Roma’s posture shifted almost imperceptibly, but Juniper caught it - a slight squaring of his shoulders, a tightening around his eyes that betrayed a crack in his composure. Her heart seemed to stop entirely as Judge Donahue’s fingers moved across his tablet…

The lights seemed to dim as Judge Donahue began the decryption process, each tap of his finger against the tab resonating through the chamber. The overseas attendees leaned forward in perfect synchronization, their tabs forgotten as they watched history unfold.

“The authentication is complete,” Judge Donahue announced, his measured tone carrying to every corner of the hushed chamber.