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Stories from the Verse
In Version
Chapter 6: Slade 215
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Beam 159
“Good morning,” Slade said in Parakeet to his group of students. They were the same one and a half dozen birds he had been teaching the previous year in swordsmanship; their warfare and tactics professor was also present. “We are going to try something different today. I mentioned once that we might do this, but recent events have suggested to me that it might be important to do it sooner rather than later. Let’s see, how do we begin?”
He looked at his handcart of wooden cases. Yes, start there.
“Have any of you ever fired a bow and arrow?”
Several hands were raised, perhaps half the class. That was promising. He noticed that his two best students, whom he had dubbed Agile and Swifty, were among them, and so was the professor, which he had expected.
“Good. Now, have any of you ever fired a firearm?”
The classmates glanced around at each other; only the professor’s hand rose. Again, he had expected that.
“Swords are good in close combat,” he said. “I would never denigrate the value of good swordsmanship, and I have killed quite a few trained fighters with much more advanced weaponry because I was able to engage them in close combat with my sword and dagger. But I also carry a sidearm, and make significant use of it. Mine is far more advanced than anything you are going to have in this world for some time, but thanks to,” he decided not to use their names because of the language barrier, “some of my companions we have improved your weapons greatly.”
He picked up one of the boxes, released the simple hook latch, and opened it so the class could see it.
“I have here what I am assured are the latest advance in handheld weapons, the six-bullet revolver. There is one here for each of you, plus one for the professor and one for me. I have also expedited the construction of a pistol range behind my nest which hopefully will enable us to practice with these. Unfortunately, we have not yet developed ear protection, but you will find cotton in the case, and when we are about to start shooting you will put a bit in each ear to block some of the sound. Also in the case you will find thirty bullets.”
Having pointed at each of these items in turn, he closed the case and hooked the latch.
“Each of you will take one of these, and then we will proceed to the firing range. Do not open your case until I say to. You will be given the opportunity to fire the gun multiple times. Because these are dangerous weapons, you will be required to return them to me and I to the people who are holding them, but we will have them hopefully at least several times each week so you can learn to use them well. I have told your military leaders that the professor and I have been training a promising group of combatants who should be trained in firearms for the possible upcoming war, so this is serious.”
Looking around, he finished, “Let’s go,” and waited while his gathered students each picked up one of the boxes.
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with eleven other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #476: Versers Deduce. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
