"Eh, rank ain't everything," Reno replied. And, hell, he believed it. What he wouldn't give to step down from his position as Tseng's second, without stepping down from the Turks as a whole.

But then it wold be on Rude's shoulders, and he wouldn't wish that on Rude. Or on anybody, really.

"You're gettin' the training, at least. That's pretty kickass, zoto."