[center][color=0076a3][h2][color=6ecff6]ELI[/color] and [color=662d91]VERA[/color][/h2][/color][b]Mess Hall , New Anchorage[/b][/center]
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No sooner did Commander Graham enter the mess hall with the recruits in tow, did Eli bolt upright, yanking her hood back from her head and coming to a rigid salute. Her attention went to him — the "new blood"  more periphery than anything— as he settled his business with who she could only imagine was some form of glorified secretary. 
 
Beside her, she heard Vera scramble into the same uniform attention, and Eli might have smiled with pride had she the will to break formation. At least she wasn't alone, Stein reliably went to attention, as did Van Gent of all people, so at the very least they wouldn't be coming off as sloppy or unorganized. Graham asked for their introductions, and Eli did not pull the hand from her head, but she did glance over the unfamiliar faces. A range of ages, from those who looked young as herself, to the middle ground where she figured Percy and Jan stood, to the...well, she'd spent too much time around her mother to have low expectations of the elderly, so she went with considering the aged woman as "weathered". Then of course there was the [i]familiar[/i] face of John Strange, one she did not expect to see again, but was inwardly relieved nonetheless, since she at least knew he could pilot well.
 
Ana spoke out of turn not too far from them, and though Eli could feel no disappointment in her, she felt a swell of pride for Vera. The two had gone over regulation numerous times, especially regarding what was and absolutely was [i]not[/i]  acceptable in front of Commander Graham. Beside her, the younger girl was quiet as the grave, ushanka pulled down and held behind her back with the stern, alert expression Eli had taught her. No smiling, no laughing, no breaking. A quiet honesty in the back of her mind mourned the loss of Vera's joviality, even if it was only temporary, but it was a necesasry sacrafice to ensure she was not seen as a nuisance. 
 
When it was her turn, Eli stepped forward, tugging the scarf down just enough so as not to muffle her voice, though it still remained high up her chin. 
 
[color=6ecff6]”I pilot Unit 03, Blur. My name is Eli, and this,”[/color] she gestured to Vera, who remained still as a statue. [color=6ecff6]”Is my assistant, Vera Voloshyna.”[/color]
 
For a moment, brief as it was, Eli silently scanned across the recruits, meeting cold, harsh eyes with any that she could, as if a dare to question Vera's presence, or her status. A preemptive indignance grew within her, something she knew later she'd feel guilty over, but she would not be doubted by recruits, she would not be doubted by [i]anyone[/i] without the authority to act on their doubts. 
 
Then, fluidly as if there had been no pause at all, she concluded. [color=6ecff6]”The people of New Anchorage are depending on us, do not let them down."[/color]