Samuel Hart settled into the chair facing Lassen, his recorder placed carefully on the table between them. The silence in the room was almost suffocating, broken only by the faint hum of holographic devices projecting maps and reports onto the walls.
Lassen, seated with a relaxed posture, exuded an aura of control. Yet his eyes, cold and sharp, betrayed a tension that stood in stark contrast to his outward calm.
Samuel activated his recorder and took a deep breath.
"I'm going to get straight to the point."
Lassen gave a slight nod, urging him to continue.
"Was it you who annihilated Geria's military base?"
The silence that followed lasted only a fraction of a second, but it felt heavy and deliberate. Then Lassen answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
Samuel blinked, momentarily stunned by the directness of the confession. He had expected denials or vague responses—not such blunt acknowledgment.
