Disclaimer: I do not own Gate: Jieitai Kano Chi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri while Shingeki no Kyojin is the property of Hajime Isayama, I only own the OCs I create.
"Hi!"=Yelling/Title
"Hi"= Speaking
'Hi'=Thinking
"Hi" = Flashback
'Hi'= Flashback thinking
Hi=Intro
"Hi!"= Flashback Yelling
Author's Note: Hello everybody sorry for the delay. I just wanted to let you all know that I intend to publish at least one chapter every month from now on, and trust the chapters will soon be getting longer. I hope that by doing this I can prevent the story line of the fic from getting all messed up due to rushed updates. Also remember to be smart and stay healthy in these troubling times.
Thank you for electing to read this newest chapter and I hope you all enjoy.
Sincerely,
JackieRobinson
Chapter 15
June 4th 00:40 hrs., AOT Universe, Coalition Headquarters, Ehrmich District
"What do you mean we're going to delay the counter attack?" a voice thundered, causing Dreyfus to look up from the cup of coffee he'd been sipping. Allowing his gaze fall over the Garrison and Military police officers, as well as the one Survey Corps officer, who had joined him in the HQ following the initial neutralizing of the titan attack on Trost, as well as the capture of the "Rogue Titan".
"I don't believe that I stuttered anywhere in my delivery Commander Falk, but in case you're beginning to go deaf in your advanced age I will repeat myself" Dreyfus began as he turned towards the man in question, who looked to possibly be in his 60s with fading grey hair and green eyes. Letting his full gaze to fall upon the man whose name meant hawk and making it clear that despite his tendency for nicities, Dreyfus had no intention of being intimidated in his own HQ. Especially not by a man of inferior rank.
"The counter attack will be delayed until tomorrow, June 5th to be precise, but may take place on the 6th or 7th should the need arise".
"But General Dreyfus I do believe what the Commander meant was that he failed to see why such a delay was necessary" one of Falk's subordinate attendants stated, hoping to clarify his superior's question. While possibly also looking for an explanation himself, for the reasoning behind this tactic.
"Gentlmen I believe all of you to be intelligent, but I will nonetheless explain the entire reasoning behind my decision" Dreyfus began as he placed down his cup to free up his dominant hand.
"First, as of right now we do not know the entirety of the tactical situation that awaits us in Trost, all we know is that there was a major titan attack and that we stopped it. We do not know where the enemy remains, what his movements on this ground are or have been in the time since hostilities ceased, what his intentions are, where his buildups are located, and if he has bas been frightened by our show of force"
"Second, as of right now none of the Coalition forces have the engineering equipment to plug the hole in Wall Rose, our engineers have for the most part remained at the in the security of our initial bridgehead and as such are not at our immediate disposal" Dreyfus made sure to state, noting that one of the Garrison offers was about to speak as he added.
"And even if they were, we do not yet know of the time table required to plug the hole or the level of security needed to keep them safe"
"Finally, it's estimated that across the Trost District at least one thousand people, civilian and military, are dead; I think that it's imperative that we asses our casualties before counterattacking so that we have official figures as to the cost of this battle" Dreyfus finished, causing an air of silence to come over the room.
In all this excitement and chaos had the Eldians really forgotten that people had died? That it was impossible to have any sort of pitched battle without both sides incuring at least a few casualties? Or had they, more specifically the Eldian military higher ups, grown so decensistized to sending the flower of their youth into battle that it no longer counted as a sacrifice anymore? Honestly, as Dreyfus saw the looks on each of the Eldians' faces, he didn't know what answer was scaried.
"What about the disease carried from the dead and the chance for infection, a pandemic would wipeout at least half the city" one of the representatives from the Military Police suggested, causing the other representatives in the room to nod. While also causing Dreyfus gently move his head to begin massaging his temple, honestly not feeling like re-explaining the previous point again. Luckily he didn't have to.
"That's a valid point, such an event would be catastophy, however if we know the significance of the casualties from this engagement then we will be able to organize the proper recovery effort to prevent such a thing from happening after we liberate Trost" Erwin politely stated, gently interjecting into the conversation.
"But if that's the goal then why wait so long to launch a counter attack" another representative chimed in, causing Dreyfus to let out a tense, slow exhale from his nose.
"I'd hardly call one extra day long" Erwin replied, causing Dreyfus to feel his blood pressure decrease significantly.
'Good God, I'm getting to old for this'
"But then-" another representative began, causing Dreyfus to stand uo.
"Look my friends, I understand all of your valid concerns, however I am in charge of the saftey of the Coalition forces stationed here" he began, extending his pointer finger as he did so.
"You may all feel free to launch your conter-attack whenever you please, but until I receive a better casualty report my men will not accompany you" he finished, causing a deafening silence to fill the room as he finished explaining what was essentially blackmail. After all, even the most arrogant Eldian commanders couldn't deny the fact that the security situation in the city had gotten better with the aid of the foreigners and that had they not responded as quickly as they had the attack Trost would have been a lot worse. However, this did not mean that any of these same commanders were willing to say this fact out loud.
"Well then" Erwin began, causing the tentions in the air to light slightly.
"General Dreyfus, I do believe there are other matters to attend to" he added, less sure about the matters Dreyfus had alluded to than he was that they were a better alternative to remaining on this current topic.
"Yes Commander Smith, I do believe we do, in a few minutes Commander Pixis should be arriving here any minute to give us the first organized casualty report" General Dreyfus stated, pulling a cigarette out of the fresh pack that one of his aides had retrieved for him before lighting it and adding.
"We'll wait here until he arrives".
"You're been saying that for the past hour and a ha-" the same old officer began to protest, only for Dreyfus to firmly end the discussion with.
"We will wait until he arrives, even if it takes the whole night".
June 5th 09:00 hrs. , AOT Universe, Utopia Aerodrome, Utopia District
Far away from Dreyfus' frustrations, but unfortunately not immune from the feeling of frustraion itself, Cesar found himself silently traversing the tarmac of the Aerodrome. Or at least the few parts of it that hadn't been scarred by the projectiles launched by the titans throughout the course of the afternoon.
'Damn, bastards' he thought as he watched another medical helicopter land at the medgshift helipad, before begining the agonizing process of loading more of the aerodrome's wounded groundstaff back to the megshift field hospitals back at the bridghead.
With the most unfortunate members being destined to join their fellow Coalition and Eldian Garrison comerades at the main military hostpitals established on the French side of the Gate. An action which was technicly in violation of the terms listed in the Coalition's Treaty with the Eldian Royal Family.
'Of course the bastards will only know about the violation if someone is inconvenient enough to tell them' he also thought before rolling his shoulders and continuing to make his way down the tarmac. The official list of casualties had come out only an hour earlier, whilst the entirerty of the escadrille had been in the mess hall, and Cesar had not been too keen to find outs length. But surely enough he had feeling a pang of guilt when the list of 275 Eldian Legionary, 50 Coalition, along with roughly 1,000 Eldian Garrison soldiers and cadets had come out.
A feeling made worse by his knowledge that one of the major factors in the deaths of so many of the Garrison soldiers had been the failure of Coalition air forces to react to the initial attack quickly enough. Of course it wasn't due to incompetence.
After all an estimated 10 French and British pilots had been killed by flying debris on the tarmac before they'd gotten to their planes leaving them in disarray, while another 5 had been killed in the air. Naturally, however, Cesar hadn't felt the desire to read the names of the casualties on the list, espcially the Eldian onces, since he knew a name that was gurranteed to be on there.
'Poor bastard' he thought as he reached the large burn mark on the tarmac that constituted all that remained of the Super Étendard that had failed to take off, along with the pilot who been inside it. It was thought that Second Lieutenant Bartosz hadn't suffered much. The speed of the rock slaming into front of the plane had crushed the cockpit due the rock's momentum moving in the opposite direction of the plane. Resulting in the plane arching up in the middle before suddenly, puncturing the fuel tanks, and causing it to burst into a fireball, Cesar had seen the footage captured by a member of the groundscrew. He knew Bartosz had to have been killed or at least incopacited instantly.
"What a waste" Cesar found himself muttering as he looked at the mark from a healthy distance.
"He trained for a year, sold off the next ten years of his life, and all for what? To be blown up before he saw a second of real life action?" he complained to no one before repeating his previous statement.
"What a waste".
"What's a waste sir?" A female voice asked, causing Cesar to glance over his shoulder and see Sasha standing there; prompting a firm look to come over his face.
"Your pension for inquiring into others' personal business" he answered as she neared him, while Cesar returned his gaze back towards the black spot on the tarmac.
"Oh come on sir, don't be like tha-" she began, stopping when she no doubt saw what he saw; causing him to only utter one statement.
"What a waste" before turning and walking off leaving Sasha standing on her own, her mind turning back to what she Joseph had told the previous evening when they'd finally sat down in the mess.
"So what was that all about sir?" she'd asked, when the two of them had found a place that was close enough to the door to give them an easy exit if their rendez-vous wasn't done before the mess closed but was far enough from the door that they wouldn't be overheard.
"As you might've guessed Captain Khansari isn't a fan of any unnecessary celebrations done by pilots while in the air, specifically victory rolls" Joseph began glancing over his shoulder as he did to make sure that Cesar wasn't nearby. During the time when the two of them had been put through survival training his superior officer had somehow managed to gain the ability to appear wherever he felt. An ability that he had inhansed since the two of them had taken control of their current charges, with him appearing and disappearing from drill to drill whenever he saw fit.
"Yeah, if you don't mind me asking sir, when did that start?" Sasha had asked, in a hushed tone.
"As you can probably tell Cesar and I are an odd pair of friends, so it won't surprise you that we didn't used to be" Joseph began, a look of nostalgia coming over his head as he did so.
"Back when we were in flight school or more specifically when we'd graduated from flight school, about two years ago, he and I had an additional friend named Marie Dusquesne. She was the reason why the two of us met and, since we both like her, at first we only tolerated each other so we could be with her. She was far better than either of us at flying, heck despite the fact she was the same year as us she tutored both of us in the study materials we had to take before tests just because of how good she seemed at it." he continued before smiling and adding.
"No one ever felt nervous when she was doing dual flights with with instructors and students, but then came that day..." it was then that Sasha realized her superior officer's smile had turned to a sadder expression.
"What happened?" Sasha asked.
"A few days after we graduated the three of us were given a weekend of leave and elected to spend it with our families and one day we went out flying; unfortunately, we were all excited and we developed a sort of friendly competition while flying" Joseph continued.
"With you families', sir?" Sasha asked, unable to disguise how agast she was at the mere thought.
"No, mercy no, actually only Cesar was able to convince his family to go up flying with him, which was probably the reason he did so little to stop Marie and I when we began doing fancy flying in a less than legal manner" Joseph answered as strongly as he possibly could.
"Well one thing led to another, let's just say that the two of us weren't paying as close of attention to our instruments that we should have, and before we knew it I saw the stall speed alarm and well... I guess Marie didn't" he finished, causing a pause to come over the two of them.
"So, how are you here?" Sasha asked, causing Joseph to look down in shame and scratch his head.
"Cesar's family didn't see the accident or hear any of the radio chatter so Cesar took it upon himself to fix things, and lessened the role I'd played in the accident, it's that reason that Cesar won't let anyone do anywhere near what we did. He can't stand the thought of not doing enough" he answered, causing her to lean back and sit in silence. A silence that had remained over the two until they'd left, and a silence that haunted her whle she had lay in bed that night. Or more specifically, the questions she hadn't asked had haunted her.
'Poor Captain, if only you knew that we were too scared to make the same mistakes as you did' she thought before looking back at the burn mark on the tarmac before walking away.
June 5th 12:00 hrs., AOT Universe, Fort Foche, Main Mess Hall, Utopia District
The distinct aura of forlorne gloom hung over the entirety of the mess hall as Armin made his way down one of the walkways. His position allowing him to see the long faces and bowed heads of the many Eldian Legionnaires who had silently filtered into the mess to get their lunches, a few hours earlier. The downtrodden feeling exhibited by each invidual he saw was felt by almost every legionnaire in the unit, even if they hadn't elected to show it the same way. Despite the fact it was the units first normal meal since the attack on Trost, due to the fact they'd been interviewed the day prior.
It was the feeling of soldiers who were gifted with the misfortune of not being bale to get over the reality of their perfromance in combat. In the days before their deployment Armin had found himself heavily involved in the final communications between the unit and their families. With him not only collecting the units mail, but also going so far as to help write the letters sent by soldiers who couldn't read to their families and reading the responses their families had a friend write to them.
Meaning that Armin knew the many promises, outlandish claims, praises, and predictions the unit had made to their friends and families. With some promising that the unit would singlehandidly turn the tide of the war, while others promised their families that the unit wouldn't be at the front lines for a few months; and while their officers hadn't spared a second to tell them to be happy they were alive many in the unit didn't feel happy. How could they, when 50 of their fellow comerades were laying in peace, or more specifically unidentifiable pieces, far away from them.
"Armin, do you have a spot?" he heard a voice call, causing him to turn and glance onver his shoulder to see Jean standing behind him.
"No, not yet" he answered, causing Jean to simply nod his head towards an empty end of a table. Where the two promptly sat in silence, not wanting to say anything that might direct them into a conversation around the only topic either of them could really think about.
"How's Connie?" Armin asked, finally breaking the silence.
"He's doing better now, they said that his initial shock is wearing off, most of the blood on him wasn't his" Jean answered, causing Armin to think back and indeed remember that when Armin had initially seen Connie the boy had been caked in blood and littered with smaller cuts.
"Then what do they think caused that to happen to him?" he asked, causing Jean to look down and simply shrug his shoulders before answering.
"I don't know, they think he might've seen something that pushed him over the edge". An answer that was so vague that it honestly left more questions into what Connie had seen to effect him so badly, or what the rest of the unit hadn't seen to make them all react like that.
"One thing is for sure, if those military police thugs had forced him back into the frey and he'd had to fight he probably would have died" Jean added, earning more attention from Armin.
"When do they think he'll be back?" he asked, causing Jean to look up.
"Probably within a week, they estimate 3 to 4 days," he answered, before smiling and adding.
"But I know he'll hate every minute they keep him in that hospital" causing a slightly uplifted grin to also appear on Armin's face. If there had been on thing that the two of them, Armin and Connie, had shared in training camp it was the top spot on the list of recruits that many of the cadets, and even some of their instructors, thought would wash out. Armin's place on the list coming from his lack of physical development and Connie's spot on the list coming from his difficulty in mastering the drills the unit were being put through. Yet, the two had managed to graduate in the top 10 of their class.
"What are you two smiling about?" the two of them heard a voice ask, causing them to look up and see Annie and Daz standing above them.
"Oh nothing, just the thought of Connie lying in a hospital bed and being pitied for nearly a week" Jean answered, causing a smile to come over Daz's face. The thought obviously proving to be as amusing to him as it was to both Armin and Jean, unforunately the same thing could not be said for Annie.
"Oh yeah, I remember him arriving a few nights ago," Annie began, glancing up towards the ceiling as she paused before a foul look consumer her face and she added.
"The vehicles were so loud that they woke everyone up, and then they put everone on stand-" she continued only for a distinctive yawn from Daz to interup her, and ironically punctuate her point. Much to the man's own embarrasement.
"Sorry" he said, while donning an embarassed look and letting his gaze fall to the ground.
"Speaking of late night arrivals, did either of you see Eren after we dischagred him?" Armin asked, earning him to shakes of the head from Daz and Annie. Causing a concerned look to come over Armin's face. When he'd seen his friend being hauled away by two of the foreign soldiers, who looked to be the foreginer's equivalent of the Military Police, he'd known it could only be for two reasons. Either Eren was hurt so badly that their allies had felt the personal need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible, or he might never see his friend again.
As much as he tried to only allow the first outcome to even exist in his mind, the fact that the only two friends he had in the medical corps hadn't seen Eren now made Armin worry if the second outcome was indeed the real one.
"He'll probably be fine, if the foreigners wanted to interview him so badly I sincerely doubt that they'll allow him to be hurt" Annie stated, breaking the nervous pause that had fallen over the group.
"Speaking of the foreigners, did you hear the announcement they made this morning?" Jean asked, causing all eyes to turn on him again.
"What announcement?" Daz asked.
"Apparently this afternoon the foreigners want us to all be near the camp radios to hear an annoucement or a speech of some sort," Jean asnwered, before adding for emphasis.
"It's so important that they've given orders that if soldiers from the Garrison, Military Police, or Survey Corps can't find a loud speaker in town they'll be allowed into one of the interview buildings on base".
"That's strange, especially with how secretive they've been towards everyone" Daz stated matter of factly.
"Maybe they've found a sure fire way to defeat the titans using their 'planes'" Armin suggested in a wildly optomisitc tone.
"You're starting to sound like Eren" Annie stated, before finally taking a bite from her now luke warm meal.
"I know, but still what else could they..." Armin began, leaning into the beginning of what would no doubt be a lengthy discourse about the posisble tactics for defeating the titans, marking one reason she preferred being around him to his friend Eren. Or even Reiner and Bertholdt for that matter, Armin had brains. He wasn't interested in just shouting his intentions to win against the titans, he actually thought things out, it made him entertaining to listen to. It also made him dangerous.
'Speaking of people with no brains' Annie thought before glancing out of the window, in the vague direction of the road that led to the medical center where Reiner and Berthold were being healed for their wounds.
'I hope you two are happy, you wanted to divide them and now they're stronger than ever'.
June 5th 12:40 hrs., AOT Universe, Coalition Headquarters, Ehrmich District
"Uh God, what a nightmare" Dreyfus muttered as he lit another cigarette, the first since the meeting he'd been tasked with painstaklingly keeping under control had finally ended. The third one he'd had with the Eldian military representatives in the two days since the attack, menaing that it was the third time he'd spent more than 5 hours explaining the exact same tact over and over again. Luckily though, this time he hadn't been alone.
"Commander Pixis may I ask you something off the record?" Dreyfus added as he leaned back and took another long draw from his cigarette.
"What is it General?" Pixis responded, removing the canteen that was attached to his belt.
"Next time I have to meet with any of your kindom's nobles or generals, would you please do me the honor of giving an advanced warning as to whether or not they like to behave like callused donkeys" Dreyfus, asked causing a smile to come over Pixis' face.
"Now come on my friend, the meeting couldn't possibly have been that bad" Pixis countered, trying to point out some positive of his meeting.
"There are only so many times that I can answer the same question as to why we're not counter attacking immediately, phrased differently mind you but the same question nonetheless, before I swear I will burn myself with one of these" Dreyfus stated, taking his cigarette out of his mouth to emphasise his point.
"Well then, allow me to offer you something of comfort" Pixis reponded before uncapping his canteen and handing it towards Dreyfus.
"Here"
"Commander," Dreyfus began as he took the canteen, not looking forwards to the beverage that proved to be the specialty of many of the Eldian elites he'd meet with. Tea. The bevarage wasn't bad on its own, but good Lord the Eldian elites had a thirst for it that Dreyfus was positive not equalled but no doubt surpassed that of the British, Indians, and Japanese desire for it. With a strength nearly ten times that of all combined, as apparently none of they had been taught the beauty of moderation.
"With all due respect I sincerely doubt that even your people's most refreshing tea is going to-" he continued, only to stop when the strong, pungent taste hit his tongue. The luke warm, bitter liquid sloshing around in his mouth before he swallowed it. Finding delight in the strong alcoholic taste that almost wafted from it.
"Is it to your liking general?" Pixis asked, a cheeky smile coming over his face as he did so.
"Yes, very much" Dreyfus answered before taking another swig and promptly handing it back to the Commander.
"Thank you very much"
"Don't mention it" Pixis replied, as he returned the now capped flask to his belt.
"Now, who was this young man that you wanted to introduce me to?" Dreyfus asked, while returning back to his desk and returning to his cigarette.
"Ah yes, thank you for reminding me" Pixis responded before taking a step back, opening the door and shouting.
"You may enter Private Yeager" into the hallway, a declaration that was followed by footsteps and a young man with dark brown hair and green eyes entering the room.
"Private Eren Yeager reporting for duty, sir!" the young man declared in a voice so energetic that even Dreyfus felt the need to respond with a salute.
"At ease private," he answered before gesturing over towards an empty chair.
"Please sit down" an order which Eren promptly followed.
"Now Commander Pixis, I trust that you have a good explanation for bringing this yound man in".
"Yes I do general, as you recall there reports of a 'rogue titan' which was attacking the other titans in the area, especially one which were about to harm humans?" Pixis inquired, making sure that Dreyfus was entirely up to speed on the situation which had proceeded their current one.
"Yes, incredible as it is, I do remember hearing that" Dreyfus answered, causing Pixis to continue.
"And you remember that when the titan collapsed a young man crawled out of the titan's neck, who we promptly captured?" he asked, causing Dreyfus to nod again in response.
"Well, this young man before you is him" Pixis finished, causing Dreyfus to once again look over to the boy sitting in the chair to his right. Looking the boy up and down; noticing the boy's skinny, but not frail, build, and short height.
"So you're the titan that ran wild in front of my men?" Dreyfus asked, causing Eren to straighten up.
"Y-yes sir, well technically no sir but- "
"At ease private, I would like to thank you, the chaos you caused earned you much of the titan's attention so my men could take them down" Dreyfus stated, before taking another drag of his cigarette and adding.
"Would have been a lot dead legionnaires if you hadn't".
"Thank you sir" Eren stated, his posture somehow getting straigter and his height taller as his pride grew at the congradulations.
"Now Pixis, I know that you wouldn't have brought Private Yeager to me just to thank him for his efforts, so what are you planning" Dreyfus stated, returning his attention back to Pixis.
"I was thinking that we might have found the answer to our problem to the hole in Wall Rose" Pixis responded, causing Dreyfus to raise an eyebrow in interest.
"How so?" Dreyfus asked.
"All that would be required is for him to transform and plug the hole in Wall Rose with a piece of debris, and we believe there may be a possible candidate in the Trost District, from there our soliders can eliminate the titans trapped inside so that your engineers can finish patching the wall" Pixis explained, causing Dreyfus to go quiet before a smile came over his face.
"Pixis, if all of the officers I'd met last night had even half the imagination that lays within that idea I might not have needed your refreshment" Dreyfus declared, as he clasped his fingers together.
"It's a crazy plan".
"Crazy, but not impracticle" Pixis corrected, causing Dreyfus to add in agreement.
"Not impracticle at all" Dreyfus stated again before turning towards Eren and adding.
"However, Private Yeager, as you can tell the entirety of this operation can only succeed if you agree to it" a declaration that caused Eren to feel a jolt come through his spine, as Drefyus added.
"So do you?" in a cold inquisative tone, that left the recipient of it no room for ny discussion. One was either entirely for it or entirely against it, no compromise would be tolerated.
"Sir, if it means that I can protect humanity and defeat the titans, I will do so with every fiber of my being" Eren declared with a firey determination.
"Good" Dreyfus responded, before turning to Pixis and adding.
"Commander, when is the earliest hour you would be able to announce these plans to a meeting of my general staff?"
"I can do it right now general, but the meeting will have to include Eldian commanders as well, I do not believe that your forces have the numbers for us to strike against the titans as soon as is necessary?" Pixis answered, causing Dreyfus to raise an eyebrow of interest and slight insult at the declaration.
"And when would be 'as soon as is necessary'?"
"No later than tomorrow morning sir, before the nutiritional demands of the refugees throw the whole kingdom's food supply into chaos, planning must be completed now with the units we have immediately available in order to prevent this disaster" Pixis answered before adding.
"And an indesputable victory over the titans will prove good for public morale, if not enough units are gathered you are free to fill in the gaps with your own reserves"
"Alright then commander, but if this is indeed the case then you will have to find the Eldians willing to perpetrate this mission, if an insufficient amount volunteer we will proceed with the attack on a time table of my choosing" Dreyfus replied. Indicating that he understood both the Eldian need for a clear victory as well as the Coalition's need to cooperate with them, but making clear that he was not willing to have the safety of his men held hostage by the Eldian desire to fight. The job of the Coalition was first to end the fighting and then to help these people rebuild, a confusing of that order could have costly consequences.
"Understood, I will appeal to the men as soon as possible" Pixis responded before saluting, bowing, and exiting the room with Eren in tow.
June 5th 16:00 hrs., AOT Universe, Fort Foche, Main Assembly Yard, Utopia District
There were many things that Lieutenant David Hoffman had seen in his life that he would put under the category of "odd sights", but the sight in front of him had to take the cake. Several units of soldiers dressed in late 17th, early 18th century uniform that had white pants and short brown jackets while also wearing clunky pieces of gear like machinery. Standing in a the assembly yard of a modern military fort; flanked on each side by several smaller units of modern Canadian and French soldiers.
'Yep that'll take the cake everytime' he thought as he took a swig of water from his canteen before rubing his temples, trying to hold off the stress that came from simply remembering how hard it had been to put that afformentioned Eldian unit in the yard. If he'd gotten a Canadian dollar for every time he or one of his men had been forced to instruct one of the Eldians to not touch anything, Hoffman might have been able to put in for an early retirement. But at least the units he was assigned to deal with were from the Eldian "Garrison Corps" and the Eldian Legion. He'd heard rumors that the Survey Corps units who had been admitted into the aerodrome had a particularly nosey member who desired to disasemble anything she deemed "interesting".
'Better them than me' he couldn't help but think as he took another mouthful of water.
"Lieutenant?" a voice called, causing Hoffman to stop drinking.
"What is private?".
"Some of the Eldians are beginning to grumble as to how much longer they'll have to stand here" the young man asked, before adding.
"Especially without their swords".
An additon which caused Hoffman to let out a sigh. The psychology of the Eldians was rather confusing, the soldiers had little problem being herded into a fort none of them had ever seen, by people they'd never met. Soemthing most people would consider to be concerning, but requesting that they place their sword at the center of the organized squares they'd been organized into, for their own safety might he add, was considered a bridge too far.
"Tell them it shouldn't be too much long-" Hoffman began, only to be interupted by the sound of static eminating from the fort's PA system, which had been modified to allow for the oncoming broadcast to be transmitted in via radio.
"Attention, attention" the voice called over the PA system.
"I am Commander Dot Pixis of the Garrison Corps, and I would like to begin by thanking all of the Garrison soldiers and Cadets who took part in the defense of Trost and say that my deepes sympathies go out to the families of all those lost in the attack. In doing so they have made the ultimate sacrifice" the voice continued, causing Hoffman to almost feel the sneers from some of his men at the lack of mentioning of the Coalition's efforts. But then again, they had learned in advance that the speech was going to predominanty be aimed at their Eldian allies.
"Unfortunately, our work is not done. As we rest here in the company of our allies refugees from Trost are being forced into the surrounding districts, our interior lays vulnerable, and our enemy resides on our home soil, gathering in strength and preparing to strike at us again. This is a reality which cannot stand. It's for this reason that I have begun working with our allies to plan a counter attack to seal up the hole in Wall Maria and eliminate the remaining titans in Trost".
The noise which followed the declaration could only be described as a wail, a single cry made up a multitude of voices that all wished to indicate the same thing. Their fear, a fear which Hoffman could understand. While he and his men had been towards the read of the Coalition column that responded to the titans in Trost his units had still been forced to fight several smaller titans that had eluded the deluge of bombs, rockets, and shells. Which meant he knew their fear was warranted, especially with the zombie like way the walking giants came at one and didn't seem to go down when hit.
A fact which made the growing sound of weeping cut Hoffman even deeper. This wasn't army, it wasn't even a militia, more like a mob of armed citizenry being led by their dilusional elders in battle. Even with the help of the Coalition forces, it was a battle that would take a while for them to win. If he rumors Hoffman had heard were true, most of the "soldiers" in front of him hadn't volunteered out of loyalty but a need to keep themselves or their families fed due to the lack of food in the settlement.
Their vow of survitude and loyalty to their king was no more than a means to their survival. A reality he could tell their commanders couldn't or didn't want to grasp, as he watched several men begin pacing around the groups. Threatening them with excecution or imprisonment for treason should they refuse, rather than raising their spirits. Which is why Hoffman found the words that came next to be so interesting.
"This task will not be an easy one, even with the aid of our allies the toll in lives we will have to pay will still be high. It's for this reason that I do not order you to complete this mission, but rather beg you. For while I will not force any of you who have witnessed the horrors of the titans first hand to do so again, I beg you to think of the future"
"My friends, do you believe that the titans will stop at Trost even with the presence of our allies? Did they stop with Shinganshina? Do you think our allies, for all their greatness and willingness to aid us, have the ability to bring in the food that will be necessary to feed our population should we loose the Utopia and Emerich districts and be forced to retreat to Wall Rose? No, the strain on resources would be unbearable and our city would collapse. Our extermination would be by our own hand"
"There he admits it now, it's about reasources, the whole damn mission is an exercise in population control" a panicked voice called from the crowd casuing one of the men to head towards it.
"Say that again, I dare you traitor!" the man shouted, only for the "traitor" in question to respond with.
"You won't send me into that meat grinder, it's suicide and everybody knows it!"
"You will stop spewing that defeatist slander or I will cut you down myself!" the man stated, causing Hoffman to no longer feel that he could remain an unengaged observer.
"That's enough!" he shouted, stepping towards the the man who was making the threat.
"This is a Coalition military base, no one will be excecuted here unless they are found guilty on charges brought forwards by a military court" he began, causing the man who'd been speaking to sputter.
"As an officer of the royal-" he began, only for Hoffman to cut him off with an authoritative.
"And you are not a military court!" causing a tension to be formed between the two as Hoffman found himself frozen with his fingure pointed towards the man, daring him to retrieve his sword and attempt to find the "traitor".
"For all those listening" the voice on the radio called, breaking the tension.
"I have managed to construct a plan with the aid of our allies, a plan that will allow us to liberate Trost and remove ourselves from the path to defeat. But it will only be possible if you volunteer. So as you commander, as a fellow soldier, as a fellow human I beg you to aid us in our counter-attack and begin the journey with us towards victory" it finished, before static could be heard and then the microphone went dead.
June 5th 16:00 hrs., AOT Universe, Coalition Headquarters, Ehrmich District
"Do you think that any of them will join you commander?" Dreyfus asked, as he entered into the radio room.
"I do not know general, I do not know, but I hope that all heard my plea, and that some truly listened" Pixis answered, before exiting the room. Leaving Dreyfus to do the thing he'd grown rather unfond of. Wait.