Maya's eyes lit up for an instant.
"But." Lucian raised a hand and tapped the desk, the crisp sound making Maya turn serious.
"There are some ground rules I need to make clear first." Lucian stared into her eyes. "Vought International can fully fund the rollout of the Extremis Virus for civilian medical use. We can even establish a global charitable rehabilitation foundation in your name and get you the Nobel Prize in Medicine."
Lucian leaned forward, a sense of pressure spreading across the extremely short distance between them.
"But before any of that, you need to isolate the Extremis Virus's cellular regeneration technology and integrate it into Vought International's current flagship project. I want to use your results to improve my human enhancement serum. Understood?"
Maya froze.
She had thought Lucian would be like other capitalists, hypocritically promising, "We only conduct peaceful research," then secretly pressuring her into military projects. But the young man before her could not even be bothered to pretend. He put his goal of enhancing a human enhancement serum right on the table.
"You're trying to create super soldiers too?" Maya asked.
"No." Lucian straightened. "Killian makes super soldiers to sell weapons and profit from war. I'm doing this so that when the next alien fleet invades, the people on this planet at least won't all have to cower in bomb shelters waiting to die."
Maya fell silent.
At least Lucian had not lied to her or concealed the violence.
"I understand." Maya took a deep breath and nodded. "As long as there are no live human self-detonation tests, I can accept pure cross-disciplinary research and development."
"A wise choice." Lucian stood.
"Jade Balance."
"I'm here, sir." The artificial intelligence's electronic voice descended from the domed ceiling, startling Maya.
"Register research clearance for Dr. Hansen,