Pomp and circumstance, high rises and upper society. A special gala was hosted tonight at the Golden Apple; A combination bar and lounge sat high above the city. The top floor was constructed entirely out of thick yet highly translucent glass, carefully lit by a backdrop of soothing cool-colored lights. Further away from prying eyes was the main floor, currently set up with a speaking podium and array of clothed tables for guests to sit and make merry. A lifetime ago Palmer Granite had never been one to drink, even socially, and now he wasn't even sure if he could. His goal - Ace's goal - was not to schmooze in with the upper class. A man scheduled to give a speech was a person of interest for Ferrous' purposes, and while there were no plans for violence, it was kept as a plan C in case things turned south.

Ace was already becoming a known name in certain circles thanks to his latest press conference, doubly compounded by news coverage of his recent heroic deeds. Ferrous' money and Ace's status made entry into the luxury penthouse easy, even if the Android's choice of outfit drew some judgemental stares. He had taken up a spot in the back of the showroom floor, swirling a glass of provided flavored oil (how thoughtful!), listening attentively as Yangcong gave his speech. It was some generic hodgepodge of dredging up tragedies, assuaging concerns, and promising that Red Ribbon planned on protecting Earth against the menace of outsiders. Worked well enough to please the crowd. Most simply sought reassurance that their way of life and status wouldn't be so harshly disrupted, and the promise of someone else fixing the issue was precisely what they wanted.

Ace suppressed a chuckle, standing up and setting his glass aside as he worked his way towards the VIP area. The security team posted outside gave the approaching Android a threatening stare, his red-tinted aviator sunglasses shimmering humorously as he entered without contest. The next thing Yangcong would hear is a slow series of claps, Ace stepping to the center of the room and pausing to tilt his glasses. "Well well well! If it isn't the good doctor himself. Quite the crowd-pleaser, aren't you? How's the new bod treating you."

"You're not entirely wrong, of course," Ace would beeline towards the nearest cushiony booth, splaying himself across it. "I used to be in the military, you know. Proud to have served as a pilot. Hear about that Kaiju in the South Sea a few years back? Right here." He'd jerk a thumb towards himself, smiling as his eyes remained hidden beneath the shades. "We thought giant monsters would be the most of our problems when it came to defending this place... little did we know it'd be the least." Gods among men, walking the Earth and shattering it in the process. "Then again, I suppose giant gorillas fall under that same umbrella, don't they?" He'd chuckle, the expression lacking any genuine emotion behind it.

"Trying to field a suitable army with Androids is a solid plan. Where Red Ribbon typically falls apart is, in my opinion, the execution." Ace leaned forward, fingers interweaving as his grin faded into more of a somber frown. "They can have the most gifted and hardworking engineer on the planet trying to pump out suitable defenders for Earth, but with the rules and limitations and necessary add-ons, Red Ribbon enforces... they're just too slow. They need to adapt, not die on a hill of science as the world burns around them. So tell me, Doctor, where do YOU stand on that?" This was the real reason Ace was here. Yangcong's survival at Orange City and willingness to create an army were admirable traits in the eyes of Ferrous, but they'd mean little if he acted as a lapdog.

"So why Red Ribbon? I assume it's due to their welcoming nature to all things Android and large fiances, but surely you can tell that the current administration is bogus? Those at the top don't care about actually protecting this planet from Aliens; they just see that as a convenient excuse to grab power for themselves... fools. For all I know, you could be just like that, Doctor, and this all has been an excellently acted sham." The strong opinions pouring from Ace's mouth seemed rather strange considering his history and generally mild temperament, the behavior resulting from Ferrous' inbuilt personality matrix altering the man's viewpoints and suppressing any internal questions as to WHY he was acting as he did.

"You have a good head on those mechanical soldiers regarding materials, at least. Most scientists are too stubborn to understand that turning to the stars for foreign metals and elements to further enhance our domestic defenses is not a bad thing. After all, if the Xenos are powered by strange metals and energy cores, why not rip it off and turn it back on them?" Ferrous was a wealthy man before ever joining Red Ribbon. He didn't need their financial support to create a singular super Android, even less so due to now operating a rival company in Blue Banner Corporation. Potential lawsuits on logo aside, cutting into Red Ribbon's primary customer base AND intending to eclipse their Android expertise was spitting in their face.

"It's called 'acceptable losses,' sir. What better way to shed doubt and divert attention than to use the same line of logic you are? In reality, Red Ribbon suffers only MINOR setbacks from losing your prime research and Orange City. And in return, rightful xenophobia is stirred, the masses clamor for a protector, and suspicions about their intentions are easily brushed aside. That makes sense to me!" The theory hand a tendency to sound crazy to people who didn't hold all the puzzle pieces - but Ferrous did. He had been aligned with RRA for a long time, and their methods of misdirection and ultimate goals were known to him. It wasn't conflicting moralities that caused a rift between them; it was simply methodology.

"All that being said, my benefactor doesn't have an issue with their overarching goals. They just had a disagreement when it came time to discuss how to exactly achieve them. You seem smart, driven, and eager to get revenge on the Xenos who attacked our planet. Good! We can't fault you for looking to the one organization capable of funding your more advanced projects with a semblance of regularity." A1 deigned to take the offered complimentary glass, confident any enemies wouldn't have had time to tamper with it to a meaningful degree. "A man of good taste as well, I see. Perhaps I've been coming off too intense."

He'd raise the drink up high before throwing it back, half of the silvery-black liquid disappearing down his neck. "This world needs protection, a firm guiding hand to help cultivate human potential and thwart Xenos's machinations. The USD is incompetent and saddled with the weight of several planets, and those chumps haven't the slightest care for Earthlings as species. We're just resources to exploit to them. It's high time they were replaced, though; as you might have guessed, the people I represent don't exactly have the highest opinion of Red Ribbon's current command. Despite our differences, we'd like to have a working relationship with you, Doctor Yangcong. How does that sound?"

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