Erich rolled his head backwards slightly, working out the tension in his thick neck as he listened to Miyoko's explanation. "So, let me get this straight; you think that, to relieve the tension in the company is to leave, despite the fact that you also feel as if, that by taking you in, you've been adopted into the company. So, consider this a perpetual denial of discharge from the company; you're staying put, and if someone has a problem with that, they can take it up with the commander responsible for every groundpounder we have. Ergo, me."<br/><br/>"As for you making a damn fool mistake in that, let me tell you a little secret; each and every one of us has fucked up hard on the field. My first ride was a Griffon; pretty much the same as your 'hawk, only with a 10-rack and a better jump profile, at the cost of running hot. First major engagement, I was the bottom guy in the fire lance; and my damn fool self got into a fistfight with an Atlas. The first two punches wrecked the LRM rack. Third one damn near crushed the Griffon's head; I had a nice nap between being rattled around like a pea in a tin can, and the ammo explosion when the fucker punched the ammo bay under the LRMs."<br/><br/>He chuckled slightly, showing her a jagged scar that ran from his right elbow up to the point of his shoulder. "Spent a few months getting pieced back together by the medtechs; radial bone in my right arm's made of Durallex Alloy; stopped more than one bullet, and a few lasers in the eighteen years since. So, yeah. We all did stupid shit; what you did was stupid shit that's been instilled in you from childhood as the proper thing to do, so I'm not pissed about it. Some others may be pissed because you seemed to panic, which doesn't help much in the field, much less when we lose someone due to an ambush. We'll work on a way to keep you on your toes and with a cool head, but it won't do much for your nerves while training you how to keep calm when scared out of your wits."<br/><br/>Shifting slightly, he leaned closer to Miyoko in the tight confines of the cockpit; the Shadow Hawk had a fairly spacious unit, for a medium 'mech, but it was around half the size of the Awesome's cockpit, and with two people, and two stuffed toys, it was decidedly cramped, which is why Erich had spent most of the conversation half-in the cockpit, instead of fully inside. Gently, he placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Tell you what; Tomorrow, talk with Elisa, admit you feel like you screwed up by the company's standards, and ask her for pointers; Don't give a shit about the actual mentoring part until you and she have knocked down the barriers between you two, so there's no grudges, no bullshit, and no mudslinging. If Walt gets on your case about anything, tell him that you're doing this under my orders, and he only gets to override them once he's able to pilot a 'mech again. He'll be pissed as hell, but at me, not you."<br/><br/>He smiled slightly, his voice almost fatherly, instead of being the gruff, no-nonsense soldier he also was. "As for your appearance, well, I may have a reputation of being a dirty old man, but, honestly, you're better-looking than you give yourself credit for; If you want some advice in that field, head up to the brudge and talk to Perkins' ladyfriend; she'll set you up with what you need, and the knowledge to use it."<br/><br/>Stretching slightly, he stifled a yawn; he did look tired out, but it seemed like he was going to stay awake to help repair the armour damage to his own 'Mech, once the conversation was over. "Anyhow; you should get some rest, yourself. In a real bed, not the command couch of your 'mech. Worlds of difference, even with the crappy beds a Union has."