Walter continued along the runway, seeing a recon vehicle coming towards them in the distance, Perkins standing up in it like he was parading the streets of a Terran mega-city. The others in the company didn't approve of the man much, but Walter rather enjoyed his company. He wasn't a false man, as some would put it. Rather he was too much true to himself. The man had an ego the size of the Bastion and wasn't late to remind anyone of it. He glanced over to Elisa and scoffed.<br/><br/>"I have no intention of staying on this planet. All I worry about is that we might not get off it. It all depends if the Ghost Bears are willing to let us go with what we have brought with us. But from what I gathered from that Cera they seem to be some sort of noble types with too much chivalry on their minds, so here's to hoping."<br/><br/>He listened under silence as she brought up Miyoko, his ears picking up the faint sound of music from the recon car coming towards them. Once Elisa finished he stopped and turned to her.<br/><br/>"I'll be frank, Elisa. There is nothing in her that sets her apart from Maho, Hiro or even me. Pardon the language, but the Kuritans fucked us up pretty good in our childhoods. I've read your file and theirs and I can tell you straight, you have no idea. Once I watched my father kill a servant because she brought me the wrong sort of milk for tea. I was five years old and her blood spattered on my face. He just kept on drinking his tea like nothing had happened while she bled out on the floor. I was pretty screwy when I was their age as well. To be frank, I was a monster, a beast of war that craved the death of all those who opposed me, including my own father. But Ol' Guts'n'Bones took care of me when I arrived in this unit, he kicked my ass when I was a darn fool and he praised me when I did good. He and Perkins were there for me, Papa Bear and the Hen-Mother. Had it not been for them I would either be dead or an abomination of violence now. I don't expect you to understand. I expect that we all take care of each other like Bones did, or Miyoko, Maho and Hiro will become monsters eventually."<br/><br/>The recon car slid up in front of them, blaring Terra ye Faithful out of jury-rigged loudspeakers on its roof, Perkins smoking a cigar so thick he could barely close his mouth. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but sometimes it's a big brown...<br/><br/>"Hey, Dicks, what's up?" Perkins flashed a salute and reached out with his arm, pulling Walter up into the vehicle. "Sorry ma'am!" he said with a wink to Elisa "This car is for VIPs only."<br/><br/>With that the car took off, spraying some loose tarmac on the female MechWarrior as it accelerated away towards the DropShip. Perkins ducked down into his seat and offered Walter a warmed up pipe. It was a welcome sight, and even though some would have protested because of his head injury, the old DropShip officer knew that there was a time and place for tobacco in everything.<br/><br/>"How's the head, Walt?"<br/><br/>"Just fine, just a little jarred. How does the salvage look?"<br/><br/>"Excellent. We'll be just about filled up munition-wise. Found some pretty awesome 'Mechs in the bays, but sadly we have no place for them, so I figure we'll strip them down and leave them to whatever takes them. I estimate we'll be able to sell of a whole shit-ton once we head back yonder. To an excellent price of course..."<br/><br/>Walter knew that was the truth. Perkins could sell rotten eggs to an overprice.<br/><br/>"We'll be bringing a prisoner and one of the mini-'Mechs along as well. I think I heard Erich discussing children with the Kuritan as well, but I'm skeptical..."<br/><br/>"We could probably stuff them in somewhere. Don't worry about it, they can't be that expensive to look out for until we reach some kind of orphanage or something."<br/><br/>Walter was about to say something snide, but held his breath. After the little speech he had delivered he couldn't imagine any better place for the kids. But kin was kin, no matter what.<br/><br/>"I'd rather have them stay. But knowing Erich he will probably pull them along anyway. And I am in no shape to argue right now."<br/><br/>"That's the spirit. While we have a private moment, there is something else I would like to discuss with you..."<br/><br/>The car disappeared up the ramp into the bowels of the DropShip.