Compared to Lier's high-profile arrival in an AV, Fiona didn't have the means-or the need-to do the same.
She and Mait would ride in her own business sedan, following the convoy of prototype vehicles escorted by the Animals to the Sapphire:
The prototypes included the Mackinaw "Mammoth," the Rattlesnake Electromagnetic Cannon, the Iron Armor Beetle Drone, combat Exoskeletons, the full-body Cyberware "Ronin," and a series of advanced products that could be mass-marketed: Burger King's custom-made second- and third-generation Cyberware.
But Fiona knew that, in the eyes of the companies, all those big vehicles and heavy weapons might not even be as valuable as their own second- and third-generation Cyberware.
After all, in Dogtown, people traded submarines, missiles, and tanks.
When it came to warfare, Burger King's weapons were still relatively immature. But when it came to Cyberware, their unique Lizard Muscle cells were exceptionally powerful, and the systems used by their Cyberware were also very good in terms of versatility, compatibility, and simplicity.
When it came to Cyberware alone, these products completely outclassed others in the same category.
And they needed Mait to tell the whole world that, so he needed to attend the banquet and show his face, reminding people to watch that competition, as well as the second one coming up soon.
As the dean of Luke-so Academy, Fiona had two tasks. The first was to use her connections to find a team for Mait: judging by his performance, he certainly wouldn't lack for offers, but they still needed to carefully find a team that met big brother's requirements.
"Dean Fiona, we're just going to show our faces and then leave, right?"
"Right. The banquet will go on for a while, but we have a competition tomorrow. Luke-so Academy's exhibition is a stage, the competition is a stage,