The QEC was online.
Normally Coats would be... well, not exactly eager since there was no knowing what news the QEC would bring and he was never a one to get his hopes too far up over who might be waiting to speak to him, but he certainly was never as reluctant as this.
He was keeping busy, that much was true, organising recon missions, supply runs, strike teams and then, once only the guard duty squad were left (and Rawling out from under his feet) he busied himself updating the maps and systems with the intel they already had.
Against the Reapers, terrain knowledge was vital. It could mean the difference between success and failure of a mission - and the life and death of the soldiers involved.
Today's report from him was normal, nothing new, the levels of death down on the day before, and the had managed to hold key areas. However, if it was Ashley on the other side...
Ashley normally was a highlight of these dark days, a pillar of strength and a reassurance, pragmatic but also positive with her words. But with Abby's death weighing heavily on his heart (and a constant at the back of his mind even as he kept busy) Coats wasn't sure if he was in a position to be talking for long - or if indeed he'd be able to stay collected. Ashley had a habit of... bringing the whole truth out.
He steeled himself and stepped into the QEC, perfectly to attention, ignoring the twinge in his arm and shoulder when he saluted, his hand and wrist still bandaged from his incident with the rubble from the caved in tunnel.
"Normandy this is London, can you read me?" A professional greeting for a professional setting. Maybe if he could keep his report to the point and his tone neutral then he'd be okay.
