Three times, different approaches, same result. I can walk you through it right now if you want. Victoria glanced at Richard. Richard stepped forward. His voice had the calm authority of a man who was very, very good at sounding reasonable.
Ms. Harrington, I want to be transparent with you. This gentleman is a level two maintenance technician. He's not part of the engineering team. He doesn't have access to the current development documentation, and what he's describing reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the modifications we've made over the last cycle.
The system has been fully tested and validated by the engineering team. 14 Tests, Daniel said. Without heat, without drama, just the number. Richard turned to look at him. Excuse me.
14 Tests. I've seen the logs. All 14 were conducted under controlled static conditions with the load centered and the surface level. Not one of them simulated uneven terrain or dynamic weight distribution. He held Richard's gaze, which is exactly the operating condition you're about to demonstrate.
The testing floor had gotten quieter. A few engineers nearby had stopped pretending to work on other things and were listening. A couple of the investors had drifted closer to the glass of the observation area, watching something they hadn't expected. Richard's voice dropped half a register. "You're out of your depth here." "I might be," Daniel said.
"But I'm right." Victoria felt something flicker at the edge of her attention. Something she couldn't quite name. An instinct. The kind that had served her well over a career of navigating rooms full of confident men. But the contract was 40 minutes away.
The investors were upstairs. She had a board breathing down her neck and a company that needed this day to go right. She pushed the instinct aside. Mr. She paused.
She realized she didn't know his name. Brooks, Daniel said quietly. Daniel Brooks. Mr. Brooks, I appreciate that you're She stopped.
Recalibrated. I appreciate the concern, but this demonstration has been prepared and validated by a team of experts. I trust my engineers. She turned to walk away. Please make sure you're clear of the testing area in the next 30 minutes.