Kaelen didn't dodge the barrage of questions. "It is a possibility."
He turned slightly, his gaze falling squarely on Serena, who was still standing effortlessly by The Apex Bio-Transfer Pod.
"Whether Specimen Fourteen proceeds to the auction block depends entirely on The Panacea."
Instantly, every single eye in the massive hall snapped toward Serena.
"Ms. Panacea," Kaelen's tone was incredibly deferential, far more respectful than when he had first begged for her help. "Specimen Fourteen is a highly volatile biological asset. The ship refuses to gamble with the lives of our guests."
"Therefore, we must ask you to confirm its current stability. We need to know if its containment and transport protocols meet the absolute safety standards for public display and auction."
"If your professional judgment deems it safe to remain on stage and secure enough to be transferred, the ship will process Specimen Fourteen as seized contraband and officially open the bidding."
The implication hit the room like a shockwave.
The fate of the auction rested entirely on The Panacea's lips!
But the crucial takeaway was the ship hadn't said no. There was still a chance!
Before the crowd could erupt, Kaelen raised a hand sharply. "However, there is one mandatory condition I must make clear."
"Given the extreme lethality of Specimen Fourteen, even if the hammer falls tonight, the asset will not be delivered on-site."
"The ship must execute a full safety lockdown on the pod. We will thoroughly vet the winning bidder to ensure they possess the cutting-edge medical infrastructure required to maintain and transport it before we authorize the handover."
"Until that vetting is complete, no one is permitted to breach The Apex Bio-Transfer Pod, nor can any external control or life-support devices be connected."
His voice dropped into a commanding warning. "This is to ensure the survival of the asset, and more importantly, the survival of everyone on this ship."
A few buyers frowned, but seconds later, most were nodding in agreement.
The prize was priceless, yes. But if they bought a biological nightmare without the infrastructure to keep it docile they weren't buying a weapon they were buying their own execution.
They had all heard the horrific
alarms earlier. Even if the crash was faked, the sheer terror in the room
proved that Specimen tod couldn't just be tossed into the trunk of a car and driven home.
Right then, the communication light on Joker's VIP suite pulsed to life.
Julian Lancaster's smooth,
effortlessly arrogant voice drifted
through the speakers "Since the
ship has taken jurisdiction and
adhering to protocol, it proves Project Zero-Transit still honors its
own laws."
"Investigate whoever you need to investigate. We are perfectly fine waiting for the safety vetting."
"As long as the appraisal guarantees Specimen Fourteen is stable, we are more than willing to cover the subsequent transport costs."
"Now, we simply await Ms. Panacea's professional conclusion."
Joker, the man who had aggressively demanded the asset's creators show their faces just moments ago, had seamlessly shifted gears.
With the top apex predator in the room backing down, the rest of the restless buyers swallowed their complaints and fell silent.
Kaelen let out a quiet breath of relief. "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Joker." Up in the VIP suite, Julian cut the mic.
He leaned back against the plush leather, his dark eyes fixed on the monitors.
He had played his hand flawlessly. He applied the pressure Serena needed, forced the ship to intervene, and pushed them to freeze Obsidian Sun's rights and seize Fourteen.