The Raven understood Lucius Vael's implication. The Commodore didn't lack
evidence—he just lacked the final, undeniable proof needed to legally pin Specimen Fourteen on Obsidian Sun in front of the world.
So, The Commodore was waiting.
Waiting for a confession. Once The Raven admitted it, the ship's crew wouldn't need to dig any deeper.
For a moment, the only sound in The Nexus was the low hum of the servers.
The Raven slowly dragged his gaze away from the transit logs on the screen.
When he looked back into the shadows, his expression had returned to a mask of cold, eerie calm.
He even let out a chilling, humorless laugh. "A shared technological framework is certainly intriguing, but that hardly proves Specimen Fourteen is Obsidian Sun's property."
He narrowed his eyes. "Lucius, you know as well as I do that Obsidian Sun has lost its fair share of assets over the years. We've dealt with technological leaks, defecting researchers, and corporate spies actively hunting for our data."
"Specimen Fourteen might bear similarities to Specimen Seven, but it could simply be the result of stolen research."
In just a few sentences, he took every piece of damning evidence and spun it into a completely new narrative.
He flat-out refused to admit Obsidian Sun smuggled anything aboard.
Instead, they were the victims of theft.
He effortlessly shifted the blame for all the inexplicable data trails onto these hypothetical thieves.
The Raven stared into the darkness, emphasizing every word. "If Specimen Fourteen truly utilizes our proprietary tech, then Obsidian Sun is a victim here as well."
"Since you've uncovered this much, we will, of course, fully cooperate with Project Zero-Transit's investigation."
"We need to find out exactly who went behind both of our backs to smuggle this asset onto your ship."
His logic was airtight, his cooperative stance impeccable.
But both men knew exactly what was happening. Obsidian Sun was officially disavowing Specimen Fourteen.
The Commodore remained silent, allowing him to continue the performance.
The Raven took the opening. "However, until we uncover the truth, it would be best to halt certain proceedings."
He turned his attention to a secondary monitor.
The feed showed the auction t
Serena acting as The
Panacea was looking down at the
diagnostic terminal attached to The Apex Bio Transfer Pod for
The buyers in the crowd were still riled up, demanding the supplier reveal themselves.
A dark, murderous glint flashed in The Raven's eyes.
But he couldn't afford to show any genuine emotion right now. He had to casually weave his true objective into the conversation.
"I believe it is inappropriate to continue publicly displaying Specimen Fourteen."
"Its origins are unverified, its ownership is contested, and it's been classified as a high-risk biological asset."
"Leaving it on display, let alone proceeding with an auction, poses an unnecessary risk to both the ship and the buyers."
"If this truly involves stolen research, then a prolonged public appraisal only risks leaking more classified data."
"That will only hinder our investigation."
The Raven offered a faint, calculated
smile. "I suggest we transfer
Specimen Fourteen back to The
Med-Tech Quarantine, or straight
into The Sanctum Vault. Project hold it securely
Zero Transit ca
until the facts are established, and then we decide how to proceed."
"That is the safest course of action for everyone involved."
His words sounded perfectly reasonable. He framed it as
protecting the ship from transaction: liabilities while leaving room for the impending investigation.
But his ultimate goal was singular: get Specimen Fourteen off that stage.
Get it away from The Panacea.