Everything is Ok with the game state. Indeed the Seraphine quest has precedence.
Winning her quest requires:
- Engine Mk II with 5 or 6 AP (Dynamicvs modules), 4 or 5 BFT torpedos, Quantum laser 8all at 100%).
- That stuff can be acquired at the Krell Station for a few Mil
- The missions in your current lab quest line (convoy intercept) get more difficult than seraphine, so you can do her first anyway
You do not need the voron shield or cloak for it. There is a video linked in the OP that shows how to best approach the fight.
I suggest to make and sell a few bots or do some 400k + Trade missions and then you do the seraphine quest.
If you go through the astoeroid belt and fight one or two krell, they often have completed bots in containers as loot that sell for a few mil each.