82,101
edits
Amwelladmin (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Amwelladmin (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{a|opcoboone|}}The Armourer is the principle munitions expert at the settlement. No one knows her name. Legend has it that she was a key protagonist in the battle for Bretton Woods, and is a dead eye sniper who could put 3 bullet swaps in a [[TARGET]]. She fits out all Opco’s bump stock GMSLAs. | {{a|opcoboone|}}The Armourer is the principle munitions expert at the settlement. No one knows her name. Legend has it that she was a key protagonist in the battle for Bretton Woods, and is a dead eye sniper who could put 3 bullet swaps in a [[TARGET]]. She fits out all Opco’s bump stock GMSLAs. | ||
’ | |||
Hare looked the kid up and down. His eyes were wide. He had a hunger to learn. It aggrieved him to see this undirected, crackling energy. He was working on a handheld device of some kind. The boy looked up. “Finished. I done this one.” | Hare looked the kid up and down. His eyes were wide. He had a hunger to learn. It aggrieved him to see this undirected, crackling energy. He was working on a handheld device of some kind. The boy looked up. “Finished. I done this one.” | ||
Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
Barberazza tossed over the piece. Hare inspected it. Turned it over in his hands. The workmanship was rough, but sound. Put together with a young man’s vigour. The structure was sturdy The defs were right. The cross refs dovetailed. Hare lined up the counterparts and took a sighter. Straight. Clean. | Barberazza tossed over the piece. Hare inspected it. Turned it over in his hands. The workmanship was rough, but sound. Put together with a young man’s vigour. The structure was sturdy The defs were right. The cross refs dovetailed. Hare lined up the counterparts and took a sighter. Straight. Clean. | ||
“Yeah, | “Yeah, that’s not bad, but there’s not a lot that could go wrong on a calc agent appointment side letter. You got a bit to learn yet, lad.” | ||
The boy looked at him with blazing, fierce excitement. “It’s all I want, sir — to learn. Whatever you got, I’m buying.” | The boy looked at him with blazing, fierce excitement. “It’s all I want, sir — to learn. Whatever you got, I’m buying.” | ||
Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
“Go on?” | “Go on?” | ||
“That extra weight lends the piece a certain confidence, sir, but really it | “That extra weight lends the piece a certain confidence, sir, but really it isn’t necessary. I mean, it might be handy in a scrape close-quarters, but over a long engagement, that’s going to wear you down.” | ||
This was quite the piece of analysis. Whatever Farquhar was drilling him on in Eagle Squad was sinking in. “Very good. And what about construction?” | This was quite the piece of analysis. Whatever Farquhar was drilling him on in Eagle Squad was sinking in. “Very good. And what about construction?” | ||
The boy deftly disassembled the piece and lined up the parts, studying then for a moment. “Finance-grade, for sure. Seems a bit over-engineered.” His hands flew urgently but carefully over the boilerplate. He ran through the standard Euro confi playbook. He must have committed it to memory. He | The boy deftly disassembled the piece and lined up the parts, studying then for a moment. “Finance-grade, for sure. Seems a bit over-engineered.” His hands flew urgently but carefully over the boilerplate. He ran through the standard Euro confi playbook. He must have committed it to memory. He didn’t miss a beat. The boy was well-drilled, Hare had to admit. | ||
“Limited scope, no affiliates, need to know. It looks good, sir. Plus points: it’s sleek, measured, nice baffle quotient in the early phases. I like the elaborate construction phase up front. Diverts a front-on attack." | “Limited scope, no affiliates, need to know. It looks good, sir. Plus points: it’s sleek, measured, nice baffle quotient in the early phases. I like the elaborate construction phase up front. Diverts a front-on attack." | ||
Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
Hare gritted his teeth. “That’s excellent work, soldier. You’ve picked all all of the issues with this one. Strong analysis. I’m impressed. You are learning fast.” | Hare gritted his teeth. “That’s excellent work, soldier. You’ve picked all all of the issues with this one. Strong analysis. I’m impressed. You are learning fast.” | ||
But the boy | But the boy hasn’t finished. “Oh, look at this. There’s a general indemnity. That’s mad! Who the hell fits one of those onto a ''confi''? | ||
Hare cleared his throat. | Hare cleared his throat. | ||
The boy kept going. He flipped a catch. “What the hell ... A BOC indemnity!” He carefully set the piece down on the bench and started working at it with his red line. | The boy kept going. He flipped a catch. “What the hell ... A BOC indemnity!” He carefully set the piece down on the bench and started working at it with his red line. “That’s positively dangerous.” | ||
He made a couple of careful incisions and slowly, delicately, withdrew the offending mechanism and dropped it in a sterilised waste receptacle. | He made a couple of careful incisions and slowly, delicately, withdrew the offending mechanism and dropped it in a sterilised waste receptacle. | ||
Line 73: | Line 73: | ||
Barberazza smiled back at him. “Gimme another one, sir. We got a lot to get through. The Eagle Squad needs these at the front line” | Barberazza smiled back at him. “Gimme another one, sir. We got a lot to get through. The Eagle Squad needs these at the front line” | ||
Hare snorted. “Meh. Take your time kid. Those peashooters | Hare snorted. “Meh. Take your time kid. Those peashooters don’t need nothing.” He thought for a moment, then brightened. “Oh, this bump-stock is off-balance. Lad, would you be a star and fetch me a weight?” | ||
“A weight?” | “A weight?” | ||
Line 87: | Line 87: | ||
“Commander Burke can show you. He runs the counter in the warranties depot.” | “Commander Burke can show you. He runs the counter in the warranties depot.” | ||
The warranties depot was a caged area recessed and towards the back of the warehouse. As Barberazza entered he ran his hand along the rail. A patina of dust lifted. | The warranties depot was a caged area recessed and towards the back of the warehouse. As Barberazza entered he ran his hand along the rail. A patina of dust lifted. Busy down here much? Barberazza got tot he counter. He pinged the bell. An older man in a yellow cap shuffled into the booth. He set down a cigarette and coughed softly. His eyes were red-rimmed but kind. He smiled, pleased of the visit. | ||
“Sorry about that — I was, ah, distracted for a minute. Now, young man. How can I help you today?” | |||
“Morning, sir.” The boy snapped out a salute. “I’m looking for a long weight. Commander Hare said you might be able to help me.” | “Morning, sir.” The boy snapped out a salute. “I’m looking for a long weight. Commander Hare said you might be able to help me.” | ||
Line 97: | Line 97: | ||
“A six, please.” | “A six, please.” | ||
“Oh, a six. That’s a long one. All right, lad. Head down to row five, column eight. I’ll be down presently.” | “Oh, a six. That’s a ''long'' one. All right, lad. Head down to row five, column eight. I’ll be down presently.” | ||
Barberazza | Barberazza navigated the stacks. The warranties were organised by trade association. The oldest ones were nearest the door: |