Laytn’s eyes narrowed, and his lips became a thin line. He knew where his fellow officers were coming from, and the forward reconnaissance with the Wappas would be fast and efficient. Yet, in Laytn’s mind, it was never a bad thing to have someone sitting quietly on some hilltop with their eyes watching your back through a giant scoped beam rifle. He hadn’t meant for the 261st’s entire contingent of mobile suits to form up, and start combing the desert for Feddie saboteurs. 

In reality though, Laytn acknowledged the Commander and Milo had fair points. The issue with the shredded tires was probably nothing more than bad luck, and getting Old Crow out of bed would be overkill in such a situation. The chance to get out of the convoy for a bit, even if it wasn’t in the pilot’s couch of his beloved mobile suit, was still an opportunity Laytn wasn’t going to pass up. 

“Very well, sir,” Laytn nodded to Commander McKnight. “Binos and Wappas it is.”

Casting a sidelong glance to Milo, he smirked. “I did hear about that—the unit that almost took down the White Devil with the Wappas. Thought it was bullshit at the time, but…” Laytn shrugged, “…after the things I’ve seen in this war, anything is possible.”

Laytn heard Joshua’s fervent offer to join the recon mission, and he chuckled lightly at the younger man’s almost boyish eagerness. He liked Joshua, and he knew the man to be a good soldier, and a good pilot. It was amazing how much Laytn had grown accustomed to being with these men, fighting and toiling alongside them for months. Their cause had failed, but there wasn’t a single spacenoid in the 261st he wouldn’t be proud to serve with again. 

“Doing recon on Wappas is a little below our paygrade, don’t you think fellas?” Laytn said to the other men. “I get we’re all going stir crazy, but, in the unlikely event that shit [i]does[/i] hit the fan, we wouldn’t want the lion’s share of the 261st’s officers going down in a blaze of glory would we?” 

Laytn pushed his boonie hat back on his head so he could scratch at the sunburn that lingered on his brow. “I mean, that’s just something to chew on. I’m up for whatever, Commander. But it is something to consider, especially since Milo just said we’re going to be without long range comms due to that Minovsky zone.”