Night On the Town, Part lll

Posted on Sun 31st Dec, 2023 @ 1:33pm by Sergeant Paul Reilly & Kendra Lincoln

1,533 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: O' the Cardiff Rose
Location: Promenade
Timeline: MD 3, 2130

Paul and Kendra left the Hangman's Noose with a full stomach and smiles on their faces. He glanced over to her and asked, "What would you like to do now, the evening is still young." He really enjoyed their dinner and was already looking forward to the next time that they came back to this place to eat again.

Happy to think the date wasn't over already, Kendra thought a moment. Most men didn't enjoy window shopping, but maybe if they looked at something he liked, they could stroll along the promenade, feeling no responsibility for keeping it safe right this minute, and learn more about each other.

"What's something you really enjoy learning about?" she asked. "I mean, I could just window shop for a couple of hours, looking for unusual things, but that doesn't seem like something that would interest you at all. What about ..." she broke off, snapping her fingers as she remembered something. "Wait a sec. Didn't I hear that there is a museum of weapons somewhere on ... that deck that has the consulates and some museums? That would be interesting to see, wouldn't it?"

"Really? Weapons interest you?" Paul asked as he smiled. "A woman after my own heart. It sounds like a good idea to me." He had no idea that sort of thing interested her, so tonight he knew one more thing about her.

"Oh, yes, weapons have always interested me. Historical ones, what we think of as primitive things firing out projectiles to kill?" She shrugged, "We think we are so much more civilized and advanced ... but are we really? Isn't the purpose of our weapons the same? To take a life that's threatening someone? It isn't a bad thing if used morally, but still ... taking a life." They stopped at the lift and waited with a few other people to go down to deck 636, where consulates and museums, and other interesting things could be found.

"You seem surprised, but do you disagree with me?" She always liked a healthy debate of opinions. The down-station lift arrived, and people stepped off, then people stepped on, including Paul and Kendra.

Paul chuckled, "Surprised, yes. I didn't know that about you. Not all weapons were developed to kill. Most weapons were made to stop or prevent one's action by direct intervention or threat, A ship's weapons are designed to stop another ship, not kill all aboard. They are for defense since we are not a war-mongering people, contrary to our history. Even hand phasers and pulse rifles have more stun settings than kill settings. They are for defense above all else and sometimes defense requires taking life to preserve it."

Kendra looked at her date as the lift took them down several floors. "Now that's an interesting observation I don't hear often," she said. "Quite a few men of my acquaintance seem to think that police work is not something a woman should take on, a rather antiquated idea to still be hanging around today."

She shrugged and watched the numbers of the floors pass, people again getting off and others joining them. "Yet in the animal kingdom, at least the ones on Terra Prime, it is more often the female of a species who defend the home and hearth."

The lift reached 636, and Kendra nudged the person between her and the doors. "Excuse me," she spoke politely and the woman moved aside without an answer. Kendra exited the lift and waited for Paul to do the same. Looking around the deck, she realized she'd spent no time here and wondered whose beat it was. As her partner stepped out of the lift, she smiled at him, and asked, "So where were we?"

Paul had stepped out behind her. "Short answer, deck 636. Long answer...." Paul paused before walking over to a map terminal, "Consulates and Concert Halls along with several Museums. The Concert Hall and Museums share several decks, but this is their main entrance."

He paused for a moment, "Maybe because the female animals are at home and that is why they defend it; however, humans and other bipedal species of intelligence are not animals. The female of the species should have the right to choose what to do with their lives. After all, it is not the sex, but the capability of the individual that should be judged." He smiled and began to walk in the direction of the Museum, "And you are very capable ..."

Kendra slowed slightly, glancing to the side at her companion. After a moment, she said, "Thank you, Paul. That's an insightful answer, and the compliment is not going unnoticed, either. I like that you think differently from many of the men with whom I've worked, and that you express yourself so well."

Reaching out, she took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. "This might be the best date I've ever enjoyed." A smile lit her eyes, and she felt it all the way through her body.

"I'm pleased that you enjoyed yourself as well as I did, and I'm already looking forward to the next time we do this?" He was already making plans in his head, even though the night wasn't over yet.

With a shy smile, Kendra confirmed Paul's thoughts. "I believe you can count on that happening," she said as they came to the entrance that proclaimed, "Weapons of the Ages - Step in and Be Amazed!"

"Well, that was unexpected, by me at least!" Kendra said. "Maybe this is one of those places with a talking guide program? Now I'm even more interested!"

No sooner than she finished her sentence than a hologram appeared. The hologram was that of a human male, probably in his mid-sixties, based on the color of his hair and wrinkles on his face. He wore a nice fitting suit and presented himself as being very formal. "Good evening all, I am Zel Wren, CEO of the weapons manufacturing company, Prax Industries, founded by Martin Prax, back in 2120. I will be your guide for duration of your tour and will answer ay questions that you may have. Are there any questions before we being the tour?" The hologram waited for a reply from the couple.

Kendra waited a moment in case Paul looked toward her, which he did, but he nodded at her. Looking back at the hologram, she asked, "Mr. Wren, what is the oldest weapon you have here at the museum, and who ordered it originally?" She really was interested in the answer to both parts of her question, and wondered whether it would be Klingon, Human or another race who provided their first object to view.

"The oldest weapon that we have is the Vulcan Ahn-woon which predates the stone tips arrows found on earth and even the Klingon bat'leth that was created by Kahless in CE625. According to our records this copy was donated by the Vulcan government about seven years ago," the hologram said.

"Oh, my! before 625? That is quite old." A frown furrowed her brow. "Could we see that, please? I've seen some of those arrow tips on a trip to the Terran planet. Quite primitive and ancient, so I'd like to compare it to what I remember."

Bowing his head toward her, the hologram turned to the console and called up a visual of the Ahn-woon, and for comparison purposes, he called up a set of three dark hand-chipped arrow heads embedded in wooden facsimile of the originals. "Interesting use of native materials," she remarked. "I wonder ... which would win against the other most often?"

"The arrows would, as long as you are able to keep your distance since the Ahn-woon is a melee weapon." Paul said. "I'm sure that the Vulcans came up with arrows well before the humans did."

Kendra laughed, "Are you now?" she asked. "Fighting methods were different, so I suppose it would depend on who needed what first."

She bent over the holograms laid out in front of them. "I don't think I want to be involved with this Vulcan weapon," she tapped the edge of the simulated Ahn-woon container. "Look at the detail on this. We are so fortunate to have the technology to reproduce it this way ... though I suppose coming across an actual weapon would be amazing in a different way. Have you ever trained with any of the ancient weapons?" she asked, looking up at him.

Paul shook his head, "Nope, just what we use on a day to day." Paul looked up at the hologram, "Do you have physical reproductions of the weapons?"

The hologram smiled, "We have an extensive display of reproductions, if you wish to go hands on and see the weapon for yourself, minus the blood, of course."

Kendra glanced at the hologram. "Definitely minus the blood."

"Please follow the yellow light at your feet that indicates your direction of travel to the exhibit. I will meet you there," the hologram said before disappearing.

"Nice, we get to play with some old toys." He smiled at Kendra, "Ready to go?"

"I'm going to say 'yes', even with a reservation or two. Living out one's dreams overcomes reservations this time," she answered.

 

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