The ExoQuad stumbled at the final hurdle, crossing the finish line in second place. From her private booth in the stadium, the company representative stiffened, gripping the champagne bottle that had been intended for their triumph. The company had assured her that Aiden would win. What had gone wrong?

She quickly popped the cork on the champagne intended to celebrate the company's success, topping up the glasses of the assembled generals.

"Now," she began smoothly, "imagine that racing across the field of battle - a whole herd of them even. Enough to strike terror into your enemies while crushing them underhoof. So, gentlemen, what shall I put you down for? A thousand units? Ten thousand?"

The military men did not mince words. "It lost."

"It won second place," she pointed out.

"Second place in a war is still dead, ma'am."

"But look at the stability! A mere prototype able capable of maneuvering into any position, hauling tons of equipment on its back. Think of it less as a soldier, more of a mobile gun emplacement."

"If you brought us all this way to sell us infantry, you're two hundred years too late. It's obsolete," the General said.

"The horse form? A mere aesthetic. We can make your soldiers in whatever shape you require. Bipedal, quadrupedal, anything you need. What matters is the functionality." Her gaze locked onto the most senior officer. "Tell me, General, how many wounded veterans does the U.S. military have on its books? Soldiers whose bodies have failed? Men who can no longer fight for you, yet still draw disability checks. I imagine that costs your government… quite a fortune." She topped up his champagne. "What if we could give you the power to make those men whole again... while also letting you turn all that dead weight into valuable workhorses?"

Across the stadium, the second place rosette was being bestowed upon Aiden's flanks, while the stablehands and technicians cared for him.

"There's no way in hell you'll convince soldiers to sign up to a project like this," the General grimaced.

"Give us one of your soldiers, and I'm sure our marketing devision will create a prototype that is at least eye-catching to the average soldier," she smiled.