New Toys!

Cal and I have been concerned, ever since we went over the mission plans and have finally begun to understand just what the Thunder 7 is going to be able to do; about how to protect our selves.

Standard projectile weapons won't do us much good in a harsh alien environment in some distant galaxy. We knew we would need something more advanced. So I put out some calls to some friends and contacts in the private sector. I got a lot of the same responses, "What you want is too advanced, or Only the government has that kind of stuff." but a friend at Smith & Wesson informed me that two years ago, they had acquired the optics and laser R&D division of Bouch & Lomb. He said that they had been developing just what I was looking for.

I immediately took my air-car and flew out to Springfield Massachusetts to meet with my friend and the execs at Smith & Wesson, I left them with a large check for seed money and a deadline. That was almost nine months ago, today we got new toys!

My friend Paul, two execs and some guys from R&D came out to the ranch today with shiny metal suitcases in hand. I was excited, Cal played it cool, but I knew he was as excited as I was. When they pulled those weapons out of their cases, I was shocked. I thought they were just bringing the pistols I had asked them to make. They brought not only pistols, but these laser cannons, I had never seen anything like it, but these things did more than look good.

Cal and I got to fire them out on the back part of my property. WOW!
I incinerated an entire bolder in one shot. I don't think I have ever seen Cal that impressed by anything. We still had a lot of work to do on the ship, so I thanked my friend Paul and the guys from Smith & Wesson, gave them the remainder of the money that we agreed upon and sent them on their way.

Cal and I spent the rest of the evening blowing things up out on the back 40, it was a real cathartic experience.