[One would think that the words were thrown flippantly in her subordinate's direction, but like everything else, there's a point and a reason to Hange's advice.]
From what we've experienced so far on Ajna—with the CDC—we have very little control of what comes our way. All we can do is counter to the best of our ability, at least for now.
[While she's always been infamous for relying on unconventional tactics, she's also a realist where it matters.]
So take it easy, Eren. Don't waste your energy needlessly worrying on what you don't know. I don't expect you to kick your feet up and forget your duties and responsibilities, but I'm asking that you concentrate your efforts on where you know they won't be wa—
[And then it comes to her, just like that. Hange pauses, snapping her fingers before holding up her cuff to begin searching madly. For a moment her intentions are unclear, but then she pulls up a series of images and angles her wrist for Eren to see.]
[It's good advice. Maybe he'll take it to heart when she isn't wildly changing the subject on him. Abandoning his cooling tea, Eren sits up and leans over toward Hange to get a better look. Unsatisfied, he stands to circle around her chair and peer down at the screen.]
That's it.
[That's exactly it. Reading the descriptions under the symbols—]
[Given how long they've worked together already, Eren should be used to Hange's sporadic thought process. However, they certainly benefit through it this time around, though she's just as perplexed about the 'connection' as he is. What was the significance of the branch that performed this in the first place?]
I don't understand why they brought you back with the memories you possess now. [Did the 'assault' team believe that it would aid in their cause?] Did you approach Annie any time prior to your disappearance? Reiner?
[Scattered as they are, Hange manages to pick out possibilities that haven't begun to occur to him. It's one of the things that he actually really respects about her, as unconventional as her methods can be. Frowning, he paces back a step to stop leaning over to look at her cuff. He doesn't sit back down right away. Because now that she asks—]
A couple hours before, I met Noh-Varr in his rover to pick something up.
[The dragon-tooth knife, one of a set that he and Isha had been tasked to create for the team. But that's not the point.]
Annie lives there. She came back while I was hanging around.
[The first time he'd really seen her since a few days after the first drop. She'd been doing a good job of avoiding him.]
[Could that have been a factor for Eren's disappearance? If anything, that would've potentially brought more friction between the Survey Corps and the Titan Shifters, leaving both groups incapable of functioning at their full capacity for the CDC's missions.
Or maybe there was no connection at all, but it's something worth pursuing regardless.]
I'm assuming she didn't act aggressively? [He would've reported that to her sooner otherwise. She hopes anyway.]
[Is there something to be gained for the CDC, by picking him out of their world so much earlier than Hange, or Armin? Maybe in the beginning. Infighting among their recruits could only be more trouble than it's worth. But keeping him ignorant of the traitors in their ranks had only worked up until his comrades had spilled the beans. And any lingering denial he'd been holding on to about Annie has since been settled in Stohess. (It's not the only lesson he learned while he was gone.)]
No, ma'am. [Some none-too-vaguely worded threats, but not inaccurate ones. That he can't risk his comrades, by CDC retribution or by breaking their shaky ceasefire. (She was right.) Noh-Varr had helped keep things from escalating too much. It had still been a bit tense.] I haven't seen her since.
[In a way, she's relieved. The last thing either side needs is for someone to snap and dissolve whatever precarious conditions they agreed upon, and so the fact that the 'truce' has managed to hold gives her one less thing to worry about; at least for now. However, that means that the CDC's intentions remain convoluted at best, throwing them back onto square one.]
All right, thanks Eren. [Hange finally relents with a sigh.] I can't say if that helps any, but if Annie or Reiner try to approach you I want you to contact me as soon as possible.
[She stands at that.]
Unless you've got other affairs to tend to, I'd like to go over a few quick exercises with your titan form now to make sure you aren't suffering from any adverse effects.
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no subject
[One would think that the words were thrown flippantly in her subordinate's direction, but like everything else, there's a point and a reason to Hange's advice.]
From what we've experienced so far on Ajna—with the CDC—we have very little control of what comes our way. All we can do is counter to the best of our ability, at least for now.
[While she's always been infamous for relying on unconventional tactics, she's also a realist where it matters.]
So take it easy, Eren. Don't waste your energy needlessly worrying on what you don't know. I don't expect you to kick your feet up and forget your duties and responsibilities, but I'm asking that you concentrate your efforts on where you know they won't be wa—
[And then it comes to her, just like that. Hange pauses, snapping her fingers before holding up her cuff to begin searching madly. For a moment her intentions are unclear, but then she pulls up a series of images and angles her wrist for Eren to see.]
I just remembered where I saw it.
no subject
That's it.
[That's exactly it. Reading the descriptions under the symbols—]
"Assault?"
no subject
I don't understand why they brought you back with the memories you possess now. [Did the 'assault' team believe that it would aid in their cause?] Did you approach Annie any time prior to your disappearance? Reiner?
no subject
A couple hours before, I met Noh-Varr in his rover to pick something up.
[The dragon-tooth knife, one of a set that he and Isha had been tasked to create for the team. But that's not the point.]
Annie lives there. She came back while I was hanging around.
[The first time he'd really seen her since a few days after the first drop. She'd been doing a good job of avoiding him.]
no subject
[Could that have been a factor for Eren's disappearance? If anything, that would've potentially brought more friction between the Survey Corps and the Titan Shifters, leaving both groups incapable of functioning at their full capacity for the CDC's missions.
Or maybe there was no connection at all, but it's something worth pursuing regardless.]
I'm assuming she didn't act aggressively? [He would've reported that to her sooner otherwise. She hopes anyway.]
no subject
No, ma'am. [Some none-too-vaguely worded threats, but not inaccurate ones. That he can't risk his comrades, by CDC retribution or by breaking their shaky ceasefire. (She was right.) Noh-Varr had helped keep things from escalating too much. It had still been a bit tense.] I haven't seen her since.
no subject
All right, thanks Eren. [Hange finally relents with a sigh.] I can't say if that helps any, but if Annie or Reiner try to approach you I want you to contact me as soon as possible.
[She stands at that.]
Unless you've got other affairs to tend to, I'd like to go over a few quick exercises with your titan form now to make sure you aren't suffering from any adverse effects.