[He hesitates. It's unfair of him, really, keeping Snake in the dark just because he's having so much trouble getting the words out. But all the same, it takes him a moment to force himself to say it:]

...It's about a war. A terrible one-- it... It looks like a lot of people died.

[And quickly, with only a little desperation:] But that can't be right, can it? I didn't hear about anything like that happening.