She shook her head. "No. I want the real thing. The United Earth isn't going to go easy on me simply because I'm not used to their kind of warfare." Better to have to get a healer and deal with the consequences of a few stray bullets than to face the enemy without a good method of retaliation.

Elissa waited for him to move in before she stepped to the side, drawing her blade up in a mock-parry. She gave him a critical look. "You've used one of those before, correct?" she asked. It wasn't banter, per se, but if it got him riled, why not? She gave him a faint smile.