Tuesday, January 10, 2012

...she lobbed the blaster in her hand...

...one to the other.  It was simple muscle memory, but key for any one to understand the heft of a laser pistol in unfamiliar hands.  She stared off in the distance.  Eddie shifted his weight and stayed at the periphery of his clientele.  He didn't hold a weapon when his customers did - but he was ready for a string of sonic grenades in a heartbeat.  Eddie didn't at all admire the beauty of the customer, what with her hair up and off of her shoulders and temples - pulled tightly in a series of careful black piles.  He cared more to live the day.

She allowed the entire body of the blaster to spin her hands.  It spun evenly with no predilection to any one point.  Eddie did notice this and instantly knew she was used to firing one, in at least a few years.  The stranger was new to these parts for sure, (the outer territory was very much wild, but small enough to know most of the families, government men, criminals) but knew how to keep her head.

Eddie talked and his chin flapped, "That's a rare piece around here and why I brought it out.  It was obvious when I saw how you walked in that you wanted something...substantial."

She moved the blaster over to her other hand and allowed it to swing.  "Do you have anything close to this?"

"No, m'aam.  For a medium pistol like this one...well, it only sat around because of its impractical use.  Most folks around here need a projectile weapon like a rifle or shotgun.  For hunting and stead protection, right?  Pistols aren't more than a light thing - like you see in the case right under me."

"Is there a place I can fire it.  Obviously not in here.  If it shoots straight, you got yourself a deal."

"Yes'm.  Go ahead and take it right through there."  He pointed out a little room that led to a concrete bunker.  "Keep in mind I only have a three shot pack in there now.  That should suffice."

"So you say."  He bristled at the comment.

She went to the bunker and pulled off three shots - the smell of ozone and scoring filled the air as the lasers hit their paper targets.  During that short period of time he crossed his arms and put his left sweaty hand on his own hidden pistol.  He wasn't stupid.

"You got yourself a deal, fat man.  Ring me up for this, my tack and a few light packs."

"No problem on the weapon and the tack, but you're going to have to stow it away and come back for the packs.  I can't provide ammo to anyone unless they've stored it in their transport."  He nodded to an alarm to show he knew if a piece made it in or out.

"Fine.  As you say."  She paused and set the piece down on the counter.  "But your system sucks, I could've shot you a while ago."  She pulled back her coat to show an illegally manipulated blaster.  It was a custom piece and he, had he not started to profusely sweat at the situation would've asked a few questions on how it was made.  "But I'm not here for that."

"Ring me up and I'll take all of it right now, including the packs.  The second thing I need from you is to point me the rough direction of Cam Eyres."

"Cam Eyres?!"  He didn't take an eye off her hands as he scanned her credit chit.  "We don't even know if that asshole is still alive."

"He is."  She gathered her things and began to walk out the door.  "And...he soon won't be."

Continues in http://theedwardianjackal.blogspot.com/2016/01/original-free-gun-huntress-part-ii.html

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