Gunther let out a long, heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as he stared down at the empty space before him. "All too often we don't appreciate things until they are destroyed."
The ambient noise of the room seemed to fade as Nadya paused, her expression turning deadpan and deadly serious. "Let's hope that's not the case with our planet," she said, her voice carrying a quiet weight.
Bill scratched the back of his head, looking around the room as if the answer were written on the walls. "Most people are so focused on their own affairs that they don't notice stuff beyond them."
Nadya didn't answer right away. Instead, she reached for her glass, tilting it back and gulping down the remaining wine with a sharp swallow. She set the glass down with a soft click. "Yeah. What's new?"
"Maybe some computer system should take over this planet," Bill muttered, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. "Humans have done a lousy job."
Liao, who had been quietly tracking the conversation from the edge of the group, offered a slow, knowing nod. "That scenario seems quite possible."