General Sterling: Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to the main screens at the front of the hall.
The large projection screens hanging beside the framed American flag flickered on, displaying high-definition official military footage and official government documents[cite: 1].
General Sterling: Three years ago, the naval vessel USS Guardian suffered a catastrophic boiler explosion following a targeted strike in international waters. The thermal heat in the lower decks reached over eight hundred degrees.
Maya: General, you don't have to read the official incident report...
General Sterling: No, Commander, the public needs to understand exactly who they are standing in the presence of tonight. While the rest of the leadership evacuated, Commander Vance remained in the burning hull for forty-five minutes, manually holding open the pressure release valves so her junior crew could escape through the emergency hatch.
Guest 1: My God... She took the full blast of the steam explosion to save her crew!
Guest 2: And Victoria Sterling tried to publicly humiliate her over those scars? That is absolutely disgusting behavior!
Victoria: Richard! Say something! Tell the General that this galas is sponsored by our corporate real estate firm!
Richard Sterling, an older military officer in a tuxedo holding a glass of champagne, stepped forward with a stern, heavy look on his face[cite: 1]. But instead of defending his wife, he looked at her with utter disappointment[cite: 1].
Richard: Be quiet, Victoria. You have brought total disgrace upon our family name tonight.
Victoria: Richard! I did this for our family's reputation! She was making us look bad in front of the board of directors!
Richard: You yanked down a decorated soldier's dress in front of the entire Joint Chiefs representative committee! Do you have any idea what you have just done to our corporate defense contracts?!
General Sterling: I can answer that for you, Richard. Effective immediately, the Department of Defense is cancelling all pending real estate leases with Sterling Holdings.
Victoria: You can't do that! That defense contract is worth forty million dollars to our estate trust!
General Sterling: We do not conduct business with corporate entities that show open contempt for the brave men and women who bleed for this country.
Maya: General, my scars are proof that my sailors survived. No words from Victoria could ever take that honor away from me.
General Sterling: Well said, Commander. But justice is not finished here tonight.
The General motioned toward the grand entrance doors, where two military police officers in formal dress uniforms marched into the hall.
Victoria: What is the meaning of this?! Why are armed officers entering a private gala?!
General Sterling: They aren't here for the Commander, Victoria. They are here for your husband.