“Me, Sergeant?” I blinks, as I had not expected to be called upon.
“That’s right,” the sergeant sez, showin’ some extra teeth in his smile. “At the firing range you made a big point that only jerks have to kill people, Well, here’s your chance to show everybody how to ‘gentle’ an enemy into submission when he’s trying to kill you.”
Needless to say, I don’t care for the sounds of this, but as I have been summoned, I have little choice but to step forward into the clear space bein’ used for the demonstrations. My discomfort grows as the sergeant gestures to Corporal Whittle, who tosses him a short sword. That’s right, a real short sword … with a point and sharpened edges.
“What’s with the sword, Sergeant?” I sez.
“I said this was going to be a demonstration against an armed opponent,” he grins. “What we’re going to do is I’m going to try to kill you, and you’re going to try to stop me without killing me.”
“… And if I don’t?”
“Then I guess we’ll have us a little ‘training accident’ … unless, of course, you’d rather just back out now and admit you can’t do it.”
Needless to say, I did not obtain my current lofty position as bodyguard by backin’ away from fights. What’s more, the sword wasn’t my real worry as it is nothin’ more than a long knife, and I’ve dealt with knives often enough.
“Oh, I can do it,” I shrugs. “The trouble is it might involve striking a non-commissioned officer … which I seem to recall from our Military Law lesson is a no-no.”
The sergeant’s smile fades a bit, and I realize he has been expectin’ me to withdraw from this exercise when he feeds me the cue. Unfortunately for both of us, this realization comes a little late to do us any good.