saber964 wrote:quote="cthia"
TheF R E EPublication
quote
Girls Night In— PeterZ
(I have said this before. No written work I submit on this board is considered proprietary. David is free to use any work I submit in any way shape or form and any resemblance to this work by David will not be considered infringement in any way.)
I can see Elizabeth, Honor and Eloise at the range. Honor is showing off her 1911 replica and Eloise is viewing it as a quaint toy, while Elizabeth is viewing it as a dueling weapon. Poor honor sees it as a work of art as well as a workable tool.
"Seriously, Honor," Eloise begins," pulsers are much more useful. The dart has a straight line trajectory and a hit puts paid to the target....er assailant. Your toy gives the would be attacker more chances of survival that I am comfortable with. I happen to agree with River Dancer; the only good attacker is a dead one." Eloise's treecat body guard did not wish to assault her hearing on this escapade.
"Please, Eloise," Chimes in Elizabeth, "You Havenites don't understand dueling at all! The weapon gives a neophyte a chance to survive and forces the bloodthirsty duelist to be very good to actually kill someone. By the way, Honor, that was brilliant work on Denver Summervale. I began practicing shooting from the hip and it's not easy at all!"
The object of this side discussion finishes her last shot in the tight clump on the upper right edge of the outside ring.
"Why do you do that?", asks Elizabeth.
"I've been curious myself," Eloise adds.
"Fire at different places on the target?" Honor responds.
"Yes" both heads of state reply.
"Elizabeth, you shoot at one other duelist, right?" Honor continues after a nod. "You also shot at individual targets, Eloise?"
"Well, yes, using more than one round means someone screwed the pooch on the planning."
"Uncle Jacques insisted I vary my aim points. He wanted me to avoid developing habits that can be predicted. Always aiming at the center of a target lends itself to predictable patterns of thought. Besides, shifting your aim at different parts of the target better replicates the changing combat environment," Honor concluded.
Both Leaders considered their mutual friend happily replacing a 10 round magazine of .45 caliber chemical propellant.
Eloise shakes herself from her musing as if to get past a dark memory. "I'm glad I never had to be in a ....target rich environment. I usually planned too well for that to happen. Well, either me or Kevin planned well anyway."
"Good Lord! I thought swimming with a pond full of political sharks was bad. You ladies drop reminiscences of mortal adventures like Dr. Harrington swaps recipes with Mistress Thorne!" complains Elizabeth.
"Nonsense, that's base libel, Elizabeth, and you know it!" Retorts Honor, "Daddy doesn't do anything so gauche as 'swap' anything with Mistress Thorne. They carefully negotiate any item they would like to add to their recipe book. The other just as carefully considers a suitable exchange. Those two have it down to an art form. There have been times where Mac has to intercede when some point of honor has them at an impasse. Mom, just sits back and laughs!"
The three most powerful women in their half of the explored galaxy share a comfortable chuckle that to an unkind observer might resemble something that may be described as giggles.
"Care to try a few rounds, Eloise?" says Honor as she steps back to give the platinum haired woman some room.quote
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