fandomhigh | Introduction to Personal Weaponry [Monday, second period]

Entry tags:

weaponry

Introduction to Personal Weaponry [Monday, second period]

Max suspected that most of his students were going to pick up on the topic for today's class rather quickly since guns tended to be pretty obvious and recognizable, and there was a large locker full of them against one wall in addition to the ones on his desk. Everything from matchlock pistols to modern sniper rifles.

"Today we're going to be discussing one of the most revolutionary shifts in the history of weapons. I suspect most of you can guess what that is. Gunpowder, and more specifically the gun, represent a fundamental change in the equation of war. That change comes from the fact that gunpowder uses chemistry to provide the energy to kill people with, and that means that it doesn't really care how strong you are personally."

"Swords, clubs, axes, and all the other hand weapons merely enhance your innate strength. So that while everyone becomes more dangerous, someone with my size and strength becomes that much more dangerous. In a serious fight with swords, I don't think any of you could overcome my physical advantages." Though, this was Fandom, someone might surprise him. And Max wasn't about to make any bets where Zach was concerned, either.

"This is just as true with thrown knives and spears, and remains true, though to a lesser extent, with things like bows and crossbows. Your personal strength controls how powerful a bow or crossbow you can draw, and it especially controls how quickly you can reload. So while any of you could get a crossbow powerful enough to kill someone, it might be difficult to reload for some of you, so you'd only get one shot."

"Gunpowder changed all that. Since the power it can deliver doesn't depend on how strong you are, it puts everyone on an even playing field. Any of you could fire a gun big enough to kill me, for instance. I might be able to absorb more damage than some people simply due to my size, but a shot to the heart or the head is going to deliver enough force that it won't matter."

"This fundamental shift in who can kill who means that I can't tell you what to do just because I'm bigger and stronger than you because, if you want to, you can kill me. I can no longer act with impunity. And you don't even have to be in particularly good shape or have much in the way of training, either. On the other hand, killing becomes much easier for everyone, and for any reason."

Max's eyes scanned the room slowly. "I know that I make a big deal about safety in this class, but today I want you all to be clear on just how big a deal it's become." Even if the danger shop's safety protocols were in effect. "Accidents with guns are often fatal for the same reason they change things so much: they're always at full power, and that power is always enough to kill."

"So, today's activity is simple. Find a gun you've never used before." And for many of his students Max figured that might be 'any of them'. "Try it out on range at the back of the room. After you've gotten familiar with your weapon, find someone who's picked something completely different and swap impressions. Get a feel for just how broad a category of weapons this is."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Safety first!

Bruce Wayne

Alex Karev

Dru Anderson

Prince Alexander of Daventry

Kate Gregson

Karla

Zack Fair

Shane Gooseman

Kurt Wagner

Jason Todd

Which is surprisingly lecture-y and social theory-y today.

Bruce knew this class was going to happen eventually. And it just had to come along on a day when he was feeling a little extra tense, didn't it? He wasn't a happy camper today.

Alex hadn't stopped feeling restless and tense and keyed up so maybe shooting off a gun would help. He didn't know. All he knew was that he felt the need for a cigarette and some hard liquor.

He tried to concentrate though.

The topic of this class was something Dru was quite comfortable with thanks to all the weapons she'd handled with her dad. There was no reason for her to feel tense and out of sorts.

But she was.

...Alexander was having a very bad feeling about this.

Aw, man. Guns.

It wasn't that Zack didn't like guns, but he really wasn't very good with them. If he had wanted to use a gun when he'd joined the military, he would have signed up for ShinRa's infantry.

The lecture just made Kurt really uneasy with the guns. You could KILL someone with them, after all!

Jason was ever-so-subtly glancing at Bruce while Max was talking, but also making sure he looked like he was paying attention to the topic at hand.

It's a standard police range, designed to make it pretty close to impossible to get in someone's line of fire, but that won't stop Max from keeping a close eye on everyone.

Alex hadn't ever used a Walther P99 so he picked that one up and made sure to get a feel for the grip and weight before taking a few slow practice shots. He wasn't great with a gun but it wasn't the first time he'd handled one.

Over the last five years Dru had handled almost all of the more modern weapons. Partly for giggles and partly because it made her focus, she grabbed one of the matchlock pistols and tried several shots with it.

Alexander was not very familiar, or comfortable, with guns. In fact, he was pretty sure he was more comfortable with magic than with guns, which said a lot.

Still, he was going to give it a serious try.

No matter how much he attempted to try to be a good shot, he found that, time and again, he would get the gun cocked and loaded, only to fire off too soon.

It was terribly frustrating, as well as embarrassing.

Kurt picked up a .22 Beretta, because it looked a little less scary than some of the other weapons.

He wasn't a bad shot with it, per se, but he wasn't all that great with it, either.

And discuss your weapons. You can even try each others' choices out if you wish.

Who hasn't really started feeling the effects of the pollen yet, fortunately.

Bruce approached Max right after the lecture just to make sure Max didn't think he was just slacking off or anything. "I wanted to let you know that I won't be participating in the activity today."

Direct and to the point. Ironically, that kind of focus would have made him a good shot.

[Yeah, I pretty much had to do this. :) I'll be slow while I'm at work!"

Max quirked an eyebrow. "You did? Are you planning on elaborating with a reason, or did you want to just leave it at that?" Max didn't sound like he approved of the latter option.

[Yes. Yes you did.]

"My parents were killed by a man with a gun," Bruce explained. "So I don't use guns. I'm fine with hearing what you have to say about them, though."

Bruce thought Max did a pretty good job with that, actually.

"Huh." Max seemed to think about that for a moment. "Are you afraid of them, then?" That would make sense, after all.

"No. I just don't like them. Call it a moral stand if you need to," Bruce said.

"Fair enough," Max shrugged. "Do you wish to be excused from the remainder of class itself, or simply from being required to participate in today's activity?"

"Just the activity, and any future activities involving the handling of guns," Bruce said. "I think I can still learn something through observation even if I don't participate."

"Are you specifically concerned with gunpowder-based weapons?" Next week was energy weapons, after all. But Max wasn't sure if Bruce would have the same problems with those.

"I'm specifically concerned with guns. Gunpowder has its uses. I'm actually in the Demolitions class," Bruce noted.

Another thoughtful nod. "Where do you draw the line for something being a gun? I take it crossbows aren't guns..."

"I haven't really thought of there being a line before," Bruce said, not really sure where exactly Max was going with it. "I think they tend to be pretty easy to identify."

Max shrugged. He really liked weapons, so the little details were important. "What about a dart gun? One of those compressed air weapons?"

"If it looks like a gun and kills like a gun, that's where I'd put it," Bruce said. "If it's non-lethal, that might make a difference."

"What makes a crossbow different, then?" Max asked, honestly curious. After all, Bruce struck him as the sort who had a considered answer for almost everything he did.

Karla was stupidly grateful that class was in the Danger Shop today. It meant that she could just rest in the hall between Kerrigan's class and Max's and not have to dread the long walk from one classroom to another. She wasn't entirely sure she could make it.

After class started, Karla slowly approached Max. "I have a note for you," she said, holding it out. "Well, two, but I don't know if you want the second one now. It's a lot longer. Also, I don't think I'll be participating in today's demonstration. It wouldn't be safe." From the way her hands trembled as she held out the note, she was betting Max could tell why.

Max gave the letter what seemed to be a cursory glance, then turned his attention to Karla. "If you don't have any questions about the lecture, then you are excused from the remainder of the class." His eyes were concerned, but his voice was purely professional. "Go get something warm to drink." That was an order.

He paused. "Would stopping by my office tomorrow be more convenient for your second note?"

That wasn't Karla sagging a little in relief. She was...umm...something else that looked similar but wasn't that. Really. "Tomorrow will be fine," she said. "I can stop by after classes?"

"Of course," Max nodded easily, deigning not to notice any sagging. "Now go. You look like you should be in bed."

"I have another class after this one and my shift at 'Dite's," Karla said, with a slight shake of her head. "But I'll head to the cafeteria and grab something to eat and drink. Maybe catch a nap before next period if I have time."

She might not though. It was a long ~~hobble~~ hike from the Danger Shop to the cafeteria and back.

It promises to be a very cool and busy week!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Introduction to Personal Weaponry [Monday, second period]

Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Re: Sign in [08/11/2010]

Listen to the lecture

Re: Listen to the lecture

Re: Listen to the lecture

Re: Listen to the lecture

Re: Listen to the lecture

Re: Listen to the lecture

Re: Listen to the lecture

Re: Listen to the lecture

Shoot

Re: Shoot

Re: Shoot

Re: Shoot

Re: Shoot

Partner up

Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

Re: Talk to Max

OOC