Thornton leaned close. "Sir, the published rules specifically require university or licensed-company affiliation. Opening the competition now would create legal problems, not to mention insurance exposure."
"Then we'll address those problems properly," Cole said. He turned to Naomi and the competition director. "Review the discretionary participation clause, speak with the independent judges and team representatives, and come back to me with a safe way to add an open challenge. I'm not asking anybody to ignore a contract or a safety rule. I'm asking whether our rules have become more important than the work they were meant to encourage."
The next few minutes were not dramatic enough for television. Naomi made calls, the director examined an electronic copy of the competition agreement, and judges consulted with the five team captains. The rules contained a discretionary exhibition provision allowing an outside participant to demonstrate a solution after the scheduled field had completed its rounds. The prize terms also permitted the sponsors and finalists to amend the final challenge by mutual agreement.
Daniel Mercer listened to the proposal and said he had no objection as long as the repair would be checked independently. Priya Shah agreed immediately. The Naval Academy captain asked that any participant use the same approved supervision and isolation procedures that had applied to her team. The others consented, not because they enjoyed losing, but because the unanswered engineering question mattered more than protecting their pride.
Naomi brought Cole the result. He read it, asked two clarifying questions, and announced the open challenge. Anyone on the dock who could demonstrate appropriate experience would receive a supervised opportunity to diagnose the engine, with a ten-minute time window for a safe first attempt and independent verification afterward. The winner would qualify for the grand prize under the amended terms accepted by the finalist teams. No one would be required to expose themselves to unlimited personal liability merely for volunteering, and no protection system could be disabled to manufacture a result.
It was a better arrangement than Thornton had wanted and a more honest one than the cameras had expected. Cole looked toward the crowd. "Does anybody here believe they can tell us something we've missed?"
No one moved at first. An older mechanic in the spectators shook his head, amused by the size of the problem. A young technician stared at the deck as if calculating how much public failure would cost her professional confidence. The silence stretched long enough for Thornton to recover a hint of his smug expression.
Then Russell stepped forward. He had not moved from the place where the guards stopped him, and his apron was still stained from the morning delivery. He walked toward the rope without hurry, stopping where Victor stood. "I'd like to try," he said.
Cole looked at him carefully. "What's your name?"
"Russell Yates, sir."
"How old are you, Russell?"
"Eighteen."
"And where did you learn marine machinery?"