So, he thought about it. The answer was yes. Well actually, it was [color=0072bc][b]"Not while I'm hucking a full-grown man across a frigging jungle."[/b][/color], but it amounted to the same thing. Ole' Rupert wasn't turning into a walking blood stain as they moved him along and Grace wasn't spotting any foes along the way, so there was hope in hell of him coming out of it alive. [b][i][color=0072bc]This is why I wanted to be attached to a damn mech unit.[/color][/i][/b], thought Elliot. It wasn't outside of his experience. Alright, he and everyone else at home had trained in a more basic unit than what they had out here, but he still had it down! He could drive, he could shoot the gun, he could range-find! Hell, just being support infantry for one would be enough, just so they had it there to give Charlie something to think about! He could never catch a break... Meanwhile, Dwight almost tripped 'cause he was watching Grace's butt instead of what he was doing. [b][color=0072bc]"Hey, watch it!"[/color] "I [i]am[/i]." [color=0072bc]"Wrong 'it'."[/color] "Yeah, yeah... Maybe it's the sudden lack of sweetheart, but I can't help but notice stuff, ya know?" [color=0072bc]"And you know what happened last time someone [i]tried[/i] something with her, right?"[/color] "Ego nearly lost his thumbs. I'm just [i]saying[/i] you got something good here. Speaking as one who took full advantage of mine, you oughta'- What?"[/b] Elliot was just glaring at him. After a few seconds, Dwight held up his free hand as a sign of defeat. [b]"Okay, whatever. Not my business."[/b] People noticed him and Grace, sometimes, but they didn't know anything more than what they saw. Lot of 'em didn't really care. Maybe two in every twenty wondered if there was something going on there. Those that knew Elliot to a degree knew that the first thing you'd [i]think[/i] was going on really wasn't. He hadn't had her in the sack and he hadn't tried. Apart from wondering if Grace even understood the first thing about relationship and all that goes on in one, the Corporal was pretty sure that Grace just didn't relax. Like...ever. If she went to sleep and, in a few minutes, somebody disturbed or went near her, she would immediately put a knife to the person's throat. If you did the same thing, but waited an hour, three hours, ten hours, it was largely the same result. Working with Grace wasn't like taking in a human being. It was like adopting a feral cat...or a tiger. In any case, the four of them returned to base, calling for medics to come and take the Sergeant off to get the holes in his body patched and the insides of his person looked after. Here was where Elliot busted out his cigarettes and lit up for the both of them. Dwight took a drag as he puffed a bit, scanning the horizon for whatever presented itself. The younger soldier pulled out Mel and Ego's dogtags, saying that they should report in about what happened. Elliot was shedding his heavy gear a bit when he said that, talking while the ciggy was gripped in his mouth. [b][color=0072bc]"I don't [i]wanna[/i] report in right now, and neither do you. I want a fucking [i]drink[/i]."[/color] "What, now?" [color=0072bc]"Yeah, now. Someone'll be drilling us, later. Better now, before they get started."[/color] "Couldn't we at least get Grace to do it?"[/b] Despite himself, Elliot laughed at this before turning to Grace, asking [b][color=0072bc]"Hey, Grace. D'you wanna report to a captain or major or something 'bout what happened?"[/color][/b]. Naturally, she shook her head, slowly. She wasn't very vocal, but that was a definite 'Hell no' from here. The Corporal told Dwight it could wait for as long as it took to get the image of the day's event out of their heads. The only problem was, as they headed for the makeshift bar, there was a problem. Dwight muttered [b]"Uh oh."[/b] about the same time Elliot thought it. The tent sounded loudy rowdy and there was a woman standing outside, sipping her drink. That was a definite sign of crowding. [i]Over[/i]-crowding, even. Grace kept her distance from the way in and the two men were getting that 'I dunno...' expression now. [b][color=0072bc]"You go ahead, man. Just bring me out something."[/color] "Wait, what? Gimme a break. [i]If[/i] I go in, I'm in. [color=0072bc]"Hey, I gave you a cigarette. You get me a drink."[/color] "I guess that's fair. Whadya what?" [color=0072bc]"I dunno. Something out of a bottle."[/color] "Alright. Grace? Want anything?"[/b] The Albino tilted her head, thinking for a second, then went [color=f7941d][b]"Soda?"[/b][/color] with a shrug. That was enough for him to go on and Dwight soon disappeared. Elliot glanced over at the woman standng next to the entrance. Her attire said soldier, like everyone else here, but the way she carried herself suggested otherwise. She was about as not-soldier in body language as Grace was, and then there was the grease. A mechanic, maybe? There were tanks and at least one or two of the mechs on-site at Firebase. Might be from one of 'em. Elliot let off a smirk, then. [b][color=0072bc]"He gonna have any trouble in there?"[/color][/b]