The crowd buzzed with anticipation in Titanium Park. A news reporter's voice carried over the murmur: "The day we've all been waiting for is finally here, folks. Soon we'll witness the next step in union working, right here in Titanium Park."

Behind the curtains, Dr. Williams paced nervously, muttering his speech. "A new age of... should that be 'new era'? I don't want to sound presumptuous."

"You'll do fine, Dad!" Francisco reassured him. He and his sister Yui, Dr. Williams' adopted children, fussed over their father's appearance.

"For the betterment of mankind..." Dr. Williams continued, wringing his hands. "Oh, I'm not good at public speaking."

Yui sighed, adjusting his collar. "Quit moving around, Daddy. You'll mess up your hair!"

"All set!" Francisco announced proudly.

Dr. Williams smiled at them gratefully. "I'm sorry, Yui. You're right. I'd be lost without you all."

"Besides," Yui added, "our siblings will be on stage doing most of the work."

A throat cleared behind them. They turned to see Dr. Nickola standing there, his expression unreadable.

"Oh good! You decided to come!" Dr. Williams exclaimed. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it, Nickola."

Francisco and Yui, ever helpful, chimed in unison, "Is there anything I can help you with, Dr. Nickola?" The newcomer shifted uncomfortably. "Er, no thank you."

Dr. Williams tried to smooth things over. "Cut them some slack, Nickola. They're just as excited as us! It's the big day, after all."

Nickola's eyes narrowed. "Yes, about that... I helped design the worker suits, didn't I?"

"Yes," Dr. Williams replied, sensing the coming storm.

"I helped build the suits, didn't I?"

Dr. Williams sighed. "Yes."

"Then I should be on that stage making the unveiling announcement with you!" Nickola burst out.

Dr. Williams' face fell. "Nickola, we've been over this. You lost your credentials when you did those unethical experiments. That kind of negativity would undermine everything we're trying to do."

Nickola's lip curled. "Oh, how silly of me, Williams. I forgot that this is your big moment'"

"Now hold on," Dr. Williams protested, "let's not go there. I haven't forgotten all the work we did in university. You've made your mistakes, but I know you can make up for them."

Nickola scoffed, but Dr. Williams pressed on. "You're an equal partner where it counts. 

You'll miss out on today, but history will remember the two men who changed the future!"

"Just don't mess up your lines," Nickola muttered.

Dr. Williams chuckled nervously. "Ha-ha! Let's not ask for miracles, Nick."

"It's time, Dad!" Francisco called out.

Dr. Williams took a deep breath. "Oh boy. Okay! Here we go."

Dr. Williams emerged from behind the curtains, his heart pounding as he approached the podium. The sea of faces before him blurred into a single, expectant mass. He took a deep breath, steadying himself against the wooden stand.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"Good morning, everyone!" he began, his voice carrying across the hushed crowd. 

"Thank you for coming out today, for the most important product unveiling in the history of... well... ever!"

He paused, allowing his words to sink in. The weight of the moment pressed upon him, but he pushed forward, driven by the passion that had fueled years of research and development.

"Over the last century, advances in the workforce have brought us a new era of better services and safer work environments, and have afforded us new luxuries," Dr. Williams continued, his confidence growing with each word. "But that is not enough."

His eyes scanned the audience, connecting with individual faces, seeing the curiosity and anticipation reflected back at him.

"I believe the field of work can be pushed further. That we can be pushed further for the betterment of mankind." His voice swelled with conviction. "By pushing the boundaries, I believe we can achieve more than a better tomorrow. I believe we can achieve a perfect tomorrow."

The crowd stirred, a low murmur of excitement rippling through the park. Dr. Williams felt a surge of pride, knowing that behind him, his children and his life's work stood ready to change the world. Despite his earlier nervousness, he now felt a sense of calm purpose. This was the moment he had been working towards his entire career, and he was ready to embrace it.

As Dr. Williams concluded his speech, the curtains behind him slowly parted, revealing a sight that drew gasps from the audience. Six men stood there, each clad in a high-tech suit that seemed to shimmer under the stage lights.

Dr. Williams turned back to the crowd, his eyes gleaming with pride. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, his voice ringing with excitement, "I give you the next generation of union workers!" He paused, allowing the murmur of amazement to subside. "These six men you see on stage are my children. I adopted each of them, and they all have a job in the workforce. But with these suits, their experience will be transformed, made easier and more efficient than ever before."

One by one, the men stepped forward to introduce themselves. Clyde, with a suit that gleamed like polished wood, spoke first. "Hello everyone, I'm Clyde. I oversee forestry management, and this suit will allow me to slice through trees like paper easily."

Next came Gavin, his suit reminiscent of industrial machinery. "I'm Gavin. I oversee land reclamation in hazardous conditions, and this suit will allow me to lift even the heaviest of objects."

Israel stepped forward, his suit a shimmering white. "I'm Israel. I push arctic and antarctic exploration to new horizons, and this suit will allow me to withstand cold temperatures and even generate ice for more hot environments."

Brayden's suit seemed to pulse with barely contained energy. "I'm Brayden. I will revolutionize demolition and excavation practices! This suit will allow me to generate explosives so I can easily get rid of old buildings, and if I somehow get caught in an explosion, the suit is strong enough to protect me."

Frank's suit glowed with an inner heat. "I'm Frank, and my suit has incinerator functions. I can easily incinerate dense metals, which will promote waste reduction."

Finally, Edward stepped forward, electricity seeming to dance across his suit. "I'm Edward, and I will rewrite the book on power management! My suit will allow me to manipulate electricity to help me achieve that goal."

The crowd stood in awe, their eyes darting from one incredible suit to the next. Dr. Williams beamed at his children, his life's work embodied in these six remarkable individuals and their revolutionary technology.

The crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause, the sound of clapping hands filling the air. Dr. Williams basked in the moment, his chest swelling with pride at the reception his life's work had received.

As the applause began to die down, he stepped forward, a warm smile on his face. "I'll now be happy to answer your questions," he announced, scanning the sea of raised hands. His eyes settled on a man in the front row. "Yes, you, sir?"

A news reporter stood up, notepad in hand. "In your early career, you built suits and weapons for the military, like the suit you built for the mercenary Sharp-shooter. Are there any plans to use these suits for covert war operations?"

Dr. Williams' smile faltered for a moment, a shadow passing over his face. His voice, when he spoke, was firm and resolute. "NO," he stated emphatically. "I am through building weapons. I am more interested in pursuing constructive means of advancing humanity."

From the back of the stage, Francisco noticed Dr. Nickola turning away, his face contorted with anger as he stalked off. The young man frowned, concerned by the other scientist's reaction, but his attention was quickly drawn back to his father.

Dr. Williams, oblivious to the drama unfolding behind him, was already moving on. "Next question, please," he called out, his voice steady and confident as he prepared to face the next inquiry from the eager crowd.

The crowd's hands shot up again, each person vying for the chance to learn more about this groundbreaking technology. The air buzzed with excitement and possibility, even as unseen currents of discord swirled beneath the surface of the grand unveiling.

As evening settled over the Williams household, the air was thick with the lingering excitement of the day's events. The family had gathered to celebrate the successful unveiling, with Dr. Williams basking in the warmth of his eight adopted children's company. Laughter and animated chatter filled the rooms as they recounted the day's highlights.

As the night wore on, the six children who had been on stage during the presentation gradually made their way to bed, their departures punctuated by yawns and sleepy goodbyes. Soon, only Williams, Francisco, and Yui remained awake, the energy of the day slowly giving way to a comfortable quietude.

Dr. Williams sank into his favorite armchair, a contented sigh escaping his lips. "What a day, wouldn't you say, Francisco?" he mused, his eyes twinkling with satisfaction.

Francisco, perched on the arm of the sofa, nodded thoughtfully. "It sure was, pop. But was it a good day?"

Williams' brow furrowed slightly at his son's question. "I would say it was a resounding success. What do you think went wrong?"

Yui, curled up on the couch, spoke up hesitantly. "Well... you seemed upset by one reporter's questions about building suits for warfare."

A shadow passed over Williams' face as he considered her words. "Ah, that," he said softly. "I believe violence should be saved as the absolute last resort. I built things I may not have agreed with in the past, to raise the money and notoriety I needed to start my own business. I am not proud of that."

His expression softened as he looked at his children. "But then I adopted the eight of you. And with you children, I saw the potential for a better future."

With those words, Williams rose from his chair, stretching slightly. "Well, it's time for me to turn in. Good night, children."

"Good night, Dad!" Francisco and Yui chorused in unison.

As he climbed the stairs, Williams called back over his shoulder, his voice filled with optimism, "Tomorrow is a bright day!"

Francisco and Yui exchanged glances, their father's words hanging in the air. The house settled into the quiet of night, the promise of a new dawn waiting just beyond the horizon.