What have I gotten myself into?

I'm in over my head. I thought I could do this, but it's a whole other world for me.

Marcoro yeruntureo Virakha Vrassa-Adaro stared down at her phone and wished she could reply. In truth, she shouldn't even have been looking at it, but, despite this training exercise, despite the immense distance between Barden and Akhorn, the thought of her sister's first day at her first proper job since graduating from Yanuvallano Akhorid in November weighed heavily on her.

You'll be okay, Adara, she thought, then added, please, Revanim, let her be okay! and switched her phone off, before stuffing it into the depths of her duffle bag as she heard footsteps outside the room. She stood up, smoothed the lapels of her uniform and called for whoever-it-was to enter.

The callow Anturo - he was even younger than her sister and had got into more scrapes with his squad than most would get away with - stepped in and gave a quick and slightly sloppy salute.

"At ease, Isyema-Nyavo."

"Marcoro Itia-Khendo wanted me to inform you that the company is ready to commence mixed training exercises upon your order, Marcoroe."

"Then I will be out with him immediately. You may return."

Anturo Isyema-Nyavo seemed uncertain for a moment, then disappeared out the door as if he were running from a fire, and given the scoldings he had received in her office at the base outside Akhorn, perhaps he thought he was.

She glanced down at the duffle bag one more time, said another brief prayer to the Dreamers, then stepped out into the deserted barracks and made her way to the training field.