The auctioneer's composed facade briefly faltered as the loud bid broke through the usual silent process. Whispers erupted around the room, and a few chuckles were heard from the more daring attendees. In the shadowed corners, some opportunistic bidders exchanged amused glances, sensing a chance to exploit the brief moment of disorder.
From a nearby alcove, a rough voice broke the low hum of whispers.
"Fifty thousand... and three?" a grizzled smuggler muttered, barely hiding his grin.
"Guess I'll just throw in a few credits more, eh?"
"Sounds like someone's got a little too much to spend," another bidder snorted, relishing the sudden break from the usual serious decorum.
Meanwhile, a Trandoshan at the back grumbled in a low, guttural tone,
"Waste of breath. Just raise the bid quietly, like the rest of us."
The auctioneer, now regaining control, raised his hand to silence the room.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, voice sharp but controlled—
But before he could continue, Braze raised his hand and spoke up.
"Fifty-five thousand credits," he stated calmly, his voice cutting through the room.
The room fell silent for a moment as all eyes turned toward him. The holographic display updated to reflect his bid:
55,000 credits.
The grizzled smuggler from earlier chuckled.
"Well, someone's not playing around," he muttered.
From one corner, a grizzled smuggler leaned forward with a smirk, whispering just loud enough for nearby attendees to hear,
"Who let the kid in here? Someone check his allowance!" His rough chuckle earned a few snickers from those around him.
A finely dressed attendee, clearly more seasoned, leaned back in his seat, raising an eyebrow at Braze.
"Did he steal his daddy's credits to play with the grown-ups?" he remarked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Fifty-five thousand?" another scoffed,
"From him? Must've sold his toys to get in here." The bidder, a rough-looking merchant, shook his head, clearly doubting Braze's ability to cover the bid.
From the back, a Trandoshan growled in his guttural tone,
"Bet he doesn't even know what fifty-five thousand credits looks like." His companions laughed, their derision aimed squarely at the young Padawan.
"Big words for such a small kid," someone muttered, eyeing Braze with a skeptical look.
"Does he even know what he's bidding on?"
"Hope that robe of his has deep pockets," a Zeltron quipped from across the room, leaning casually against a pillar.
"He's going to need them to back up that number."
The snide remarks continued to ripple through the room, a mix of doubt and mockery filling the air. A few figures chuckled softly, amused at the idea of someone as young as Braze throwing around such a hefty amount.
"He's talking like he owns the place," a nearby bidder said with a grin.
"Bet he folds before they even count the credits."
The auctioneer, sensing the rising whispers and sneers, raised his hand to regain control.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he called out firmly, his voice cutting through the crowd's mockery,
"let's maintain decorum. The bid stands at fifty-five thousand credits."
His eyes swept the room, ensuring the attention returned to the business at hand.
"Shall we continue? Any further bids?"
Braze
Vulpesen
Jonyna Si
