though: government bureacracy is always a pain to work through normally, and I believe you have Narcissus himself as the boss, yes?" he says referring to the myth of the man who was too in love with himself to respond to the world around him.

"Private industry moves faster: my people are motivated, well compensated, and don't have to deal with unrealistic expectations. This coupled with Kaneko Industries' culture allows us to produce astonishing results." he says, then turning to where a member of his staff was making for his attention.

"The future is now my friends. The next project is already in the design phase as we speak and will develop at a much quicker pace due to the SHOGUN being a base." he says, before turning to walk away from the scientific pair. A few reporters pick up on his presence and try to pursue him, but Kaneko quietly declines to answer for the moment, urging them their questions will be answered soon.

Kaneko seemed to be eavesdropping on their conversation. “With the amount funding you got thrown at you, it damn well better,” Taika replies. “And you only built upon the labors of your predecessors… I’d like to remind you that some of the initial research for this project came from people working at the JSDF. So don’t act so damn cocky.”

She can't stand someone belittle the accomplishments of the JSDF and her coworkers. It's not like they hadn't made some good progress in some areas. Just not enough. It was never enough. “Private industry is fast, yes. But faster isn’t better. More prone to fuck-ups. With such little time, can you assure that this work has been adequately tested? I mean, it’s not like you told anyone what this thing is, let alone see safety testing results.”

"It's clear that you have been shown some favoritism, being able to skirt all kinds of rules about transparency. And it doesn't even piss anyone off, they just keep funding all your work. Under the same circumstances, the work at the JSDF would have progressed just as well."

As Kaneko walks away, Taika glares at him. If looks could kill, that man would have died a thousand times over. She looks at Ash, “God, I hate that guy…”

Ashley had not expected the main CEO to come out and give him a verbal blow to the gut like that. As he was about to say something Taika had decided to give the man a piece of her own mind. "A very nice rebuttal there Kaneko-san, and I can agree with those points. Especialy with the Director that we have. Although I am sure that you made a few under the table deals with the military. As I am sure that's how business works for the majority of corperations to get on top and trample the competion" he said a tad coldly as the man had a bit of a ego as he was a man. Although Kaneko's smile was very unnerving to him for some reason.

"So I can not refute with what your doing is going to help with the Covenant. But I do worry as I use to be a soldier, if that piece of equipment can be trusted. As whatever this thing is, if it fails or bombs your going to have a lot of distrust. Plus your credibility will go into the shitter and you might not dig yourself out of it. So don't think you have any expectations to live up to, so go on and have your fun in the spotlight" said Ashley as he just gave his own piece of his mind. Once Kaneko went out of ear shot he turned to Taika. He agreed with her on how she felt as this man's ego was way too high. More so then his director in a different direction or similar, as he could not really tell.

"Agreed, something about him unsettles me greatly. Its that ego of his and I don't think anyone can deflate it. Plus its that smile of his that just gives me the creeps" he said and just watched the man go off and play kissy face with the news media.

In due time, a staff representative would make motions and gesture for the various media types to calm down and assemble in the media rows. When it was quieted and settled, Jun took the stage. He looked crisp and fresh with his tailored suit and immaculate hair. His sharp blue eyes took in the crowd all at once, and seemed to have a hypnotic allure to them. Standing behind a podium with the emblem for Kaneko Industries, a sun rising behind the Earth, he takes a deep breath as he begins his presentation.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. To the members of the press, and to the various representatives and associates with the Japanese Government and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Today is a grand unveiling of the project we have been tasked with for some time, at the behest of the esteemed Prime Minister Adoji Ito and the honorable General Masuou." he says, bowing his head slightly in their direction, before looking back at the crowds.

"I was approached some time ago by these gentlemen, tasked with the important job of creating a new tool to augment the defensive capabilities of the military to protect Japan and her shores. It is a common knowledge that we as humanity face an enemy that is unlike any before. It is by fortune, determination, and great sacrifice of the members of the JSDF and other organizations that have kept our timeless homeland safe. The head researchers of the JSDF had been stretched thin with other projects, and there is a persistent need to be on the cutting edge." he says, as he then gestures toward a projection screen.

"Over the course of several discussions, we came to a conclusion that the weakest link in the military hardware lineup is the armor. Traditional armored vehicles use heavy metal treads to traverse at acceptable speeds, which on a perpetually icy world creates a problem. How can a heavy attack be fended off with armor that cannot control their trajectory with precision. Further, against large Class IV entities, the lumbering tank finds itself an easy target." he says, showing a footage of a tank struggling to operate in the icy weather, falling off a narrow road down a hill, a tank falling into a deceptively deep snowbank, and a tank engaged by a large Covenant monster quickly being dismantled before the footage cutting off.

"It is a fact that a development, a change must be made. I have looked at the fundamental problem of mobility, and a number of solutions were analyzed and considered. In the end, it was decided that a new, unprecedented platform would be designed..." he says as the curtains would be drawn back and reveal a large machine...a sixteen foot high structure that looked to be a humanoid mech.

Image

"Meet the SHOGUN. A walking, heavy armor unit capable of fulfilling any and all roles needed of it on the battlefield. The SHOGUN unit is piloted by a single soldier, able to nimbly move about the battlefield with the thrusters in the legs and midsection, along with a mechanical ground speed of sixty miles per hour with the legs unassisted. The SHOGUN's armament is dynamic and able to be modified rapidly in the field as needed. The SHOGUN is also capable of assisting with field base work and nearly any conceivable task." he says as he then walks toward the machine, carrying the mic in hand with a charismatic smile.

"The SHOGUN can operate in the field for up to two weeks without refueling due to the revolutionary Helix Engine. While the specifics are a company intellectual property, the Helix is designed to be a 97.5% efficient system providing remarkable results with minimal wasted energy. The armor of the SHOGUN can withstand tremendous impact, emerging from bomb strikes with minimal damage and full operating capacity." he says as footage turns to a very quick looking SHOGUN machine darting around a testing area then standing in a blasting zone where large explosions go off, along with artillery turret fire, leaving the machine entirely intact and operational.

"The SHOGUN represents the future of mobile armor, providing a dynamic and flexible solution for militaries and commanders seeking an advantage in the battlefield. It can function on any terrain, and fulfill any role as needed by armament." he says as he pauses, takes a sip of water from a water bottle on a nearby platform, and then faces the crowd again.

"The SHOGUN was named to reflect the historical strength of the brave warriors of Japan's past who kept order and strength in the country. It is a nod to our proud past and our culture, of a spirit that had been lost in the modern era. This new marvel of technology will only lead to even greater achievements and new technology that will be used to protect our people and our interests." he says, pausing and concluding the initial speech. A booming round of applause would go out from the audience, as Jun smiles and waits for it to settle back down.

"Now, I will take any questions that you may have." he says calmly, his piercing blue eyes staring out at the audience.

With the man’s cocky attitude, Taika expected a little more from Jun. She wouldn’t lie to herself; it was an impressive bit of engineering, but far from being the solution to this war. The way she saw it the government had high hopes for him and he failed to deliver.

All this seemed very theatrical. The drawn curtain and then the grand reveal. The shiny metal suit standing proud with Jun, speaking proudly of his new design. What a waste of money… Couldn’t the government fund something else other than a teenage boy’s fantasy? However, the round of applause from the audience surprises her. Evidently, they were too blinded by the fancy bells and whistles to see it was basically a shinier version of a failing model of how to conduct warfare.

Naturally, when it comes time for questions, she stands up. “First, thank you, Mr. Kaneko for the presentation. I did have a number of questions however.” A mischievous smile crosses her face. Now where to start poking holes in everything. “The first one being that while the machine has the ability to stand against a small warhead, different things are often encountered in the field. The enemy uses different means to attack our soldiers at war, so what is the purpose of testing it against our own methods. It’s an effective tool if we were, say, fighting our own people, but will it actually stand against the enemy? Second, does this expand upon current offensive technologies? One of the major problems is the relative ineffectiveness of the current ones. However, if this has comparative firepower to a tank, but with greater maneuverability, I fail to see how it would be that good of an asset. Third, fourth, and fifth involve the lack of transparency about this whole project. How safe has this proven to be for use? How many trials have been run? And what exactly is the Helix Engine? I do not see how we can trust equipment with our soldiers when we are not allowed to know their parts or how they work.”

Ashley was infuriated at the fact that Matou was this dense to let this go through. If the guys at the lab did not have to deal with his bull crap they could have made something even better then that. As the saying went if looks could kill then a pinkypie would be dead and six feet under. Then his eyes then went on Jun as his smug attitude was more then a slap to the face of the guys in the lab. Although at the same time he wanted to know how the machine worked or even what the Helix Engine used as a power source for that matter. He wanted one of those machines to desect and see what made it tick. But at the moment he wanted to fling some poo at Jun's face.

Although it seemed that Taika had already started the assault on Jun. A small grin was on Ashley's face and she had the same thoughts as himself. "I agree with her on this as it does seem to be only good against conventional means. This thing would do very poorly against a smaller swarm like enemy. A machine like that could not react fast enough to deal with something that could crawl on to its back. And then wreak havoc on the machine. Even then what about mental attacks on the pilot"he said voicing his own opinion on the matter on the machine. There were things that made all of it feel very off on the machine.

As Jun takes the first few questions, he smiles confidently as always as he looks to a control panel and begins to type in several videos showing a Shogun unit being sprayed by chemical fires, acid, large bursts of electricity, and having had boulders launched at it. A video of corrosive substance that melts other metal structures easily while leaving the Shogun mildly damaged at best.

"We have analyzed all available data for attacks that Covenant creatures produce and have come up with an alloy and a number of systems that minimize damage from non-conventional attacks such as fire, acid, and electricity. Of course, damage will occur if in battle long enough, but the SHOGUN is as well geared as it can possibly be for those battlefield conditions. As more data comes in, we will create upgrades and modifications to further improve the unit's defenses. Upgrades that I might add are part of the contract with the Japanese Government and no additional charge. The SHOGUN is far and above more capable of defending itself against such attacks than conventional rolling armor" he says as he then approaches the second question about offensive output.

"The primary problem of original weaponry is it's destructive output is limited by factors such as the amount of energy that can be contained within a shell from say a tank. A reason artillery have become commonplace on many Covenant battles is that higher delivery power can be attained through the more specialized but far less mobile equipment. The SHOGUN weapon systems that can be equipped will contain far more power due to the SHOGUN platform's greater energy and mechanical strength to use them. While I can't go into specifics, even a lightly armed SHOGUN will have four times the firepower as the most advanced conventional tanks. Future weaponry will only be more effective. Also, the SHOGUN can take advantageous positions like cliff ledges or hills and rain destruction down on enemies below and inbound."

When Taika brings up safety concerns and trials, Jun can't help but to chuckle a little.

"The SHOGUN is by far the most tested product my company has produced, many tests designed and requested by General Masuou himself. The unit has been designed to be as safe as it possibly can be, and the cockpit of the unit is designed to make impacts to the unit have as little noticeable effect for both combat concentration effectiveness and safety. The Helix Engine I am not at liberty to discuss due to contracts and agreements with the government along with classification rankings, but those high enough in the appropriate command chains are aware of what it is and how it works along with having assigned engineers to be trained on how to maintain the system. Let me assure you though, the Helix Engine is designed to be completely practical and safe, with every precaution taken to prevent malfunction incidents." he says. When Ashley stood up and asked his own questions, Jun turned to him with the same confident smile.

"The Shogun has a number of options to defend itself against a large number of swarming enemies. There are in fact four different inbuilt weapons options that can be used, equipped, and installed as needed by command. It is also known to me that support units such as light vehicles and infantry will also often be used with the SHOGUN, since this is a machine meant for a large scale battlefield and not like a replacement for a police vehicle in the city. This is meant as an anti-invasion weapon along with an offensive platform." he says, then nodding at the concern of mental attacks.

"We have designed a helmet that is to be used with the SHOGUN Pilot that is supposed to be able to minimize outside interference due to the interaction of Covenant Mental Attacks and their influence on brain waves. That said, there is not currently a perfect defense for a mental attack, though I have a team working on it. The SHOGUN is designed with a remote 'compromise' system meant to be used if the pilot is killed or mind controlled or any other situation. It is a reality of war that this scenario can occur, and command can have the unit shut down as needed. This issue is not exclusively a problem with the SHOGUN, but something that we have to find a counter for as a race. While Kaneko Biotechnology would be more than happy to explore the counter-solution to that particular attack method, we would require research and data that the Japanese Military Science group has and that we have no access to at this time." he says calmly, with another round of applause approval at the conclusion of those questions along with what others thought to be satisfactory answers.

On the edge of the audience, Prime Minister Adoji Ito and General Masuou talk among themselves out of earshot of the two researchers, while Dr. Matou seemed anxious at the subject they were speaking of.

Taika frowns. All his answers were sort of fake answers, and it’s clear to her that he wanted to put on a show more than anything else. “The videos are nice, but I’d like to hear some data. How much voltage and kelvin can it withstand? What pH on both the acidic and basic ends? Does it have a filter unit and how long can it last? Up to what size particles can it filter out if it is equipped with such a unit?”

She senses something wrong when Jun keeps saying he can’t go into details. Everything she did had to be fully explained, and the data needed to be presented in front of numerous committees. Assuming she wasn’t working on something not for the public’s eyes, everything she did was published in journals and free for anyone to read. So while Jun did his public unveiling, he didn’t actually have to explain squat! For some reason, Jun was given a free pass. She couldn’t understand this at all. It all seemed too surreal. She wasn’t even asking for exact specifications, so he was allowed his trade secrets. She just wanted an overview and to see the safety trials. That should have been free knowledge to everyone. She looks more and more suspicious as he keeps talking.

She sits down as the applause go. She speaks quietly to her research partner, “Hey, Ash. Do you get the feeling that something is weird too? Or is that just me? I have that strange feeling that I’m in a dream world, and reality stopped making sense. I have to record everything I do, and this guy doesn't have to explain anything at public unveiling."

She looks at the time. By the time she left, it would be socially acceptable to drink something hard and be depressed about the state of the world around here.

Ashley frowned as Jun was slapping there questions away like they were flies. The man had prepared for everything in this case with the questions they had asked. He silently thinks things over on Jun as the man had somekind of foresight that was just uncanny. This did not set well with him and made ash think on what he needed to do on stepping up his game. With the materials he had with the crystal, he could make a normal sized person have that much firepower and possibly armor equal to the shogun. The problem was though, how was he going to deal with the Director since the man would do anything in his power to shut down his projects. Knowing this man's pull and almost no sense of morels and a massive power trip. He could have him wacked off or do something to his sister.

"Agreed, this man's foresight is rather amazing, its hard to read him. As he has the ultimate pokerface. Your not the only one, he can get away with it since he has the pocketbook for it. But there must be something else here. Look at Pinkypie.....Something big is about to drop. I fear what it could be though" said Ashley as subtlely motions with his head for Taika to look at there Director. Something all around felt wrong about all of this as well, so he tried to keep himself rather calm.

"This is absurd! I will not stand for this!" a voice familiar to both Taika and Ashley would call out. The flamboyantly haired director of science stands up and makes a quick departure while General Masuou and Prime Minister Adoji Ito just watch. Ito seemed almost amused while Masuou's expression was more along the lines of 'extremely annoyed'. Dr. Matou makes his way to the rear of the assembly and moves to leave unless one of the other two scientists go after him.

General Masuou and Prime Minister Adoji Ito seemed to discuss something among themselves, out of earshot of Taika and Ashley. Meanwhile, Jun on stage continued to entertain the reporters and officials with a variety of questions such as a deployment timeline, the length of time required to build the machine, and future projects. While he hadn't mentioned any specifics about future projects other than the fact they will take advantage of the power surplus that the Helix Engine produces without sacrificing any main performance. Apparently Kaneko Industries has also set up a factory designed for creating the Shogun units, capable of initially building six full units per day, with a promise to increase production as the facility expands and develops, which many people considered impressive murmuring in the crowd in response.

Details such as the financial arrangement with the military and estimates on how many units the Government plans to acquire weren't answered under the need of confidentiality. After twenty minutes have passed, Kaneko stands up and looks at the crowd, making some obvious gestures of closing.

"Thank you everyone for your time today. Kaneko industries will continue to remain the top level for technological advancement and development and I look forward to showing you all what we have in the future." he says, doing a respectful Japanese bow and then making his way off stage.

Taika raises an eye as the flamingo makes his exit. “Wow… maybe I’m losing it. Are we in agreement with Flamingo about this being insane?” She looks back at Jun on stage. Had she misjudged him and this project? She ponders on that point for a few moments before deciding the answer was no.

Her expression goes to bored as the questions go on. Things about deployment and production were things she could care less about. After a while, she just stops paying attention. She looks to Ash, “You’re in R&D. Any ideas to what the Helix Engine is?” She leans back in the chair and smiles to herself, “What I wouldn’t give to know what it was… If only just to brag a little.”

"Agreed......that was a bit over the top. Even for his drama queen self" said Ashley as he sees the director walk off in a huff. He then ponders over the factory that was making the units. In his mind though Ashley saw that the place would be going under in the near future. There was a slight grin on his face as he was going to get the last laugh sooner or later. "The Engine might be some kind of reactor core to power a machine like that or some kind of high powered energy cell. It could be fuel powered, like the mechs in that one anime series.....I think it was called Full Metal Panic. But most mechs have to run under a energy reactor core to power themselves. Just due to the amount of power that the suit would have to draw for movement and all of the control systems. That's my guess....but why Helix though...that's more of a term with DNA.....or.....could it be perpetual motion of a helix" he said musing while answering Taika's question. He gets up and looked at Taika with a slight amused look on his face.

"Perhaps if we can catch up to the director, we could find out whats caused him to have a diva syndrome attack" he said with a laugh. Since the man left in a very loud huff and strutted himself out the door trying to cause some kind of commotion. "Or we could try and see if we could get the answer from the general" he said to her. Giving her the option of what to do on this.