Elemorts

Chapter XIX - Doxonica

Planet Vibraudio

Doxonica Enzene tapped on the screen mounted on her podium to place her next bid. She felt all eyes in the room at her as she entered the amount. She clumsily added three extra digits before she realized her error and corrected the numbers. They probably think I am taking my time on purpose, she thought nervously.

When she was done, she tapped away one final time. She looked up. Promptly, her name and the amount she had entered appeared on the hologram at the other end of the room.

A hush fell across the spacious room as everyone let the figure sink in.

"Twenty-five million sonenz, ladies and gentlemen, by Ms. Enzene of RDE Transport," the auctioneer announced with a tone of subtle amazement. "Nearly quarter-million in excess of the last bid by Mr. Swenus of Supersonic Corp."

The heads turned toward her again, making her extremely ill at ease. She avoided making eye contact with anyone at all costs and kept staring straight ahead with a flat face at the hologram.

"Let's see if anyone can surpass this extraordinary bid," the auctioneer carried on. "Time is of the essence, ladies and gentlemen. The breakthrough, cutting edge plasma-fusion thrusters by Savvo Corp are still within your reach — just a few taps away. Let's keep the momentum going."

The room was grand, airy, and brightly lit. It was opulently adorned with an elegant, embroidered carpet and heavy, red-and-gold velvet curtains. Sunlight streamed in from the floor-length, glass windows that peeked from between the curtains on the east wall while the other three walls were decorated with mosaics and paintings by the most esteemed Vibraudino artists. Furnished with plush, comfortable chairs, the room seemed to be designed to entice guests into staying for as long as possible.

A hologram floated along the north wall, currently displaying Doxonica's name and her bid. The auctioneer stood in front of it, at a podium of his own. The bidders were seated at podiums arranged in a semicircle at the other end of the room.

In the middle of the room was yet another hologram, showing off the very items everyone was gathered to bid for — the plasma-fusion thrusters. Virtual copies of the glowing, blue, disc-like objects floated in midair, rotating slowly to provide a view from every angle.

Patented by physicist Rik Mavis of Savvo Corporation, a technology giant based on Karomoz, the Turbolite PFTs were powerful yet compact devices set to revolutionize rapid transit systems. They were efficient, sleek, and lightweight and could be conveniently installed in any engine with minimal modifications needed in the transport itself.

And they could cut traveling times by more than half. The fastest sonic train owned by RDE Transport, the Sonic Boom, soared at an impressive six-hundred miles per hour. And yet, with Turbolite PFTs installed, it was estimated to go up to fifteen-hundred miles per hour.

That was why it was vital for Doxonica to win the auction. She was not fazed, though. Her company had been going strong for the past year, and the stocks had been exponentially rising. A lot of investors had eagerly bought shares.

It wasn't really a matter of if, but when she would win the auction. If only there are no more silly bids, Doxonica thought.

She supposed she didn't look that confident, though. She hated public events and dealings like these in general. She kept fidgeting, and, for the tenth time, she looked down at her clothing. She had chosen to wear a yellow jacket over a knee-length, strapless, cream dress, along with a yellow choker and black pumps. Her silky, straight, black hair that fell to the middle of her back was cleared of her oval face and sharp, jet-black eyes with a pair of yellow barrette clips.