"As you are aware," started the pristine Calypso representative, "Calypso Industries is currently restructuring and reexamining its investment strategy. To this end we have begun liquidation of various assets. You have been invited here by Calypso Industries as you represent a small fraction of corporations that have the means and the budget to field war machines on the scale of mechs."

The representative paused, scanning the auditorium filled with suits: executives, marketing gurus, finance heavy-hitters, and mech pilots from the top ten largest corporations on the planet.

"The asset we will be exploring today is a result of Calypso's cutting edge mech R&D team. The asset in question is an experienced pilot and mech pair, named 'Seven' and 'Overkill' respectively."

Some of the pilots scoffed at the name. The marketing people took notes.

"The mech in question utilizes experimental Calypso tech, particularly in its mech and AI cores, neural interface, and synthetic synapse bypass system. However, with the advent of the latest generation of mech technology, evolution took a different direction, rendering this experimental technology a dead-end. The sixteen-year project development was brought to a halt six months ago."

One of the Akira Global representatives interrupted, "Why was this project, this mech, written off as a dead-end?"

"Ten thousand potential candidates were identified. One thousand were deemed to be potential mech pilots. Seventy made it through training. Twenty were assigned to the project, but only this pilot survived. The toll the experimental system takes on pilots is extreme, and the performance improvements were deemed negligible compared to the cost and unpredictability of pilot compatibility," responded the Calypso representative.

She continued, "Over the course of the coming days and weeks, you will be able to interview the pilot, view the mech, and witness its abilities being demonstrated and tested. I am certain we will meet or exceed all expectations. If I may direct your attention to the desk in front of you, the packet provided details the service history of the asset as comprehensively as possible."

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There was a rustling sound as pages were turned. One man near Alessia muttered, "Paper? How quaint." She picked up her own packet, the size of a novel, and flipped through it, her eyebrows steadily rising as she read. She didn't know what to make of this.

"Is this a joke?" a rough-voiced pilot broke the silence, "This is worthless, almost every word is blacked out, and why paper anyway?"

Fiona, the Calypso representative smiled a smirked at a question they had anticipated, "As an experimental asset that no one had any knowledge of, the asset undertook many classified missions and tests. A less redacted version will be provided upon purchase. However, I believe you will find the two-page summary to be insightful enough for now."

Alessia flipped back to the summary and read it. It was a combination of gushing praise and professional recommendations from a number of personnel who had worked with "Seven", capped with a short stats sheet that simply read: Missions successful - 71

Missions failed - 0

Times downed - 0

Targets eliminated - _

The final number was redacted.

Impressive.

"All records of this asset's assignments were kept on paper to avoid any digital leaks. I'm sure many of you can sympathize with this," the representative added.

"I'm sure you have many questions, and we will answer all of them over the coming days. First, let me answer the biggest one. How much?" The finance teams leaned forward, "The asking price is set at twelve billion."

There was a moment of silence before the representative of Hermes Components said what everyone was thinking "You're kidding."

"I assure you, we are quite serious. The asset in question is proven to be a match for top-class mechs and pilots. The tech is experimental but proven, and Calypso is more than willing to provide components should any require repair or replacement, for a fee."

There was a lot of deliberation before some groups made their excuses or apologies and began to make their exit. Calypso had invited the big corporations, and they had come, but corporations of this size were not just one brand or branch, and at this stage many of those who were smaller or not in a serious position bowed out at such an overwhelming figure. A normal mech cost close to a billion. The pilot would add onto that considerably but with a figure like that, Calypso was saying this pair were worth ten average mech pairs.

Once more than half the representatives had left, Alessia glanced around. None of the mech pilots had left, and many were looking bored or unimpressed. Some of the remaining people looked on the verge of heart attack, probably the finance people.

After the last person filed out, the Calypso representative continued. "With that out of the way for now, the next item on the agenda is an introduction to our pilot. He's been here all along, haven't you Seven?"