Departure
After delivering his speech, Lex left the podium and let the banquet progress normally. He no longer felt like the mood of the banquet needed to be fun or jovial. Considering that the 1000 workers would be heading off to the battlefield, he felt that the rest of the time should be spent with the focus on them. After all, no matter how much Lex helped them prepare, there was a very real possibility that they might not make it back.
Still, the mood the rest of the time was very relaxed. If the workers felt nervous or anxious, they did not show it. Instead, they kept gushing over how much they liked their new suits. If one overheard their conversations, one would assume they would be heading to a field trip rather than to war.