As Trump spoke, the people in the room began to buzz with discussion. Some condemned him for his recklessness, while others offered support and sympathy.
"Everyone, calm down," Trump said dejectedly. "Right now, we need to figure out how to explain this to the citizens. We can't hide this. Three carrier battle groups, worth tens of billions... just gone like that..."
The cost of the three carrier battle groups was one thing, but the real tragedy was the loss of the officers and soldiers, the carefully cultivated talents, and the countless state-of-the-art weapons that hadn't even been mass-produced yet. They had all vanished without a trace.
"There's nothing we can do," the old man said, closing his eyes in agony. "This isn't something we can solve by finding a scapegoat. The only thing I can think of is to resign. I guess my career is over."
