What kind of future did most women envision themselves having? In the village and for a woman of her birth, Ki'te would most likely have become a mother in a few years time. Her father, the best hunter in the village, would have easily earned the favor of another prominent member and gotten her a great husband. She may have her first child within a few years and be on her way to helping raise the next generation. Were women here within the walls similar? Her view of them had been very limited and what few she did see reciprocated her curiosity with their own, and often followed swiftly by disdain. She had heard women outside of the military and even a few within refer to her in less than friendly terms: brutish, unclean, a seductress, uncultured harpy, and those were just what she could repeat in polite company.

Graduation did little to help her standing with her peers any either. While she, Samara and Koto did well enough to reach the top 10 recruits they would receive no recognition for their efforts nor be permitted to take part in the ceremony. As if it wasn't bad enough they had been stolen away from their homes now they were even being treated like second class soldiers, shown no consideration for their efforts and ushered aside while the remaining members of their class took part in the formal ceremony. Of a class of nearly 100 recruits almost a dozen had been cast aside including them, for reasons not explained to any of them. Had they done something wrong? Had they actually failed somehow? Ki'te had been so confident that at least Koto and Samara would end up on the top of the class but both of them had been thrown aside as well. Why was this happening to them?

Though a serious matter the ceremony proper had been well lit with several prominent members of society and the military alike present. The head of every branch would be there to sort out the recruits and assign them posts, none of that would be provided for Ki'te and the others. Instead of standing proudly among their classmates they had been sent to a dimly lit building just off of the training grounds, hardly large enough to house half a dozen people, much less twice that, and told to wait. Save for two soldiers posted outside the doors they were utterly alone, those present having long since broken up into groups and talking softly among themselves. Seeking refuge in familiar faces Ki'te turned to her brother and Samara, taking a seat along a wall as she pulled her knees up to her chest and passed a somber sigh through her lips.

"I don't understand, we've done all they've asked of us so why are we here? What have we done wrong?" It was a question on everyone's mind but she was the first to voice it. Was it because they were outsiders? Had the military decided not to allow them to enlist after all? What would become of their village if they failed to live up to expectations? Digging her nails into her arm nervously Ki'te chewed her lower lip, her amber eyes darting around the room looking at the faces of those present. Most seemed more confused or annoyed than anxious, she along was showing a great deal of worry over their situation. There had to be a reason for this and yet none was given, they were quite literally left in the dark and meant to wait until further instruction was given. She'd almost prefer to be doing more drills than this, at least with drills you knew what to expect.

Wrapping her arms around her knees she buried her face in them and closed her eyes, mumbling softly to herself to try and calm her nerves. Seriously, if they had failed then what would happen? The ultimatum made that day had been as clear as the summer skies themselves: give us recruits or see your village destroyed. While they had come to enlist they may have been a waste of time for all they knew, meaning the only alternative was... Ki'te's frame shuddered as though a cold wind bit into her and she lifted her head, her eyes shimmering as she stifled tears, looking up at her brother hopefully, then Samara. "We didn't fail, right...? Please tell me we didn't fail..." she whispered weakly, lifting a hand to rub at her face, "We've done our best, surely they can't punish us for that..."

Samara stared at the floor of their new holding cell, her fist clenched at her side while Ki'te blubbered on in a panic. Her lip curled back in contempt - she knew what this was. Since the first day they showed up, most of the people in the group were singled out for being former criminals or mountain natives. It didn't matter how much leadership she'd shown in training, how much skill... It didn't even matter that she was elevated early to Corporal for all of these things. No, it was so naive that they thought they'd be treated as regular soldiers once they graduated. Whether she was planning on leaving and taking Ki'te and Koto away from here didn't matter, but this was adding to the funeral pyre that was her horribly diminished view of this wretched civilization. She slammed her fit into the wall and pushed out of her lean.

"God dammit. They can't keep treating us like this. They round us up like dogs... They treat us like garbage... They take away the one thing we were promised - a choice if we worked hard enough. They all deserve to die, I don't care anymore. The first chance I get, I'm outta here." Her eyes moved to Ki'te and Koto, "I promise, I'll get us away from these... monsters," The young woman sneered, beginning to pace.

Meanwhile, Koto stared at the other end of the room, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. His brow was furrowed tightly... How had he failed so miserably? Ki'te was supposed to look up to him and he didn't even make the top ten with them. Not that it mattered - technically, none of them were top ten, they were removed from the pecking order. Samara was giving another one of her 'fuck the man' speeches and he mostly blocked it out. They were stuck like this, with these people. They wouldn't last long either, from what rumours he'd heard of this assignment, they were all Titan food.

"Yeah, Sama, I'm sure we'll be home in the year," He said, trying to conceal his patronizing tone. He just held his glare out across the room. He was more concerned with his sister as he realized she'd been panicking. Taking a knee, Koto looked her over and met her gaze. "Hey, Ki'te, of course you didn't fail. You two did amazing... Sama's right, they're just... this is the way they treat us. We were childish to think they'd be fair after three years of training and hard work... They're just awful people..."

They sat in silence for a while longer. It's hard to tell how long, could've been minutes or days or weeks, who knew? The door opened and a loud whistle split the room and caught everybody's attention. "Listen up!" A voice, which undoubtedly belonged to a female, called out. "My name's Sergeant Ekkehardt, I'm your new supervisor, c'mon. I'll take you guys to your new assignment." She turned on her heel and expected them all to follow. The guards posted at the door would be taking up the tail end - they were a pair of privates from the 72nd as well. They'd keep the uniformed group of cadets together.

Samara's eyes fell on the woman, Sergeant Ekkehardt, and she sucked the inside of her cheek. Interesting woman, she had a way of commanding, a dignity about her. She was powerful, Samara even thought for a moment that the woman would be scary if she weren't from the cowards' kingdom inside these walls. Then, the woman shifted gears, shouting back, "Private Reacher, up front, you lead the way. C'mon, let's go!" She ordered as the boy scurried to the front and took the helm. Then, she fell back into the ranks, seeking out the small handful of recruits who she was told came from the mountains - the non-criminals. Finally, she settled on them, tapped each on the shoulder, "Come with me, I'm gonna walk you separately from them," She instructed, leading them down a different route to the battalion.

As they walked together, she gave them the same speech she had every conscript from the outer villages. "Look, I know where you're all coming from and how confusing all of this is. It sucks, I know. You might want to desert or leave, can't say it's hard to do with us either. I do warn you though, most of the runaways, no matter how big their group, we always end up finding their bodies, or what remains of them, within the week. I'm not going to lie to you, this is among the most dangerous assignments you can get, but sticking with the group means you'll survive. You'll find others like you. You'll find brothers and sisters here, I promise you that. No matter where we came from, none of us feel like we work for the king or the government once we leave the walls. We put on a happy face here and then leave behind all of these cowards and bureaucrats. Alright? So... I know this isn't going to do much to quell your determination to leave, but... I just think it's only fair to warn you. And if you desert and somehow survive, and I find you? I'll remove your heads myself," She finished venomously, glancing back and meeting each of their respective eyes. It didn't look one bit like they were kidding.

They just took a different route from the other group of recruits and arrived roughly at the same time. Ava gestured out to the temporary barracks that were more or less large tents with quickly constructed bedframes and mattresses inside. It wasn't much, but of course, they were never here for long, were they? "Alright, you guys actually got assigned to me, so... If you have questions or anything, let me know, okay? I don't like my soldiers dying, so that's rule number one: don't die. If you get to the logistics tent over there," She started, pointing, "You'll be able to get your new jackets, trade in your cadet ones because they'll wanna re-use them for the next classes. You'll get the survey corps symbol and you'll be issued two coats and your 3ODM equipment. I've got some business to tend to, so... I'll be around. Find me if you need something." With that, Ava began to walk away, already barking out orders to anybody who wasn't working on something they should be or who was wasting the air of their fellow soldiers.

That was it, they were done weren't they? Despite them doing their best and Samara and Koto excelling Ki'te was positive they were going to be thrown out. And if they failed then that meant their village was forfeit as well, everyone's lives were at risk because they hadn't been adequate enough. In the pit forming in her gut was the sneaking suspicion that their failure rested squarely on her shoulders too, she'd single handedly brought down her brother and friend, and their entire people. Samara excelled with the 3ODM gear and Koto, while he lacked in that regard, was a proven and highly capable fighter. Her? She merely stood in their shadow and tried, poorly, to emulate their successes. And yet emulation hadn't been enough it seemed, not of their current predicament was at all telling. Feeling her chest tightening and her anxiety rising she was shaken when Koto approached her, looking up at her brother with wide eyes.

"B-But... Why? We did everything they s-said, we tried our best..." Ki'te's words came as little more than muttered pleas as she cast her gaze down, grasping tightly at the cloth of her shirt, "We're not animals... Why do they t-treat us like animals..." Every single one of them was human regardless of birthplace or origin, no matter what crimes they may have committed or who they swore fealty to. While that may be the reality it appeared that no one cared for it, instead seeing fit to live in their own world. Those with fairer skin, those who lived within the walls, they were superior. It mattered not that Ki'te scored higher generally on aptitude tests than most of them, or that Samara could quite literally swing circles around others, or even that Koto, inch for inch, was stronger than nearly every other recruit. No, simply because they looked different, because they were outsiders, that alone was enough to justify treating them this way. It was something Ki'te had been told countless times over the past few years and yet it didn't make stomaching that any easier.

While Ki'te had hoped someone might come and fetch them she'd have preferred someone a bit... Nicer, to do so. Jumping out of her skin when the whistle pierced the silence she shot upright reflexively and stood at attention, her jaw taut as she fought to keep herself from trembling. So they were under her command then and were to follow her so soon, why? Why weren't they allowed time to celebrate or even rest? Far too high strung to even think of arguing Ki'te fell in line with her brother and friend, keeping her head low as they marched from the building. Now where were they off to? The barracks? The ceremony? No, she doubted either, but she couldn't imagine where Sergeant Ekkehardt might be taking them.

Eyes downcast and focused on the ends of her shoes she'd barely noticed when Sergeant Ekkehardt broke rank and approached them, gasping and reflexively grabbing onto Koto's arm. Was she... Sympathizing with them? On one hand it sounded as though she might be trying to console them and reassure them everything would be okay. And yet just as swift as the sergeant was to console them she made a very clear threat as well: try and leave and you'll be cut down. Ki'te's blood ran cold through her veins because she knew the woman meant every word of it, as if she or anyone needed any more reason to kill her or the others. Nodding numbly and muttering a faint "Yes ma'am," she exchanged a worried look with Koto and Samara, more concerned about the latter and her constant threats to try sneaking her and Koto back home. It wasn't even a matter of what happened to them anymore, was it? If they escaped, successful or not, their whole village was at risk. They couldn't leave... The only way they would get out would be by dying in the line of duty.

And with that they were left alone again. While they had some idea of what to do with themselves now Ki'te could hardly say she felt any more at ease. They hadn't been dropped out of the program, far from it, and the knowledge they remained soldiers came as both a comfort and a fright. No one had said why they were removed from the rest of the class nor why this woman, who none of them had ever seen before, was in charge of them. Just what were they doing? Holding her hands tightly to her chest she tried to smile, looking at Koto and Samara both as she rubbed her thumbs together. "W-Well... Looks like we're still in!" she laughed meekly, glancing over her shoulder at the tent where their uniforms awaited them. "I guess we should go get our things... I mean we want to m-make sure it fits, r-right?"

A new bunch of recruits, and with them came another headache of training the whole lot of them. Would they last longer than the others? It was doubtful, very few made it through 72nd in one piece. In fact the only other person that had emerged from the previous iteration, the leader aside, was Sergeant Ekkehardt. Considering that 72nd had consisted of no less than 15 members altogether that was an abysmal survival rate by anyone's standards and went to show how maniacal the missions they were assigned tended to be. There might be pity for the new recruits if most hadn't earned their place here one way or another. Criminals with no other recourse and staving off execution were a familiar case with their group and it hardly mattered if they lived or died, callous as that may sound. No, the few that warranted even a shred of pity were the outsiders, and yet deserving though they may be the Captain felt none for them. They had been dealt a poor hand and dragged into a situation beyond their control, and doubtless it would be the death of them, but there was nothing for them. She couldn't be bothered to feel anything, not when they'd probably be dead in a week.

They would be gathering the recruits soon and that meant addressing them and finally filling them in on just what their assignment would be. Some would break then and there, there was always a few who did, and one might even try to flee. Like it or not this was their life now and they would see through it to the end no matter what, whether that was through earning their freedom, the end of her blade or through the teeth of a Titan. Stepping out from her personal quarters, a ramshackle tent on the edge of the encampment, her eyes narrowed slightly seeing her sergeant wandering among the recruits. Why was she letting them meander about? They had an explanation due to these kids and they should be gathered together for it, not wandering about like hapless cattle.

"I'm assuming you were on your way to get them ready, sergeant?" Though void of personal animosity Captain Stella's voice was cold as she spoke, near emotionless save for the faint hint of annoyance that colored it. Looking down at her subordinate she placed on hand on her hip and simply stared as though awaiting an answer, but before any could be provided Stella waved her hand in dismissal. "Get them together and be quick about it, I want to get this over with. They still need to get their uniforms and be assigned to their bunks, we have enough to do without wasting time gathering them together."

Samara watched the sergeant walk away, brow furrowed. Who did she think she was? Walking off like that, not showing them around or introducing them to anybody. It was cold, but the girl could tell that Ekkehardt was genuine. The woman wanted to be here, she was strong and exuded a presence of pride and experience. All of this considered, the mountain girl had no intentions to stay here, whether or not she became the battalion's prey. Fine, if sarge was going to walk away from them, then Samara could take charge and be here for her childhood friends. Gesturing to the tent, she nodded.

"C'mon, guys... we'll take care of this ourselves, I guess. I'm sure that the others are just as lost anyway, even if they weren't graced with personal threats from their own beloved sergeants." The attitude from Samara was sharpened keenly over three years of disdain and contempt for these wretched people and she wasn't afraid to let it fly when she wasn't being ordered around.

Koto shrugged and trudged along behind his younger friend, hands in his pockets as they walked. He didn't like the idea of getting too involved or being too noticeable out here. It was bad enough that he wasn't an amazing soldier, he didn't need to look like an insubordinate cur too. The trio stepped into the logistics tent and walked through the line, turning in their jackets and each receiving a pair of new ones in their respective sizes with new insignias. Samara and Koto put theirs on quickly and Samara shimmied a little bit to adjust the fit over her shoulders. She glanced down at her side and extended her arm to look at the symbol.

"Well... It does look a lot cooler, I'll give it that," She admitted, gripping the other by its collar and looking at the ones handing out uniforms, "Hey, where're the barracks at for new folks? We didn't really receive a lot of direction..."

One of the corporals looked up with hollow eyes. He had just returned from his first assignment and was obviously just going through the motions of handing out items to the new arrivals. "Huh..? O-oh, yeah... If you go out and turn right, it's two tents down, diagonal away from us. Can't miss it, it's the long one," he answered monotonously. Samara thanked him and led the others out and to their temporary living quarters. The beds were arranged in rows of two-level bunks, most had jackets or bags hanging from the posts. They found a group of three empty beds with folded sheets and blankets on them that new people hadn't taken yet and she hung up her coat and dropped a bag on the top rack, deciding to make it later.

Koto took the bottom rack of the bed beside it and quickly stretched the sheets and blanket out over it, casing the pillow and leaning it against the headboard. Military things and sparring had come naturally to him, even if anti-Titan and 3ODM combat didn't, so making his bed took him little more than forty-five seconds to a minute. He placed his bag underneath the bed and looked back at his two companions, taking a seat on the edge. "So... Uh... I guess... this is our life now, huh..? Didn't they tell us that these Recon folks did missions outside the walls? Do you think we're going to have to go and find people like us and bring them back..? I won't do it." He asked, clearly rather worried. Samara didn't even want to think about it.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Ekkehardt was storming through the tents, barking orders. "Where are Reacher and Fletcher?!" She bellowed, slamming a table before throwing open the tent flap and stepping outside. Two privates came running to her, panting.

"What is it, sergeant?" The first one asked, finally catching his breath. "What can we do for you?"

Ava's voice was slow and measured, seething with anger, "You can tell me why I just had four different new recruits at four different times come up to me asking where they're supposed to be and what they should be doing and where they're sleeping?"

The second piped up first, "We told them to get their uniforms, ma'a-"

"If you even think of calling me ma'am again, Fletcher, I'll remove your tongue so fast that the wound will be cauterized immediately by the mere friction of my blade!" Her voice gradually rose to a shout, light spittle flying into their faces. Both boys were several inches taller than her, but it didn't keep her from striking fear directly into their hearts from down here. "And did you show them? Did you follow them? You know how FNGs are, they get lost at the drop of a fuckin' hat! And where were you, huh? Playing dice in the barracks? Cards at the mess?!"

Reacher looked away and to the ground, "Dice..." He muttered, accidentally answering a rhetorical question.

Ava blinked, stepping back and crossing her arms with a scoff. "Oh... Okay, well, good. I'm glad that we all trust the two of you to not get any of us killed out in the field! Fuckin' hell..." The woman muttered, stepping off while continuing under her breath, "The incompetence of privates..."

A few minutes later, as she was still bustling around - doing the work of a Master Sergeant and still retaining her duties as a simple Sergeant as well. When her captain's voice came from behind, the woman swiftly about-faced and saluted, "Yes, ma'am, I was. They should already have their uniforms, if they don't... I'll be sure they do," She stated with a calm demeanor, keeping her chin high as she remembered Reacher and Fletcher's mistake. "I'll make sure personally that they're ready before you are." As she was dismissed, Ava started off toward the temporary barracks, letting out another ear-splitting whistle to gather people up, "I need all the new recruits, front and center. If any aren't here, I need them gathered up, uniformed, and on the grinder now!!" The tent exploded into a bustle of people trying to gather up the new folks and direct them to the right place. Ava's eyes locked on the trio from the mountains - those were hers. She didn't trust that blonde one, and if she could glean anything from the other two they would follow her to the end of the earth if she could promise they were going home.

Thank goodness Sergeant Ekkehardt hadn't stuck around to chew them out more, Ki'te wasn't sure if she could take much more being yelled at right now. Following the lead of Samara, the trio made their way to the supply tent for their new uniforms and were greeted by some of the sorriest souls Ki'te had ever seen in her life. So that was the look of someone who had seen Titans first hand was it? Would she and the others end up the same way? You must get used to it though in the same way she'd grown accustomed to gutting her kills while hunting: she'd been nauseated at first but had quickly grown used to the smell and sight. Not that she wanted to think of her fellow man as little more than prey in a hunt but it certainly helped to put things in perspective. Meeting the gaze of the recently returned soldier she tried to offer a polite smile but felt it fade as she looked into his eyes, cringing inwardly as she shuffled out of line. Had he lost someone? A friend? She'd seen similar eyes before in one of their people when a loved one died, so was that the kind of pain to expect out here?

After exchanging her uniform for the new one Ki'te hurried after Samara and Koto to their bunks, relieved to finally be done with this day. It was only going to get worse from here but having some respite, however brief, would be most welcome. Not terribly far off they could make out the sound of the sergeant tearing into another group of recruits and she thanked her lucky stars it wasn't their turn to be ripped a new one. Not wanting to give Sergeant Ekkehardt a chance she hurried into the barracks with her friend and brother, stopping at the door and looking around their quarters despondently. Most every bed was already claimed and the few she could see open were single at best, was she going to have to sleep with a stranger? Even after three years Ki'te had trouble doing that and there was no way she could do it now, not with all of the stress and tension built up in her. Desperately clinging to Koto's sleeve she smiled with relief when Samara found them a trio of bunks available, rushing ahead of her brother and quickly throwing her belongings up on the top bunk.

Scrambling up onto her bunk Ki'te went about trying to organize her bed, managing to get two corners of her sheets and finding herself struggling with the others. After the third corner was secured she attempted to hold down the fourth only for the third to spring back off and comically latch onto her head. Sighing in defeat she peeled the sheet off and had to stretch to fasten both at the same time, satisfied when they seemed secure at last. Putting her remaining belongings into a somewhat haphazard pile in the corner of her bunk she shimmied to the edge and sat, legs dangling down as she looked at Koto worriedly.

"That's not our job though, we're here to kill Titans..." Ki'te muttered, though she didn't know which was a better alternative. Biting her lip she leaned forward and rubbed her hands together, her legs swaying idly as she looked at Samara. "They're not going to make us do that... R-right, Samara? If they n-needed more they would have taken more from our v-village." Unless of course there were other villages which had been visited like their own. Curiously however they were the only ones native to the mountains that were here, either that or they were being kept even more to the shadows than they were. Ki'te sincerely hoped they wouldn't have to do something so unsavory, it had pained her greatly to have to leave home and she would never want to inflict that onto someone else. Like Koto she didn't know if she could do it, order or no. She'd take whatever punishment they wanted to give before she ever agreed to do something so horrible.

By now Ki'te should by all rights be used to the sound of their superiors screaming at them. And yet when Sergeant Ekkehardt bellowed and demanded everyone present themselves she jumped and nearly fell out of her bunk, catching herself on the frame and frowning worriedly. Had someone messed up already? It wasn't uncommon for someone's mistake to be made an example of for everyone but they'd just graduated, what could someone have done? Not wanting to incur the wrath of their sergeant upon herself Ki'te slid down from her bunk and followed the others outside, wondering why in the world they were being summoned here. Standing at attention when a corporal barked at them she stiffened up, glancing back and forth worriedly as she awaited whatever command they were going to be given. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted another woman approaching their group, one whom she didn't recognize whatsoever from any point of their training. Upon the woman's jacket was the same symbol as theirs and immediately Ki'te realized who it was, her heart catching in her throat as she watched the woman stand before them all seeming rather angry. That woman was their Captain... Wasn't it? If someone that high a rank was calling them out...

"Good job everyone, your ability to follow simple instructions will be the savior of humanity yet..." It was a wisecrack and yet there wasn't a single hint of humor to Stella's tone as she spoke, standing before the ensemble of recruits with a tired look upon her face. That she'd have to come back from a mission so abruptly to take care of these children when Sergeant Ekkehardt was perfectly capable of rounding them up herself. Looking through the ranks she paused at a pair of men that were talking among themselves, gritting her teeth and stepping through the ranks to reach them. One of the men noticed immediately and swiftly went to attention, the other however was too busy chatting with his friend. Grabbing the boy by the collar of the shirt she swept a leg out from under him and dropped him to the ground in the blink of an eye, wrenching his arm behind his back with her foot planted squarely on the small of his back.

"Perhaps I spoke to soon, it seems I interrupted something extremely important with my visit," Stella muttered, narrowing her eyes as the recruit writhed beneath her. Tightening her grip she frowned and looked around at the surrounding recruits, her eyes settling on the boy's friend. "Care to tell me what was so important? I'm not terribly patient, take too long and I may accidentally dislocate your friend's arm here." The boy opened and closed his mouth idiotically like a fish but failed to produce anything remotely similar to coherent speech. He was perfectly capable of it though, she knew he was since the fool was blathering away just a second ago. Rolling her eyes she pulled on the boy's arm and ignored his pleas for her to stop, relaxing her hold only when another recruit spoke up.

"Th-they were wondering why we were m-mustered, ma'am!" another recruit explained hastily, feeling themselves shrink under the Captain's gaze. Nervously glancing at others around them and finding none would support her the recruit continued, "We were all w-wondering why, that's all..."

"I was going to get to that before these morons interrupted me. Try being patient and you'll be told what you need to know." Letting go of the boy's arm Stella turned on her heel and took her place again before the rest of the class, ordering the boy's friend to get him to his feet and back into position. That she was passing up a chance to clear out a den of Titans for this... "Now listen, those who are present are now members of the 72nd Expansion Battalion. You belong to a branch of the Survey Corps that, for all intents and purposes, does not exist. Our job is to take on assignments and go deeper into uncharted territory than most of the Survey Corps will go, and to take on missions that they, while under the eye of the branch leaders and the King, cannot. Everything we do we do under secrecy and that means absolutely no speaking of our work to anyone else." Looking at the pair of boys still recollecting themselves Stella frowned and continued, "Though I know that may be hard for some of you I trust you'll learn to remain silent when told."

"I'm not going to lie to any of you, our job is not easy. We have one of the highest mortality rates in the military and I would be amazed if half of this class makes it back alive by the year's end." And as expected that little disclaimer sent the class into something of a frenzy. Most who could spoke out in protest, shouting and demanding reassignment and decrying the insanity of their mission. Others were too stunned or in disbelief and simply stood there, gaping like clowns or trying not to break. Sighing through her nose Stella reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pistol, raising it over her head and firing a single shot to silence everyone. "Whether this is fair or not isn't my problem, my problem is making sure the missions we're given are complete. And understand this: Yes, some of you will die. But I do not send my people out on suicide missions, and I do everything in my power to ensure people survive. Every mission we undertake I will be there alongside you fighting, and so will your comrades. Take heart in knowing that you're not alone on the battlefield, and prepare to give it too, if need be."

Could she be done with the speeches already? People still seemed to be rather upset over the harsh truth she'd delivered and no little consolation was going to change that. While Stella had been truthful in that she would be present for every mission it wasn't as though she could personally see to every individual's survival. Casualties were a fact of life and that was especially true in their group, you had to accept that and work regardless. Growing annoyed as murmurs broke out in the ranks again she resisted firing her weapon again and instead, slammed her hand down on a low table, quickly silencing everyone again. "If you have questions Sergeant Ekkehardt will answer them. Don't ask for reassignment, you won't be given it, and don't try weaseling out of this either. If you're here then you deserve it and that's final. Appreciate you've at least been given a chance." With that she turned and made her way back to her tent, hardly caring that Ava was doubtless about to be flooded with questions and demands. That was her job as the intermediary, she could babysit until the missions came.

High casualty rate? Ki'te had known that much just by being in the Survey Corps, but to be told it was even worse in this place was heartbreaking. Looking around at several of the crestfallen recruits she wondered just how many faces would be gone before the year was through. Would she make it? Samara would, of that she had no doubt, and as long as he didn't die trying to save her Koto would too. She would have to do everything in her power then not to drag them down, easier said than done of course. "W-W-Well... At least w-we're going to stay t-together..." she said weakly, tears welling up in her eyes as she smiled at the others, "Th-that's good, right?"