Fandom Attack on Titan: Chapter II

[Two Fives]

C H A P T E R : 2​

.

.

Wall Maria / ウオール・マリア

shiganshina district / シガンシナ区

p a s t ; l a t e e i g h t h c e n t u r y​

Foxes make a meal of a dead man's arm. One rends the meat from his elbow with a spurt of blood, fur of the snout washed red in human gouache. Another has at his legs like a raw entrée, the thighs torn from the bone, strings of sinewy muscle sewn between the fox's fangs. Over these fangs the fox runs a bloodied tongue.

“Shoo,” exclaims a Scout Regiment soldier as he lurches into the street. The foxes scatter into some alleyway close by. “Shoo! Damn scavengers. Having at its scraps, eh?”

“Seems that way. That's how it is,” responds his companion. She looks to be a doctor, wearing a white hospital uniform. Between her arms is a clipboard. This she holds onto tightly. “That's the food chain for you. Can't be helped. Doesn't seem like any of this can. Never mind that. This one, here. Can you identify him?”

He shakes his head. “Military, though. Look, the uniform. Garrison, looks like. Add him to the count. Terrible what happened here, ain't it? Happened so fast, too. Those cultists let one titan in... and look what it did. Was lucky to evacuate as many civillians as we did, though.”

“Hard to see the rose insignia with all the blood—wait! Can you see that? No, not here. There! Is that a person? A woman! Look,“ The doctor points, “beneath the rubble. Come on. Quick!”

The Scout Regiment soldier tries to wrench the woman's body from underneath the debris... only to find she has none, the discovery evoking a frightened gasp from the doctor, “Dear Wall Sina!” The woman is a head, only a head. A dead head. When the Scout Regiment soldier moves her slightly to the side, trying to gauge her identity, her mouth opens, as if to say final words, but her tongue, frothy as a rabid Rottweiler's, only rolls out, silent as sepulchres.

***​

The sun falls. The moon rises. This moon, however, is different. The moon is red, born of blood, and beneath her scarlet streams of light walks a man through Shiganshina's streets; a man whose face is not that much different from stone. Even in the face of the titan's aftermath, corpses heaped high like human hills, his face is stone evermore, eery and without expression. Soldiers salute him as he passes, saying, "Captain Cole, sir," along with all other facets of formality. These soldiers he treats like flies... lucky are they to receive a second glance if one at all. Approaching an official at the scene, Cole asks, "Casualties?"

“Can't say. Can account for twenty-seven of my unit. No more, no less. They're doing the count now. Should definitely have an answer for you on the morrow.”

“Give me an estimate, Camilla.”

She swallows hard. She pauses. The pause is painful. Punching, even. “Hundreds,” rumbles the woman. “The titan took out hundreds of our men. Can only be certain when we...”

“What? Salvage arms and legs and heads from the town centre? That neighbourhood over there?” He wiped some blood from his cloak to make a point of it, the raw rubbers of some soldier's kidney slippery between his fingers. “My damn uniform? Want to know who died, Camilla? Do you? All because of your inaction.”

“I couldn't--”

“We lost the colonel! Camilla, we lost the colonel,” he scolds. “You knew about the Titan Cult from the beginning... you knew about that mad bitch Elena Munshel... yet you did nothing. Nothing!”

“We all knew,” argues the scout. “We didn't think--”

“No!” A pause. “You really didn't.”

“What's done is done. This is what it is, Cole. This is the history. Carved in stone. Written in ink. And the ink has dried. There's no changing it. Call it what you will... but this is a victory.” Camilla looks sidelong and leads her comrade's eyes to the titan, fallen yet frightening all the same. Around the titan's carcass is a shroud of steam, billowing out above the streetscape like the swelling smokes of a fire. The titan's muscle fibres are soft and sticky on the bones, the cartilage and connective tissues metlting off from it to the same effect meat has with a boiler's scald. The street's cobblestone are covered in blood, some the titan's, most the Scout Regiment soldiers', whose lives were snuffed out like candlelight with a blow of tooth and claw. “We won. Came at a cost, yes... but, ultimately, we won.”

***

p r e s e n t ; e a r l y n i n t h c e n t u r y ; 8 0 6​

The moon, muses Camilla the Captain, is red... as red as it was all those years ago. “Bad omen,” she finds herself muttering, a whispered warning that slips from her tongue. Red moons signify blood, she knows all too well, and with blood comes Death on his warhorse.

She dismisses her thoughts with shakes of her head. From her post atop Wall Maria's ramparts, she notes she sees more than this blood moon. These sights she tries to focus on. She sees swathes of fields as far as the eye can see, fields that by tomorrow's expedition will for the most part be tracks of dirt, heaved on by the hooves of the Scout Regiment's Thoroughbreds.

She concludes her vigil after a time, retiring for the rest of the night. Hours pass by. Dawn comes into view with a ray of sunlight. At Shiganshina's portcullises are the Scout Regiment, soldiers tending to their horses, some mounted and others not, opting to wait in lieu. Soon, the Captain signals that the time is now, repeating the briefing that their mission is to map out the northern areas Beyond the Walls. “Should any trouble arise,” Camilla states, “ride to the rendezvous.” The scouts ride out as soon as the gates offer them passage.

The expedition has begun.

 

[Two Fives]

Three years, Niklas muses. Three years since I became a scout. He remembers the day well.

***
​

He stood in the hall abreast his comrades, side by side, eyes forward on Drill Sergeant Dave along with several other officials, Captain Camilla one of them.

The cadets, their hand to their heart, swore themselves to their divisions. Lots of cadets had chosen the Scout Regiment, but Camilla, after collecting the recruits in the courtyard, told them about the bitter reality of their service. Bloodshed, brutality... everything bad in this world, the nightmares of man and monster alike... Many of them had opted out last minute because of the Captain's words, deciding in favour of the Garrison. “Cowards,” Niklas recalled whispering.

Of the things he recalled, one was his surprise at how many of the top ten had opted for the Scout Regiment.

1. Midori Akari
2. Victoria Star
3. Linne Ritter and Astrid Haraug
4. Niklas Dok
5. Danira Lovell and Yuri Sakurai
6. Lucas Lawrence
7.
8.
9.
10.

The rest had opted to enlist with the Military Police.

Sometime after graduation Niklas was given Silver Steed, his Thoroughbred horse. He was named so after his fur, a silvery white coat of hair that under a certain light, moonlight especially, shone. He had served him well; as expected of the Thoroughbreds, a species of horse specially bred and genetically geared for military missions. In other words, this calvary of horses were designed with the Scout Regiment in mind. Those haunches, Niklas had ascertained on his first expedition Beyond the Walls, could gallop for hours on end.

Every Scout Regiment soldier had their own. The horses were as much a part of the Scout Regiment as the soldiers. When a Thoroughbred died, they were buried. Had they died Beyond the Walls, their manes were collected for a burial within. These animals were cherished.

***​

Niklas readies his horse. Fastening his collar with a tug of reins, he evokes a neigh from Silver Steed, immediately after which he whispers, “Easy, boy. Easy,” and mounts him. He slots either boot into a steel brace and steers his horse towards the gateway.

 

[Ethereal_Dreams]

When Yuri heard about the aptitude test, she had almost immediately going over what she learned. When it was her turn in line, she was mildly confident but was still nervous, hoping to do well. She sets herself up in the ODM training gear. She gets into the harness than tells the soldier controlling the contraption to activate it. Her feet are lifted off the ground...

3 Years Later - Night before exposition

‘The exposition tomorrow,’ Yuri thought. She started getting everything ready for it last minute, almost completely forgetting about because she was half asleep when she found out. When she finished, she laid down in her bunk going to sleep earlier than usual. She she drifted off, she began to think about when she first came here and graduation. She had come along way, everyone had. And then, she fell asleep.

- Day of expedition -

It was the day of the expedition, and Yuri got up at her usual time, 15 minutes before the wake-up call. She walked out to where the horses where kept with the other soldiers. She readied her horse, which was a white mustang dappled with grey, that she gained shortly after graduation. She was excited to go on the expedition.

Spoiler: Yuri’s horse

 

[Loki The Trickster]

Lucas leads his horse, Bookworm, through one of Shiganshina's stone roads. Bookworm's steel-clad hooves make a clangour, clangour, clangour of the cobblestones. This is followed, of course, by a clang, reverberating and ringing. Several turn their heads at the metal's noises, trudging out of the way when he passes, shortly after which he thanks them with a sagely solemn nod, continuing on his way to the portcullises where the Scout Regiment are gathered for their expedition Beyond the Walls.

He, somehow, finds Victoria in the regiment of soldiers, as crowded as it is. Three years in training, another three of military service, hasn't done much if anything at all to diminish their relationship as comrades in arms. Tapping Victoria on the shoulder, Lucas finds himself asking, “Not nervous, are you? I am. Very nervous. Should be used to it by now. You know, these expeditions. Don't think I ever will be.”

The soldier laughs nervously. He can't help scratching his head. He runs several fingers through his hair, now slightly longer, reaching behind his ears with tickling tufts of stringy thread. Sometimes he speaks under his breath about how he should have a haircut, after which more often than not he complains about never having the time. He recalls one time on an expedition this hair almost cost him his life, reaching so far down his face it covered his eyes... Never again.

“Still can't believe you were second out of all of those people,” Lucas tells Victoria. He's as surprised as he was when he heard the news for the first time at the 88th Cadet Corps graduation ceremony, pestering and picking at Victoria on how. “Really takes something. At least I can brag about my buddy being a genius, eh?”

As Niklas and several of the other Scout Regiment soldiers do, he prepares Bookworm. He steps onto Bookworm's stirrup to mount her. Tapping his boot against the fennel of her saddle, he signals for her to trot, looking over his shoulder every so often at Victoria to maintain his pace with her.

Flame Demon

 

[Flame Demon]

Victoria looks at Lucas as she mounts her own pure white horse, Yuki "Well I learned to believe it Lucas, so. I was slightly surprised too though" she says as her horse follows his "But no, I'm not nervous, being nervous gets you killed" she says, three years and she had only grown a bit, meaning she was still one of the shortests around. She had become colder and more emotionless though, her parents moved in with her aunt and uncle after her baby brother was born and renovations were getting nowhere.

 

[sr901]

Standing next her horse, a similarly white one given the nickname Major, Linne stared off into the sky. When she had first entered the cadet corp she had just hoped she wouldn't wash out, that she had some skill or another that would prove useful somewhere. She never imagined being among the top of the class. Being among the best she felt it was only right to go into the Scouts. With how often the numbers dwindled they needed the creme of the crop. Linne couldn't help but snicker at the thought she was 'the creme of the crop'. That must have been an exaggeration. It's not like she was Midori or Victoria. Still it was a fun thought. One that always brought the brightest of smiles to her face. Though she had been rocked by the early death of their fellow cadet, it seemed not a day went by in those three years without a smile, or a failed attempt at holding in laughter from Linne. She seemed just as happy if not moreso after the incident.

She snapped out of her thoughts upon hearing the signal, quickly sliding her foot into the stirrup and throwing her leg over the other side of the horse to do the same. Offering Major a quick pat, she fell in with the other scouts heading for the gate

 

[Allo]

The day of the graduation, Astrid held her fist against her heart with pride. She was joining the Scout Regiment top 10 or not, she was glad she had third place. She was confident in her skills, so she was confident in remaining alive. She was older now, more wise and reassured. During her time as a cadet, she believed she didn't need friends, but in the three years she became really close friends with Niklas. She was grateful for him in all honesty.

She was also excited for the expedition, and she was getting ready with her horse, not to far from Niklas. Tightening the straps of the saddles and reins, she fed Chise a small carrot and had a happy neigh in return. The sound made her smile as she stroked the snout, before putting her foot in the stirrup and mounting the horse. She blew a strand of her hair out of her face, grabbing the reins as her head turned to Niklas. Astrid gave a smile towards him, she was herself around him more often than not since they became friends. "At least we'll be close during the expedition. But don't die, alright?" She chuckled, adjusting herself and checking her blades to make sure everything was in order.

"It'd be troublesome if you were eaten. I wouldn't have anyone to talk to."

 

[Two Fives]

“Die? Ha,” chuckles Niklas with a toothy smile. He nudges Silver Steed's flank and, neighing, he comes to a galloping gait that brings them Beyond the Walls outside of Wall Maria. He pulls one of Silver Steed's reins, boiled leathers wrapped around his fingers, and continues, “Funny, Astrid. Always the comedian. Would've happened a long while ago if it were to.”

The Scout Regiment divide into several units, one for the southern hills, another for the rolling meadows to the east and, lastly, a third for the rutty hayfields to the west. The unit Niklas rides with heads south and Yuri, Lucas, Victoria, Linne, Astrid and co's horses make dirt tracks of the wild's plains with their heaving hooves.

“Anyway,” Niklas looks Astrid and her horse up and down. “What would you and Chise do without me?” From the periphery of his eyes, he notices Major some feet away. Niklas narrows his eyes and next he notices his rider, Linne. Her smile catches his eye, agleam as it so often is in the early morning light. “Something on your mind, Linne?”

 

[Loki The Trickster]

“Very true,” agrees Lucas, clearing sweat from in between his eyebrows. He tries wiping it off on his trouser leg, making a stain of his uniform. He prays to Wall Maria, Rose and Sina Victoria won't notice. Abruptly, Lucas says under his breath, “That won't be me,” as convincingly as he can. He reaches down for Bookworm's reins and, with an authoritative tug, directs her southerly, riding alongside the other scout soldiers. Every so often Lucas' direction evokes a grunt, sputtering and spitting, from Bookworm.

The wind, strong and stalwart, is in the young man's hair as Bookworm runs across the southern hillside, having increased her speed to something comparable to thirty or forty miles per hour. Similarly to his hair, his cloak waves in the wind. So, too, by extension, does the Scout Regiment's insignia, the Wings of Freedom. Raising his voice above the stampede's beat, the young man asks, “Heard from your parents?”

 

[Allo]

She chuckled, galloping along near Niklas. Now was the time to get focused and make sure she didn't get herself eaten. But she was excited, being outside the walls as an official scout regiment cadet. She shook her head as Niklas, giving a fake sigh. "That's true. How will I get my nutrition if I don't eat your food all the time?" She laughed as they came to a slower pace, looking around the environment. Astrid had a good sense of when Titans were nearby. Taking a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air of the outside walls. "Man, doesn't smell like the city at all. It's so nice out here." She looked at Niklas, giving a gentle smile to him before turning her attention to the land and environment in front of her.

"In all reality, if you were eaten by a Titan, I would be sad." She confessed, rolling her eyes. "Who else would I have someone to complain to about people?"

 

[Two Fives]

Silver Steed's hooves bring rise to clouds of dust and dirt as they gallop across the open hills. The Thoroughbred horse snorts and, with the utmost of excitement, slings out his tongue, letting it hang out his snout as he traverses the rolling landscape. Niklas smiles; half at his horse, half at Astrid's witticisms.

With a yank of Silver Steed's reins, the scout slows down somewhat to keep pace with Astrid and works on mapping out the area between these grassy plains and Wall Maria. At various intervals during the journey he takes out rolls of wrinkly parchment and scrawls things down—any particular landmark of note--with strokes of ink. “Aw, really?” teases Niklas. “Would you shed a tear for little ole me, Astrid? I'm touched. Really.”

“No titan sightings so far,” remarks Niklas with a thankful sigh. “Doesn't seem like anyone else has had an encounter either. Someone would've ridden to us here and relayed the message by now.”

 

[Allo]

As she stared at the environment, it was like looking at a painting. At a fantasy, something that didn't exist. It was so surreal. The air flowing through her now even longer hair, she breathed it in deeply. Chise trotted up next to Niklas and Silver, as she leaned over and looked at what he was doing. "Hardly... While I'd be sad, I wouldn't cry." She shrugged, sending a wink his way. "I don't cry. Really, I'd just be mad at how stupid you were for getting yourself chomped on." She said, before patting his shoulder.

"Hey, right over there. There is a group of dead trees that haven't grown back the green leaves they should have at this time of year. That's a landmark, so make sure to get it down." She said as she looked around. "Yeah, no titans so far. We should still keep our guard up. I'd be pissed off if we encounter one while we weren't actually prepared for it and..." She took a note of how scarce the trees were around them. They were in the plains, not a forest. "We have no high ground. If we were to fight them, we'd have to use the titans height to our advantage, and that is a feat in itself." Astrid sighed, mentally groaning at the possibility of it even happening. "Or at least lead them to a nearby village or forest. We should at least come up with strategies if we were to encounter one." She suggested, furrowing her brows as she looked at Niklas. Her hand approached his face, removing a leaf from his hair and discarding it.

"You're welcome."

 

[Flame Demon]

At the mention of her parents Victoria gives a slightl smile "Yeah, they're living comfortably with my aunt" she says "You haven't met my baby brother yet right? He'll turn 3 this year", she loved her brother, he could always make her day with that funny behavior of his "My grandfather took one look at him and said 'I don't know how you do it, but this young lad will follow after his sister when it comes to height', mom bursted out laughing and dad just shook his head. Naturally I just started laughing when they told me" she says with a grin while petting her horse "My mom and aunt gave me Yuki as a present for ending up in the top 10, so I think she forgave me for joining the military", her horse was tall, compared to her anyway, so she was pretty high up right now.

 

[Two Fives]

The setting is, indeed, picturesque, swathing lengths of rolling hill dotted here and there with an oakwood tree, wilted, wrinkled and weathered but wonderful nevertheless. Behind one are a warren of rabbits, most of them having at scraps, few burrowing their subsurface bungalows. Niklas follows a rabbit or two before Astrid and her horse intercept his line of sight, coming closer into view. “And here I thought you developed a soft spot,” teases the young scout. “Thought wrong, didn't I?”

When Astrid informs him about the autumnal trees, he nods, making a note of it on the scroll with several strokes of ink. “For sure. We should stay within this forest's distance,” The scout runs his finger along the yellowing writing paper after agreeing with Astrid, “after we're finished mapping out this area.”

Niklas looks around his shoulders from Astrid, making sure to check up on everyone else's well being. “Victoria, Lucas, Linne, Yuri,” starts Nik, “Midori, Danira? Everyone alright, yeah?”

 

[Ethereal_Dreams]

While Yuri was admiring the scenery around, she didn’t notice she had subconsciously blocked out the conversations of her fellow scouts. Niklas’s question snapped her back to reality. “Yes, she responded, “ I’m pretty sure, anyway.” Yuri slightly increased the speed of Stormdancer, her horse, to get closer to Niklas and Astrid.

 

[Allo]

"Maybe I do have a soft spot for you. But that will remain a mystery for now, no?" She nodded towards him, giving a small laugh. "It's always fun, letting you figure out things." She said as she listened to his next order. "Sure, maybe there's a river or a pond nearby. We should get a good lay of the land." Astrid suggested, the small girl patting the neck of Chise. Looking around, the area was big and spacious, so it would take some time to map out the area. Looking past the tree line, she saw a couple of houses just ahead of them. "So, maybe we should fan out? I could take a look towards those houses, check if anything is out of the ordinary."

Astrid grimaced, her eyes narrowing at the thought of seeing no titans so far. It was suspicious. "It's just too quiet. I don't like it. Makes me uneasy." Her voice sounded frustrated, lightly tapping her horse with her boots as it started to walk. "I'll check out the homes. I'll let you know if there's a titan."

 

[Coco Adel]

Ethereal_Dreams

Danira sighed and rides up next to Ceres, part of her graduating class and shrugged upon meeting up with her "You know to be perfectly honest with you, I had absolutely no idea you could tie for any of the top ten spots...to be perfectly honestly with you, I really wasn't trying to get into top 10. I makes me stand out too much, I kind of prefer to sneak up on people, but I suppose titans don't care about ranks now to they." She looked around at their surroundings, she had to admit she was thoroughly crept out "I supposed I can't just assume we'll see titans right out the gate...truth be told I kind of hope we don't see any...wishful thinking, right?" She pulled out her telescope at she peeked ahead to see if she could see anything coming up, titans, landmarks and so on.

 

[Ethereal_Dreams]

Yuri looked at Danira as she spoke. “Not to worry you, but we’re bound to see titans eventually. However not seeing them exactly when we leave the walls should be reassuring to everyone because that means not titans are close to the walls, so the walls are temporarily 100% safe,” she she trying sound reassuring. “And I didn’t know you could could tie for top 10 either,” she said trying to lighten the slightly gloomy conversation,” I was actually surprised getting 5th, I thought I was going to 7th or 8th.”

Coco Adel

 

[Two Fives]

.

.

Beyond The Wall

All is well.

Or, so it seems.

Not a soul will feel it at first, as imperceptibly faint as it is... a slight tremor of sorts, no different from the heaving of horse hooves. Slowly but surely, however, it intensifies. Wildlife are the first to react, all seeming to flee from one direction: the north. The horses seem to want to head that way too, turning their heads, snouts sputtering with panic-stricken snorts. Now, that tremor is one rumble away from an earthquake, a seismic collision of feet against fields... a titan's feet.

Above the furrowed hillside emerges a head--a titan's head, unsightly and ungainly. When the titan comes into view, his sprint for the Scout Regiment making a sprawl of his body, Niklas yells, “Incoming! 9 Metre,” and readies his horse with a yank of Silver Steed's reins. “Looks to be... shit! It's an Abnormal! Ride! Now!”

(Read this before you respond) Titan Combat Guide Ethereal_Dreams Coco Adel Allo Flame Demon Loki The Trickster Appawlezz

 

[Ethereal_Dreams]

Shortly after Niklas saw the Titan so did Yuri. A 9 Metre that’s also an Abnormal coming toward them, they just had the best of luck. They weren’t trained enough for that. When Nik commanded for them to fall back, she followed, not stupid enough to stay back and try to fight it. If she did, it would be almost impossible for her to stay in one piece, much less alive.

 

[Coco Adel]

Danira sees the titan and puts her telescope away, falling back as they were commanded but she couldn't help but wonder where they were falling back to. It was an abnormal, impossible to predict, it could do anything. She certainly wasn't looking to take it on in a head to head confrontation, the thing might grab her and that'd be the end of it. She also wasn't baking on being lucky enough to be swallowed whole, no matter how short she was. "Well, isn't that lovely."

 

[Allo]

Astrid furrowed her brows, clicking her tongue in frustration. "Ah, damn. How annoying." She said calmly, rearing back Chise and galloping in the opposite direction, along with Niklas. She really did find this annoying, she'd rather have an easy expedition beyond the walls. She didn't feel like over working her body, she was tired enough as is. Her eyes had a sharp glare at the titan as she looked back at it, before looking to Niklas. This surely was frustrating no? "Niklas, we shouldn't allow it to break the formation. Shouldn't we attempt to take it down now?" Astrid asked as the titan drew in closer. Looking at it now, it really was only a 9-metre. Not very big but not small at the same time. She might be able to take it on, one on one but she was sure there were differing odds between the two. She also knew that her squad wouldn't allow her to take it on alone.

Scoffing as if she were pissed off at the circumstances, she continued to ride with the squad. It was an Abnormal and they didn't know much about them, so maybe it was best to not engage.

 

[Loki The Trickster]

Reeling back Bookwarm's neck with her reins, Lucas steps into her stirrups with tremendous deals of weight to his boots. His horse neighs, Bookworm wasting no time in breaking into a sprint across the field, galloping abreast the scouts with sprays of soil spurting out from beneath her hooves. “Victoria, come on,” yells the corporal scout gavely. One might catch sight of his face in the heat of it all, the lines, the wrinkles, a flesh mask of fright, “We don't have a chance. Gotta run. Now!”

“Niklas,” he calls to next, “Will it catch up to us before we make it to sanctuary?”

 

[Coco Adel]

Danira looks back at the tian listening to what everyone has to say and looks around before sighing. "Well, if I were to put my two cents in...while I find needless bravado to be moronic and would rather not tangle the man-eating giant. I have to agree we don't know what this abnormal will do, it could start sprinting at any moment. However, I think we have a golden opportunity to take it out. There are no other titans in the area if we cover our bases and do this safely by attacking its multiple weak points, I think we can kill it without suffering any casualties. I say we take out the legs and arms and when it's down we go for the kill shot!" She used her telescope to look back at the titan following them "I'll even take out its eyes for extra insurance if someone backs me up."

Loki The Trickster Allo Ethereal_Dreams Two Fives

 

[Two Fives]

“Yes, Lucas! There's no doubt about it. This titan will catch up with us long before we reach the rendezvous,” exclaims Niklas in a frantic and frightened way, a way that not many if any at all have seen of the young corporal in his three years of military service. His voice is as rickety as Silver Steed's stirrup iron, attributable, of course, to his rickety foot, wrung with anxiety. “However, Astrid is right. Even so, we can't lead it there—we can't lead it to the others. There'll be a blood bath.”

Riding beside Danira, he shakes his head and says to her, “Whoever tries to take it out will most likely,” He swallows hard, “die. But...” Another hard swallow that holds the words at the back of his throat like burning bile. “It would buy us time.”