Laytn had to hide his irritation with Commander McKnight’s seemingly flippant disregard for the disposition of the 261st’s officer corp. It seemed uncharacteristic of the man to be so cavalier, and the manner in which he insinuated that the Black Saints, and the remaining Mobile Suit pilots, could simply take the place of the three lieutenants should tragedy strike, galled Laytn. The fact that the whole Zeon military was in the process of surrendering to the Feddies only worked to intensify Laytn’s feelings on the matter. It was only with the interjection of Milo’s reasonable tone and suggestion that Laytn was able to fully bite his tongue.

“Fair enough,” Laytn said with a single nod as Milo finished. “I’ll go make sure our rides are fit.”

Without a departing glance to either Joshua or the commander, Laytn turned on his heels and marched his way in the direction of the parked Wappas. The desert wind gusted hard, and Laytn had to keep his hand upon his boonie hat to keep it from blowing from his head. Squinting against the sun and shifting sand, he looked up to the group of soldiers that were sitting in the small pools of shade provided by the Wappas’ hover-fan nacelles.  The men saw Laytn approaching, and they stood from their places as he drew near.

One soldier, a corporal named Enders, stepped forward and saluted smartly. “Good afternoon, Lieutenant. Something we can help you with?”

Laytn returned the salute and nodded. “As a matter of fact, Corporal, we’ll need your Wappas. Commander McKnight, Lieutenant Tyranne, Lieutenant Gordon, and I will be doing a forward recon. They ready to roll out?” 

“Yes sir,” replied Enders, “they’re all yours, sir. The MG’s are fully loaded, fuel levels are full, and the fan motors have been running cool, despite the heat.” 

The corporal waved at his fellow Wappa pilots to get up, and clear off. Immediately the men began hurriedly picking their personal gear off the hovercraft. They were careful to leave the flight helmets that housed the communications systems for the machines. 

“Very good, Corporal. The four of you that still have your Wappas will still be assigned to the convoy’s immediate vicinity. The rest can go take a break from the heat in the cabs of the Samson’s.”

As the four displaced Wappa pilots moved off towards the trucks, Laytn began walking around to the hovercraft. With each machine, he set the throttles to idle, started the engines, and ensured that each machine gun was set to ‘SAFE’ and securely locked into its pintle mount. By the time he had completed the pre-flight check on each Wappa, the immediate air was filled with the low whine of the hover-fans, and the gurgle of the engines. 

Satisfied, Laytn jumped into the command chair of the last Wappa, and adjusted himself comfortably into the seat. Placing his feet on the rudder pedals and his hand on the collective stick, Laytn went about checking the operation of the control surfaces that directed the thrust of the hover-fans. Each of his movements was instantaneously followed by the articulation of the applicable flap. A smile came to Laytn’s face as he awaited his comrades.