[Her apology, though heard just fine, goes unacknowledged. Nothing in her manner had bothered him and her curiosity is entirely justifiable given the circumstances. It ain't easy being new.]

Yeah -- [The answer escapes him in a mild sigh.] -- to keep us just obedient and complacent enough, I guess you could say. We're not the only fishbowl they're looking after either. Don't have ways of contacting the others as far as I know, but you run into them sometimes on the battlefield. And they're not always so thrilled to see us.

[He shifts his weight, shrugging.] Anyway... it's a lot to take in on your first day. I wouldn't worry about trying to figure everything out right away.