This morning's press conference lineup was exceptionally "powerful."
Besides Conner, it included the Speakers of Both Houses, the Secretary of Defense, and the chairman of the National Security Committee.
It was the first time in nearly twenty years that such a powerful lineup had appeared in the Federation. They might have attended some events together before... but it had basically been impossible to see them all in the same frame.
The matter of hierarchy always seemed to be something people unconsciously ignored, but in reality, it had always been around us. It had never gone far.
What time, what occasion, who would be the primary speaker, and who would stand aside and watch—these seemingly insignificant details all involved extremely complicated considerations.
One careless mistake could make everyone awkward. If it were more serious, it might trigger an unexpected political conflict.
That was why, most of the time, figures of such stature would not appear together so formally.
But today's press conference really was different from any in the past. The Capitol Building had fucking exploded. Could there be anything worse than that? Obviously. For example, the Presidential Palace could explode too. But for now, it seemed slightly too difficult to get the Presidential Palace blown up.
Conner sat in the very center. Everyone wore solemn, mournful expressions, even though the people sitting there actually felt little "sorrow" for those unfortunate bastards who had died.
But you had to make yourself look like everyone else, and even subtly take the moral high ground.
"Before the press conference begins, let us first observe a minute of silence for the victims who died yesterday!"
Conner lowered his head with a sorrowful expression, but his mind was already considering arrangements for the work ahead.
Everyone in the room was observing the silence, but basically